"Understand Me" lyrics - JAY-Z

[Verse 1:]
Thirteen, I was a thug, selling drugs
Many people thought I flipped my wig, sorta bugged
But I shrugged 'em off, like who cares what they say?
They was getting jelly and I was getting paid
Wasn't afraid to chase dough
Wasn't afraid to catch a case so
As long as the papes flowed
Warnings I took 'em like yeah yeah, if you say so
Ladies I book 'em with some cash and hey ho
I rolled in cars Pops never seen
I rolled with stars and ladies from the magazine
Getting dirty down low dough making it clean
And mind you I was only thirteen
A rebel with a cause
A street level hustler with cash coming out the pores
Breaking laws, breaking jaws, and taking whores
Probably taking yours, yours, yours, and maybe yours
But most important, taking care of the family
Still, most people don't understand me

[Hook 2x:]
Maybe if they tried to understand me, what should I do?
I had to feed my fuckin' family, what else could I do?

[Verse 2:]
By fifteen, many brothers had to run
I had mad dough, mad friends, and mad guns
Nothing to lose
Make it big or make the news
Take your pick, I got shit under both shoes
So I'm clocking
Because opportunity don't come knocking
On the door in the projects, socking 'em
Nine to five, please
I'm talking about five to nine G's in three hours easy
I had to block in to smash
Try to slow up my cash and better dash to jake before I break your ass
Cause I'm not to be played out
Folks that try to play Jay, well ok, you getting laid out
I had no problem with smoking the rope
Cause there's no joking with dough
No warning shots so I'm hoping you know
I had a supply so I was in demand G
Ladies loved I, niggas couldn't stand me
But they wouldn't bring the noise
Cause I got boys that got [?] like [?]
So brothers ought to give it a second thought 'fore you caught speeding
External, internal, fuck him, he's bleeding
And it's back to the norm
Making cold cash so fast and keeping ladies warm
Still checking in on the family
Still, most people don't understand me

[Hook 2x]

[Verse 3:]
Just dude is no just dude
So I just do what I just do to keep a buck or two
What's my options?
Tell me before you say stop and I tell you about that weak shit you popping
I'm from the projects, wasn't for me
By nineteen, I'd be in jail, smoking or buying the key
Which one would you choose out of the three?
Yeah I know, go for the 40 G's
It's no longer for the family they no longer need
But for the greed, getting props, and being top seed
Sis tells me to slow up, whoa
I didn't hear a peep when I was keeping your belly full
And you was happy when all your nappies had new kicks
I didn't hear shit, so you quit
I got large and forgot the family
And now nobody understands me

[Hook 4x]