Decoded (36 page)

First and foremost I’d like to acknowledge Dream Hampton. How can I thank you enough? You’ve lived my words and life for so long that you might need therapy to get back to yours (sorry, Nina). Dream, thanks again for suffering for my art (I mean, you were in Martha’s Vineyard but still, ha). You are a GODSEND.

Chris Jackson for your dedication, appreciation of detail, and your tireless work—even following me around Coachella (and missing your flight home).

I’d also like to thank all of the people at Spiegel & Grau, Random House, and Rodrigo Corral Design who worked themselves ragged to produce this beautiful book, including Julie Grau, Mya Spalter, Greg Mollica, Evan Camfield, Richard Elman, Penelope Haynes, Rodrigo Corral, Rachel Bergman, Steve Attardo, Laurie Carkeet, Deb Wood, Dean Nicastro, and Sally Berman.

99 Problems

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Norman Landsberg, John Ventura, Leslie Weinstein, Felix Pappalardi, William Squire, Alphonso Henderson, and Tracy Marrow

Copyright © 2003 Universal Music—MGB Songs, Universal Music-Careers, Songs of the Knight, WB Music Corp., Ammo Dump Music, Carrumba Music, Bridgeport Music, Inc., Universal-Polygram International Publishing, Inc., and Rhyme Syndicate Music

All rights for Songs of the Knight controlled and administered by Spirit Two Music, Inc.

All rights for Ammo Dump Music and Carrumba Music controlled and administered by WB Music Corp.

Used by permission from Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc., and Hal Leonard Corporation

All rights reserved. Used by permission. Contains elements of “The Big Beat,” “Long Red,” “99 Problems,” and “Straight Outta Compton”

American Dreamin’

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Sean Combs, Mario Winans, Marvin Gaye, Arthur Ross, Leon Ware, Levar Coppin, and Deleno Matthews

Copyright © 2007 EMI April Music Inc., Carter Boys Music, Justin Combs Publishing Co., EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Janice Combs Publishing, Inc., Marsky Music, Jobete Music Co., Inc., FCG Music, NMG Music, MGIII Music, Steady on the Grind (BMI), Wait That’s Mine Music, For My Son Publishing, and Tenyor Music

All rights for Carter Boys Music, Justin Combs Publishing Co., Jobete Music Co., Inc., FCG Music, NMG Music, and MGIII Music controlled and administered by EMI April Music Inc.

All rights for Janice Combs Publishing, Inc., and Marsky Music controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights for For My Son Publishing and Tenyor Music controlled and administered by The Royalty Network

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Contains elements of “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again”

Beach Chair

Words and music by Shawn Carter and Chris Martin

Copyright © 2006 EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music, and Universal Music Publishing MGB Ltd.

All rights for Carter Boys Music controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights for Universal Music Publishing MGB Ltd. in the United States and Canada administered by Universal Music-MGB Songs

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Beware

Words and music by Rajinder Rai, Glen Larson, and Stuart Phillips

Copyright © 2003 EMI Music Publishing Ltd. and Songs of Universal, Inc.

All rights for EMI Music Publishing Ltd. in the U.S. and Canada controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Big Pimpin’

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Tim Mosley, and Kyambo Joshua

Copyright © 1999 EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lil Lulu Publishing, Virginia Beach Music, and I Love KJ Music

All rights for Lil Lulu Publishing controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights for I Love KJ Music controlled and administered by Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Blue Magic

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Pharrell Williams, Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy, Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, Dawn Robinson, and Bernhard Kaun

Copyright © 2007 EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music, EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Waters of Nazareth, Inc., Two Tuff-E-Nuff Publishing, and USI A Music Publishing

All rights for Carter Boys Music controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights for Waters of Nazareth, Inc., and Two Tuff-E-Nuff Publishing controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights for USI A Music Publishing controlled and administered by Universal Music Corp.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Contains elements of “Hold On”; also contains excerpt from the motion picture
Frankenstein

Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Stanley Clarke, Gerald Brown, Michael Garson, Raymond Gomez, August Moon, and William Thomas

Copyright © 2001 EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lil Lulu Publishing, Clarkee Music, August Moon Music, and Harlem Music, Inc.

All rights for Lil Lulu Publishing controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights for Clarkee Music controlled and administered by Songs of Universal, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Contains elements of “Got to Find My Own Place” and “Seven Minutes of Funk”

Can I Live?

Words and music by Burt Bacharach, Hal Davis, Shawn Carter, and Irving Lorenzo

Copyright © 1996 Colgems-EMI Music, Inc., EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lil Lulu Publishing, Ensign Music Corporation, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, and DJ Irv Publishing

All rights for Lil Lulu Publishing controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights for Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC and DJ Irv Publishing controlled and administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Contains elements of “The Look of Love” (Bacharach/David) © 1967 (renewed 1995) Colgems-EMI Music

Coming of Age

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Rodolfo Franklin, and James Mtume

Copyright © 1996 EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lil Lulu Publishing, Clark’s True Funk Music, and Mtume Music

All rights for Lil Lulu Publishing controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Contains elements of “Inside You”

Coming of Age (Da Sequel)

Words and music by Shawn Carter and Dean Kasseem

Copyright © 1998 EMI April Music, Inc., Dead Game Publishing, EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lil Lulu Publishing, Universal Music Corp., and Swizz Beatz

All rights for Dead Game Publishing controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights for Lil Lulu Publishing controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights for Swizz Beatz controlled and administered by Universal Music Corp.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

December 4th

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Elijah Powell, and Walter Boyd

Copyright © 2003 EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music, and Oceans Blue Music Ltd.

All rights for Carter Boys Music controlled and administered EMI April Music Inc.

All rights for Oceans Blue Music Ltd. controlled and administered by Songs of Universal, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Contains elements of “That’s How Long”

D’evils

Words and Music by Shawn Carter and Chris Martin

Copyright © 1996 EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lil Lulu Publishing, EMI April Music, Inc., and Gifted Pearl Music

All rights for Lil Lulu Publishing controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights for Gifted Pearl Music controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Dynasty (Intro)

Words and music by Shawn Carter and Woodrow Cunningham, Jr.

Copyright © 2000 EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lil Lulu Publishing, H&R Lastrada Music, ASCAP/Sony ATV Tunes LLC, and Stonseee Music

All rights for Lil Lulu Publishing controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Early This Morning

Words by Shawn Carter

Copyright © EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music

All rights for Carter Boys Music controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

Fallin’

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Jermaine Dupri, and Anthony Hester

Copyright © 2007 EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music, Shaniah Cymone Music, and EMI Longitude Music

All rights for Carter Boys Music and Shaniah Cymone Music controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Contains elements of “Fell for You”

Hell Yeah (Pimp the System)

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Laurent Alfred, Lavonne Alford, E. Franklin, Clayton Gavin, and Vijay Iyer

Copyright © 2004 EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music, Ernest Franklin, The War of Art Music, Walk Like a Warrior Music, and I Grade Music

All rights for Carter Boys Music controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

History

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Tony Williams, and Veronica Sanson

Copyright © 2009 EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music, Tony Williams Publishing Designee, and Veronica Sanson Publishing Designee

All rights for Carter Boys Music and Bovina Music, Inc., controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Ignorant Shit

Words and music by Shawn Carter, Ernest Isley, Marvin Isley, O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Christopher Jasper, and Dwight Grant

Copyright © 2007 EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music, Bovina Music, Inc., Bug Music-Music of Windswept, Hitco South, and Shakur Al Din Music

All rights for Carter Boys Music and Bovina Music, Inc., controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights for Hitco South and Shakur Al Din Music controlled and administered by Bug Music-Music of Windswept

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Contains elements of “Between the Sheets”

Meet the Parents

Words and music by Shawn Carter and Justin Smith

Copyright © 2002 EMI April Music, Inc., Carter Boys Music, and F.O.B. Music Publishing

All rights for Carter Boys Music controlled and administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.