One And One
Nas/Large Professor Lyrics
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It's illmatic, (yeah!)
It's illmatic, huh.
(Yeah, kick that shit.)
(One time for your mind, one time.)
Yeah, whatever.
(One time for your mind, one time.)
(One time for your mind, one time.)
(Hey yo, Nas. (Whattup, Paul?) Kick that fuckin' rhyme.)
Check it out.
When I'm chilling, I grab the Buddha, get my crew to buy beers,
And watch a flick, illin and root for the villain, huh.
Plus, every morning, I go out and love it, sort of chilly,
Then I send a shorty from my block to the store for phillies.
After being blessed by the herb's essence
I'm back to my rest, ten minutes, some odd seconds.
That's where I got the honey at, spends the night for sexing,
Cheap lubrication, lifestyle protection.
Picking up my stereo's remote control, quickly;
Ron G's in the cassette deck, rockin' the shit, G.
I try to stay mellow, rock, well, acapella rhymes'll
Make me richer than a slipper made Cinderella, fella.
Go get your crew, Hobbes, I'm prepared to bomb troops.
Got niggaz who's born, I shot my way out my mom dukes.
When I was ten, I was a hip-hoppin shorty wop,
Known for rocking microphones and twisting off a forty top, yeah.
(One time for your mind, one time.)
Yeah, whatever.
(One time for your mind, one time.)
It sound clever.
(Hey, yo, Nas, fuck that, man, that shit was fat)
(But kick that for them gangstas, man, fuck all that)
Right, right, what up niggaz, how y'all? It's Nasty, the villain.
I'm still writin' rhymes, but besides that I'm chillin'.
I'm trying to get this money, God, you know the hard times, kid.
Shit, cold be starvin', make you want to do crimes, kid.
But I'm a lamp, 'cause a crime couldn't beat a rhyme.
Niggas catching three to nines, Muslims yelling free the mind,
And I'm from Queensbridge, been to many places.
As a kid, when I would say that out of town, niggas chased us,
But now I know the time, got a older mind.
Plus control a nine, fine, see, now I represent mine.
I'm new on the rap scene, brothers never heard of me,
Yet I'm a meance, yo, police want to murder me.
Heine(ken,) dark drinker, represent the thinker.
My pen rides the paper, it even has blinkers.
Think I'll dim the lights then inhale, it stimulates.
Floating like I'm on the north ninety-five interstate.
Never plan to stop, when I write my hand is hot,
And expand a lot from the wiz' to Camelot.
The parlayer, I'll make ya heads bop, Pah.
I shine a light on perpetrators, like a cop's car.
From day to night, I play the mic, and you'll thank God.
I wreck shit so much, the microphone need a paint job.
My brain is incarcerated.
Live at any jam, I couldn't count all the parks I raided.
I hold a Mac-11, and attack the Reverand.
I contact eleven L's, and max in heaven.
Yo, one time for your mind, one time.
It sound clever.
But one time for your mind, one time.
Yeah, whatever.
One time for your mind, one time.
Yo, from ninety-two to ninety-nine.
Yeah, that shit was greasy, fat Paul, know what I'm saying?
But check it, you gotta another verse for me?
I want you to kick it, you know what I'm saying?
Kick that shit from the projects
The lyrics to Nas/Large Professor's song "1 Plus 1" are an ode to the daily routine of Nas and his fellow Queensbridge residents. The verses describe chilling with friends, smoking and drinking, cruising around listening to music, and dealing with the struggles of everyday life. The hook "One time for your mind, one time" emphasizes the importance of taking time for oneself, reflecting, and enjoying life even in the face of adversity.
The first verse begins with Nas describing how he likes to unwind, grabbing some weed and beer with his crew and watching movies. He sends someone to buy more cigarettes and after indulging in the herb's essence, he is back to his rest. He mentions spending nights with women, using cheap lubrication and lifestyle protection. Then we see Nas reflecting on his love for music, grabbing the remote quickly and blasting Ron G's cassette deck. Nas's flow is smooth and nonchalant, as he raps about how he will defeat anyone who tries to step up to him.
In the second verse, Nas reflects on the hardships of growing up in Queensbridge. He talks about how crime can be tempting but how he was eventually able to decide the path that he would take. He talks about representing his neighborhood and making a name for himself through rap. He mentions how his pen flows effortlessly like a car changing lanes on the freeway. Nas reminisces on his early days, when he could barely get out of Queensbridge without getting chased, and how life has changed since he has made a name for himself.
Overall, "1 Plus 1" is reflective of the spirit of New York City, at a time when hip-hop was just emerging from the underground. Nas's lyrics paint a vivid picture of his daily life and struggles, set against the backdrop of a gritty yet vibrant city.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, it's illmatic, (yeah.)
This is the classic album Illmatic by Nas/Large Professor
It's illmatic, (yeah!)
This album is truly great
It's illmatic, huh.
It's so amazing that it's hard to even express
(Yeah, kick that shit.)
Let's get started with the music
(One time for your mind, one time.)
Let's have some fun
Yeah, whatever.
Not really taking this seriously, just having a good time
(One time for your mind, one time.)
Let's keep the good vibes going
Yo, whatever.
Still not taking it too seriously, just enjoying the moment
(One time for your mind, one time.)
One more time, let's enjoy ourselves
(Hey yo, Nas. (Whattup, Paul?) Kick that fuckin' rhyme.)
Hey Nas, let's get this party started with some dope rhymes
When I'm chilling, I grab the Buddha, get my crew to buy beers,
When I'm relaxing, I smoke some weed and have my friends get us some beers
And watch a flick, illin and root for the villain, huh.
Then we watch a movie and enjoy rooting for the bad guy
Plus, every morning, I go out and love it, sort of chilly,
In the morning, I enjoy being outside even if it's cold
Then I send a shorty from my block to the store for phillies.
I have someone from my neighborhood go buy some Phillies brand cigars
After being blessed by the herb's essence
After smoking weed and feeling its benefits
I'm back to my rest, ten minutes, some odd seconds.
I take a short break from everything and relax for about ten minutes
That's where I got the honey at, spends the night for sexing,
I meet women during these times and they spend the night with me
Cheap lubrication, lifestyle protection.
We take precautions for sexual activity
Picking up my stereo's remote control, quickly;
I grab my remote control for my music quickly
Ron G's in the cassette deck, rockin' the shit, G.
I'm listening to Ron G in my cassette deck and enjoying it
I try to stay mellow, rock, well, acapella rhymes'll
I try to stay calm and relaxed, and I enjoy rapping without music
Make me richer than a slipper made Cinderella, fella.
My skills will make me wealthy beyond imagination
Go get your crew, Hobbes, I'm prepared to bomb troops.
I'm ready to impress everyone, get your crew here
Got niggaz who's born, I shot my way out my mom dukes.
I come from a tough background and had to fight my way through it
When I was ten, I was a hip-hoppin shorty wop,
I started rapping at a young age
Known for rocking microphones and twisting off a forty top, yeah.
Known for rapping and drinking forty ounce bottles of malt liquor
It sound clever.
That last line was pretty good
But one time for your mind, one time.
Let's get back on track with the party
Yeah, whatever.
Still not too concerned, just having fun
One time for your mind, one time.
Another cheers to all of us having a good time
Yo, from ninety-two to ninety-nine.
From the years 1992 to 1999
But check it, you gotta another verse for me?
But let's keep going, you got another verse for me?
I want you to kick it, you know what I'm saying?
I want you to impress me with some dope rhymes
Kick that shit from the projects
Rap about our experiences growing up in the projects
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL MITCHELL, NASIR JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind