"Nickels And Dimes" lyrics - JAY-Z

Nickels and dimes
Sticks to my mind
I'll never win
You have my friends

Got a thing for nickel plated nines and pretty dimes
Mac-11, I squeeze like lemon limes
Squirt, obey your thirst, fashion lines
Between beauty and beast, I walk the line

Johnny Cash, I'm a real G
I cut my self today to see if I still bleed
Success is so sublime
Gotta do that time to time so I don't lose my mind

Something 'bout the struggle so divine
This sort of love is hard to define
When you scratching for every nickel and dime
Got me itching to do this shit for my mom

Do this shit for my town
Leave the door open hoping they kick it down
The purist form of giving is anonymous to anonymous
We gonna make it there, I promise this

Nickels and dimes
Sticks to my mind
I'll never win
You have my friends

Sometimes I feel survivor's guilt
I gave some money to this guy, he got high as hell
Now I'm part of the problem far as I could tell
Did I do it for him or do it for myself
Can't lie to myself
I love my niggas more than my own blood
I die for my niggas and I love my cub, hope that's not fucked up
I got a problem with the handouts, I took the man route

I'll give an opportunity though, that's the plan now
No guilt in giving clear a nigga conscience out
No guilt in receiving, every thing within reason
Can't see it taking food out my little monster's mouth

That will drive me gaga
Run up in your mama's house, two nickels, one dime
Manslaughter charges, the lawyer, knocked it down
I'm just trying to find common ground

'Fore Mr. Belafonte come and chop a nigga down
Mr. Day O, major fail
Respect these youngins boy, it's my time now
Hublot homie, two door homie
You don't know all the shit I do for the homies

Nickels and dimes
Sticks to my mind
I'll never win
You have my friends

Pardon my hubris, Stanley Kubrick
With eyes wide shut, I could cook up two bricks
Turn nickels to dime, turn dimes to quarters
Turn wives from daughters, oh, I'm clear as water

And just for clarity, my presence is charity
My flow is a gift, philanthropist
Everybody around me rich or will be
Baby boy I promise you this or kill me

And when a nigga go as the old adage go
You die rich or you die a disgrace, so just let me grow
Watch me cook, throw no looks
Like Magic in his prime when Kareem sky hooked

Y'all not worthy, sometimes I feel like
Y'all don't deserve me, my flow unearthly
The greatest form of giving is anonymous to anonymous
So here y'all go, I promise this