Jay-z - The Prelude lyrics

[Intro: snippets of Eddie in "Super Fly"] You know, you've got this.. fantasy in your head about gettin outta the life and, settin the corporate world on its ear What the fu*k you gonna do except hustle? Besides pimpin... you really ain't got the stomach for that [Jay-Z] The game's f**ed up n***a's beats is bangin, n***a your hooks did it Your lyrics did and your gangster look did it So I would write it if y'all could get it Bein intricate'll get you wood, critic On the internet, they like you should spit it I'm like you should buy it, n***a that's good business Hehe, forget this rap sh** I need a new hustle A little bit of everything, the new improved Russell I say that reluctantly cause I do struggle As you see I can't leave so I do love you But I'm just a hustler disguised as a rapper In fact you can't fit this hustle inside of a wrapper Back when crack was What these pills are, I was a real star Complete with real, cars, no video ones You can come and set up a camera, let the video run And my real life, complete with real, ice VVS boulders oh they're visibly set Head and shoulders, my invisible neck You see Hova, wasn't digital yet Befo' Steve Jobs, made the iPod Was gettin head, jobs, we call that intimate Back when rappers wouldn't dare play lyrical roulette With a automatic weapon I was reppin with a tec (Fresh) like (Mannie) be, chain like anti-freeze Shoebox full of cash, dealer man hand me ki's Pantries full of Arm & Hammer, don't take Nancy Drew to see what it do, I'm a damn G Just sent a million dollars through a hands free That's big money talk, can you answer me? Before the answer was a 3 I was down in Georgetown with a Hoya chick, lawyer chick Sure he's rich now cause he saw the sh**, all this sh** That's why they call him Hov', cause he came before all this sh** Bought a 6, quarter seven, skipped on them quarter eights Bought a 9 for non-stop glock work all the time Woo! Guess who's back? Since this is a new era, got a fresh new hat Ten year veteran, I've been set I've been through with this bullsh** game but I never quit I used to think rappin at 38 was ill But last year alone I grossed 38 mill' I know I ain't quite 38 but still The flow so (Special) got a (38) feel The real is back, hehehehe