[Intro: Kelly Price & Jay-Z]
Throughout my life (uh huh uh huh uh)
No matter what I've done (right)
You've been merciful and your love endureth (yeah)
Through all things (yeah)
For that I am eternally grateful
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
Since my date of birth bought you nothing but hurt
Play those video games, stole change from ya purse
Sat on the cold court bench 'til I was arraigned in ya skirt
Saw the pain in ya face, still you maintained a smirk
All you did was motivate me, "Don't let 'em hold you back"
What I do? I turned around and I sold you crack
I was a bastard for that, still I'm drowning in shame
Just remember one thing now: you're not to blame
You was newly separated tryin' to escape ya world
And through my thirst I didn't help you I just made things worse
I hated me and everybody that created crack
Had me thinkin' the newest kicks and the latest gat
Still haven't apologized, so please play this back
While I try to come to terms with such a heinous act
You know, in more than one way, cocaine numbs the brain
All I did was think about how the funds once came
Then I ran across this memory and it stung the brain
How can you ever destroy the beauty from which one came?
That's a savage, you're the reason
Why me and these beats make a marriage
Why I rhyme above average, and I ain't shit
Glad you got yourself together, no thanks to me
Strong and beautiful, the way thangs should be
You must love me
[Chorus: Kelly Price]
You must love me...
Say that you love me
All I know say that you must love me
Ohh yeah
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
We used to fight every night, but I never would suffer
Just smile, my big brother's tryna make me tougher
As we grew, fussing and fighting continued
As I plundered through ya stuff and snuck ya clothes to school
Got intense, real intense as we got older
Never believed it would lead to me poppin' one in your shoulder
"Where my rings?" Knew you had it 'cause you took too long
As Mickey, Annie and the girl that bought it looked on
Huffin' and puffin', gun in my hand, told you "Step outside"
Hoping you said no, but you hurt my pride
Made our way down the steps, maybe you thought it was just a threat
Or maybe ya life was just that crazy, and you was beggin' for death
I'd try to justify this in my young mind
But the adrenaline and my ego hurt combined
Drove me berserk, saw the devil in your eyes
High off more than weed
Confused, I just closed my young eyes and squeezed [gunshot]
What a sound! Opened my eyes just in time
To see ya stumbling to the ground
Damn, what the fuck I done now?
Runnin' around in a circle, thinking I'm assed out
Hot gun burnin' my waist, ran straight to Jaz' house
Like a stranger, damn, I just shot my nigga
And ran off into the night as if it was not my nigga
Left the scene, how could I go out that way?
Still you asked to see me in the hospital the next day
You must love me
[Chorus: Kelly Price]
What after all the wrong I've done
You must love me...
I know you must
You must love me...
[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Everything in my power and within my frame
To protect you from this life and keep you away from the game
But you was one of the few people that I can trust
And the fact of the matter I slang these pies for us
You put the pressure on me daily, rarely would you let it go
Was a thousand and one times I had to tell you no
But it was one of those days when nobody was around
And I need an emergency trip out of town
Searched my mental Rolodex for all the numbers I know
As you stared in my face, asking me could you go
And my greed said "Send her, everything'll go smooth
Just tell her what to do and everything'll go through"
Strapped your body with them thangs as you boarded the plane
Couldn't explain the strange feeling that I caught in the vein
I'm thinking, "Why would I send you when I knew it ain't right?"
I'm thinking, "What would make you sacrifice ya life?"
You must've loved me
[Chorus: Kelly Price]
("You must love me" repeats in background)
After everything that I've done wrong
I know inside you must love me
I know that you love me
You showed me I know it
I know
Say that you love me
Say that you love me
I know you must love me
Oh yes you do
Inside I know it
You've always shown it
You love me yea yeah
Oh yeah
I know that you love me
