[Intro: Jay-Z] Young Hov in the house, it's so necessary Green Lantern in the house, so necessary Why you fronting on me? Is that necessary? You know you've become a star Because you're the biggest target out there, right? When everyone's on the court, they're coming for you When the opposing player walks into that arena They're thinkin of upstaging you You're, you're like a trophy to them They're thinkin' \"if I'm better than this guy The spotlight turns on me\" So, you know you're a superstar because you're a marked man And everyone's coming for you
[Hook: Chris Martin] The, the, the king They wanna be the, the, the king They wanna be the, the, the king They wanna be the, the, the king (king)
[Verse 1: Jay-Z] Inspired by Basquiat, my chariot's on fire Everybody took shots, hit my body up, I'm tired Build me up, break me down to build me up again They like \"Hov we need you back so we can kill your ass again\" Hov got flow though he's no Big and Pac, but he's close How I'm 'posed to win? They got me fighting ghosts Most kings get their heads cut off With the same sword they knight you they gon' good night you with Shit, that's only half if they like you That ain't even the half what they might do Don't believe me, ask Michael See Martin, see Malcolm See Biggie, see Pac See success and its outcome See Jesus, see Judas See Caesar, see Brutus See success is like suicide Suicide, it's a suicide When you succeed, prepare to be crucified Media meddles, niggas sue you, you settle Every step you take, they remind you you ghetto So it's tough being Bobby Brown To be Bobby then, you gotta be Bobby now Now the question is, \"Is to have had and lost Better than not having at all?\" Because dawg
[Hook: Chris Martin] Most kings get their heads cut off Keep on climbing 'till you reach the top Keep on coming if they ready or not Most kings get their heads cut off The, the, the king They wanna be the, the, the king They wanna be
[Verse 2: Jay-Z] Everybody wanna be the king then shots ring You laying on your balcony with holes in your dream Or you Malcolm X'd out, get distracted by screams Everybody get your hand off my jeans Everybody look at you strange, say you changed Like you work that hard to stay the same Game stays the same, the name changes So it's best for those to not overdose on being famous Most kings get driven so insane That they try to hit the same vein that Kurt Cobain did So dangerous, no strangers Invited to the inner sanctum of your chambers Load chambers as the enemies approach So raise your draw bridge and drown them in the moat And the spirit I'm evoking There's kings who've been awoken From shots from those who was most close to them They won't stop until you ghost to 'em But real kings don't die They become martyrs, let's toast to 'em King Arthur, put a robe to him Like James Brown no the show ain't over Til Rome's ruined Til the republic is overthrown Til my loyal subjects it's over, Hov Long live the king No, the reign won't stop They want my head on the chopping block I won't die, nah