[Intro: Jay-Z] & (Nas)

I know you can feel the magic baby

Turn the motherfuckin lights down

Esco whuttup? (Whuttup homey)

I mean.. it's what you expected ain't it?

Let's go... uh, uh, uh, uh, uh

Turn the music up and the headphones

uh, Yea, that's perfect (Yea, right)

Uh, we gots to take and make a nigga wait on this motherfucker

(hahaha!) Make niggaz mad and shit like..

Niggaz usually start rappin' after 4-bars, nigga go in

Start dancin' in this motherfucker

Yea, (Yea) niggaz come outta nowhere



[Hook: Jay-Z]

I feel like a Black Republican, money I got comin' in

Can't turn my back on the hood, I got love for them

Can't clean my act up for good, too much thug in 'em

Probably in the back of the hood, I'm like "Fuck it then"



[Verse 1: Jay-Z]

Huddlin' over the oven, we was like brothers then (What?)

Though you was nothin' other than a son of my mother's friend

We had governin', who would of thought the love would end

Like ice cold album, all good things

Neva thought we sing the same song that all hood sang

Thought it was all wood-grain, all good brain

You wouldn't bicker like the other fools talk good game

Neva imagine all the disasters that one could reign

Could bring!, should bling, the game, and I could

It's kill or be killed, how could I refrain?

And foreva be in debt, that's neva a good thing

To the pressure for success can put a good strain

On a friend you call best, and yes it could bring

Out the worst in every person, even the good's insane

Though we rehearsed, it's just ain't the same

When you put in the game at age sixteen

Then you mix things: like cars, jewelry, and miss things

Jealousy, ego, and pride, and this brings

It all to a head like coin, cha-ching

The rule of evil strikes again, this could sting

Now the team got beef between the Post and the Point

This puts the ring in jeopardy - until Liberty



[Hook: Jay-Z]



[Hook: Nas]

I feel like a black militant takin' over the government

Can't turn my back on the hood, too much love for them

Can't clean my act up for good, too much thug in 'em

Probably in up back in the hood, I'm like, "fuck it then"



[Verse 2: Nas]

I'm back in the hood, they like, "Hey Nas" (Uh)

Blowin' on purp', reflectin' on they lives

Couple of fat cats, couple of A.I.'s

Dreamin' of fly shit instead of them gray skies

Gray 5's, hate guys wishin' our reign dies

Pitch, sling pies, and niggaz they sing, "why"?

Guess they ain't strong enough to handle their jail time

Weak minds, keep tryin', follow the street signs

I'm standin' on the roof of my building

I'm feelin' - the whirlwind of beef, I inhale it

Just like an acrobat ready to hurl myself though the hoops of fire

Sippin' 80 proof, bulletproof under my attire

Could it be the forces of darkness, against hood angels of good

That forms street politics - makes a sweet honest kid

Turn illegal for commerce - to get hïs feet out of them Converse

That's my word



[Hook: Jay-Z]



[Hook: Nas]