Picasso Baby – English Lyrics

• By: JAY-Z

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical artistry of JAY-Z's "Picasso Baby," a song that beautifully intertwines the worlds of hip-hop and high art. Through its rich vocabulary referencing iconic artists and cultural institutions, you can expand your English vocabulary related to art, wealth, and ambition. What makes this song special is not just its compelling beat and clever rhymes, but its groundbreaking performance art video that offers a unique cultural dialogue, making it a vibrant and engaging piece for language learning.

[English]

CONCERTS ARE PRETTY MUCH PERFORMANCE ART

BUT THE VENUES CHANGE.

AND JUST BY NATURE THE VENUES, THE PERFORMANCE CHANGE RIGHT?

YOU IN A SMALLER VENUE IT'S A BIT MORE INTIMATE

SO YOU GET THE, FEEL THE ENERGY OF THE PEOPLE.

(CROWD YELLING)

(SIRENS)

WE CAME STRAIGHT FROM WORK! STRAIGHT FROM WORK!

IN THE CONCERTS, ESPECIALLY A LARGE CONCERT,

ALL THAT ENERGY COMES TO YOU,

LIKE WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT ENERGY.

YOU KNOW, SO TODAY IT'S KIND OF AN EXCHANGE.

WE HAVE SOME THAT DROP IT BACK OFF, YOU KNOW.

WHEN ART STARTED BECOMING A PART OF THE GALLERIES,

IT BECAME A SEPARATION BETWEEN CULTURE.

AND EVEN IN HIP-HOP PEOPLE WERE LIKE, ALMOST LIKE,

ART IS TOO BOURGEOIS.

WE'RE ARTISTS, WE'RE ALIKE, WE'RE COUSINS.

THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING FOR ME,

BRINGING THAT, THE WORLDS BACK TOGETHER.

I TRY NOT TO HAVE ANY EXPECTATIONS

GOING INTO A PERFORMANCE,

I TRY TO JUST LET IT HAPPEN, JUST GET INTO THE MOMENT,

AND YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HAPPENS HAPPENS.

(CROWD CHEERING)

♪♪♪

♪ HEY CAN YOU TURN IT UP A LITTLE MORE ♪

♪ UH U-U-U-UH ♪

♪ I JUST WANT A PICASSO IN MY CASA NO MY CASTLE I'M A HASSA ♪

♪ NO I'M AN ASSHOLE I'M NEVER SATISFIED ♪

♪ CAN'T KNOCK MY HUSTLE ♪

♪ I WANNA ROTHKO NO I WANNA BROTHEL NO ♪

♪ I WANT A WIFE THAT FUCKS ME LIKE A PROSTITUTE ♪

♪ LET'S MAKE LOVE ON A MILLION ♪

♪ IN A DIRTY HOTEL WITH THE FAN ON THE CEILING ♪

♪ ALL FOR THE LOVE OF DRUG DEALING ♪

♪ MARBLE FLOORS GOLD CEILINGS ♪

♪♪♪

♪ OH WHAT A FEELING ♪

♪ AW FUCK IT I WANT A BILLION ♪

♪ JEFF KOONS BALLOONS I JUST WANNA BLOW UP ♪

♪ CONDOS IN MY CONDOS I WANNA ROW OF ♪

♪ CHRISTIE'S WITH MY MISSY LIVE AT THE MOMA ♪

♪ BACONS AND TURKEY BACONS SMELL THE AROMA ♪

♪ YOU MESSED UP MY WHOLE FLOW BUT I'MMA GET IT BACK ♪

♪ OH WHAT A FEELING ♪

♪ PICASSO BABY ♪

♪ CA CA PICASSO BABY ♪

♪ OH WHAT A FEELING PICASSO BABY ♪

♪ CA CA CA PICASSO BABY (X3) ♪

♪ AIN'T HARD TO TELL I'M THE NEW JEAN-MICHEL ♪

♪ SURROUNDED BY WARHOLS MY WHOLE TEAM BALL ♪

♪ TWIN BUGATTIS OUTSIDE THE ART BASEL ♪

♪ I JUST WANNA LIVE LIFE COLOSSAL ♪

♪ LEONARDO DA VINCI FLOWS ♪

♪ RICCARDO TISCI GIVENCHY CLOTHES ♪

♪ SEE ME THROWN AT THE MET VOGUE'ING ON THESE NIGGAS ♪

♪ CHAMPAGNE ON MY BREATH YES ♪

♪ HOUSE LIKE THE LOUVRE OR THE TATE MODERN ♪

♪ BECAUSE I BE GOING APE AT THE AUCTION ♪

♪ SCREAMING OH WHAT A FEELING ♪

♪ AW FUCK IT I WANT A TRILLION ♪

♪ SLEEPING EVERY NIGHT NEXT TO MONA LISA ♪

♪ THE MODERN DAY VERSION WITH BETTER FEATURES ♪

♪ YELLOW BASQUIAT IN MY KITCHEN CORNER ♪

♪ GO AHEAD LEAN ON THAT SHIT BLUE YOU OWN IT ♪

♪ OH WHAT A FEELING ♪

♪ PICASSO BABY ♪

♪ CA CA PICASSO BABY ♪

♪ OH WHAT A FEELING PICASSO BABY ♪

♪ CA CA CA PICASSO BABY ♪

♪♪♪

♪ WHO'S LOVING YOU ♪

♪ HEY ♪

♪ (CROWD CHEERS) ♪

♪♪♪

♪ OK I NEVER STUCK MY COCK IN THE FOX'S BOX BUT ♪

♪ DAMN IF I AIN'T OPEN PANDORA'S BOX ♪

♪ THEY TRY TO SLANDER YOUR MAN ON CNN AND FOX ♪

♪ MY MIRANDAS DON'T STAND A CHANCE WITH COPS ♪

♪ EVEN MY OLD FANS LIKE OLD MAN JUST STOP ♪

♪ I COULD IF I WOULD BUT I CAN'T I'M HOT ♪

♪ AND YOU BLOW I'M STILL THE MAN TO WATCH ♪

♪ HUBLOT ON MY LEFT HAND OR NOT ♪

♪ SOON AS I STEP OUT THE BOOTH THE CAMERAS POP ♪

♪ NIGGAS IS COOL WITH IT TILL THE CANONS POP ♪

♪ NOW MY HAND ON THE BIBLE ON THE STAND ♪

♪ GOT YOUR MAN IN A JAM AGAIN ♪

♪ I GOT MY HAND IN CUFFS I'M LIKE GOD DAMN ENOUGH ♪

♪ I PUT DOWN THE CANS AND THEY RAN AMOK ♪

♪ MY HAIRPIN PIERCE SKIN RUPTURE SPLEENS ♪

♪ CRACKED RIPS GO THROUGH CRIBS AND OTHER THINGS ♪

♪ NO SYMPATHY FOR THE KING HUH ♪

♪ NIGGAS EVEN TALK ABOUT YOUR BABY CRAZY ♪

♪ EVENTUALLY THE PENDULUM SWINGS ♪

♪ DON'T FORGET AMERICA THIS HOW YOU MADE ME ♪

♪ I COME THROUGH WITH THE 'YE MASK ON ♪

♪ SPRAY EVERYTHING LIKE SAMO I WON'T SCRATCH THE LAMBO ♪

♪ WHAT'S IT GONNA TO TAKE FOR ME TO GO FOR YOU TO SEE ♪

♪ I'M THE MODERN DAY PABLO ♪

♪ PICASSO BABY ♪

(CROWD CHEERS)

IT WAS GREAT THERE WAS SO MUCH ENERGY IT WAS HOT

YOU MAKE YOURSELF ART THAT'S AMAZING

BROOKLYN WE HERE! BROOOKLYN'S IN THE HOUSE.

IT'S ALSO WONDERFUL FOR A VISUAL ARTIST

TO CAUSE THE BORDERS OF THE MEDIUM

AND MUSIC ALWAYS BEING THE MOST IMMATERIAL FORM OF ART.

WHICH IS SO WONDERFUL.

(CAMERAS CLICKING)

RAP IS PRETTY MUCH THINKING OUT LOUD. YOU'RE TALKING AND

YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR FEARS AND YOUR VULNERABILITIES AND

YOU KNOW, YOU PUT YOUR BRAVADO. YOUR INSECURITIES ALL ON MUSIC.

AND IT'S THERE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.

YOU'RE REALLY GIVING IT A GLIMPSE INTO WHO YOU ARE.

♪♪♪

(CROWD MURMURING)

♪♪♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
concert /ˈkɒnsət/ B1	noun - a performance of music by a group of musicians or singers
performance /pəˈfɔːməns/ B1	noun - an act of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment
art /ɑːt/ A2	noun - the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
venue /ˈvenjuː/ B1	noun - the place where a public event happens
energy /ˈɛnədʒi/ B1	noun - the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity.
people /ˈpiːpəl/ A1	noun - human beings in general or considered collectively.
exchange /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/ B1	noun - an act of giving one thing and receiving another (of the same type or value) in return. verb - give something to someone and receive something of the same type or value from them
culture /ˈkʌltʃə/ B1	noun - the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or group.
artist /ˈɑːtɪst/ A2	noun - a person who creates art
world /wɜːld/ A1	noun - the earth and all of its countries and peoples
moment /ˈməʊmənt/ A2	noun - a very brief period of time.
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ A2	noun - an emotional state or reaction.
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child
new /njuː/ A1	adjective - not existing before; recently made, discovered, or created.
modern /ˈmɒdən/ B1	adjective - relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past.
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
vision /ˈvɪʒən/ B2	noun - the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.

Key Grammar Structures

• CONCERTS ARE PRETTY MUCH PERFORMANCE ART

  ➔ Present Simple with 'be' for general statements

  ➔ The phrase uses 'are' (a form of 'be') to make a general statement about concerts being performance art.

• YOU IN A SMALLER VENUE IT'S A BIT MORE INTIMATE

  ➔ Subject-Verb Agreement with 'is'

  ➔ The singular subject 'it' requires the verb 'is' to agree in number.

• I JUST WANT A PICASSO IN MY CASA NO MY CASTLE I'M A HASSA

  ➔ Present Simple with 'want' for desires

  ➔ The verb 'want' is used in the present simple to express a current desire.

• I WANNA ROTHKO NO I WANNA BROTHEL NO

  ➔ Contraction 'wanna' for 'want to'

  ➔ The contraction 'wanna' is an informal way to say 'want to'.

• LET'S MAKE LOVE ON A MILLION

  ➔ Let's for suggestions

  ➔ 'Let's' is used to make a suggestion or proposal.

• I'M THE MODERN DAY PABLO

  ➔ Present Simple with 'be' for self-identification

  ➔ The phrase uses 'am' (a form of 'be') to identify the speaker as 'the modern day Pablo'.

• DON'T FORGET AMERICA THIS HOW YOU MADE ME

  ➔ Imperative mood with 'forget'

  ➔ The imperative mood is used to give a direct command or instruction, here 'don't forget'.

• I COME THROUGH WITH THE 'YE MASK ON

  ➔ Present Simple with 'come' for habitual actions

  ➔ The verb 'come' is used in the present simple to indicate a habitual action.

• WHAT'S IT GONNA TO TAKE FOR ME TO GO FOR YOU TO SEE

  ➔ Future construction with 'gonna'

  ➔ The informal future construction 'gonna' is used to talk about future plans or expectations.