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Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) Lyrics

[Jay-Z]
Check the bassline out, uh-huh
Jigga (bounce wit it), uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh, yeahh
Let it bump though

["Annie" sample]
It's the hard knock life (uh-huh) for us
It's the hard knock life, for us!!
Steada treated, we get tricked
Steada kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life!!

[Jay-Z]
From standin on the corners boppin
to drivin some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen
For droppin some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard
From the dope spot, with the smoke Glock
fleein the murder scene, you know me well
from nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell
But since when y'all niggaz know me to fail? Fuck naw
Where all my niggaz with the rubber grips, bust shots
And if you with me mom I rub on your tits, and what-not
I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not
let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot
let's stick up the world and split it fifty/fifty, uh-huh
Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh
And sip the Cris' and get pissy-pissy
Flow infinitely like the memory of my nigga Biggie, baby!
You know it's hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter
nigga Volume 2, y'all niggaz get ready

["Annie" sample]
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us!!
Steada treated, we get tricked
Steada kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life!!

[Jay-Z]
I flow for those 'dro'ed out; all my niggaz
locked down in the ten by fo', controllin the house
We live in hard knocks, we don't take over we borrow blocks
Burn em down and you can have it back daddy, I'd rather that
I flow for chicks wishin, they ain't have to strip to pay tuition
I see you vision mama, I put my money on the longshots
All my ballers that's born to clock
Now I'ma be on top whether I perform or not
I went from lukewarm to hot; sleepin on futons and cots
to King Size, dream machines, the green fives
I've seen pies let the thing between my eyes analyze life's ills
Then I put it down type braile
I'm tight grill with the phony, rappers y'all might feel we homies
I'm like still, y'all don't know me, shit!
I'm tight grill when my situation ain't improvin
I'm tryin to murder everything movin, feel me?!

["Annie" sample]
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us!!
Steada treated, we get tricked
Steada kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us!!
Steada treated, we get tricked
Steada kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life!!

[Jay-Z]
I don't how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toes
Gotta a lot of beef, so logically, I prey on my foes
Hustling's still inside of me, and as far as progress
you'd be hard-pressed, to find another rapper hot as me
I gave you prophecy on my first joint, and y'all lamed out
Didn't really appreciate it, til the second one came out
So I stretched the game out, X'ed your name out
Put Jigga on top, and drop albums non-stop for ya, nigguh!

["Annie" sample]
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us!!
Steada treated, we get tricked
Steada kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us!!
Steada treated, we get tricked
Steada kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life!!
.. It's the hard knock life!!
.. It's the hard knock life!!
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Sony/atv Music Publishing Llc, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Writer
Charles Strouse, Mark James, Martin Charnin, Sean Carter
Duration
3:58
Producer
The 45 King, Mark The 45 King, Jay-z
Release date
Sep 29, 1998
Sentiment
Positive
Submitted by
oofus On Jun 21, 2001
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Cover art for Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) lyrics by Jay-Z

really simple its a hard knock life pretty self explanatory

Cover art for Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) lyrics by Jay-Z

I'm pretty sure where the lyrics said 'steada' it should really read...'Instead of'

I know they say it fast but i'm sure they say the whole words.

Cover art for Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) lyrics by Jay-Z

I'm pretty sure where the lyrics said 'steada' it should really read...'Instead of'

I know they say it fast but i'm sure they say the whole words.

Cover art for Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) lyrics by Jay-Z

i'm pretty sure instead of "And if you with me mom I rub on your tits, and what-not" its "and if you with me mama COVER YOUR TITS, and what-not" why would he say i rub on your tits? how do u fix lyrics?

Cover art for Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) lyrics by Jay-Z

Love this joint! This is the song that crossed Jay over into the Pop world or should I say, crossed Pop over into Jay's world!

Cover art for Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) lyrics by Jay-Z

this song is so cool i love it, I think its a summary of life beeing raised in a rough time or a rough enviroment and problems that can come about, but overcoming them and living wonderful successful lives peace