[Intro: Jay-Z]
Young Hov in the house, it's so necessary
Green Lantern in the house, so necessary
Why you fronting on me? Is that necessary?
You know you've become a star
Because you're the biggest target out there, right?
When everyone's on the court, they're coming for you
When the opposing player walks into that arena
They're thinkin of upstaging you
You're, you're like a trophy to them
They're thinkin' "if I'm better than this guy
The spotlight turns on me"
So, you know you're a superstar because you're a marked man
And everyone's coming for you

[Run DMC sample]
The, the, the king
They wanna be the, the, the king
They wanna be the, the, the king
They wanna be the, the, the king (king)

[Verse 1: Jay-Z (Chris Martin)]
Inspired by Basquiat, my chariot's on fire
Everybody took shots, hit my body up, I'm tired
Build me up to break me down to build me up again
They like "Hov', we need you back so we can kill your ass again"
Hov got flow though he's no Big and Pac, but he's close
How I'm 'posed to win? They got me fighting ghosts
Most kings (... get their heads cut off)
With the same sword they knight you they gon' good night you with
Shit, that's only half if they like you
That ain't even the half what they might do
Don't believe me, ask Michael
See Martin, see Malcolm
See Biggie, see Pac, see success and its outcome
See Jesus, see Judas
See Caesar, see Brutus
See success is like suicide
Suicide, it's a suicide
When you succeed, prepare to be crucified, uhh
Media meddles, n***as sue you, you settle
Every step you take, they remind you you ghetto
So it's tough being Bobby Brown
To be Bobby then, you gotta be Bobby now
Now the question is, "Is to have had and lost
Better than not having at all?"
Because dawg
[Chorus: Chris Martin & Run DMC sample]
Most kings get their heads cut off
Keep on climbing 'til you reach the top
Keep on coming if they ready or not
Most kings get their heads cut off
The, the, the king
They wanna be the, the, the king
They wanna be

[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
Uhh, everybody wanna be the king then shots ring
You laying on your balcony with holes in your dream
Or you Malcolm X-d out, get distracted by screams
Everybody get your hand off my jeans
Everybody look at you strange, say you changed
Like you work that hard to stay the same, uhh
Game stays the same, the name changes
So it's best for those to not overdose on being famous
Most kings get driven so insane
That they try to hit the same vein that Kurt Cobain did
So dangerous, so no strangers
Invited to the inner sanctum of your chambers
Load chambers, the enemy's approaching
So raise your draw bridge and drown 'em in the moat
Then, spirit I'm evoking
There's kings who've been awoken
From shots from those who was most close to them
They won't stop until you ghost to 'em
But real kings don't die
They become martyrs, let's toast to 'em
King Arthur, put a robe to him
Like James Brown, no the show ain't over
Until Rome's ruined
'Til the republic is overthrown
'Til my loyal subjects is over Hov'
Long live the king, no, the reign won't stop
They want my head on the chopping block
I won't die, nah
[Chorus: Chris Martin, Jay-Z & Run DMC sample]
Most kings get their heads cut off
Keep on climbing 'til you reach the top
Keep on coming if they ready or not
Most kings get their heads cut off
Keep on coming if they ready or not
Long live the king, know the reign won't stop
The, the, the king
They wanna be the, the, the king
They wanna be
Long live the, the, the king
They wanna be the, the, the king
They wanna be
Most kings get their heads cut off
Keep on climbing 'til you reach the top
Keep on coming if they ready or not