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JAY-Z & Santigold
Jadakiss & Faith Evans
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This love letter from Jay to his borough of birth contains the most amazing wordplay about the Brooklyn Dodgers since Duke Snider’s first chart-topper.
[Intro: Santigold]
Brooklyn— Brooklyn— Brooklyn— Brooklyn
Brooklyn, we go hard
We go hard
[Chorus: Santigold & (Jay-Z)]
Brooklyn, we go hard, we go hard (Agh!)
Brooklyn, we go hard, we go hard (Go hard)
Brooklyn, we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn, we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn, we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn, we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn, we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn, we go hard, we go hard
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
This is black hoodie rap
There's no fear in my eyes where they lookin' at
Better look on map
Besides, me nah like to eye fight
Me nah think such a ting is worth a man's life (Christ!)
But if a man test my Stuy
I promise he won't like my reply
Boom-bye-bye, like Buju, I'm crucial
I'm a Brooklyn boy, I may take some gettin' use to
Chain snatchin', ain't have it, gotta get it
Same shiddit, from Brownsville to Bainbriddidge
Fatherless child, Mama pulled double shifts
So the number runners was the only ones I hanged widdith
Before you know it I'm in the game, bang fiddith
Fear no orangutans, piddeel ciddaps
Like oranges-es, I'm dangerous
Please! Tell me what the name of this shit
[Hook: Santigold & (Jay-Z)]
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (B-R, O, O-K)
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (L-Y, N, come again)
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (B-R, O, O-K)
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (L-Y, N, come again)
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
I father, I Brooklyn-Dodger them
I jack, I rob, I sin
Aw, man—I'm Jackie Robinson
'Cept when I run base, I dodge the pen
Lucky me, luckily, they didn't get me
Now when I bring the Nets, I'm the Black Branch Rickey
From Brooklyn corners, burnin' branches of sticky
Spread love, Biggie; Brooklyn, hippie
I pity the fool with jewels like Mr. T
With no history in my borough, they borrow
With no intentions of returnin' tomorrow
The sun don't come out for many, like Annie
Half-orphan, Mama never had an abortion
Papa sort of did; still, I managed to live
I go hard, I owe it all to the crib
Now please tell me, what the fuck's harder than this?
[Hook: Santigold & (Jay-Z)]
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (B-R, O, O-K)
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (L-Y, N, come again)
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (B-R, O, O-K)
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (L-Y, N, come again)
[Verse 3: Santigold]
While I'm doin' my time due to circumstance
Cross that bridge, face the consequence
Once bid ten, now I paid my dues
Risk takers, we break the rules
Get so dark, but I see good
Bed-Stuy stay high in my neck of the woods
Now, let it ring out, it's a warnin'
(Brooklyn!) Let it be sworn in
Gotta make it stick workin' like we blue collar
Rip it to the core, underneath it all we harder
Right into the clip, bring it to the floor
One step, one step, give it up more
The road is rough and the street's a mess
Got big cash dreams and a sick death wish
Robbin' out the commercial stash
Kill the voice screamin' in my head
[Hook: Santigold]
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
[Outro: Santigold]
Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard
Brooklyn (Go Hard) was written by Kanye West & Plain Pat & Santigold & JAY-Z.
Brooklyn (Go Hard) was produced by Plain Pat & Kanye West.
JAY-Z released Brooklyn (Go Hard) on Mon Dec 01 2008.
“Brooklyn Go Hard” initially charted at #2 on Billboard’s “Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles.” The following week, it debuted on the “Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs” chart at #62, peaking at #61. “Brooklyn Go Hard” peaked on the Hot Rap Tracks chart at #18.
In October 2008 Santigold had hinted that she “may also do something with Jay-Z, it’s kind of secret – it’s not for anything, it’s just ‘cause we want to.” The track was released later that year in December.