"Lost One" is the second single from
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
's comeback album ''
Kingdom Come''. It was released on November 21, 2006, and peaked at No. 58 on
Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...
.
Its music video was released on December 4, 2006, Jay-Z's 37th birthday and notably features the rare
concept car Maybach Exelero.
Music and lyrics
The song features
Chrisette Michele and is produced by
Dr. Dre and
Mark Batson. The song is composed by S. Carter, D. Parker, C. Payne, M. Batson, and A. Young. Dr. Dre told Scratch magazine in a 2004 interview that he had been studying piano and music theory, like in this song. The beat was used in the 2006 Rap Up by
Skillz.
The first verse is rumored to be about
Jaz-O, his former mentor, but is also speculated as being about former long-time friend and business partner,
Damon Dash, co-founder of
Roc-a-fella Records. In the song Jay-Z states, "I heard motherfuckers saying they made Hov; made Hov say, 'Okay, so, make another Hov.'" Hov refers to his previous stage name Young Hov and the lyrics parallel the history between him and Jaz-O. Jay-Z makes a reference to the film "
Casino
A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...
" with the line: "Shoulda stayed in food and beverage/ Too much flossing/ Too much Sam Rothstein." This reference is viewed by many as commentary on Dash.
The second verse is very arguably about
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
. The opening lyric, "I don't think it's meant to be, B," seems to be addressing the singer by her nickname.
The third verse is about his nephew, Colleek D. Luckie, who died in a car crash involving a
Chrysler 300 car, which Jay-Z bought him as a graduation present. In the verse, he mentions Colleek's girlfriend was pregnant when he died. Jay-Z personally blames his nephew's death on himself.
Jay-Z Interview
. AllHipHop.com. December 5, 2005. Retrieved January 16, 2007.
Charts
Certifications
See also
* List of songs recorded by Jay-Z
References
{{authority control
2006 singles
Chrisette Michele songs
Jay-Z songs
Music videos directed by Anthony Mandler
Songs written by Mark Batson
Songs written by Jay-Z
Song recordings produced by Dr. Dre
Songs written by Dr. Dre
Song recordings produced by Mark Batson
2006 songs
Songs written by Chrisette Michele
Roc-A-Fella Records singles