JAY Z Follow

How can you fairly assess something from the outside looking in?
There's gotta be them times you'll be wrong, nah mean?
How can a motherfucker go round and hate a nigga
He never even met that he don't even know and shit?
I think this rap shit is all beef

Y'all dont even know every day I'm livin' with stress
Got up out the streets you think a nigga could rest
Can't even enjoy myself at a party unless
I'm on the dance floor, hot ass vest
You think I'm freakin' these chicks, right?
I'll try not to brush against they chest

You get a lawsuit for shit like that, I feel trapped
Swear to everything when I leave this earth
It's gon' be on both feet, never knees in the dirt
You could try me fucker but when I squeeze it hurts, fine
We'll lose two lives, yours and mines
Gimme any amount of time don't let Ms. Carter grieve

At the funeral parlor drippin' tears on my sleeve
Told the judge didn't budge it was him or me
And I ain't trying to be hard but I'm guilty as charged
Put my mercy on this court and my faith in God
And pray hard none of my nephews wanna be stars
Lucky me

You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me

I hate all girls with ulterior motives
That's why I'm twenty plus years old, no sons no daughters
Hate putting my life in the hands of fake promoters
Hear the hate in my voice, right? I hate that you noticed
Niggas wanna strip to the bone for shit you own
Hate a nigga, like that fagot, get your own

Hate that I can't roam the street without the clip and chrome
Knowing one day Im'a have to flip, c'mon
You know the shit don't stop 'til the Crist don't pop
And you have to kill a nigga and your wrist don't lock
I'm trapped the whole worlds against me in fact
It ain't no turning back, bring it on

Hate the price of fame 'cause it cost too much
Can I live without y'all niggas saying I floss too much?
Hate the way you make this hate flow all through us
Steady looking for flaws through us
Lucky me

You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me

You only know what you see
(Since I was 4 years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You don't understand what it takes to be me
(And now that I've arrived)
(I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)

Nigga see you in the street, pretend to be friendly
But I know any type of success breeds envy
I know in the back of your mind your conjuring ways to hen me
Leave my friends in a circle pouring out Henny
For Jesus is Heaven bound so how I'm gon' receive
Anything y'all pour to the ground next time throw it up

And ain't nothing changed so even in my afterlife, I show it up
Dont grieve for me my art remains
like a dart from the speaker to your heart
Spiritually through the portal now my words as a mortal
Plan to leave without a fight I plant a seed I give life
Though I can't see past the girls greed to call her wife

Next time your thinking heist better be precise
'Cause I'm fully prepared, one of us is gon' leave here
I have no regrets even though I wanna see grow
My godsons Boogie, Sonny and Rimo

You only know what you see
(I been told, since I was 4 years old, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You don't understand what it takes to be me
(And now that I've arrived)
(I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)

You only know what you see
(Since I was 4 years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You don't understand what it takes to be me
(And now that I've arrived
I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)
(You know?)

You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me

You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me

You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me