[Intro: Jay-Z]

Uh, uh, uh, uh

Uh, uh (It's not a diss song, it's just a real song)

Uh, uh (You feel me?)

[Verse 1: Jay-Z]

I heard motherfuckers sayin' they made Hov

Made Hov say, "Okay, so? Make another Hov!"

Niggas wasn't playin' they day role

So we parted ways like Ben and J.Lo

I shoulda been did it, but I been in a daze though

I put friends over business, end of the day though

But when friends' business interests is Day Glow

Ain't nothin' left to say though, I guess we forgot what we came fo'

Shoulda stayed in food and beverage

Too much flossin', too much Sam Rothstein

I ain't a bitch, but I gotta divorce them

Hov had to get the shallow shit up off him

And I ain't even want to be famous

Niggas is brainless, to unnecessarily go through these changes

And I ain't even know how it came to this

Except that fame is the worst drug known to man

It's stronger than heroin

When you could look in the mirror like, "There I am"

And still not see what you've become

I know I'm guilty of it too, but not like them – you lost one

[Chorus: Chrisette Michele & Jay-Z]

Lose one, let go to get one (One, one, one)

Get one, lose some to win some (One, one, one, one, you lost one)

Story of a champion (One, one, one)

Sorry, I'm a champion, you lost one (One, one, one, one, uh)

[Verse 2: Jay-Z]

I don't think it's meant to be, B

For she loves her work more than she does me

And honestly, at twenty-three

I would probably love my work more than I did she

So, we ain't "we," it's me and her

'Cause what she prefers over me is work

And that's where we differ

So I have to give her free time, even if it hurts

So, breathe, mami, it's deserved

You've been put on this Earth to be all you can be like the Reserves

And me? My time in the Army, it's served

So I have to allow she her time to serve

The time's now for her, in time she'll mature

And maybe we can be we again like we were

Finally, my time's too short to share

And to ask her now it ain't fair, so yeah, she lost one

[Chorus: Chrisette Michele & Jay-Z]

Lose, one, let go to get one (One, one, one)

Get one, lose some to win some

One, one, one, oh yeah, she lost one

Story of a champion (One, one, one)

Sorry I'm a champion, you lost one (One, one, one)

[Verse 3: Jay-Z]

My nephew died in the car I bought

So under the belief it's partly my fault

Close my eyes and squeeze, try to block that thought

Place any burden on me, but please – not that, Lord

But time don't go back, it goes forward

Can't run from the pain, go towards it

Some things can't be explained, what caused it?

Such a beautiful soul, so pure – shit!

Gonna see you again, I'm sure of it

'Til that time, little man, I'm nauseous

Your girlfriend's pregnant, the Lord's gift

Almost lost my faith, that restored it

It's like havin' your life restarted

Can't wait for your child's life to be a part of it

So now I'm child-like, waitin' for a gift

To return, when I lost you, I lost it

[Chorus: Chrisette Michele & Jay-Z]

Lose, one, let go to get one (One, one, one)

Get, one, lose some to win some

One, one, one, Colleek, I lost one

Story of a champion (One, one, one)

Colleek, you're a champion, I lost one (One, one, one)