December 4th Lyrics - The Black Album - Jay-z

[Intro: Gloria Carter] 

Shawn Carter was born December 4th 

Weighing in at ten pounds, eight ounces 

He was the last of my four children 

The only one who didn't give me any pain, when I gave birth to him 

And that's how I knew, that he was a special child 

"Hi baby, what's wrong? You look like, you've lost your best friend 

Tell me, is it something that I've done again? 

You look like, you've lost your best friend 

Tell me." 

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[Verse One: Jay-Z] 

They say they never really miss you 'til you dead or you gone 

So on that note I'm leavin after this song 

See you ain't gotta feel no way about Jay so long 

At least let me tell you why I'm this way, hold on 

I was conceived by Gloria Carter and Adnus Reeves 

Who made love under the sycamore tree 

Which makes me, a more sicker MC and my momma would claim 

At ten pounds when I was born I didn't give her no pain 

Although through the years I gave her her fair share 

I gave her her first real scare, I made up for birth when I got here 

She knows my purpose was on purpose, I ain't perfect, I care 

But I feel worthless cause my shirts wasn't matchin my gear 

Now I'm just scratchin the surface cause what's buried under there 

Was a kid torn apart once his pop disappeared 

I went to school, got good grades, could behave when I wanted 

But I had demons deep inside that would raise when confronted 

Hold on 

Photos 

[Interlude: Gloria Carter] 

Shawn was a very shy child growing up 

He was into sports, and a funny story is 

At four, he taught himself how to ride a bike 

A two-wheel at that, isn't that special? 

But, I noticed a change in him. when me and my husband, broke up 

[Verse Two: Jay-Z] 

Now all the teachers couldn't reach me and my momma couldn't beat me 

Hard enough to match the pain of my pop not seein me SO! 

With disdain in my membrane 

Got on my pimp game, fuck the world, my defense came 

Then the Haven introduced me to the game 

Spanish Jose introduced me to 'caine; I'm a hustler now 

My gear is in, and I'm in the in-crowd 

And all the wavy light-skinned girls is lovin me now 

My self-esteem went through the roof, man I got my swag' 

Got a Volvo from this girl when her man got bagged 

Plus I hit my momma with cash from a show that I had 

supposedly - knowin nobody paid Jaz wack ass 

I'm gettin ahead of myself, by the way, I could rap 

That came second to me movin this crack 

Give me a second I swear, I would say about my rap career 

'til ninety-six came, niggaz I'm here - goodbye! 

[Interlude: Gloria Carter] 

Shawn used to be in the kitchen, beating on the table and rapping 

And umm, into the wee hours of the morning 

And then I brought him a boombox 

And his sisters and brothers said that he would drive them nuts 

But, that was my way to keep him close to me, and out of trouble 

[Verse Three: Jay-Z] 

Goodbye to the game all the spoils, the adrenaline rush 

Your blood boils, you in a spot, knowin cops could rush 

at you in the drop, you so easy to touch 

No two days are alike, except the 1st and 15th pretty much 

And trust, is a word you seldom hear from us 

Hustlers, we don't sleep, we rest one eye up 

And a drought could define a man when the well dries up 

You learn the worth of water 

Without work you thirst 'til you die - YUP! 

And niggaz get tied up for product 

And little brothers ring fingers get cut up 

to show mothers they really got 'em 

And this is the stress I lived with 

'til I decided to try this rap shit for a livin 

I pray I'm forgiven - for every bad decision I made 

Every sister I played - cause I'm still paranoid to this day 

And it's nobody fault, I made the decisions I've made 

This is the life I chose, or rather the life that chose me 

[Outro: Fades out] 

If you can't respect that, your whole perspective is whack 

Maybe you'll love me when I fade to black 

If you can't respect that, your whole perspective is whack 

Maybe you'll love me when I fade to black 

Now if you can't respect that, your whole perspective is whack 

Maybe you'll love me when I fade to black 

If you can't respect that, your whole perspective is whack 

Maybe you'll love me when I fade to black.