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You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Jay-Z's 99 Problems at Lyrics.org.
- Music Video
- Lyrics
- Song Meaning
- Breaking Down the Notorious Chorus
- A Glimpse into Systemic Racism
- The Complex Narrative of Success and Struggle
- The Veiled Truth Behind the Hook
- Iconic Lines That Embolden the Underdog
Lyrics
If you’re having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain’t one
I got the rap patrol on the gat patrol
Foes that want to make sure my casket’s closed
Rap critics that say he’s “Money, cash, hoes”
I’m from the hood, stupid, what type of facts are those?
If you grew up with holes in your Zapatos
You’d celebrate the minute you was having dough
I’m like, “f*ck critics” you can kiss my whole asshole
If you don’t like my lyrics, you can press fast forward
Got beef with radio if I don’t play they show
They don’t play my hits, well, I don’t give a sh*t, so
Rap mags try and use my black ass
So advertisers can give ’em more cash for ads, f*ckers
I don’t know what you take me as
Or understand the intelligence that Jay-Z has
I’m from rags to riches, nigg*s I ain’t dumb
I got ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one, hit me
Ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one
If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one, hit me
The year’s ’94 and my trunk is raw
In my rearview mirror is the motherf*cking law
I got two choices y’all, pull over the car or
Bounce on the devil, put the pedal to the floor
Now I ain’t trying to see no highway chase with Jake
Plus I got a few dollars I can fight the case
So I, pull over to the side of the road
I heard, “Son, do you know why I’m stopping you for?”
“‘Cause I’m young and I’m black and my hat’s real low
Do I look like a mind reader, sir? I don’t know
Am I under arrest or should I guess some more?”
“Well you was doing fifty-five in a fifty-four” (uh huh)
“License and registration and step out of the car”
“Are you carrying a weapon on you, I know a lot of you are”
I ain’t stepping out of sh*t, all my papers legit
“Well do you mind if I look around the car a little bit?”
Well my glove compartment is locked, so is the trunk in the back
And I know my rights so you goin’ need a warrant for that
“Aren’t you sharp as a tack? You some type of lawyer or something?”
“Somebody important or something?”
Well, I ain’t passed the bar, but I know a little bit
Enough that you won’t illegally search my sh*t
“Well we’ll see how smart you are when the K-9 come”
I got ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one, hit me
Ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one
If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one, hit me
Ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one
If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one, hit me
Now once upon a time not too long ago
A nigg* like myself had to strong-arm a ho
This is not a ho in the sense of having a puss*
But a puss* having no goddamn sense try and push me
I tried to ignore ’em, talk to the Lord
Pray for ’em, ’cause some fools just love to perform
You know the type, loud as a motorbike
But wouldn’t bust a grape in a fruit fight
The only thing that’s goin’ happen is I’ma get to clapping and
He and his boys goin’ be yapping to the Captain
And there I go trapped in the Kit-Kat again
Back through the system with the riff-raff again
Fiends on the floor scratching again
Paparazzi’s with they cameras, snapping ’em
D.A. tried to give a nigg* shaft again
Half a mil’ for bail ’cause I’m African
All because this fool was harassing them
Trying to play the boy like he’s saccharine
But ain’t nothing sweet ’bout how I hold my gun
I got ninety-nine problems being a bitch ain’t one, hit me
Ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain’t one
If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain’t one, hit me
Ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain’t one
If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain’t one, hit me
Having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got ninety-nine problems and a bitch ain’t one
You’re crazy for this one, Rick, it’s your boy
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When Jay-Z dropped ’99 Problems’ in 2003, it wasn’t just a song; it was a bombshell that exploded across the musical landscape. Beyond the catchy hook that everyone remembers, the song carries in its veins a potent blend of storytelling, social commentary, and raw indignation that permeates Hova’s work. It’s a track that demands a dive beneath its surface.
More than just a diss to detractors or a manifesto of not letting relationship woes get to him, ’99 Problems’ is a layered narrative that holds a mirror up to the systemic issues, personal strife, and industry politics that Shawn Carter encountered on his path to becoming an icon.
Breaking Down the Notorious Chorus
To many, the refrain ‘I got 99 problems but a bitch ain’t one’ is a misogynistic catchphrase on the surface. But closer inspection reveals Jay-Z redefining ‘bitch’ not as a derogatory term aimed at women, but rather as the multitude of problems he faces daily – from racists to critics. The line echoes a sort of untouchability and resilience amidst his trials.
This famous hook, sourced from Ice-T’s similarly titled song, transcends its original context to become a cultural stamp. It’s an anthem of prioritization, illustrating that even amidst a tempest of issues, certain tribulations – namely, girl problems – do not make the list.
A Glimpse into Systemic Racism
The second verse is where Jay-Z’s narrative prowess shines, detailing an encounter with the police that’s riddled with racial profiling. ‘The year’s ’94 and in my trunk is raw / In my rearview mirror is the motherf*cking law.’ This is more than a story: it’s an exposition of an everyday reality for Black Americans.
‘Cause I’m young and I’m black and my hat’s real low?’ Jay-Z inquires, reflecting the simplistic yet pervasive criteria that often lead to unwarranted stops and searches. His verse does not just point out the injustice; it also displays his understanding of his rights and the legal system – an indirect instruction to his listeners.
The Complex Narrative of Success and Struggle
Throughout the song, there’s a dichotomy present between Jay-Z’s street-hardened past and his current life. Each bar reverberates with the tension of maintaining authenticity while navigating the pitfalls of fame and fortune. ‘I’m from rags to riches, nigg*s I ain’t dumb’ is both a defense and a boast, helping set the stage for an honest rags-to-riches narrative.
In verse one, his dismissal of critics and radio executives alike serves as an assertion of independence from the fickle tastes of the music industry, a theme many successful artists can resonate with but few have articulated with such a raw edge.
The Veiled Truth Behind the Hook
If one probes the depth of ’99 Problems,’ they’ll uncover that the dogged refrain about a trouble-free relationship with women is not cavalier sexism but a metaphor for Jay-Z’s issues with vulnerability. He has built a fortress around himself – personified as ‘a bitch’ – against vulnerabilities, revealing that personal intimacy may indeed be one of his unspoken problems.
Instead of explicitly discussing his relationships, Jay-Z cleverly uses the term to generalize and depersonalize his conflicts, conveying that his true struggles run deeper into the fabric of society, his past, and his own psyche.
Iconic Lines That Embolden the Underdog
Lines such as ‘If you grew up with holes in your Zapatos / You’d celebrate the minute you was having dough’ deliver a punch of reality that connects Jay-Z’s experience with anyone who’s encountered hardship and the aspiration to rise above it. It’s a clarion call to acknowledge the victory of surviving against the odds.
And when Jay-Z’s wields the verse ‘If you don’t like my lyrics, you can press fast forward,’ it’s more than just bravado. It’s an empowerement of the individual, an encouragement to remain unapologetically oneself in the face of criticism and uncertainty.
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