Gotta Have It Lyrics

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About

Genius Annotation

A lecture on success, money, the desire to get them both; and how you deal with those who try to take them from you. The song is one of many on Watch The Throne that addresses black-on-black violence, and has strong overtones of black empowerment – as mirrored in the heavy use of James Brown samples – the track interpolates 1974’s “Don’t Tell A Lie About Me and I Won’t Tell The Truth About You,” “People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul” and “Your Thang.”

Q&A

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

What did JAY-Z & Kanye West say about "Gotta Have It"?
Genius Answer

According to Def Jam A&R Bu Thiam, the “Gotta Have It” beat came from a beat battle between Kanye and Pharrell. Yeezy and Pharrell would go back and forth playing beats, and then they blended the best of their efforts together to form this track.

Has this track received any certifications?
Genius Answer

“Gotta Have It” was certified platinum by the RIAA on October 13, 2015.

Credits
Performance Rights
Mixing Engineer
Recording Engineer
Additional Vocals
Recorded At
Tribeca Hotel New York
Release Date
December 6, 2011
Songs That Interpolate Gotta Have It
View Gotta Have It samples
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