Check the bassline out, uh huh Jigga, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, yeah Let it bump though It's the hard knock life for us It's the hard knock life for us Instead of treated, we get tricked Instead 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 From 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? Fuck naw Where all my niggas with the rubber grips, bust shots And if you with me, mama, rub on your tits, and what-not I'm from the school of the hard knocks, you must not Let outsiders violate our blocks and my plot 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 two It's the hard knock life for us It's the hard knock life for us Instead of treated, we get tricked Instead 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 longshots All my ballers that's born to clock Know 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, to green 5's 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 improvin' I'm tryna murder everything movin', feel me? It's the hard knock life for us It's the hard knock life for us Instead of treated, we get tricked Instead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life for us It's the hard knock life for us Instead of treated, we get tricked Instead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life! I don't know how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toes Got a lotta beef, so logically, I prey on my foes Hustlin' is 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, etched your name out Put Jigga on top and dropped albums non-stop for ya, nigga! It's the hard knock life for us It's the hard knock life for us Instead of treated, we get tricked Instead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life for us It's the hard knock life for us Instead of treated, we get tricked Instead of kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life! It's the hard knock life! It's the hard knock life!

Under the glow of the very bright lights I turn my face towards the warm night skies And I-I-I-I I'm not afraid of a thousand eyes And there above five hundred smiles Oh, I used to think (oh, she used to think) "What wouldn't I give (what wouldn't she give) For a moment like this?" (For a moment like this) This moment, this gift! Now look at me and this opportunity It's standing right in front of me But one thing I know It's only part luck and so I'm putting on my best show Under the spotlight I'm starting my life Big dreams becoming real tonight So look at me and this opportunity You're witnessing my moment, you see? My big opportunity And now I'm right here, and it's time 'Cause this is real, this is real And it's all mine I'm not afraid, afraid to fly When it's above five hundred smiles Oh, I used to think (oh, she used to think) "What I wouldn't give (what wouldn't she give) For a moment like this?" (For a moment like this?) This moment, this gift! And now look at me and this opportunity It's standing right in front of me But one thing I know It's only part luck and so I'm putting on my best show Under the spotlight I'm starting my life Big dreams becoming real tonight So look at me and this opportunity You're witnessing my moment, you see? My big opportunity I won't waste it I guarantee

There's so much shit I wanna do to you First you gotta step into this room Look into my eyes, I'mma look right into yours Cut the lights off but don't you close the door Tonight I'm gonna make my hallways echo you Now pull my shirt off, pull your jeans down Oh baby, take your time, now turn around As our bodies catch the mirror, let me grind into the song I'mma do you all night long And I'mma go slow, slow, slow And I'mma go slow, slow, slow Those other guys don't get it like I get it But I'm with it, I get it and they just wanna hit it But I hear you, I pay attention I'm not finished 'till you're finished You gon' get yours, I'mma get mine And I'mma take my time and I'mma do it slow Shawty like it slow, sh-sh-shawty like it slow Shawty like it slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, slow Shawty like it slow, sh-sh-shawty like it slow Shawty like it slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, slow Baby, I'mma do you till you lose your mind, oh Baby, you're soc fucking fine Hey, I'mma do your little body like a roller coaster So hold on tight, lay on my shoulder And slowly but surely I'mma break that body like a cake You're gonna sweat these sheets out, I'mma mess your hair up And I'mma wild out on ya like I don't give a fuck Until it's three o'clock, four o'clock, five o'clock, six And I gotta take my time with you 'cause your shit is the shit And I'mma go slow, slow, slow And I'mma go slow, slow, slow Those other guys don't get it like I get it But I'm with it, I get it and they just wanna hit it But I hear you, I pay attention I'm not finished 'till you're finished You gon' get yours, I'mma get mine And I'mma take my time and I'mma do you slow Shawty like it slow, sh-sh-shawty like it slow Shawty like it slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, slow Shawty like it slow, sh-sh-shawty like it slow Shawty like it slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, slow That's it, here we go, put my love in the air If the curtains are open, I don't care, let 'em stare I can go all the way, every step on the staircase Baby, let me make your day