My first introduction to Jay Z was his mega collab with Linkin Park. It wasn’t the first time a metal band had collaborated with hip hop artists—Anthrax and Public Enemy famously did “Bring the Noise” back in 1991—but it was certainly the most mainstream and successful. I’m not surprised either; Jay Z’s production has always been innovative and bold. Let’s learn to play his mega hit “Big Pimpin'” on the ukulele.
What Are We Learning To Play?
Below is a video of what you will be able to play by the end of this post.
Ukulele Tabs
This riff is built around octave chords and smooth finger transitions, so getting your hand position right from the start will make everything flow naturally.
Setting up the first section: Place your pointer finger on the 3rd fret of the C string and your pinky on the 6th fret of the A string. This creates your octave chord shape. Use your thumb and pointer finger on your strumming hand to pluck both strings simultaneously—this gives you that clean, punchy sound you want.
You’ll play this octave pattern five times before moving to the next section.
Moving into the single notes: After those five octave hits, shift your hand position. Place your index finger on the 7th fret of the A string, and keep your ring finger hovering over the 9th fret. This sets you up perfectly for the upcoming notes, including the slide to the 10th fret.
The second octave section: This part mirrors the first section, but you’re moving everything down one fret. Your octave chord now starts on the 2nd fret of the C string and 5th fret of the A string.
The tricky lick section: This requires more precise finger work. Start with your index finger on the 4th fret, then use your ring finger for the 6th fret and your pinky for the 7th fret.
Here’s where the slide comes in: you’ll see “7/9” in the tabs. This means you pluck the 7th fret with your pinky, then slide that same finger up to the 9th fret without plucking again. You should hear both the 7th and 9th fret notes from just one initial pluck. After completing the slide, your middle finger should naturally fall onto the 7th fret to finish the riff cleanly.
A|-7---7---7---7-7---7-9-7---7/10--7-|
E|-----------------------------------|
C|-4---4---4---4-4-------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
A|-6---6---6---6-6---4-6-7---7/9--7--|
E|-----------------------------------|
C|-3---3---3---3-3-------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|