Dirt Off Your Shoulder Lyrics

[Produced by Timbaland]

[Intro]
You're now tuned into the muh'fuckin' greatest!
(Ugh, ugh, uh-huh-uh-huh, ugh)
(Jigga, uh-huh-uh, uh-uh)
Turn the music up in the headphones (Jigga)
(Uh-huh-uh, Jigga, uh-uh, uh-uh, ugh)
Tim, you can go on and brush your shoulders off, nigga
I got you
(Ugh, ch-ch, ugh, ugh, Jigga)
Ugh, yeah

[Chorus]
If you feelin' like a pimp, nigga, go on—brush your shoulders off
Ladies is pimps, too; go on—brush your shoulders off
Niggas is crazy, baby; don't forget that boy told you
Get that dirt off your shoulder


[Verse 1]
I probably owe it to y'all, prolly be locked by the force
Tryna hustle some things that go with the Porsche
Feelin' no remorse, feelin' like my hand was forced
Middle finger to the law, nigga, grippin' my balls
Said, the ladies, they love me — from the bleachers, they screamin'
All the ballers is bouncin' — they like the way I be leanin'
All the rappers be hatin' off the track that I'm makin'
But all the hustlers — they love it just to see one of us make it
Came from the bottom of the bottom to the "Top of the Pops"
Nigga, London (Woo), Japan (Woo), and I'm straight off the block
Like a running back — get it, man? I'm straight off the block
I can run it back, nigga, ‘cause I'm straight with the Roc

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About

Genius Annotation

“Dirt off Your Shoulder” is the second single released from Jay-Z’s 2003 album The Black Album.

In 2004, the song was combined with the Linkin Park’s single “Lying from You” and released as a single for the mash-up album Collision Course.

In the song, “Dirt” represents the people who are trying to bring him down and are jealous of his success. Jay-Z expounds on his accomplishments and lavish lifestyle, and notes that these disparaging types are nothing more than dirt that he must brush off his shoulder.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What has Jay said about track?
Genius Answer

It was some weird saying that I came up with. No idea where it came from. I think when Timb played the track early on, it had a ‘brushing’ sound in it. I started messing with lyrics about brushing off haters. It just evolved one night in Miami. Same with the ‘best rapper alive’ statement. It had gotten to the point where Biggie and Pac were such gods in hip-hop, you weren’t supposed to want to be better than them. It was time to address that. It was a respectful way of saying ‘I’m the best.’

How did this song perform on the charts?
Genius Answer

The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the week of April 10, 2004. It charted for a total of 26 weeks.

Credits
Produced By
Written By
Mixing Engineer
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Performance Rights
Recorded At
The Hit Factory Criteria (Miami)
Release Date
March 2, 2003
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