JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z & Eminem
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
JAY-Z
This “hidden” song from Jay-Z’s classic 2001 album The Blueprint sees Jay using an extended exercise metaphor for his rap skills
The dark, piano driven beat was produced by Just Blaze and features a sample from Stanley Clarke’s “Got to Find My Own Place”
[Intro]
So I had to memorize these rhymes until I got home, you understand?
So, and they'll do— you know
Once you memorize a sentence, it's like an exercise
Y'all niggas can't be serious right now
I'm the all-time heavyweight champion of flowers
I'm leading the league in at least six statistical categories right now
Best flow, most consistent, realest stories
Most charisma
I set the most trends
And my interviews are hotter
Holla
[Verse 1]
I jog in the graveyard, spar in the same ring
That was housed by the building where Malcolm X was slain
I spring train in the winter, 'round early December
Run suicide drills over and over
With the weight of the world on my shoulder
That's why they call me Hova
I'm far from being God, but I work goddamn hard
I wake up the birds, so when the nerds asleep
I'm catching my second wind the second the first one ends
I am focused, man, and I'm not afraid of death
I'm going all out, I circle the vultures in a van and
I run the block (Run), pull up in a drop (Pull up)
Push up on my money (Push up), I'm in great shape, dunny (Woo)
I keep jacks jumping, thirty-six sets
Like a personal trainer, I teach coke to stretch
I pump in Roc sweats, all-white trainers
The ghetto's Billy Blanks, I show you niggas what pain is
Maintain your stamina, Hov will damage ya
Spot you two rhymes, y'all niggas is amateurs
The fifth a deadlift
If niggas don't wanna get shot, then y'all niggas better squat
I drop your set for rep
No need to hit the showers, the spit from the fifth leave you wet
Lyrical exercise
Y'all niggas ain't tired, right?
[Chorus]
One, one, two, two, three, three, four
Breathe easy
One, one, two, two, three, three, four
Breathe easy
One, one, two, two, three, three, four
Breathe easy
One, two, three, four
Breathe easy
[Verse 2]
Suckers, get your weight up (Uh), not your hate up
Jigga Man is diesel when I lift the eight up
Y'all ain't ready to workout with the boy
Your flow is brain on drugs, mines is rap on steroids
I lift every voice when I sing, my ability
Make yours look like an exercise in futility (Woo)
Bring your squad, biceps, triceps, and quads
We don't struggle with undeveloped muscles
Y'all ain't real, that's y'all Achilles' heel
Same routine when you see me, you know the drill
I spot ya
I lift the weight of the watch off your arm, remain nice and calm
Put down your things
Trinidad of the game, know my way around your ring
No matter how many pounds you bring
It sounds like the same old thing
R-O-C is the strongest team, fuckers
[Chorus]
One, one, two, two, three, three, four
Breathe easy
One, one, two, two, three, three, four
Breathe easy
One, one, two, two, three, three, four
Breathe easy
One, two, three, four
Breathe easy
Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise) was written by Just Blaze & JAY-Z.
Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise) was produced by Just Blaze.
JAY-Z released Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise) on Tue Sep 11 2001.
Just Blaze (producer) told Complex:
At the time when we did the artwork and the track listing, we had to send out the artwork ahead of time and he couldn’t figure out how he was going to finish up the song. He only had one verse and it wasn’t until after we sent out the artwork that he said, ‘Oh, I...