H·A·M Lyrics

[Verse 1: Kanye West]
It was all good just a week ago, niggas feel theyself
And that Watch the Throne drop, niggas kill theyself

What niggas gon' do, Hov?
This the new crack, on a new stove

I'm in the two-door, true that, niggas telling me, "You back!"
Like a nigga ever left up out this bitch, huh?

And if life's a bitch, bet she suck my dick, huh
And I bet she fucked the whole clique, huh
By the way, nigga, you should fucking quit, nigga
Just forget it, you talk it, I live it
Like Eli, I did it, joke's on you, motherfucker and I get it, haha
No paper, ho, but you can have some more of me
Or-a-gy or are we speaking metaphorically?
Historically I'm kicking bitches out like Pam, nigga
Going HAM, nigga, me and Jigga
And a nigga still young, wanna have no kids
But I've been practicing with some actresses as bad as shit
Had a few white girls, asses flat as shit
But the head's so good, damn, a nigga glad he hit
Got 'em jumping out the building, watch out below
A million out the door

[Chorus: Kanye West]
I'm about to go HAM
Hard as a motherfucker, let these niggas know who I am
I'm about to go HAM
Hard as a motherfucker, let these niggas know who I am

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About

Genius Annotation

Released on January 11, 2011, this was the first single from Kanye West and Jay-Z’s collaborative album, Watch The Throne. The song finds the two stars spitting highly braggadocious lyrics about their conquests and wealth. It peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is certified Gold by the RIAA.

Famed fashion designer Riccardo Tisci designed the single’s artwork, and would also go on to design the entire WTT album package and single covers.

Q&A

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

How did Hov feel about this track being released as the first single?
Genius Answer

Jay had been reluctant to release “H•A•M” as a single; and in retrospect he said the first song released from Watch the Throne should have been a three-minute song built on Kanye and him trading verses, with no hook.

During an album listening session, Jay revealed that initially he and Kanye were looking to make a grandiose project with elaborate songs; with “H•A•M” being a prime example of the epic sound they were first pursuing. The album we hear today is greatly scaled back from their original direction, which was even more dramatic and calculated. But, upon reflection, Jay and ‘Ye felt that creating in that manner would take away from its enjoyment, so they chose to pare it down sonically.

Jay explained this decision during the listening session, saying of “H•A•M:”

It’s just so big and so much, you don’t want that shit screaming in your house. If we don’t make records that we like and represent the culture, we would be over.

He explained further in an interview with Miami radio station 99 Jamz on the day of the album’s release, where “H•A•M” had been cut from the main track-listing, but included as a bonus track on the deluxe edition:

I just wanted people to really enjoy and experience the album for the first time together. The way we wanted it to be heard … ‘H•A•M’ is super intense, you don’t want to hear that every day. It’s difficult to hear that. Inside a whole body work, it’s different. Like when we perform ‘H•A•M’ live it’s a whole different experience, it reacts like it was this massive hit record. Because that’s the setting or it. The setting for it is a concert, not inside your home. We just wanted people to hear the album how we intended it.

What does "H·A·M" mean?
Genius Answer

Hard As a Motherfucker.

It’s in the hook.

Live Performance
Genius Answer

Credits
Produced By
Performance Rights
Co-Producer
Mixing Engineer
Recording Engineer
Assistance
Additional Production
Creative Direction
Additional Vocals
Cello Arrangement
Recorded At
Real World Studios, Wiltshire UK and The Mercer Hotel, NY
Release Date
January 11, 2011
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