Poppin' Tags

(album: The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse - 2002)

Geah-geah-geah, geah-geah-geah
Ugh, ugh, ugh-ugh-ugh
Bap!

And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught, ugh)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Bought)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags (Bags)
'Cause we be popping tags (Geah) pimping, we be popping tags!
And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Woo)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags
'Cause we be popping tags, pimping, we be popping tags!
We arose, let's go

"So Fresh, So Clean" like 'Kast
Jay-Z be popping tags
Leaving the mall with heavy bags
You know the boy got a love for the cash
"Aw, fuck, there he go again
Talking 'bout hoes and dough again"—yup!
Can't hold it in
I'm surprised I got so much dough to spend
But back when I was poorer then
You wasn't focusing about the dough I spend
But I was holding then, I was a roller then
I was a baller back then, all of that, man
Fall back, I bought that
What would you do if you was in my shoes?
Leave dudes in the rear-view
V12 engine, corners spinning
Twinkies shining, pinky ring
Armadale, nigga, stinky-stink
Top down, my cash is up
Gold chain, I don't give a fuck
Gold brain'll get you in the truck, ma
That's right, you in luck, ma
You see me cruising down, better step inside
Ain't enough room to fit you all in the ride
First-come, first-served basis
You know Hov' be going to nice places
That's right, and I'm dropping cash
Leave the mall with garbage bags
Gucci this, Prada that
Roll with your boy, you'll be popping tags

And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught, ugh)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Bought)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags (Bags)
'Cause we be popping tags (Geah) pimping, we be popping tags!
And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Woo, uh-huh)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags (What up)
'Cause we be popping tags, pimping, we be popping tags!

It's a party when I go up in the store
Shopping while I'm zooted off the dro
Rolling like a nigga that just came up on a mil'
And I got 'em sweeping and picking up tags off the floor
Bag full of clothes, I remember having rocks in the hall
On the corner with the Glock by the balls
Serving up a jab and working security 6 to 6
Then it's straight from the block to the mall
Buy what's on the wall, go ahead and treat yourself
When you come up on some cheddar, better pop that tag
Like when I dip off in the Prada then I go up to the lot
And lay the paper down to cop that Jag'
I got a closet full of ammunition and funds
Mink, Rocawear and some guns, Pelle and a fresh pair of Jordans
Dro packs and Bo Jax and Air Maxes; throwbacks and 1s
No max for none
(When I go up in the store, a nigga never get enough)
I'm a baller, if you want it, come and get it now
(Nigga come to a race with a car, you won't catch up)
And the Twista kinda wicked when I spit it now
I be chopping up cheddar with Kanye
Chop a little cheddar up with Jay
Chop it up with the O-to-the-Kizzay
Popping big tags with the flow and the dough, we gets busy

And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught, ugh)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Bought)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags (Bags)
'Cause we be popping tags (Geah) pimping, we be popping tags!
And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Woo, uh-huh)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags (What else?)
'Cause we be popping tags, pimping, we be popping tags!
Let me tell you something 'bout me

My throwback game is whiffle-wicked
Saint Patty's Day, green pinstripe
Number 20, Mark Spitz'n'
Jersey, ooh-wee, with the matching New Era fitted
White boys say my style is bitching
Keeping coke in the kitchen
Keep a Glock that'll shock and bring the rest
Tucked underneath my Mitchell & Ness
I'm scrambling, handling with a .45 cannon
It's tucked in my Marc Buchanan
Extra clips and shells in the lambskin
Two-deep by Pelle Pelle
Westside, holler, Felli Fel
More Gs on me than a late-eighties Gucci leather
Worn by the great Rakim himself
Stitch my Dapper Dan
Old man with the gun in hand, I leave your blood squirting
No offense, I'll put your face on the chest
Of a sweatshirt drawn by Shirt Kings
I been fucking a hustle, married to a racket
Since the first Air Jordans and Starter jackets
I slept with a package, under mattress
I carry guns heavy, speak easy
Slight with the fighting words
I'll put something hot through your motherfucking iceberg
Got a project chica named Rica
She keep a purse full of dro, reefer
Small baby-black gat tucked in her Baby Phat
I rock some, roll, chief sacks like Daddy Fat

And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught, ugh)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Bought)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags (Bags)
'Cause we be popping tags (Geah), pimping, we be popping tags!
And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Woo)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags (I'm popping)
'Cause we be popping tags, pimping, we be popping tags!

Pop tags in reverse, you'll be needing a nurse
Leave you laying on your back in a Cadillac hearse
Now your mama in all-black with a matching purse
I know you wanna blow up, but a funeral hurts
What's worse, you can hit the mall and ball 'til you fall
Have to make a collect call 'cause your cell cut off
Trot to the mailbox 'pecting a check but the mail's run short
No more MD, DD, LD
That means "Movie Date," "Dinner Date," "Lunch Date," help me
Please, my cheese is gone
Long bread to the short bread, word is bond
Meticulously pimp-ously serve the song
Act a damn donkey like the pilgrims
When they popped the tag on the Indians' home
Drop top rag-o with the wind going
Chilling, bags in the trunk full of F.A.O. Schwartz for the chil'ens
Spent a few shillings
Sip a few chickens, lick a few kittens, just kidding
A fresh bowl of milk is in the fridge and
Can you pop the tags on the Honeycombs?
Oh now, you acting mad
'Cause the money done slowed down, just a little bit
Dipped, poked out, did some shull-bit
Acting like a pitfall, bull-pit, dead game is the pulpit
Leave a mother pumper with his "John Doe" toe-tag clipped
Imperial classic, a lyrical thrashing
A miracle happening
Jay-Z, Killer Mike, and Big Boi rapping and rhyming and snapping
Pop that tag on some of this game
No politics, swallow and keep the change

And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught, ugh)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Bought)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags (Bags)
'Cause we be popping tags (Geah), pimping, we be popping tags!
And we gon' stay hustling on that block until we caught (Caught)
And we gon' stay showing off that jewelry that we bought (Woo)
And we gon' stay leaving out the stores with heavy bags
'Cause we be popping tags, pimping, we be popping tags!