Notes

by JB
215-817-8565
CoachJB.Weebly.com
CoachJustinBrandt@gmail.com

Introduction
Theres no real introduction needed for artist like Shawn JAY-Z Carter. The
rappers artwork dates back to over two decades now, selling over 100 million
records and receiving 21 Grammy Awards for his music. The Brooklyn born
entrepreneur is reportedly now worth over $800 million but his lyrics,
motivation and inspiration have blessed multiple generations that in my eyes
should be valued as priceless.

Rolling Stone has rated the album with 4/5 stars and I would agree its the not
greatest album Ive ever heard by him but the lyrics are spot on and
unforgettable. Its hard to give 5 stars when you compare his work against his
own classics.JAY has once again proved why in my eyes hes the greatest rapper
of all time. A title I dont use lightly and may very well be a different story if we
didnt lose people so early due to tragedy such as Christopher Notorious B.I.G.
Wallace and Tupac Shakur.

These are my notes on the lyrics that JAY-Z used in his latest album, not my
professional opinion on the album. To be frank, I have subscribed to the belief
that a full album review takes much longer than what people write in todays
society. An artist puts out an album and in less than 24 hours it has been
reviewed. This is nowhere near long enough to review a full body of work.

So, without further ado, my favorite lyrics and messages from my favorite
rappers most recent album.






**LANGUAGE NOTICE**
Lyrics used in this album are direct quotes from JAY-Zs album with
use of www.genius.com and do not directly reflect the verbiage
approved or used by Justin Matthew Brandt




Kill JAY-Z
And you know better, nigga, I know you do
But you go do better, boy, you owe it to Blue
You had no father, you had the armor
But you got a daughter, gotta get softer
Difference between knowing right and doing right. Changing for the better of
the next generation.

But you cant heal what you never reveal
Stay to true to yourself and to others

Fuck wrong with everybody? is what you sayin
But if everybodys crazy, youre the one that insane
Sometimes we need to look in the mirror instead of pointing fingers

I dont even know what you woulda done
In the future, other niggas playin football with your son
Is cheating on your spouse really worth it? Can you live with the consequences
that come with that decision?

The Story of O.J.

I told 'em, please don't die over the neighborhood, that your mama rentin'
Take your drug money and buy the neighborhood, that's how you rinse it
Violence over simple stuff isnt worth it. Win through intelligence. Relate this
back to an older verse, A wise man once told me dont argue with fools
because people from a distance cant tell who is who.

I could've bought a place in Dumbo before it was Dumbo...for like 2 million
That same building today is worth 25 million, and guess how I'm feelin'?
Dumbo!
Invest your money, dont buy useless stuff. Relate back to an older song 30
Something

You wanna know what's more important than throwin' away money at a strip
club? Credit

Y'all think it's bougie I'm like, it's fine
But I'm tryin' to give you a million dollars worth of game for $9.99
Relate back to lyrics from Watch The Thrown I tried to teach niggas how to be
kings, and all they ever wanted to be was soldiers. Listen to people when they
give advice, theyre giving it for a reason.

Ummm! Y'all out here still takin' advances huh?
Me and my niggas takin' real chances uh!
Fast money goes just as fast as it came. Follow your dreams and if youre going
to do something, do it right!

Y'all on the 'Gram holdin' money to your ear
There's a disconnect we don't call that money over here
Hahahahahawait is this a shot at Meek?

Smile (featuring Gloria Carter)

Mama had four kids, but she's a lesbian
Had to pretend so long that she's a thespian
Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate
Society shame and the pain was too much to take
Cried tears of joy when you fell in love
Don't matter to me if it's a him or her
I just wanna see you smile through all the hate
Marie Antoinette, baby, let 'em eat cake
Be true to yourself, accept others for who they are and be empathetic.

Hall of Fame Hov, I did it all without a pen
Y'all knew that was comin', I had to remind y'all again, huh?
Fun fact for those reading this, Jay-Z freestyles everything rap.

A loss aint a loss, its a lesson
Appreciate the pain, its a blessin'
TRUTH

Fuck a slice of the apple pie, want my own cake
In charge of my own fate
Dont wait for someone to help you, go get yours.

Niggas'll rip your shit off TIDAL just to spite you
Ahhhh, what did I do?
'Cept try to free you
Niggas'll love you but hate you 'cause they can't be you
Dont be afraid to be yourself, and hate comes with success.

Shout out to Hoffa back home, he in the church
When I heard you got booked, that shit hurt
Fear for you, bro, we know the system don't work
Take a young nigga's freedom over some dirt
Yet it's legal in Colorado
Yeah, we deny
Black entrepreneurs, free enterprise
(continued on next page)

That's why it's a black market, that's why it's called the trap
That's why it's called the projects 'cause it's exactly that
All these people was gon' kill me, heh
'Cause the more I reveal me, the more they 'fraid of the real me
JAY puts the truth out there about the issues we have in America today. Relate
this back to what you learned at the Eastern State Penn about million dollar
blocks where the federal government often spends more than $1 million to
imprison residents of a single block. Any given neighborhood could have dozens
of these blocks which added up could be hundreds of millions of dollars put
back into the neighborhoods instead of a prison block.

Living in the shadow
Can you imagine what kind of life it is to live?
In the shadows people see you as happy and free
Because that's what you want them to see
Living two lives, happy, but not free
You live in the shadows for fear of someone hurting your family or the person you
love
The world is changing and they say it's time to be free
But you live with the fear of just being me
Living in the shadow feels like the safe place to be
No harm for them, no harm for me
But life is short, and it's time to be free
Love who you love, because life isn't guaranteed
Smile
JAY-Zs mothers poem at the end of the Smile unveiling the truth she lived for
decades as she raised four children to fit in with society afraid to be labeled as
gay. Accept others, who are you to say who someone else can love?

Caught Their Eyes (featuring Frank Ocean)

Your eyes speak the truth when everything else lies
Actions speak louder than words

How could you see the difference between you and I?
My crash course was much tougher
'Round friends who kill they friends
Then hug their friends' mothers
And show up at the funeral, complete with blank stares
Invisible ink, I had to read things that wasn't there
Memories may sneak down my cheek
But I could see a side-eye in my sleep
Dont underestimate your talent of being able to read people. This is what
makes you who you are. Accept your past and help others learn from it.

4:44
And if my children knew, I don't even know what I would do
If they ain't look at me the same
I would prob'ly die with all the shame
"You did what with who?"
What good is a mnage trois when you have a soulmate?
"You risked that for Blue?"
If I wasn't a superhero in your face
My heart breaks for the day I have to explain my mistakes
And the mask goes away, and Santa Claus is fake
And you go online and see
For Blue's tooth, the tooth fairy didn't pay
JAY-Zs apology song to Beyonc. This sums up why love is worth much more
than anything else.

Family Feud (featuring Beyonc)

You'd rather be old rich me or new you?
Always improve. JB 2.0

I'm clear why I'm here, how about you?
Do you know you?

A man that don't take care his family can't be rich
Family first.

Y'all think small, I think Biggie
Y'all whole pass is in danger, ten Mississippi
Al Sharpton in the mirror takin' selfies
How is him or Pill Cosby s'posed to help me?
Old niggas never accepted me
New niggas is the reason I stopped drinkin' Dos Equis
Hov pleading his case for being someone to look up to and showing how it was
hard for him to find success without having a solid role model.

Bam (featuring Damian Marley)

My advice is just don't be too nice to niggas
Just set the price so niggas'll live your life, my nigga
Set your price and stand by your word and work will come to you.
Real recognize Real.

Got the heart of a giant, don't you ever forget
Don't you never forget, Jigga got this shit poppin'
I pulled out the pot when we was outta options
Yeah this helped him but he was a statement away from joining Emory Jones in
prison for 20+ years. How can I help the youth stay way from this decision?

Moonlight
I don't be on the 'Gram goin' ham
Givin' information to the pork, that's all spam
Please don't talk about guns
That you ain't never gon' use
Y'all always tell on y'all self
I'm just so fuckin' confused
Watch your mouth on social media, dont claim to be something youre not.

Y'all niggas still signin' deals? Still?
After all they done stole, for real?
JAY-Z still wondering why people will not listen to him as he has said in the past,
own your masters slaves talking about the master copies of their recordings
so theyre not slaves to the industry. Apply to this to your own work no matter
what the field.

Marcy Me
Or better yet here's a verse from Hamlet
"Lord, we know who we are
Yet we know not what we may be"
See the potential within yourself.

Couldn't change me if I wanted to
You couldn't change me if you wanted to
I'ma take this with me to the Moon
Stay true to you. Just make improvements to you.

Legacy
It takes my hurt and help me find more of myself
It's a gift and a curse
Smile because hurt is a blessing just bringing you a lesson.

Adnis
Uh, letter to my dad that I never wrote
Speeches I prepared that I never spoke
Words on a paper that I never read
Proses never penned, they stayed in my head
Dont wait to tell people how you feel. People never get the flowers while they
can still smell them.

Who would've thought I'd be the dad I never had
Be the husband I've become
Usually nothing come from that
I forgive you as I live through the beautiful present of the past
I'm just thankful that I get all these gifts to unwrap
Just because youre born into a situation doesnt mean that you have to stay in
that situation. Your parents mistakes are their own to own. If you repeat their
mistakes, theyre yours own.

We Family
Mexicanos ain't building fucking walls around me
I feel like Ali
Viet Cong never done shit to me, feel me?
More worried about Trump than anyone overseas, feel me?
I'm out in the art clubs in London sipping tea, feel me?
Reflect upon this: Is this an oversimplification of the real problem or does he
have a point here?

MaNyfaCedGod
Had we surrendered then, that'd be the real crime
Got through it, got blessed times two with it
Something to be admired. Sticking together and working through hard times.