Can you hear me now? Good! (Blueprint 2 baby!) The best of times, it was the worst of times (aoww) It's \"The Gift & the Curse\" R.O.C. YEAH, number one click HERE If you represent US, throw them diamonds up YEAH Now let's be CLEAR, I ain't goin no-WHERE Now that you KNOW, holla at your boy HOV'. (Hov', Hov', Hov') (Hov', Hov', Hov', Hov') Yeah, Roc-A-Fella Records You know what diamond is We ain't goin nowhere, put your diamonds up Standin in my b-boy stance Free, Beans, Memphis where you at nigga? (Right here) Snatch Cam and it's a rap This here rap belong to us, nobody strong as us, it's a fact Hold up I'm just warmin up, gimme a second to get it back Young Chris, Neek what? Oschino and Sparks Next summer's yo' summer, tear this mother****er up Young is eternal, my young'uns'll burn you \"The Blueprint\" birthed, nigga I earthed you, you can't be serious Young cause I'm thirty-two, dressed like I'm twenty-two Flow like a 18, do what I wanna do Goin on my 8th ring, got Phil Jackson's and flow is black magic, I'm at it again Rose Bowl with black karats, \"Horse & Carriage\" to spend like Mason Betha, chasin this cheddar, to the end of the road because the end I'm told is nearer than we know What can I say but live for today, HOV'! Yeah, \"The Blueprint 2\" homey, follow the moves You put on two tube socks, you couldn't walk in my shoes I was dealt a bad hand, **** what else could I do but keep somethin up my sleeve that'll help me through But can you believe, everywhere I'm at, models come through Cat-fightin, cat-walkin, it happens often It's true how society don't want me to move into the penthouse building with spectacular views They're like uhh, \"He's a menace he could never be a tenant\" I'm like ooh, what's a young nigga to do? I bring the brothers to the building give a feeling that I don't give a **** we just chillin watchin chandelier ceilings high as **** Old lady, don't blow my high 'specially if you don't know my life, don't make me bring Sharpton in it cause I'm dark-skinneded or dude with the 'fro and the Rainbow Coalition, I'ma victim of a single parent household, born in a mousehole Mousetrap, niggaz wanna know How so, how Jay get up out that, here, yeah I snatched purses I per-se-vered, yeah I had work, fiends purchased, it was clear I was out there sellin hope for despair, but stop there I swear, I only make good from my mouth to God's ears Had to get out the hood And I can't justify genocide But I was born in the city where the skinny niggaz die Born in the city where the skinny niggaz ride And as a skinny nigga I had beef with high size