Featured In
Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
JAY-Z
Performer
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Trevor Beresford Romeo
Composer
Shawn Carter
Composer
Hayden Brown
Composer
Jonathan Burks
Composer
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Big Jaz
Producer
Joe Quinde
Mixing Engineer
Lyrics
In my lifetime
In my lifetime
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life?
It's the thought of a ride that make my eyes wide
I'm caught up, I'm tryna make all of my dreams materialize
So I sorta say my goodbyes to the straight and narrow
I found a new route, you 'bout to see my life change
I make the means justify the ends
I make the cream, materialize keys to a Benz
And so I'm rollin' for now
Holdin' down the fort, who's controllin'?
The ground's gotta blow 'em, yep, you shoulda told 'em
Uh, my first felony's approachin'
Copped my first key, took a freeze, now I'm frozen
I bought a black MAC, I'm outta control
Losin' bankrolls on blackjack, you gotta know
It always crossed my mind
That feds be tappin' the lines like Gregory Hines
Still on the phone, discussin' my biz like it could never be mines
I know the price, know the risk
Know the wrongs and the rights
Still my blood flows ice, it's just my life
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
I'm like the bass with the ass, splashin' cold cash
The Big Willie get you chilly when I pass
Brr, is it just a mirage, all these girls thankin' God?
Is this world my world? Am I the star? My stars
Baby, pimped out, I'm gettin' too large and smokin' cigars
All chicks is hollerin' about Jigga, the whole city's buzzin'
Wasn't checkin' for me a dozen or so months ago
Now I'm all they know, I'm a person
Lettin' the Cristals breathe
At the Barnacle Bar, under my sleeve, vernacular, 50 Gs
I'm talkin' big cheese, you gotta be down to dig these
Give me a rush like you wouldn't believe
My head's about to bust
Acceleratin' what drives me
Hope I don't gotta die to see, see, I can't lie to me
I know the price, know the risk
Know the wrongs and the rights
Still my blood flows ice, it's just my life
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
Uh, from the beginning, see, we never seen the ending
Runnin' up in all the women, all the linen
All the jewels, huh, we sported Pele's
Gold, diamonds, and Pirelli's
Sports cars, the good life'll give you a belly
But that's cool, as I zone in the Al Capone, watch me
'Cause the Medusa's head on Versace turned me to stone
Now my poems just ain't poems
They bloody when I recite 'em
Bones get disconnected like the phones
Now, I'm a hardened criminal with game
Like the Garden, all my pen pals, life controlled by the warden
Still the thrill makes me blind to the fact
I could do real time, I'm a prisoner of my crimes
Know the price, know the risk
Know the wrongs and the rights
Now I'm incarcerated for my life
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
What's the meaning?
What's the meaning of life? (In my lifetime)
Written by: Hayden Brown, Jonathan Burks, Shawn Carter, Trevor Beresford Romeo