Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
Jay-Z
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Take the bassline out, uh-huh Jigga (bounce wit it), uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh, yeah Let it bump, though It's the hard knock life (uh-huh) for us It's the hard knock life, for us 'Stead of treated, we get tricked 'Stead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life 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 niggas know me to fail? F*ck nah Where all my niggas with the rubber grips? Bust shots And if you with me, ma I'll 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 niggas get ready It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us 'Stead of treated, we get tricked 'Stead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life I flow for those 'dro'ed out, all my niggas Locked down in the ten by four, 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 your vision, mama, I put my money on the long shots 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, green machines, the green fives I've seen pies let the thing between my eyes analyze life's ills Then I put it down, type braille 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 improving I'm tryna murder everything movin', feel me? It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us 'Stead of treated, we get tricked 'Stead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us 'Stead of treated, we get tricked 'Stead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life 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 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, nigga It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us! 'Stead of treated, we get tricked 'Stead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us! 'Stead of treated, we get tricked 'Stead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life It's the hard knock life It's the hard knock life
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Written by: Charles Strouse, Mark James, Martin Charnin, Sean Carter
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
8 facts about this song
Artist Background"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z.
- It is one of Jay-Z's most popular and well-known songs, showcasing his journey from the streets to stardom.
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Song FeaturesIt was released as the lead single from Jay-Z's third album "Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life."
- The song features a pitch-modified sample of the song "It's the Hard Knock Life" from the Broadway musical "Annie."
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Release & Ranking"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" was released on 22 September 1998 by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings.
- It peaked at number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
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Awards & NominationsIn the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" received a nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance but unfortunately lost to "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" by Will Smith.
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Impact & InfluenceThis track had unprecedented popularity and brought Jay-Z into the mainstream.
- It demonstrated that Jay-Z could make commercially successful singles without compromising his street-cred.
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Cultural InfluenceThe use of the sample from "Annie" was a major musical and cultural moment, blending hip-hop with Broadway in a truly unique way.
- It further proved Jay-Z's creative approach to using uncommon sources for hip-hop samples.
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Music VideoThe music video for the song, directed by Mark Romanek, also received high praise and helped further popularize the single.
- It portrays children living a "hard knock life" in New York City.
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Song MakingThe “Annie” sample was creatively turned from a melancholic show tune into a triumphant ghetto anthem through pitch correction and loop processing.
- Jay-Z didn't initially believe the song would be a hit and was skeptical of how fans would receive it.
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Citation
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