Kingdom Come

Producer

This is the title track from Jay-Z’s 2006 “comeback album.” It was one of the first tracks he recorded for his post-retirement release, and its recording influenced the… Read More

Nov. 21, 20061 viewer70.4K views

Kingdom Come Lyrics

[Intro]
I don't know what life will be in H.I.P. H.O.P
Without the boy H.O.V
Not only N.Y.C. I'm hip hop's savior
So after this flow you might owe me a favor
When kingdom come, you ready?
When kingdom come, I'm ready
When kingdom come I'm ready

[Verse 1]
Now everywhere I go they like HOV come back
Up out the corner office out the cul-de-sac
Where's Iceberg Slim he was the coldest cat
Get your swag back daddy where your focus at
Got to admit a little bit I was sick of rap
But despite that the boy is back
And I'm so evolved I'm so involved
I'm showing growth, I'm so in charge
I'm CEO and yeah glory to God
I'm so indebted, I should have been deaded
Selling blow in the park, this I know in my heart
Now I'm so enlightened I might glow in the dark
I been up in the office you might know him as Clark
But, just when you thought the whole world fell apart
I, take off the blazer, loosen up the tie
Step inside the booth, Superman is alive

[Chorus]
The King of New York, New York
Not only N.Y.C., I'm hip hop's savior
So after this flow you might owe me a favor
When kingdom come, you ready?
When kingdom come, uh huh
Not only N.Y.C., I'm hip hop's savior
So after this flow you might owe me a favor

[Verse 2]
I hear "hurry up Hov'" when I'm out in the public
'Cause niggas like: "but you love it; you be it, you're of it
You breathe it, we need it; bring it back to the hustlas"
Had to dust off the Hammer dance, can't touch this
C'mon playboys, bring the cars back out
'Cause ya boy Hov is back, you know them broads coming out
Got 'em dancing on the banquette, like they from Bankhead
Fuck Cristal, so they ask me what we drinkin'
I thought dude's remark was rude okay
So I moved on to Dom, Krug Rosé
And it's much bigger issues in the world, I know
But I first had to take care of the world I know
I'm from the bottom, so I still feel 'em from the bottom
Underdog before my cape, still couldn't stop him
Flash Gordon when recording, spark the light in the dark
Peter Park', Spider-Man, all I do is climb the charts

[Chorus]
The King of New York, New York
Not only N.Y.C., I'm hip hop's savior
So after this flow you might owe me a favor
When kingdom come, you ready?
When kingdom come, uh huh
Not only N.Y.C., I'm hip hop's savior
So after this flow you might owe me a favor

[Verse 3]
Just when they thought it was all over
I put the whole world on my back and broad shoulders
The War-Hova, but who you know took over tracks like that
Guess what New York, New York - we back
And I ain't never been afraid of a drought
Since I was six, seventeen been getting money down South
Bout it, bout it, Master P
Ask the nigga Pimp C, ask my homie Bun B
I run the streets the streets don't run we
Y'all run, we chill still waters run deep
I repeat, sing along with me
I run the streets, the streets don't run we
Ladies saying "Where you been Superman?"
When niggas spending ten million in media on my hands
The Bruce Wayne of the game have no fear
When you need me just throw your ROC signs in the air, yeah!

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About

Genius Annotation

This is the title track from Jay-Z’s 2006 “comeback album.” It was one of the first tracks he recorded for his post-retirement release, and its recording influenced the album title:

I didn’t have the title until I made a song called ‘Kingdom Come.’ I was like, Wow, that’s so powerful. Maybe it should be an album title.

The track embodies the loose concept that the name was taken from. Kingdom Come was a comic book mini-series created by DC that brought back older super heroes in a time of need. It was Young Guru who gave Jay the idea for the concept, and Jay ran with it heavily on this track.

Produced by Just Blaze, it samples “Super Freak” by Rick James, as well as “100 Guns” by Boogie Down Productions. Blaze spoke at length about the way he made the beat here.

It’s funny because some people’s criticism was like, oh, Just Blaze used a 10-month old beat from his MySpace page. But actually it was done shortly after I put it up.

He has said that it was Questlove of The Roots who first directed Hov to his MySpace page to listen to the instrumental.