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.
1973β1992: 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.
1992β1995: 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 Serchβs solo album is released later in the year, Nasβ 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.
1996β1998: 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.
1998β2000: 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.
2000β2001: 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."
2002βPresent: 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 KoΠ―n'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, Nasβ 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..
Amongst Kings
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
First I see a flashin' light, then on my own
I hear nothin', the smell of fire in brimstone
I feel hundreds arms grabbin' me, fallin' down the hole
Is it because there is no Gravity my body leaves my Soul
Is the Devil mad at me? will I go to Hell?
Or is it Heaven that awaits me?, is too early to tell
Is it now that I'm to be judged?
Will embrace me before force takes me
Like I'm movin' through high winds
See my self in baby carriages, relatives and friends
Things manifest, kings from every planets rest here
Beams of light hear the voice of the Nazareth near
[Hook: Nas]
You 'Amongst Kings' from both far near land
Made in my emit son of God son of man
You came in the spirit for I am that I am
Father of all worlds fallin' angels in the land
[Nas:]
Seen my body layin' down in the ground
It was painless, didn't feel a thing
Shots ring felt the anxious to get up and run
I was atheist, committed Suicide
I wish I could erase this shit
I seen a new life before the Christ
He created night & day, the sun & moon
From the virgin woman's womb
We lookin' down at my body, emergency room
Doctors frownin' at me surgical performs, I'm doomed
It's my day of judgment, eternal peace & fire
Far past the stars far past the Orion
I asked that you forgive father, I was tryin'
Many thrones in the light but only one's truly shinin'
[Hook]
[Nas:]
Faster then the blinkin' eye, is the master or not
Face to face (uh) bitin' my case so we debate (where?)
Countin' all my sins (ok), where do we begin
When I stabbed the man in the train station or drunk gin
When I grabbed the man let the shells hit him from the Mac 10
It was all retaliation, (from what?) from way back then
Now I got the black Benz (and) trips from Aspen (and)
Disney World for my little girl and I'm askin'
You would recognize all the good deeds I'm worth (Dear God)
Send me on a trip God please the Earth
So I can deliver thou want it, stop playin'
He gave me life, I screamed out loud that "I Am..."
(Nas... Nastradamus)
[Outro: Nas]
And I saw another mighty angel come down from Heaven (I Am)
Clothe wit the cloud (Nastradamus)
And the rainbow was upon his head as a Crown (I Am)
And his face was lit as were the Sun (I Am)
And his feet as pillars of fire (Nastradamus)
And his name was Nastradamus (I Am)
(I Am Nastradamus)
Nas...
Nas...
Nas...
The lyrics of Nas's song "Amongst Kings" depict a surreal and introspective journey through life, death, and the afterlife. The song opens with a scene of confusion and chaos, as Nas describes seeing a flashing light and smelling fire. He then feels arms grabbing him and falling down a hole, suggesting a descent into some unknown realm. Nas contemplates whether he will go to heaven or hell and questions the judgment that awaits him. Throughout the song, he references biblical and spiritual imagery, such as the voice of Nazareth, angels, and the concept of being amongst kings. Nas reflects on his past, expressing regret for being an atheist and contemplating suicidal thoughts. He looks down at his body in the emergency room and acknowledges his impending judgment.
The hook of the song emphasizes Nas's spiritual journey and his connection to both divine and earthly realms. He acknowledges that he is the son of God and the son of man, and that he came in the spirit as "I am that I am." The hook also references falling angels, suggesting a struggle between good and evil within the world.
The second verse continues Nas's introspective exploration. He reflects on his past actions, admitting to committing violent acts out of retaliation. He asks for forgiveness and expresses a desire to make amends. He demonstrates a sense of gratitude, mentioning how he has been blessed with material wealth and opportunities to create happy experiences for his daughter. Nas's plea to God to send him on a journey to fulfill his destiny reflects a desire for redemption and a second chance.
The outro of the song reinforces Nas's connection to the divine. He sees an angel descending from heaven, adorned with a crown and radiating light. This angel, named Nastradamus, symbolizes Nas himself, as if he has reached a state of enlightenment or divine realization.
Overall, "Amongst Kings" delves into themes of spirituality, self-reflection, and redemption. It explores the complexities of human existence, questioning the existence of a higher power and the consequences of one's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
First I see a flashin' light, then on my own
I am experiencing a sudden burst of illumination, then I am left to navigate on my own.
I hear nothin', the smell of fire in brimstone
I am unable to hear anything, but I can smell the strong scent of fire and sulfur.
I feel hundreds arms grabbin' me, fallin' down the hole
I sense multiple arms gripping me tightly as I descend into a deep pit.
Is it because there is no Gravity my body leaves my Soul
Perhaps it is due to the absence of gravity that my physical body separates from my soul.
Is the Devil mad at me? will I go to Hell?
Could it be that the Devil is angry with me? Am I destined for damnation in Hell?
Or is it Heaven that awaits me?, is too early to tell
Alternatively, could it be that Heaven is welcoming me? It is still too early to determine.
Is it now that I'm to be judged?
Is this the moment when I will face judgment?
Will I face thee bright tunnel warm lights?
Will I encounter a luminous tunnel filled with comforting warmth?
Will embrace me before force takes me
Will I be embraced by tender love before being forcibly taken away?
Like I'm movin' through high winds
It feels as if I am being pushed through strong gusts of wind.
See my self in baby carriages, relatives and friends
I catch glimpses of myself surrounded by baby carriages, as well as my loved ones and friends.
Things manifest, kings from every planets rest here
In this place, various things become apparent, and kings from different planets find rest.
Beams of light hear the voice of the Nazareth near
Beams of light illuminate my surroundings, and I can hear the voice of Nazareth in close proximity.
You 'Amongst Kings' from both far near land
You are recognized as being among the highest royalty, regardless of your origin or proximity.
Made in my emit son of God son of man
You were created in my image, embodying both divine and human qualities.
You came in the spirit for I am that I am
You arrived with a divine purpose, as I am the ultimate existence.
Father of all worlds fallin' angels in the land
I am the father of all worlds, including those inhabited by fallen angels.
Seen my body layin' down in the ground
I observed my lifeless body lying on the ground.
It was painless, didn't feel a thing
The experience of death was devoid of pain, and I felt nothing.
Shots ring felt the anxious to get up and run
Gunshots were fired, which caused me to feel a sense of urgency to rise and flee.
I was atheist, committed Suicide
During my existence, I denied the existence of deities and tragically took my own life.
I wish I could erase this shit
I deeply desire to eliminate the consequences of my actions.
I seen a new life before the Christ
I caught a glimpse of a new existence that predates the arrival of Jesus Christ.
He created night & day, the sun & moon
In this new life, I witnessed the creation of the cycle of day and night, as well as the sun and moon.
From the virgin woman's womb
These divine creations were brought forth from the womb of a virgin woman.
We lookin' down at my body, emergency room
From a higher perspective, I observe my physical body being attended to in an emergency room.
Doctors frownin' at me surgical performs, I'm doomed
The doctors wear a disapproving expression as they perform surgical procedures on me, suggesting a grim fate.
It's my day of judgment, eternal peace & fire
This marks the day of my reckoning, where I will face either eternal tranquility or damnation by fire.
Far past the stars far past the Orion
My journey takes me far beyond the stars, extending beyond the constellation Orion.
I asked that you forgive father, I was tryin'
I plead with you, oh Father, to grant me forgiveness, for I was endeavoring to do what is right.
Many thrones in the light but only one's truly shinin'
Amidst numerous elevated seats in the radiant realm, only one shines with true brilliance.
Faster then the blinkin' eye, is the master or not
Quickly and unexpectedly, the true master reveals themselves.
Face to face (uh) bitin' my case so we debate (where?)
In a direct confrontation, we engage in a contentious discussion regarding the merits of my actions.
Countin' all my sins (ok), where do we begin
An assessment of all my transgressions occurs, and the question arises of where to commence.
When I stabbed the man in the train station or drunk gin
Do we scrutinize the moment when I fatally stabbed a man at the train station, or when I consumed alcohol excessively?
When I grabbed the man let the shells hit him from the Mac 10
Should we focus on the instance when I forcefully took hold of a man and subjected him to gunfire from a Mac 10 firearm?
It was all retaliation, (from what?) from way back then
These actions were borne out of a desire for revenge, stemming from events that transpired in the distant past.
Now I got the black Benz (and) trips from Aspen (and)
In the present, I possess a luxurious black Mercedes-Benz and enjoy extravagant trips to Aspen.
Disney World for my little girl and I'm askin'
I desire to take my daughter to Disney World and I implore for this wish to be granted.
You would recognize all the good deeds I'm worth (Dear God)
If you were to carefully evaluate all the benevolent acts I have performed, you would acknowledge their value.
Send me on a trip God please the Earth
I beseech you, God, to grant me a journey that allows me to witness the wonders of Earth.
So I can deliver thou want it, stop playin'
By doing so, I would fulfill your desires and implore you to cease toying with me.
He gave me life, I screamed out loud that 'I Am...'
Upon being bestowed with life, I exclaimed loudly, asserting my existence.
(Nas... Nastradamus)
These are my names, Nas and Nastradamus.
And I saw another mighty angel come down from Heaven (I Am)
I witnessed the descent of a powerful angel from Heaven, reaffirming my existence.
Clothe wit the cloud (Nastradamus)
This angel was adorned with a cloud-like garment, signifying divine authority.
And the rainbow was upon his head as a Crown (I Am)
A rainbow encircled the angel's head like a majestic crown, symbolizing divine royalty.
And his face was lit as were the Sun (I Am)
The angel's countenance shone brilliantly, analogous to the radiance of the sun.
And his feet as pillars of fire (Nastradamus)
The angel's feet resembled pillars of engulfing flames, further showcasing divine power.
And his name was Nastradamus (I Am)
This angel is named Nastradamus, confirming the identity of the divine figure.
(I Am Nastradamus)
I proclaim once more, 'I Am Nastradamus'.
Nas...
Nas...
Nas...
Nas...
Nas...
Nas...
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fredosantana3565
First I see a flashin' light, then on my own
I hear nothin', the smell of fire in brimstone
I feel hundreds arms grabbin' me, fallin' down the hole
Is it because there is no Gravity my body leaves my Soul
Is the Devil mad at me? will I go to Hell?
Or is it Heaven that awaits me?, is too early to tell
Is it now that I'm to be judged?
Will I face thee bright tunnel warm lights?
Will embrace me before force takes me
Like I'm movin' through high winds
See my self in baby carriages, relatives and friends
Things manifest, kings from every planets rest here
Beams of light hear the voice of the Nazareth near
[Hook: Nas]
You 'Amongst Kings' from both far near land
Made in my image son of God son of man
You came in the spirit for I am that I am
Father of all worlds Fallen Angel and the Lamb
[Nas]
Seen my body layin' down in the ground
It was painless, didn't feel a thing
Shots ring felt the anxious to get up and run
I was atheist, committed Suicide
I wish I could erase this shit
I seen a new life before the Christ
He created night & day, the sun & moon
From the virgin woman's womb
We lookin' down at my body, emergency room
Doctors frownin' at me surgical performs, I'm doomed
It's my day of judgment, eternal peace & fire
Far past the stars far past the Orion
I asked that you forgive father, I was tryin'
Many thrones in the light but only one's truly shinin' Faster then the blinkin' eye, is the master and I
Face to face (uh) fightin' my case so we debate (where?)
Countin' all my sins (ok), where do we begin
When I stabbed the man in the train station or drunk gin
When I grabbed the man let the shells hit him from the Mac 10
It was all retaliation, (from what?) from way back then
Now I got the black Benz (and) trips from Aspen (and)
Disney World for my little girl and I'm askin'
You would recognize all the good deeds I'm worth (Dear God)
Send me on a trip God please the Earth
So I can deliver thou want it, stop playin'
He gave me life, I screamed out loud that "I Am..."
(Nas... Nastradamus)
[Outro: Nas]
And I saw another mighty angel come down from Heaven (I Am)
Clothe wit the cloud (Nastradamus)
And the rainbow was upon his head as a Crown (I Am)
And his face was lit as were the Sun (I Am)
And his feet as pillars of fire (Nastradamus)
And his name was Nastradamus (I Am)
(I Am Nastradamus)
Nas...
Nas...
Nas...
@lanedontplay1223
[Nas]
First I see a flashin' light, then on my own
I hear nothin', the smell of fire in brimstone
I feel hundreds arms grabbin' me, fallin' down the hole
Is it because there is no Gravity my body leaves my Soul
Is the Devil mad at me? will I go to Hell?
Or is it Heaven that awaits me?, is too early to tell
Is it now that I'm to be judged?
Will I face thee bright tunnel warm lights?
Will embrace me before force takes me
Like I'm movin' through high winds
See my self in baby carriages, relatives and friends
Things manifest, kings from every planets rest here
Beams of light hear the voice of the Nazareth near
[Hook: Nas]
You 'Amongst Kings' from both far near land
Made in my image son of God son of man
You came in the spirit for I am that I am
Father of all worlds Fallen Angel and the Lamb
[Nas]
Seen my body layin' down in the ground
It was painless, didn't feel a thing
Shots ring felt the anxious to get up and run
I was atheist, committed Suicide
I wish I could erase this shit
I seen a new life before the Christ
He created night & day, the sun & moon
From the virgin woman's womb
We lookin' down at my body, emergency room
Doctors frownin' at me surgical performs, I'm doomed
It's my day of judgment, eternal peace & fire
Far past the stars far past the Orion
I asked that you forgive father, I was tryin'
Many thrones in the light but only one's truly shinin
@lanedontplay1223
Hook]
[Nas]
Faster then the blinkin' eye, is the master and I
Face to face (uh) fightin' my case so we debate (where?)
Countin' all my sins (ok), where do we begin
When I stabbed the man in the train station or drunk gin
When I grabbed the man let the shells hit him from the Mac 10
It was all retaliation, (from what?) from way back then
Now I got the black Benz (and) trips from Aspen (and)
Disney World for my little girl and I'm askin'
You would recognize all the good deeds I'm worth (Dear God)
Send me on a trip God please the Earth
So I can deliver thou want it, stop playin'
He gave me life, I screamed out loud that "I Am..."
(Nas... Nastradamus)
[Outro: Nas]
And I saw another mighty angel come down from Heaven (I Am)
Clothe wit the cloud (Nastradamus)
And the rainbow was upon his head as a Crown (I Am)
And his face was lit as were the Sun (I Am)
And his feet as pillars of fire (Nastradamus)
And his name was Nastradamus (I Am)
(I Am Nastradamus)
Nas...
Nas...
Nas...
@glutiousmaximus12
Nas could read the whole Bible with this beat, and you'd be bobbing your head the whole way through.
@KingCharles-df6cp
yes sir
@errah84
This is true
@tyshelley9764
The BEST to EVER pick up a π€! #NASTYNAS ππ
@lorenmcdoyle347
https://youtu.be/oPeRqeORF80
@lorenmcdoyle347
@@KingCharles-df6cp https://youtu.be/Ti_PcAQeEu4
@TheDlk85
My top 3 fav rappers, in no order, Nas DMX Scarface. I'm a 37 year old veteran Christian white man, low key rapper and beat maker.. I grew up on New York rap in the 90's and early 2000's. I got the chance to give Nas dap in a club in Fairfax Virginia in 2011.
Nas.. that brother got an eternal place in my heart. And as I've grown older and met more people, particularly Black, that are of the Muslim faith.. I constantly remind myself to stick to my heart and remain open minded, and never judge, and to be Me, and show Love and Respect. LOVE has always been and Always Will Be theπ... I served our country out in the middle east, met locals out there that showed me more hospitality than I've ever even seen in my own home country. I keep my eye on the sparrow, my mind open, my heart pure, and my eyes focused. I Love my Brothers. I'm Blessed to be able to witness Nasir Jones' Greatness. NaS bruh Thank You for helping me get through Life and Live. Thank you for your dedication to True Rap/Hip Hop!!!!
@TaMurda
Nas is waaaay better than Hov
@okagaming5621
Off coast
@THEMIXTAPEHERO
Yeah right jay z has the same type of songs