Illmatic was a critically acclaimed bestseller and is widely considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time. He married R&B singer Kelis in 2005, they have one son together, and she filed for divorce on the 29th of April 2009. Nas was also a part of hip hop supergroup The Firm, which released one album.
In the years following the release of Illmatic, Nas pursued a more commercial direction, which resulted in wider success but decreased artistic credibility among critics and hip-hop purists. Furthermore, Nas' increased commercial success was accompanied by stylistic changes that fostered accusations of "selling out". Nevertheless, the LP Stillmatic is often credited for restoring Nas' credibility among fans. Since the success of Stillmatic, Nas continues to maintain a high profile within the hip hop community, and has pursued a decidedly progressive and personal aesthetic. While Nas' current artistic direction differs greatly from his most successful work, it has ensured that he remains one of the most respected and acclaimed contemporary rappers.
1973–1992: Childhood and early career
Nas was born in Brooklyn, New York, as the elder of Olu Dara and Fannie Ann Jones's two children; his brother Jabari (nicknamed "Jungle" because he was born in the Congo) is the younger of the two. The family lived for a time in Brooklyn, before moving to Queensbridge, the largest public housing project in the United States. Olu Dara left the household in 1986, when Nas was 13, and Ann Jones raised her two boys on her own. Nas dropped out of school in the eighth grade and began selling drugs on the streets of New York. He educated himself, reading about African culture and civilization, the Qur'an, the Bible and the Five Percent Nation. He also studied the origin of hip hop music, taping records that played on his local radio station. As a child, Nas had wanted to be an instrumentalist (at the age of three, Nas played his father's trumpet on the step of their Brooklyn home) and also a comic book artist. Shortly after his parents separated, Nas began to write short stories as he immersed himself deeper into hip-hop culture.
By his preteen years, he had settled on pursuing a career as a rapper, and as a teenager enlisted his best friend and upstairs neighbor Willie "Ill Will" Graham as his DJ. Nas first went by the nickname Kid Wave before adopting his more commonly known alias of Nasty Nas. Nas and Graham soon met hip-hop producer and Flushing Queens resident Large Professor, who introduced Nas to his group, Main Source. In 1991, Nas made his on-record debut with a verse on "Live at the BBQ", from Main Source's LP Breaking Atoms. Despite the substantial buzz for Nas in the underground scene, the rapper was rejected by major labels and was not signed to a recording deal. Nas and Graham continued to work together, but their partnership was cut short when Graham was shot and killed by a gunman in Queensbridge on May 23, 1992.
1992–1995: The recording and release of Illmatic
In mid-1992, Nas was approached by MC Serch of 3rd Bass, who became his manager and secured Nas a record deal with Columbia Records the same year. Nas made his solo debut on the single "Halftime" from Serch's soundtrack for the film Zebrahead. The single increased the buzz surrounding Nas and when MC Serch’s solo album is released later in the year, Nas’ standout appearance on "Back To The Grill" only intensified interest in his upcoming album, amid immense anticipation. Hailed as the second coming of Rakim, his rhyming skills attracted a significant amount of attention within the hip-hop community. However, many were concerned that Columbia, being a major label, would try to dilute his New York based style.
In 1994, Nas' debut album, Illmatic was finally released. Critically acclaimed and widely regarded as one of the premier rap albums ever created, Illmatic featured lyrics that portrayed stunning visual imagery and production courtesy of several producers . The album featured production from Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest) and DJ Premier, as well as guest appearances from Nas' friend AZ and his father Olu Dara on the song "Life's a Bitch", Illmatic was immediately hailed as a masterpiece by critics, and is still highly regarded as one of the definitive hip-hop albums of all time. Notable songs on the album included "NY State of Mind" (produced by Premier), "The World Is Yours" (produced by Pete Rock), "One Love" (produced by Q-Tip) and "It Ain't Hard To Tell" (produced by Large Professor and featuring a sample of "Human Nature" by Michael Jackson). However, due in part to extensive bootlegging, the record sales fell below expectations.
Following Illmatic, Nas appeared on AZ's Doe Or Die album, and collaborated with his Queensbridge-associates, Mobb Deep, on their album, The Infamous. One notable achievement during this period was Nas' verse on "Verbal Intercourse" on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. After this appearance, Nas received a Source Quotable as he had the distinction of being the only non-Wu-Tang Clan member to be featured on one of the group's solo albums.
1996–1998: From It Was Written to The Firm
Columbia began to press Nas to work towards more commercial topics like the rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who had become successful by releasing street singles that still retained pop-friendly appeal. Nas traded manager MC Serch for Steve Stoute, and began preparation for his second LP, It Was Written, consciously working towards a crossover-oriented sound. It Was Written, chiefly produced by Poke and Tone of Trackmasters Entertainment, was released during the summer of 1996. Two singles, "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" (featuring Lauryn Hill of The Fugees) and "Street Dreams" (a remix features R. Kelly) were instant hits. These songs were promoted by big-budget music videos directed by Hype Williams, making Nas a common name among mainstream hip-hop. Other notable tracks on the album included "The Message" and "I Gave You Power," which tells a story from the perspective of a gun. It Was Written also featured the debut of The Firm, a supergroup consisting of Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. The album also introduced Nas's Mafioso-inspired character "Nas Escobar", who lived more of a Scarface/Casino-esque lifestyle. On the other hand, Illmatic, which, while having numerous references to Tony Montana and the theatrical hit featuring Al Pacino, was more about Nas' life as a teenager in the projects, hustling and smoking marijuana.
The Firm signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment label, and began working on their debut album. Halfway through the production of the album, Cormega was fired from the group by Steve Stoute, who had unsuccessfully attempted to force Cormega to sign a deal with his management company. Cormega therefore became one of Nas' most vocal opponents, releasing a number of underground hip-hop singles dissing Nas, Stoute, and Nature, who was Cormega's replacement in The Firm. The Firm's The Album was finally released in 1997 to mixed reviews and lackluster sales and the members of the supergroup went their separate ways.
At about this time, Nas became a spokesperson for the Willie Esco urban clothing line, but had no other connection with the clothing line. He stopped promoting Willie Esco in 2000, dissatisfied with the company's operations. During the same period, Nas co-wrote and starred in Hype Williams' 1998 feature film Belly, which also featured DMX, Taral Hicks, and T-Boz of TLC among its cast.
1998–2000: I Am... to Nastradamus
In 1998, Nas began work on a double album to be entitled I Am...The Autobiography, which he intended as the middle ground between the extremes of Illmatic and It Was Written. The album was completed in early 1999, and a music video was shot for its lead single, Nas Is Like, produced by DJ Premier and featuring vocal samples from "It Ain't Hard to Tell". However, much of the LP was leaked in MP3 format onto the Internet, and Nas and Stoute quickly recorded enough substitute material to constitute a single-disc release.
The second single for I Am was "Hate Me Now," featuring Sean "Puffy" Combs (now "Diddy"), was used as an example by Nas' critics for moving towards commercial themes. Hype Williams shot an allegorical video for the single, which featured Nas and Puffy being crucified in a manner similar to Jesus; After the video was completed, Combs, a Catholic, requested his crucifixion scene be edited out of the video. However, the unedited copy of the "Hate Me Now" video made its way to MTV, and was premiered on April 15, 1999 on TRL. A furious Combs and his bodyguards allegedly made their way into Steve Stoute's office and assaulted him, at one point apparently hitting Stoute over the head with a champagne bottle. Stoute pressed charges, but he and Combs settled out-of-court that June.
Columbia had scheduled to release the pirated material from I Am under the title Nastradamus during the latter half of 1999, but, at the last minute, decided Nas should record an entirely new album for release. Nastradamus was therefore rushed to meet a November release date. Though critics were not kind to the album, it did result in a minor hit, the Timbaland-produced "You Owe Me," featuring R&B singer Ginuwine. The only pirated track from I Am... to make it onto Nastradamus was "Project Windows," featuring Ronald Isley. A number of the other bootlegged tracks later made their way onto The Lost Tapes, a collection of underground Nas songs that was released by Columbia in September 2002. The collection saw decent sales and received glowing reviews.
2000–2001: The Nas vs. Jay-Z rivalry and Stillmatic
The highly publicized rivalry between Nas and Jay-Z began as a rivalry between Nas and Jay-Z's protege, Memphis Bleek. On his debut album Coming of Age, Bleek made a song entitled "Memphis Bleek Is", which was similar in concept to Nas' single "Nas is Like". On the same album, Bleek recorded "What You Think Of That" featuring Bleek's mentor Jay-Z, which contains the refrain, "I'ma ball 'til I fall/what you think of that?". In retaliation, "Nastradamus", the title track from Nas' second 1999 album, featured a reference to "What You Think Of That". The lyrics state, "You wanna ball till you fall, I can help you with that/You want beef? I could let a slug melt in your hat." Memphis Bleek perceived the reference on "Nastradamus" as a diss, and therefore dissed Nas on the lead single for his The Understanding LP, My Mind Right".
QB's Finest was a compilation album that featured Nas and a number of other rappers from Queensbridge, including Mobb Deep, Nature, Littles, The Bravehearts (which included Nas' younger brother Jungle among its members), and Cormega, who had briefly reconciled with Nas. The album also featured guest appearances from Queensbridge hip-hop legends Roxanne Shante, MC Shan, and Marley Marl. Shan and Marley Marl both appeared on the lead single "Da Bridge 2001", which was based on Shan & Marl's 1986 recording "The Bridge". "Da Bridge 2001" also featured a response from Nas to Memphis Bleek, in which Nas called out most of the Roc-A-Fella Records roster, including Bleek, Damon Dash, Beanie Sigel, and Jay-Z.
Jay-Z responded to Nas' songs with an onstage swipe during the 2001 Hot 97 Summer Jam concert in New York City, when he premiered his song "Takeover." Initially, the song was to only be a Mobb Deep diss, only including one line about Nas near the end. Nevertheless, Nas recorded the "Stillmatic Freestyle," an underground single which sampled Rakim and Eric B.'s "Paid in Full" beat, and attacked Jay-Z and his Roc-A-Fella label. On his 2001 album, The Blueprint, Jay-Z rewrote "Takeover," dedicating half of the song to dissing Nas, claiming that he had a "...one hot album every ten year average" record (referring to Illmatic) that his flow was weak, and that he had fabricated his past as a hustler.
Nas responded with "Ether", the track begins with gunshots and a repeated, slowed-down sample of Tupac rapping "Fuck Jay-Z." (taken from Tupac's "Fuck Friends") In "Ether," Nas accuses Jay-Z of stealing ("biting") lyrics from The Notorious B.I.G. and brown-nosing Nas and other rappers for fame. Ether was included on Nas' fifth studio album, Stillmatic, released in December 2001. Stillmatic managed to be not only a critically-acclaimed comeback album, but a commercial success as well, albeit not on the level of It Was Written and I Am...; the album debutted at #7 on the Billboard album charts and featured the singles "Got Ur Self A..." and "One Mic." In terms of commercial success, Jay's The Blueprint was certified double-platinum, while Stillmatic went platinum.
Jay-Z responded to "Ether" with a freestyle entitled "Supa Ugly." going into detail about how he had sex with Carmen Bryan, the mother of Nas' daughter Destiny. Nas dismissed the track by claiming that he was no longer with Bryan during the time the affair took place. In a recent interview, however, New York radio station Hot 97 settled the battle taking votes comparing "Ether" and "Supa Ugly," and Nas won with 58% while Jay-Z got 42% of the votes. By 2005, the two rappers had eventually ended their feud without violence or animosity. During Jay-Z's I Declare War - Power House concert, Jay-Z announced to the crowd, "It's bigger than 'I Declare War'. Let's go, Esco!" Nas then joined Jay-Z onstage, and the two then performed "Dead Presidents" together, which Jay-Z had sampled from Nas' song "The World is Yours."
2002–Present: From God's Son to Street's Disciple and beyond
In December 2002, Nas released the God's Son album. and its lead single, "Made You Look". The album debuted at #18 on the Billboard charts despite widespread internet bootlegging. Time Magazine named his album best hip-hop album of the year. Vibe Magazine gave it 4 stars and The Source gave it 4 mics. The second single, the inspirational "I Can", which reworked elements from Beethoven's "Fur Elise", became Nas' biggest hit to date during the spring and summer of 2003, garnering substantial radio airplay on urban, rhythmic, and top 40 radio stations, as well as on the MTV and VH1 music video networks. God's Son also includes several songs dedicated to memory of Nas' mother, who died of cancer in 2002. In 2003, Nas was featured on the Korn song "Play Me", from KoЯn's Take a Look in the Mirror LP.
Nas released his seventh studio album, the critically acclaimed double-disc Street's Disciple, on November 30, 2004. The album's first singles were "Thief's Theme" and "Bridging the Gap", which features his father Olu Dara on vocals. The album also includes "These are Our Heroes", which accuses prominent sports stars and actors such as Kobe Bryant, Lenny Henry, Tiger Woods, and Cuba Gooding, Jr. of neglecting their heritage and background in favour of white values. The videos for "Bridging the Gap" and "Just A Moment" received moderate airplay on MTV and BET. Although the album went platinum, its commercial profile was relatively low compared to the rapper's previous releases.
Nas was featured on Kanye West's album Late Registration on a song titled "We Major". West said the song was Jay-Z's favorite on the album, but West was unable to get Jay-Z to record a vocal for the final mix of the song. He also appeared on Damian Marley's song "Road to Zion" (which also featured newcomer The Game in the video, widening Nas' still growing universally appreciated raps) and several other songs such as "Death Anniversary" and "It Wasn't You" (featuring Lauryn Hill). In addition, Nas was most recently married to the R&B singer Kelis, who is mostly known for her work internationally, but nonetheless released great hits in the U.S. The couple wed on Jan. 8, 2005 in Atlanta, GA, after a two-year engagement.
During this time, Nas announced that his next album would be entirely self-produced and feature no other rappers, and would be titled Nasir, and later that the project would feature other producers after all and would be called Nasdaq: Dow Jones. Neither of these albums ever materialized.
At a free concert in Central Park, New York, Nas made a statement regarding the quality of 50 Cent's music. "this is the real shit, not that 50 Cent shit!" In response, 50 Cent included a stab at Nas by speaking negatively of his wife Kelis on his single "Piggy Bank," implying that Kelis was promiscuous and calling Nas a "sucker for love." Nas was quoted as saying that he feels no obligation to retaliate, remarking "[50 has] got a good five to six more albums before I can really respond to him." Nas eventually decided to retaliate, and in July 2005 released "Don't Body Ya Self (MC Burial)", a song which taunts 50 Cent and his G-Unit crew, stating that 50 was "a sucka for death if I'm a sucka for love." However, despite all of this, Nas still claims to "have a lot of love towards 50," claiming 50 didn't understand his moves when they both were together at Columbia Records.
In January 2006, Nas signed a label deal with Jay-Z's Def Jam, further emphasizing the Jay-Z/Nas truce and raising expectations for a collaboration even higher. His album due in fall of 2006 will come out in a joint deal with this imprint and Columbia Records. He recently announced to MTV News that his album is to be named, "Hip Hop is Dead...the N," the N being a play on the word the "end." The title is supposed to reflect what some would term the current low quality of rap music. The highly anticipated album is due out in December 19th, 2006.
Musical style and Technique
Nas has long been famed for his creativity and storytelling prowess, which has earned him acclaim from both the hip-hop community and critics. In his early stages, from his first appearance on the Main Source's Breaking Atoms and throughout the recording of Illmatic, he was perhaps best known for his street-oriented topics, complex lyrical schemes (which often incorporated multi-syllabic internal rhymes), and witty phrasing and imagery. As he progressed and matured, Nas began to branch out into different subjects and developed a richer voice and slower rapping technique.
Following Illmatic's release, Nas developed a penchant for hyper-visual storytelling and topical creativity. For instance, "Undying Love" (featured on I Am...) is a tale of his wife's betrayal told in first person, "Rewind" (featured on Stillmatic) is a narrative in which a story is recited backwards, while on "I Gave You Power" (featured on It Was Written), Nas assumes the role of a gun who recounts brutal tales of murder and violence. Over the years Nas' style has changed significantly. In contrast to his previous work, Nas’ most recent material is distinctively socially aware and often politically inflammatory. Songs such as "I Can" (featured on God's Son) convey moral messages of black youth empowerment, while "These Are Our Heroes (Coon Picnic)" accuses several African-American celebrities of being Uncle Toms. Furthermore, controversial songs such as "My Country" and "A Message to the Feds (Fuck The Police II)" (which are featured on Stillmatic and Street's Disciple, respectively) question the conduct of the American government. Nas' views in his lyrics throughout his career have made references to Islam and the Five Percent Nation..
A Queens Story
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Riding through Jamaica, Queens in his black truck
Timbs was 40 below, waves to the side of his dome
Definition of good nigga, yo
Gangsters don't die, niggas only become immortal
Angels don't only fly, they walk right before you
In front of you, it's foul what this money could do
Cash corrupts the loyal
Fucking with Stretch from Live Squad
I could've died the same night that Stretch died
I just got out of his ride
He dropped me off and drove to Springfield
November thirtieth, another Queens king killed
It fucked me up, y'all
I was just trying to make it with Steve Stoute
The legal way, drug-free route
Back in the days, they was sleeping on us
Brooklyn keep on taking it, Manhattan keep on making it
Trying to leave Queens out
But we was pulling them beams out, them M3's out
Pumping bringing them D's out
Rastas selling chocolate weed inside of a weed house
Colosseum downstairs, gold teeth mouth
Astoria warriors, 8th Street, twin buildings
Vernon, can't even count the Livingston children
Justice in Ravenswood, nice neighborhood
Caught sleeping out there, be a wrap, though
Bridge niggas be up in Petey's ten racks, yo
A simple bet on a serious cash flow
Get money, Manolo, welcome home, Castro
Queensbridge unified all I ask for
Let's do it for D.U, say what up to Snatch, yo
I just salute real niggas when I pass through
Niggas is very hungry for that bank robbery
Bury money, trying to get to a Benz from a Hyundai
The Queens Courthouse right next to the cemetery
Niggas' rap sheets look like obituaries
You be starving in Kew Gardens
Bolognas and milk from a small carton
You could still feel chills from the team
On 118, my nigga Ben fly by like it's a dream
His face on his Shirt Kings
Laced in a pinky ring, in his black Benz murking
Back when Black Rock & Ron was on the map
Cheeba in yellow sacks, dope sold in laundromats
Thugs bark, getting amped from weed
Over the heart of champions, see
Ever since back then, a nigga been about the dough
(You all know how the story go)
Any other real niggas in the world besides us, I ask?
Probably is, but odds are we'll never cross paths
Put your glass high if you made it out the stash spot
And here to tell a story and celebrate the glory
Drinks in the air for my niggas not here
This how we do, I see you D.U
Queens to the heavens, salute the hood legends
Crack the Patrón, Hennessy, and Glenlivets
Champagne bottles drowning out the sorrows
Hope the memories'll get us through tomorrow
I'm a real O.G cause back in nine-three
Niggas couldn't fuck with me, sipping 'gnac since I was little
Laid back in a rental
Mouth shining, Eddie's gold caps all up in the dental
Nigga getting money now, but you know I'm still mental, but not simple
Put your glass high if you made it out the stash spot
And here to tell your story and celebrate the glory
Drinks in the air for my niggas not here
This for the fallen soldiers
Hold it down, I told ya
Pop another bottle and keep the smoke rolling
Watch the con realest channel his mom's spirit
Goosebumps cover me, mother's here, I could feel her
Blood of Christ covers me, our savior and healer
Drug prices up or down, I know a few dealers
And some accident murderers, they act like they killed on purpose
Liars brag they put work in
You ain't mean to murk him, your gun's a virgin
Better stay on point, if not, it's curtains
Bebo Posse reincarnated through me, probably
If music money didn't stop me
I never claimed to be the toughest
Though I'm to blame for a few faces reconstructed
It's the game that we was stuck with
Now I'm the only black in the club with rich Yuppie kids
Sad thing, this is the top, but where the hustlers went?
No familiar faces around, ain't gotta grab the musket
It's all safe and sound, champagne by the bucket
Where them niggas I shouted out on my first shit?
Bo cooking blow, fucking slay that, where Turkey went?
Old videos show niggas that was murdered since
Another reason to get further bent
Put your glass high if you made it out the stash spot
And here to tell your story and celebrate the glory
Drinks in the air for my niggas not here
This for the fallen soldiers
Hold it down, I told ya
Pop another bottle and keep the smoke rolling
Nas's song "A Queens Story" is a tribute to the rapper's hometown and a reflection on his journey to fame. The lyrics evoke memories of the streets of Queens, its neighborhoods, and its people, both past and present. The song opens with a shout-out to Nas's friend Black Just, who passed away and a dedication to keeping his memory alive. Nas then raps about the gritty reality of growing up in Queens, the struggle to make it out, and the allure of the streets.
The second verse speaks on the complexities and pitfalls of the streets. Nas acknowledges that gangs and drug dealing can lead to immortality, but also notes that money can corrupt even the most loyal among us. He mentions the murders of his friends Stretch from Live Squad and another Queens king, highlighting the danger and uncertainty of street life. Nas raps about his own choices to make it big in the music industry and leave the drug trade behind, yet he still remembers where he came from.
The final verse reflects on Nas's success and the sacrifices he made along the way. He speaks on the nostalgia he feels for the people and places he left behind, and the disconnect he now feels with the "rich Yuppie kids" he encounters. Nas acknowledges the friends he lost to drugs and violence, and toasts to their memory with champagne and smoke. Overall, "A Queens Story" is a poignant reflection on the highs and lows of growing up in Queens and the sacrifices made to achieve success.
Line by Line Meaning
Rest in peace to Black Just
Paying tribute to a deceased friend named Black Just
Riding through Jamaica, Queens in his black truck
Driving through the neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens in a black truck
Timbs was 40 below, waves to the side of his dome
Wearing Timberland boots and having a wavy hairstyle
Definition of good nigga, yo
Being a respectful and honorable person
Gangsters don't die, niggas only become immortal
Gangsters leave a lasting legacy after their death
Angels don't only fly, they walk right before you
Angels can appear in various forms, not just as flying beings
In front of you, it's foul what this money could do
The corrupting influence of money when it's in front of you
Cash corrupts the loyal
Money has the power to corrupt even the most loyal individuals
I hung with E-Money, too, the fucking truth
Spending time with E-Money, a truthful and trusted person
Fucking with Stretch from Live Squad
Having connections or associations with Stretch from Live Squad
I could've died the same night that Stretch died
Reflecting on the possibility of dying on the same night as Stretch from Live Squad
He dropped me off and drove to Springfield
Being dropped off by Stretch before he drove to Springfield
November thirtieth, another Queens king killed
Referring to the death of another prominent figure from Queens on November 30th
It fucked me up, y'all
Being deeply affected by the tragic event
I was just trying to make it with Steve Stoute
Striving to succeed in the industry alongside Steve Stoute
The legal way, drug-free route
Attempting to achieve success without resorting to illegal activities or drugs
Back in the days, they was sleeping on us
In the past, people underestimated or overlooked their potential
Brooklyn keep on taking it, Manhattan keep on making it
Other boroughs, like Brooklyn and Manhattan, continue to thrive while Queens is overlooked
Trying to leave Queens out
The perception that Queens is being excluded or overlooked
But we was pulling them beams out, them M3's out
Showing off their expensive and powerful cars
Pumping bringing them D's out
Selling drugs, particularly cocaine
Rastas selling chocolate weed inside of a weed house
Rastafarians selling marijuana-laced chocolate inside a house primarily used for selling weed
Colosseum downstairs, gold teeth mouth
Gold teeth in the mouth of someone residing in the Colosseum building
Astoria warriors, 8th Street, twin buildings
Describing the Astoria neighborhood with its distinct twin buildings on 8th Street
Vernon, can't even count the Livingston children
A significant number of children living on Vernon street, particularly in the Livingston area
Justice in Ravenswood, nice neighborhood
Highlighting the presence of justice and a pleasant neighborhood in Ravenswood
Caught sleeping out there, be a wrap, though
Being vulnerable or unprepared in Ravenswood can have severe consequences
Bridge niggas be up in Petey's ten racks, yo
People from the Bridge neighborhood spending large sums of money at Petey's place
A simple bet on a serious cash flow
Taking a seemingly simple bet that results in a significant increase in money
Get money, Manolo, welcome home, Castro
Encouraging someone named Manolo to make money and welcoming someone named Castro home
Queensbridge unified all I ask for
Desiring unity among the residents of Queensbridge
Let's do it for D.U, say what up to Snatch, yo
Dedicated to someone named D.U and sending greetings to Snatch
I just salute real niggas when I pass through
Showing respect and acknowledgement to genuine individuals when passing by
Niggas is very hungry for that bank robbery
Expressing the intense desire of individuals to engage in bank robbery
Bury money, trying to get to a Benz from a Hyundai
Investing or hiding money with the goal of upgrading from a Hyundai to a Benz
The Queens Courthouse right next to the cemetery
Describing the proximity between the Queens Courthouse and a cemetery
Niggas' rap sheets look like obituaries
The criminal records of individuals resemble lists of the deceased
You be starving in Kew Gardens
Experiencing hunger or deprivation in the Kew Gardens neighborhood
Bolognas and milk from a small carton
Having a simple and modest meal of bologna and milk from a small container
You could still feel chills from the team
Feeling a sense of fear or intimidation from the collective group
On 118, my nigga Ben fly by like it's a dream
Witnessing someone named Ben driving by on 118 street, as if it's a surreal experience
His face on his Shirt Kings
Having a portrait of Ben on a shirt from the brand Shirt Kings
Laced in a pinky ring, in his black Benz murking
Wearing an extravagant pinky ring while driving around in a black Benz and causing a sense of fear
Back when Black Rock & Ron was on the map
Referring to an era when Black Rock & Ron were well-known and influential
Cheeba in yellow sacks, dope sold in laundromats
Marijuana packaged in yellow bags and drugs being sold in laundromats
Thugs bark, getting amped from weed
Aggressive behavior displayed by individuals who are under the influence of marijuana
Over the heart of champions, see
Recognizing the strength and resilience of individuals with a champion's heart
Ever since back then, a nigga been about the dough
Being focused on acquiring wealth since the past
(You all know how the story go)
Assuming familiarity with the common narrative
Any other real niggas in the world besides us, I ask?
Expressing curiosity about the existence of other genuine individuals in the world
Probably is, but odds are we'll never cross paths
Acknowledging the possibility of others existing but recognizing the unlikelihood of encountering them
Put your glass high if you made it out the stash spot
Raising a glass to celebrate successfully moving away from a hidden or secret location
And here to tell a story and celebrate the glory
Being present to narrate a personal history and honor the achievements
Drinks in the air for my niggas not here
Toasting and remembering friends who are no longer alive
This how we do, I see you D.U
Acknowledging and greeting someone named D.U
Queens to the heavens, salute the hood legends
Paying respects to the legendary figures from the neighborhood
Crack the Patrón, Hennessy, and Glenlivets
Opening bottles of Patrón tequila, Hennessy cognac, and Glenlivet whiskey
Champagne bottles drowning out the sorrows
Using champagne to alleviate or forget about hardships
Hope the memories'll get us through tomorrow
Relying on memories to provide comfort and hope for the future
I'm a real O.G cause back in nine-three
Asserting oneself as an authentic and original gangster since 1993
Niggas couldn't fuck with me, sipping 'gnac since I was little
Claiming superiority over others and mentioning the early exposure to alcoholic beverages
Laid back in a rental
Relaxing in a rented vehicle
Mouth shining, Eddie's gold caps all up in the dental
Having a bright and noticeable dental work with gold caps
Nigga getting money now, but you know I'm still mental, but not simple
Despite having financial success, one's mental state remains complex and intricate
Watch the con realest channel his mom's spirit
Observing someone channel their mother's spirit in a genuine and authentic way
Goosebumps cover me, mother's here, I could feel her
Experiencing a sense of emotional connection and presence of the mother
Blood of Christ covers me, our savior and healer
Feeling protected and healed by the power of Jesus Christ
Drug prices up or down, I know a few dealers
Being aware of fluctuations in drug prices and having connections to drug dealers
And some accident murderers, they act like they killed on purpose
Knowing individuals who have unintentionally caused deaths but portray themselves as intentional killers
Liars brag they put work in
False individuals boast about their involvement in criminal activities
You ain't mean to murk him, your gun's a virgin
Asserting that an accidental killing took place and the gun used had never been fired before
Better stay on point, if not, it's curtains
Advising others to remain alert and cautious, as failure to do so can lead to dire consequences
Bebo Posse reincarnated through me, probably
Suggesting a possible reincarnation of the Bebo Posse through the singer
If music money didn't stop me
Implying that the singer's success in the music industry hasn't prevented them from staying connected to their roots
I never claimed to be the toughest
Acknowledging that toughness or strength isn't a defining characteristic
Though I'm to blame for a few faces reconstructed
Taking responsibility for causing physical harm that resulted in facial reconstructions
It's the game that we was stuck with
Accepting that engaging in criminal activities was a consequence of their circumstances
Now I'm the only black in the club with rich Yuppie kids
Being the only Black person in a club filled with affluent young professionals
Sad thing, this is the top, but where the hustlers went?
Expressing concern that despite reaching the pinnacle of success, the hustlers and hard workers seem to have disappeared
No familiar faces around, ain't gotta grab the musket
Not recognizing anyone familiar and therefore not feeling the need to arm oneself
It's all safe and sound, champagne by the bucket
Feeling secure and relaxed, with an abundance of champagne to enjoy
Where them niggas I shouted out on my first shit?
Questioning the whereabouts or loyalty of the individuals previously acknowledged in earlier work
Bo cooking blow, fucking slay that, where Turkey went?
Mentioning Bo's involvement in cocaine distribution and wondering about the disappearance of Turkey
Old videos show niggas that was murdered since
Watching old videos that feature individuals who have been killed since then
Another reason to get further bent
Additional motivation to indulge in substance abuse
Put your glass high if you made it out the stash spot
Raising a glass in celebration of successfully escaping a hidden location
And here to tell your story and celebrate the glory
Being present to narrate one's personal history and honor the achievements
Drinks in the air for my niggas not here
Toasting and remembering friends who are no longer alive
This for the fallen soldiers
Dedicating the song to the deceased comrades
Hold it down, I told ya
Urging others to maintain strength and resilience
Pop another bottle and keep the smoke rolling
Opening another bottle of alcohol and continuing to smoke marijuana
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SALAAM REMI, NASIR JONES, DARRYL MCDANIELS, JOSEPH SIMMONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind