Dirt Off Your Shoulder by Jay-Z

Album: The Black Album (2003)

Charted: 12 5

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Songfacts®:

In this song, the "Dirt" represents the people who are always trying to bring you down and are jealous of your 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.
After this song was released, "Get that dirt off your shoulder" became a common catch phrase, often accompanied by a gesture of casually wiping your shoulder. It became popular among athletes after making a big play.
In this song, Jay-Z mentions the "40/40 Club," which is a restaurant he owns. He also mentions ESPN in that line, which is a sports network he enjoys and has interviewed him.
Jay-Z collaborated with Linkin Park on the 2004 mash-up EP Collision Course that included this tune paired with the rap-rock band's "Lying From You."
"Dirt Off Your Shoulder" was the second single, following "Change Clothes," from The Black Album, which Jay-Z said would be his last. He even had a retirement send-off concert at Madison Square Garden and released a film called Fade To Black to chronicle his swan song, but he returned to music in 2006 with his album Kingdom Come. Hey, Jordan retired and came back too.

Comments: 3

Jinx from Britain "Your homie Hov' in position, in the kitchen with soda
I just whipped up a watch, tryin' to get me a Rover
Tryin' to stretch out the coca, like a wrestler, yessir
Keep the Heckler close, you know them smokers'll test ya
But, like, 52 cards went out, I'm through dealin'" is about shoting crack cocaine. Using bicarbonate of soda rather than ammonia to "wash up" the coke to free it from its chemical base (freebase" you can add a lot more bicarbonate of soda resulting in a lot more product butIts a fine line between getting more crack from an amount of cocaine or making it bad that people complain.
Bill from UsWell the lyrics here include the Linkin Park song Lying from you. Mash Up.
So lets someone fix that.
Fabio from New Orleans, LaLove this song. Haters won't be bringing me down any longer.

I know it's been out for years, but I only recently changed from childish anti-obscenity to a teen who can stand obscenities.

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