[Intro: Jay-Z]
Mmm, you don't understand now, because you're cryin' – you hurt
You'll understand soon enough
Soon enough...
[Chorus: Al Kooper sample]
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
You're my best friend's sister, grown woman and all
But you see how I am around girls – I ruin 'em all
Plus, your mom call me son, around you since I was small
Shit, I watched you mature, nah, this ain't right
But still when your boyfriend ditched you, "life's a bitch," you cried
Over my right shoulder, I told you to wipe your eyes
Take your time when you likin' a guy
'Cause if he sense that your feelings too intense, his pimp'll die
I bought you earrings on your birthday
Drove you to college your first day
It must be said, though it hurts to say
We could never be a item, don't even like him
You deserve better, this is ugly –
Gina, please don't love me
There's better guys out there other than me
(You need a lawyer or a doctor, or somebody like that, you know?)
Like a lawyer or a doctor with a Ph.D
Think of how upset your mother and brother would be
If they found that you was huggin' me
My conscience is fuckin' with me
[Chorus: Al Kooper sample]
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
[Interlude: Jay-Z]
Man, I look in the eyes of our...
This... our kid, this whole life we made together...
We're tryin', really tryin' to make it work
I'm young, and I ain't ready, and I told you
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
It ain't like, I ain't tell you from day one, I ain't shit
When it comes to relationships, I don't have the patience
Now it's too late, we got a little life together
And in my mind, I really want you to be my wife forever
But in the physical, it's like I'ma be trife forever
A different girl every night forever; told you to leave
But you're stubborn and you love him and
No matter what, despite all the fuckin' and the cheatin'
You still won't leave him, now you're grievin'
And I feel bad, believe me
But I'm young and I ain't ready, and this ain't easy
Wasn't fair to tell you to wait, so I told you to skate
You chose not to, now look at the shit we gotta go through
Don't wanna fight, don't wanna fuss
You the mother of my baby
I don't want you to hate me, this is about us
Rather, me; I ain't ready to be what you want me to be
And 'cause I love you, I want you to leave, please
[Chorus: Al Kooper sample]
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
[Interlude: Jay-Z]
Mm... listen, Ma
I mean, I seen you workin' two or three jobs
Daddy left – I... I thought I was makin' things better
I made it worse
[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Dear Ma, I'm in the cell, lonely as hell
Writin' this scribe, thinkin' 'bout how you must feel inside
You tried to teach me better, but I refused to grow
Goddamn, I ain't the young man that you used to know
You said the street claim lives, but I wanted things like
Bling-bling ice; I was wrong in hindsight
Shit, we grew apart; tried to blame it on your new spouse
I know it hurt like hell the day you kicked me out
But your house is your house, I ain't respect the rules
I brought crack past your door, beefed with rival crews
And who wants to be the mother of a son who sold drugs?
Co-workers saw me on the corner slingin' Larry Love
Meanwhile, you workin' hard, like 2 or 3 jobs
Tryin' to feed me and my siblings, makin' an honest livin'
Who am I kiddin'? I–call myself easin' the load
I made the load heavy, I need money for commissary
Try to understand, please
[Chorus: Al Kooper sample]
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
"Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll understand..."
