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..
Adult Film
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
R-A-W
Fuck outta here, second guessin' our love
Dick Tracy, detective, inspectin' hoes need a hug
You need to detect this dick, get your ass out the club
Get a cookbook, you gossipin', watchin' hip-hop & love, uh
Supposed to know a love that'll last
Her friends, they don't mess with rappers, correction
I'm Akhenaten, King Tut's predecessor
I fantasize, and no mind him, I'm slick with words
Tell your girlfriend I flip the birds
She don't know shit, I am your neighbor
Brother, homie, love, a friend to smoke with
I want us to take road trips, fuck that low shit
I'm on some more 'everybody-should-know' shit
Or let's be real discreet
Everybody lies, not everybody Nas
So your friend might hate (ay)
When was the last time her and a man was straight? (ay)
Just chill, light bulbs dim (ay)
You are my adult film
Life begins right now
Life begins right now (My adult film)
Life begins right now (My adult film)
Life begins right now (R-A-W)
No matter what they say (You are, you are, my adult film)
Life begins right now (You my, you my, R-A-W)
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Fuck outta here, second guessin' our love (hey)
Dick Tracy, detective, inspectin' hoes need a hug
You need to detect this dick, get your ass out the club (hey)
Then pick a good book, so we can both get our knowledge up, uh huh
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
No matter what they say
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
The end of your comfort zone is the start of your life
The end of your comfort zone is the start of your life
You start to get comfortable after you get it right
Yeah, you start to get comfortable after you get it right
Misogynistic monologue what we dialogue
Yeah, I'm mature from the chest, and higher North
But below the waist, I'm a dog
Your girl in heat like cayenne sauce
She so sweet, but she kinda lost
Like me, African name with a diamond cross
But you a strong, stand-tall soldier
They lean on you, expecting you not to fall over
Like you never feel pressure, like you made of steel
So I absorb your pain, I like to see you chill
Eight millimeter cinematic celluloid
I see us both, little girl, little boy
Explorin' the world, similar, virgins became experienced
We both like it in front of mirrors, and this shit start weighin' on me
Feel your good vibes layin' on me
When them light bulbs dim
Lemme watch you, my adult film
Life begins right now
Life begins right now (My adult film)
Life begins right now (My adult film)
Life begins right now (R-A-W)
No matter what they say (You are, you are, my adult film)
Life begins right now (You my, you my, R-A-W)
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Fuck outta here second guessin' our love (Hey)
Dick Tracy, detective, inspectin' hoes need a hug
You need to detect this dick, get your ass out the club (Hey)
Then pick a good book, so we can both get our knowledge up, uh huh
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
No matter what they say
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Hey
Hey
In Nas's song "Adult Film," he talks about a woman he is interested in and the challenges that come with their relationship. He begins by addressing the rumors surrounding their love and how people are second-guessing their relationship. He compares himself to Dick Tracy, saying he's like a detective investigating hoes that need a hug. He tells her to avoid gossip and watch hip-hop and love instead. Nas discusses his desire for love that will last and questions why her friends don't mess with rappers.
He then shifts to talking about his fantasies and how he wants to be more open about their relationship. He says that he wants to take road trips and not be discreet. Nas suggests that everyone lies, but not everyone is like him, and warns her friend might hate since it's been a while since they were straight. He tells her to chill and says that she is his adult film. In the chorus, he repeats, "Life begins right now" over and over again, emphasizing how important their relationship is.
Nas ends the song by discussing their love and how he is mature in some areas, but a dog in others. He describes her as being in heat, and he fantasizes about them exploring the world as similar virgins. Nas reveals that they both like it in front of mirrors, but the fantasies start weighing on him. He confesses that he feels good vibes laid on him and suggests that the light bulbs dim while watching her in his adult film.
Line by Line Meaning
R-A-W
The song begins with the repetition of the acronym RAW, which stands for ‘real ass women’. This sets the tone for the song and indicates that Nas will be discussing his view of women and relationships.
Fuck outta here, second guessin' our love
Nas is dismissive of anyone who questions the validity of his love for his partner.
Dick Tracy, detective, inspectin' hoes need a hug
Nas criticizes those who are preoccupied with judging women based on their sexual history, suggesting that they need a hug to overcome their insecurities.
You need to detect this dick, get your ass out the club
Nas urges his partner to focus on him and their relationship, rather than spending time in nightclubs.
Get a cookbook, you gossipin', watchin' hip-hop & love, uh
Nas implies that his partner would benefit from trying new things, such as cooking. He also criticizes those who follow celebrity gossip and are overly invested in hip-hop culture.
I don't mean to be brass, even a genius asks questions in class
Nas acknowledges that everyone, no matter how intelligent or knowledgeable, has things to learn and questions to ask.
Supposed to know a love that'll last
Nas expresses the expectation that romantic relationships should be long-lasting and committed.
Her friends, they don't mess with rappers, correction
Nas notes that his partner's friends may not approve of her relationship with a rapper like him.
I'm Akhenaten, King Tut's predecessor
Nas compares himself to Akhenaten, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who rejected traditional religion and implemented a monotheistic faith. This is likely a reference to Nas's own rejection of mainstream hip-hop and his pursuit of a unique artistic vision.
I fantasize, and no mind him, I'm slick with words
Nas suggests that he is a skilled wordsmith who can entice and seduce his partner.
Tell your girlfriend I flip the birds
Nas boasts that he is not afraid to stand up to detractors and critics, even if they are his partner's friends.
She don't know shit, I am your neighbor
Nas asserts that his partner's friends do not have the same level of intimacy and closeness that he does as her neighbor and lover.
Brother, homie, love, a friend to smoke with
Nas describes the different roles he can play in his partner's life, including a brother, a friend, and a smoking buddy.
I want us to take road trips, fuck that low shit
Nas desires adventure and spontaneity in his relationship, and rejects the idea of settling for a mundane and low-key lifestyle.
I'm on some more 'everybody-should-know' shit
Nas is confident in his own intelligence and worldview, and believes that what he has to say should be heard by everyone.
Or let's be real discreet
Nas recognizes that there are boundaries and limitations to what can be shared with others, and suggests that discretion may be necessary in certain situations.
Everybody lies, not everybody Nas
Nas suggests that he is someone who values honesty and integrity, but recognizes that not everyone shares these qualities.
So your friend might hate (ay)
Nas acknowledges that his partner's friends may have negative feelings towards him.
When was the last time her and a man was straight? (ay)
Nas questions the sexual orientation of his partner's friends, implying that they may not be straight.
Just chill, light bulbs dim (ay)
Nas suggests that in moments of relaxation and intimacy, it is not necessary to have bright lights or stimulating distractions.
You are my adult film
Nas suggests that his partner is the source of his sexual satisfaction and enjoyment, akin to watching an adult film.
Life begins right now
Nas asserts that each moment is a new opportunity to live life to the fullest.
No matter what they say
Nas recognizes that there will always be critics and naysayers, but chooses to ignore them and focus on his own perspective.
The end of your comfort zone is the start of your life
Nas suggests that pushing oneself outside of their comfort zone is necessary for personal growth and progress.
You start to get comfortable after you get it right
Nas acknowledges that it is natural to become more comfortable and confident once one has achieved a goal or overcome a challenge.
Misogynistic monologue what we dialogue
Nas suggests that some of the content in the song may be considered misogynistic or degrading to women.
Yeah, I'm mature from the chest, and higher North
Nas insists that he has a mature and wise perspective, despite being from a region (Queensbridge, New York) that is often associated with violence and gang culture.
But below the waist, I'm a dog
Nas admits that he has a strong sexual appetite and may not always be faithful to his partner.
Your girl in heat like cayenne sauce
Nas suggests that his partner is highly passionate and sexual, akin to the heat of cayenne pepper.
She so sweet, but she kinda lost
Nas recognizes that his partner may have some personal or emotional challenges that she is struggling with.
Like me, African name with a diamond cross
Nas identifies with his partner, who also has a unique and culturally significant name.
But you a strong, stand-tall soldier
Nas admires his partner's strength and resilience, comparing her to a soldier.
They lean on you, expecting you not to fall over
Nas suggests that his partner is a pillar of support and strength for those around her.
Like you never feel pressure, like you made of steel
Nas acknowledges that his partner may feel immense pressure and stress, but suggests that she appears to be strong enough to handle anything.
So I absorb your pain, I like to see you chill
Nas suggests that he takes on his partner's pain and emotional burden in order to help her relax and be at ease.
Eight millimeter cinematic celluloid
Nas references the format of old-school film, suggesting that he and his partner are like characters in a classic movie.
I see us both, little girl, little boy
Nas imagines himself and his partner as innocent and carefree children.
Explorin' the world, similar, virgins became experienced
Nas suggests that he and his partner are curious and adventurous, exploring the world and learning new things together.
We both like it in front of mirrors, and this shit start weighin' on me
Nas implies that he and his partner enjoy watching themselves have sex in front of a mirror. However, he also suggests that this practice is causing him to feel some level of discomfort or anxiety.
Feel your good vibes layin' on me
Nas acknowledges that his partner's positive energy has a strong and uplifting effect on him.
Lemme watch you, my adult film
Nas concludes the song by reiterating that his partner is the source of his sexual pleasure and satisfaction, likening her to an adult film.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kaseem Dean, Nasir Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kimani754
Man the harmony in whole album.. Is so tranquilizing, sedactive, educational, entertaining and thought provoking.. I love Nas... 🇰🇪🇰🇪Kenya
@kyrie9312
Love to Kenya
@RonomanRpper
When Nas drops you stop everything...this album is worth it.
@davidwilliams8822
Oh HELL NO
@andybrar3599
Yep 👁🙌🏼
@ishadow91
@@andybrar3599 New album dropped
@tyreegreen6231
I’m 13 and Nas is my favorite rapper and nobody at my school knows who he is and I knew him ever sense I was 7
@Shasheem16
Shorty you listening to the right One
@kanedashotaro1397
Spread the word young king
@lmartin212
Young King knows what time it is. You were raised right