[Intro: Pharrell]
Yeah, 3 in the morning on the Westside highway, top down, baby,
Fuck y'all!
The motivation for me was them tellin me what I couldn't be,
Oh well...
[Jay-Z:]
This a special dedication,
I wanna thank you for the fuel,
No, really, thank you!
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
I felt so inspired by what my teacher said,
Said I'd either be dead or be a reefer head,
Now sure, if thats how adults should speak ta kids,
Especially, when the only thing I did was speak in class.
I teach his ass,
Even betters what my uncle did.
I pop my demo tape in start to beat my head,
Peaked out my eye, see, if he was beating his,
He might as well say, "Beat it, kid!" - he's on the list.
It's like I'm searchin for kicks like a sneaker head,
He gon' keep pushin me until I reach the ledge,
And when I reach the ledge I'll tell 'em all to eat a dick;
Take a leap of faith and let my eagle wings spread,
Spread, spread.
[Hook: Pharell]
Motivation for me was them tellin me what I could not be,
Oh well,
I'm so ambitious,
I might hit two sisters,
Hey, I'm on a mission,
No matter what the conditions,
Forget the personal issues,
When you been what I been through,
Hey, if you believe it,
Then you could conceive it.
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
I had to lace up my boots even harder,
Father is too far away to father,
Furthermore, all the kids either smoke reefer
Or either move white. There's few writers in my cipher
So they made lighter; my type of dreams seem dumb,
They said, "Wise up!" How many guys-a you see makin it from here?
The world don't like us, is that not clear? Alright,
But I'm different, I can't base what I'm gon' be offa what everybody isn't,
They don't listen, just whisperin behind my back,
"No vision, lack of ambition", -
So wack!
[Hook]
[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Had a couple of meetings, no offers yet,
Maybe I ain't good enough for these offices.
Back to the drawing board ducking officers,
It's all good 'cause the streets is A&R'in this.
So with or without any of your involvement,
Comin for all of this, respect my conglomerate!
I went from pauper to the President,
Every deal I ever made set precedent.
Niggas thought I'd fall without old buddy,
Oh, buddy! what I do is make more money.
Dear Teacher, your probably somewhere near a speaker,
I'm ballin outta control, can you hear my sneakers?
Fuck y'all!
[Hook]
[Outro:]
You see, the motivation for me
Was them telling me what I could not be.
