Music Video

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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
Vocals
Ed Goldson
Ed Goldson
Bass Guitar
Bashiri Johnson
Bashiri Johnson
Percussion
Cassie
Cassie
Vocals
Carmen Cameron
Carmen Cameron
Additional Vocals
AJ Walker
AJ Walker
Additional Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Shawn Carter
Shawn Carter
Songwriter
Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Songwriter
Deleno Matthews
Deleno Matthews
Songwriter
Rudy Love
Rudy Love
Songwriter
LV
LV
Songwriter
Robert Curington
Robert Curington
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Diddy
Diddy
Producer
LV
LV
Producer
Victor Abjaoudi II
Victor Abjaoudi II
Recording Engineer
Steve Dickey
Steve Dickey
Recording Engineer
Gimel Keaton
Gimel Keaton
Recording Engineer
Andy Geel
Andy Geel
Assistant Recording Engineer
Ken "Supa Engineer" Duro
Ken "Supa Engineer" Duro
Mixing Engineer
Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Producer
Deleno Matthews
Deleno Matthews
Producer
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
Executive Producer
Tony Dawsey
Tony Dawsey
Mastering Engineer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Sweet
And still there's pain
If I would've grew up to be a doctor
My nephews would've grew up to do the same
But since I grew up through the game
And my influence is the same
And my therapy is music, they ask if you ashamed
And though I wish I could separate the two things
I can not so my answer to you remains
I can walk down the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles
And be so satisfied when I look at myself in the eyes
No shame, no sir
Just big boats and tearing the coast up
Tight coupe like I'm wearing the roadster
For any coup it hugging the holster
[Verse 2]
Hov, alright alright
And that may not be what you call perfect but
But it's my life (Uh)
The life (Uh-uh)
The life (Uh-uh)
The life (Uh-uh)
Once again it's the life
[Verse 3]
So I make no apologies, crooked policies
So a G a **** gotta be
We playing for property, no monopoly
So I'll pass go and let my nephew follow me
They say the child shall lead
So I take it far as I can and then we shall see
Shall we dance with the devil for a beat?
I pray to God I ain't got two left feet
Do the hustle put keys in the street
Then I'm ballroom dancing Ke-ke'ing in the suite
Sweet, BBs on the feet
TVs on the seat
Enemies on the creep
Its so corrupt
Soak it up its a lesson every fuck-up
One day you're up
Next day you're down
Long as you stay the same
It'll come back around
[Verse 4]
Hov, alright alright
And that may not be what you call perfect but
But it's my life (Uh)
The life
The life
The life
Once again it's the life
[Verse 5]
I'm even better, I'm eating better
Best thing about it is my **** eating together
With each endeavor, we reaching levels
**** ain't seen in like forever
I'm Hyman Roth I make all my partners rich
I can vouch for you if you ain't a part of this
So pardon me as I pavé my wrist
As I parlay my chips
Hov, alright alright
American gangster, gangster, businesses is like I'm white
But I'm not, I'm just bright
So fly with no fear of the flight
Uh, so if y'all hear my plight
And if you think you can make it this far without a fight
Couple mistakes here and there, not always right
But I'm always real, that's how I sleep to night
[Verse 6]
Hov alright alright
And that may not be what you call perfect but
But its my life
The life
The life
The life
Once again its the life
Written by: Deleno Matthews, Levar Coppin, Robert B. Curington, Rudy Love, Sean Combs, Shawn Carter
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