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
Jay-Z drapes his vocals over a sample from David Ruffin’s “Common Man”, rapping about some of his familiar life stages: growing up poor, selling crack, making music, getting rich and never changing.
[Intro: JAY-Z]
Never, never, never, never change
Never change, this is Jay every day
I never change
I'll never change, this is Jay every day
I never change
Never change, this is Jay
[Verse 1: JAY-Z]
I am a Roc representer (Oh)
Summer to winter (Oh), dead or alive (Uh)
24/7, three-sixty-five
One CD or three hundred and sixty pies
What's up to E and Kirk? Welcome home to Taj
Let no amount of money ruin this thing of ours (Uh)
We run streets like drunks run streetlights
We collidin' with life as we speak
We knee-deep in coke, we key-deep in ice
We flood streets with dope, we keep weed to smoke
We all fish, better teach your folk
Give him money to eat, the next week, he's broke
'Cause when you sleep, he's reachin' for your throat
Word on the street, you reap what you sow
Not out of fear, but love, love for the game
Roc family first, we never change, man
[Chorus: Kanye West & JAY-Z]
Never, never, never, never change
I'm still fuckin' with crime, 'cause crime pays (I never change)
Out hustlin', same clothes for days (I never change)
I never change, I'm too stuck in my ways, I'll never change
Who you know like Hov? (Never, never, never, never change)
I'm still fuckin' with crime, 'cause crime pays (I never change, that's right)
Out hustlin', same clothes for days (I never change, c'mon)
I never change, I'm too stuck in my ways, I'll never change
[Verse 2: JAY-Z]
What's up to my Miami and St. Thomas connects? (What up?)
I'd never mention your name, I promise respect
Death before dishonor, correct?
Yup, that's what you promised me since the Bomber League
Along with if we stay strong
We can get paper longer than Pippen's arms (Woo)
Plead the Fifth when it comes to the fam
I'm like a dog, I never speak, but I understand
Where my dogs at? Where my soldiers at war?
Where your balls at? Woah, gotta pause that (Woah)
Lost ninety-two bricks, had to fall back
Knocked a nigga off his feet, but I crawled back
Had A1 credit, got more crack
From the first to the fifth, gave it all back
If I'm not a hustler, what you call that?
This is before rap ('Fore), this is all fact (Fact), I never change
[Chorus: Kanye West & JAY-Z]
Never, never, never, never change
I'm still fuckin' with crime, 'cause crime pays (I never change)
Out hustlin', same clothes for days (I never change, that's right)
I never change, I'm too stuck in my ways, I'll never change
Who you know like Hov? (Never, never, never, never change)
I'm still fuckin' with crime, 'cause crime pays (I never change)
Out hustlin', same clothes for days (I never change, c'mon)
I never change, I'm too stuck in my ways, I'll never change
[Verse 3: JAY-Z]
'Fore the streets robbed me, wasn't educated properly
Well, fuck y'all, I needed money for Atari
Was so young, my big sis still playin' with Barbie
Young brother, big city, eight million stories
Old heads taught me, "Youngin, walk softly"
Carry a big clip that'll get niggas off me
Keep coke in coffee, keep money smellin' mothy
Chains is cool to cop, but more important is lawyer fees (Uh)
That's how it is now (Uh), that's how it always be (Uh)
I never change, this is always me
From the womb to the tomb, from now 'til my doom
Drink Army from one cup, pass it around the room (That's a family, nigga)
That's the ritual (Yup), Big Ran, I ain't forget you, fool
And all that bullshit you tryin' to get through
This is crew love, move music or move drugs
Rival crews, get your black suits up, I'll never change
[Chorus: Kanye West & JAY-Z]
Never, never, never, never change
I'm still fuckin' with crime, 'cause crime pays (I never change, c'mon)
Out hustlin', same clothes for days (I never change)
I never change, I'm too stuck in my ways, I'll never change
Who you know? (Never, never, never, never change)
I'm still fuckin' with crime, 'cause crime pays (I never change)
Out hustlin', same clothes for days (I never change, c'mon)
I never change, I'm too stuck in my ways, I'll never change
[Outro: JAY-Z]
This is Jay every day
Who you know like Hov, nigga?
Never Change was written by B. Miller & Kanye West & JAY-Z.
Never Change was produced by Kanye West.
JAY-Z released Never Change on Tue Sep 11 2001.
Pre-fame Kanye West explained the meaning behind his most important tattoo on a 2002 MTV interview. The tattoo contains a list of songs he worked on earlier in his career, including “Never Change”.
‘Ye calls the tattoo “the scroll of my life,” and goes on to point out songs that helped propel him t...