Murder to Excellence

[Jay-Z:]
Bloody Murder, murder, murder. [x4]

[Kanye West:]
The paper read murder,
Black on black murder.
The paper read murder,
Black on black murder.

[Jay-Z:]
This is to the memory of Danroy Henry.
Too much enemy fire to catch a friendly,
Strays from the same shade,
Nigga, we on the same team.
Giving you respect
I expect the same thing.
All black everything,
Nigga, you know my fresh code,
I'm out here fightin' for you,
Don't increase my stress load.
Niggas watchin' the throne,
Very happy to be,
Power to the people!
When you see me, see you.

[Kanye West:]
And I'm from the murder capital
Where they murder for capital,
Heard about at least 3 killings this afternoon.
Lookin' at the news like, “Damn, I was just with him after school.”
No shop class but half the school got a tool,
And I could die any day type attitude,
Plus his little brother got shot reppin' his avenue,
It's time for us to stop and re-define black power.
41 souls murdered in 50 hours,
The paper read murder,
Black on black murder.
The paper read murder,
Black on black murder again,
Murder again...
Is it genocide?
Cause I can still hear his momma cry,
Know the family traumatized,
Shots left holes in his face
Bout piranha-size.
The old pastor closed the cold caske,
And said, “The church ain't got enough room for all the tombs.”
It's a war going on outside we ain't safe from,
I feel the pain in my city wherever I go.
314 sol¬diers died in Iraq,
509 died in Chicago.

[Jay-Z:]
I arrived on the day Fred
Hampton died,
Real niggas just multiply.
And they say 21, I was supposed to die,
So I'm out here celebratin' my post demise.
If you put crabs in a barrel to insure your survival
You gon' end up pulling down niggas that look just like you.
What up, Blood?
What up, Cuz?
It's all black,
I love us.

[Kanye West:]
The paper read murder,
Black on black murder again.

[Jay-Z]
It's a celebration of black excellence,
Black tie, black Maybachs,
Black excellence, opulence, decadence,
Tuxes next to the president, I'm present,
I dress in Dries and other boutique stores in Paris,
In sheepskin coats, I silence the lamb.
Do you know who I am, Clarice?
No cheap cologne whenever I “shh-shh”,
Success never smelled so sweet,
I stink of success.
The new black elite,
They say, my black card bear the mark of the beast,
I repeat:
My religion is the beat,
My verse is like church,
My Jesus piece.
Now please, domino, domino,
Only spot a few blacks the higher I go.
What's up to Will,
Shoutout to O.
That ain't enough,
We gon need a million more.
Kick in the door,
Biggie flow.
I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go.

[Kanye West:]
Yea, it's all messed up when it's nowhere to go,
So we won't take the time out til we reach the T.O.P.
From paroles to hold G's, sold keys, low keys,
We like the promised land of the OG's.
In the past if you picture events like a black tie,
What the last thing you expect to see, black guys.
What's the life expectancy for black guys?
The system's working effectively, that's why.
I'll be a real man and take care of your son,
Every problem you had before this day is now done.
New crib, watch a movie,
Cause ain't nothin on the news but the blues.
Hit the mall, pick up some Gucci,
Now ain't nothin new but your shoes.
Sunday morning,
Praise the Lord.
You the girl that Jesus had been saving me for.
So let's savor this moment
And take it to the floor.
Black excellence.
Truly yours.