A Ballad for the Fallen Soldier

[Intro: Jay-Z]

This here's a ballad for all the fallen soldiers (This ain't music)

I'm 'bout to show you how a hustler's life (This is life, man)

And a soldier's life parallel

And the one thing they got in common is a mother's pain

(Forget about music for a second)

Picture a split screen (Forget musicians)

On one side, you got a hustler getting ready for the block

(Human beings)

Other side, you got a soldier getting ready for boot camp

(People, it's life)

They're both at war, stay with us

[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]

Did you ever notice, before you blink

Life goes fast?

So don't you worry, about what you see

It will pass

[Verse 1: Jay-Z]

You lost him, mama, the war's calling him

Feel it's his duty to fall in line with all of them

He's a soldier

Rose through the ranks as the head of your household

Now it's time to provide bank, like he's supposed to

Now just remember why he's "gone 'til November"

It's part of him growing up

His shirt soaks up your tears as he holds ya

Your heart beating so fast, speeding his pulse up

Yeah, I know it sucks, life ain't all rosebuds

A couple of speed bumps, you gotta take your lumps

Off to boot camp, the world's facing terror

Bin Laden been happening in Manhattan

Crack was anthrax back then, back when

Police was Al-Qaeda to Black men

While I was out there hustling, sinning with no religion (Damn)

He was off to war, killing for a living

[Chorus: Marc Dorsey & Jay-Z]

Did you ever notice, before you blink (This is real shit)

Life goes fast? (It's about life right now)

So don't you worry, about what you see (It's real)

It will pass

[Verse 2: Jay-Z]

Days turn to nights, nights turn to years

Years turn to "How the fuck we make it in here?"

My barracks average couple fights a day

Get you locked in a hole, won't see the light of day

And I feel like I'm just writing my life away

I never thought shit could end up quite this way

There's a war going on outside, no man is safe from

I'm here for the good fight, only the fakes run

I'm here for the Purple Heart – if I can't take one

For my team or my siblings, what's my reason for living?

I love my niggas more than anything else

This war's about my family, me needing the wealth (Uh)

You don't understand how useless as men we felt

'Til you become a five-star general

Shout out to my niggas that's locked in jail

P.O.W.'s that's still in the war, for real, for real

[Chorus: Marc Dorsey & Jay-Z]

Did you ever notice, before you blink

Life goes fast? (Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh)

So don't you worry, about what you see (Uh, uh)

It will pass

[Bridge: Pharrell Williams & Jay-Z, Marc Dorsey]

Your baby boy is getting grown

So your baby boy is moving on

(I've gotta chase it) I'm gon' chase it

(And I'm gon' make it, yeah) I'ma make it

Your baby boy is getting grown

So your baby boy is moving on

(I'm gonna make it) I'm gon' make it

(Even if I gotta chase it) You gotta take it

Woo, yeah

[Verse 3: Jay-Z]

Mama, say a prayer, your son's becoming a man (Mm-hm)

This war's taxing to him like Uncle Sam

He ain't gon' always make the right choice, understand

Every choice that he make, he make 'em for his fam

It's death before dishonor

And if he's gone, you should honor his memory

Don't cry, we all gon' die eventually

But if he's locked in the penitentiary, send him some energy

They all winners to me – what's up, Emory?

[Chorus: Marc Dorsey & Jay-Z]

Did you ever notice, before you blink

Life goes fast? (Uh, uh, uh, uh)

So don't you worry (Worry), about what you see

It will pass

[Outro: DJ Clue?]

Yeah, DJ Clue?, Desert Storm

'The Blueprint, Part Two'

Time for bonus coverage, c'mon