Street Dreams
NAS feat. R.Kelly Lyrics

Low profile, rap style slick as Nu Nile
I have a modest profile, but I deliver my rap style in a smooth and polished way

Give the crew pounds every time we cover new ground
I show appreciation to my crew every time we innovate or explore new territory

Still survivin', but there's a few down back in the essence
I'm still alive and kicking, but some of my peers have passed away and are no longer with us in spirit

I'm askin' questions on the phone with jail adolescents
I'm having conversations on the phone with young inmates in prison, seeking to understand their experiences and perspectives

Quiet confession, the system's applyin' the pressure
In a moment of vulnerability, I admit that the criminal justice system is exerting a great deal of pressure on me and those around me

My mind is guessin', is livin' and dyin' a lesson?
I'm pondering the meaning of life and death and whether they teach us anything valuable

But not to be obliged with the mirage of cars
I'm not fooled by the illusion of status symbols like fancy cars and know to focus on more important things

Take me off track from what the gods focus on hard
Focusing too much on material possessions can distract me from what is truly important in life, which is why I try to stay vigilant

Laid up, smokin' cigars, motionin' maids
I'm relaxing at home, smoking cigars and directing my servants to bring me food

To bring me toast and eggs kosher
I'm specific about my diet and insist on my food being prepared according to Jewish dietary laws

Ice chokers and wolves to smoke ya
I have connections to dangerous people who could harm you if you cross me

My wisdom culture lives in ultra madness
I have a deep, rich understanding of my culture, even though it may seem chaotic or overwhelming to outsiders

Devoted Coach bag bitch
I am a woman who is dedicated to owning and using Coach bags

Broke, the average nigga's hopes to get mad rich
The system is designed to prevent most people from becoming wealthy, regardless of how much effort they put in

Only the gods can watch the Earth twist
The workings of the world are beyond human comprehension and can only be understood by divine forces

I'm physically trapped down on the surface
I feel like I'm stuck in the physical world, unable to transcend to a higher level of existence

With all the crack merchants, snakes and serpents
I'm surrounded by people who are engaged in illegal and corrupt activities and who could harm me at any moment

Foul jakes that search us
Police officers who are corrupt and violent regularly conduct searches on people, violating their rights and causing fear and mistrust

Clowns with four pounds, this ain't a circus
There are people who have weapons and who are dangerous around me, and this is no laughing matter

Ain't nothin' out there for ya
There are no opportunities or possibilities outside of your immediate environment

Situation's gettin' heavy
The challenges and difficulties I face are becoming increasingly intense and serious

Heavy, heavy, tryin' to be a gangsta
The weight of my efforts to be tough and involved in gang culture is becoming too much for me to bear

Word up
I'm telling the truth and being honest

Black clouds over the hood, I'm on the corner with the thugs
There's a sense of darkness and negativity hanging over my community, and I'm hanging out with my fellow gangsters on the street corner

Late night under the Moon as they assume I'm slangin' drugs
People assume that because I'm out at night, I must be dealing drugs or engaged in other criminal activity

Thought a G a night wasn't good enough
I felt like making a few hundred dollars a night wasn't sufficient for my needs and desires

Pushed my luck, yo, they had a brother put in cuffs
I went too far and got caught by the police, resulting in my arrest and detention

Could've got a one-to-three
I could have gone to prison for a period of one to three years for my crime

I try to school these shorties under me
I try to mentor and guide the younger people around me to avoid making the same mistakes that I did

But they can't see, from life to death
They are unable to see the larger picture and understand the full scope of life and death

So now we back to where we never left
Despite our efforts to escape our circumstances, we always seem to return to our starting point

The ghetto, it's a damn shame, knowin' it's a man's game
The poor and disadvantaged areas of the city are a tragic reality, and it's often a case of survival of the fittest

Shorty thinks it's time to make your plans change
Some of the young people around me believe it's time to make changes in their lives and focus on their future instead of gangs and crime

All that runnin' round, tryin' to chase what's already here
We often seek external validation and success, but we fail to appreciate what we have in our own lives

Been there, it's goin' nowhere
I've tried that approach before, and it didn't lead me to a better place

Pops told me knuckle up, no fear
My father advised me to stand up for myself and not be afraid of challenges or adversity

I wish some of these killings they could be prevented
I hope that some of the senseless violence in my community could be avoided

Whatever happens, it was written, meaning God meant it
I believe that whatever happens in life is part of a divine plan, and we must accept our fate

But during life, you put your heart in it
We must fully invest ourselves in our lives while we are alive and strive to make the best of our time

Even though it seems we bein' targeted
Despite the challenges and obstacles we face, we must keep pushing forward

Dream on, dream on
Keep pursuing your dreams and aspirations, no matter what the circumstances

Sort of wild, since a child, hope was all we had
Growing up in difficult circumstances, we turned to hope as a source of inspiration and motivation

Dreamt of plushed-out pads
We dreamed of living in comfortable, luxurious homes

Complainin', the mental strainin'
We found ourselves frequently complaining and feeling mentally exhausted from the challenges we faced

How many in my crew was into gainin'?
How many of my friends and associates were focused on making money and getting ahead?

Subtract the weak links up out the chain and
We needed to cut loose the people who were holding us back or causing problems in our group

Rise and start reignin'
We needed to rise up and exert our influence and power over our circumstances

Blasphemy, usin' Nas' name in vain
It is disrespectful and blasphemous to use my name or reputation for your own gain

Some claim supreme being, yet they lied in his name
Some so-called religious leaders or spiritual gurus are actually deceiving others in the name of a higher power

I tried to learn the game and only thing I found incredible
I attempted to learn the rules and strategies of success, but I found it hard to believe how cutthroat and ruthless it could be

Everything I tried to learn, see, I already knew
Despite my efforts to learn and grow, I discovered that many of life's lessons were already within me all along

And it's embedded in my heart now
These lessons have become an essential part of who I am and how I navigate the world

So I could sit back, count a stack, and play my part now
Having learned these lessons, I can now relax and enjoy the fruits of my labor, and take on a more supportive role in my community

I saw my life flash in front of my eyes, He wore disguise
I had a near-death experience and saw a vision of a divine being in disguise

Put a gun to me, hungry, he went on to chastise
Even though he threatened me with violence, the divine being rebuked me for my misdeeds and mistakes

That's Nas, ain't it? Made it rich from entertainment
Others recognize my success in the entertainment industry and use it as a point of reference for me

Fresh Wally's painted, as he told the kid he came with
The divine being was wearing fresh Wallabee shoes and brought along a young child as his companion

My first thought was: "How the game flip?"
My initial reaction was confusion and disbelief about the spiritual nature of my experience

Yo, perhaps it was somebody I smacked drunk in a party on 'gac
I wonder if this is some kind of divine retribution for reckless behavior in the past, like getting into fights while under the influence

Or was I marked for a contract for some foul act I did a while back
I'm afraid this might be some kind of punishment for a past misdeed, like engaging in criminal activity or harming others

Or even beyond that
Maybe this is an even deeper spiritual event that has roots beyond my current understanding or experiences

He got me layin' face flat, sayin' my grace, Black
The being knocked me down and forced me to acknowledge my mistakes and sins

Woke up in a cold sweat, yo, I hate that
I woke up from this experience feeling frightened and upset

Nightmares feelin' real, word to Will
My nightmares feel just as real as any other experience I've had, and I'm reminded of Will Smith's character in the movie 'Nightmare on Elm Street'

My A-Alike I lost in the battlefield
I lost someone who was like a brother to me in a violent and deadly conflict

That's why I hit the mic with mad appeal
I use my music to express my pain and loss, and share my story with others who might be going through similar challenges

Grab your shield and meet your maker
Prepare yourself for whatever challenges or obstacles lie ahead, and face them head-on

The Queens niggas die for paper
My friends and associates in Queens are willing to kill or die in pursuit of money or other material goods

Deed the things, the street dreams will take ya
If you focus on your goals and dreams, and take concrete steps to achieve them, you will be taken on a journey that will eventually lead to success.