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..
Association
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are who you associate with
Look around at your five closest friends
And that's who you are
If you don't want to be that person
You know what you got to do
Association breeds similiarity
That's why I'ma stay with real rich niggers
'til six niggers carry me
Poverty's a mind state
Time waits for no man
But no man
Wants to die a poor man
With no plan
[Nas]
You try to kill me, but I come back
Hate me, that's a small thing
Demons let the sword swing and sever off my offspring
Bitches try to see me down, hugging the floor
Bullets pulling me, playing tug of war
With my body, gravity got me
Police want me arrested, just to see me naked
Snakes want my necklace, fake niggas make me set-trip
Thugs shooting wreckless, everynight, niggas
Wonder, how will I exit from this life, niggas?
Think you a killer, get cement shoes in the river
You should watch them people with you
Let them street rules hit you
If you hang around snitches, you get judged for that
'Cause you condone it, you know there ain't no love for that
There's slugs for that
Oh, you didn't know your man was talking?
That's why you stand with him, till you both land in the coffin
When you first heard he was snitching, then you should have thought
Everytime this nigga got caught selling, they let him walk
Early on a nigga was taught, stay away from them niggas
So a nigga like Nas got nothing to say to them niggas
I fuck with, only the trusted thug clique
Who really done shit, run up in your bitch, busting guns quick
[Chorus]
Association breeds similiarity
That's why I'ma stay with real rich niggers
'til six niggers carry me
Poverty's a mind state
Time waits for no man
But no man
Wants to die a poor man
With no plan
[Nas]
Some bitches lie a lot
They could be fly or not
Actresses cry a lot
Their girlfriends spy a lot
They can shake your hand, girl
Then they take your man, girl
The whole hood knowing
We got something good going
None of these hoes is after me
'Til they saw us happy
And that you bagged me
Now they wishing that they had me
So watch who you hang with
And who you cling with
You know these bitches aint shit
They hoping to bank chips
With the baller after she done gave him some head
He never called her
He gang it and he left her for dead
Birds of a feather fly together
But chickens don't, they eat their own shit and die
And you affiliated, now you look weak
Cause your peeps is freaks
Credit card stealing hoes, well known in the streets
And they brought your down in the dirt
You was a pretty, young, smart thing
Going to work, I bet it hurt
Cause you had a clean rep
But the girls you seen with make these niggas say
"I bet that bitch suck a mean dick"
Word
[Chorus]
Association breeds similarity
That's why I'ma stay with real rich niggers
'til six niggers carry me
Poverty's a mind state
Time waits for no woman
But no woman
Wants to die a poor woman
With no plan
[Stic Man]
A warrior walk alone, there's one spot on this throne
Fake friends be off and on, but a man stand up on his own
I'm raised by a different code, cut from a different cloth
Never been a follower, my momma told me be a boss
Watch who you hang around, don't let nobody bring you down
Friends come and go like seasons, leaves turn to brown
And some only come around when everything is green
Be careful not to let a snake infiltrate your team
For every Jesus there's a Judas, every Caesar there's a Brutus
If somebody tell you jump off a bridge – are you gon' do it?
There's two types of influence: either healthy or deadly
Keep your circle small, away from all the hate and the envy
Don't come nowhere near me with it, I'm bullshit intolerant
My politics bosses up, for you black empowerment
i stay in my element, braveheart intelligent
Only associate with those for my betterment
I'm out for dead presidents to represent mines
Only click with my kind, my best friend is my grind
Everybody got big dreams, but few follow through
And it's deep: the company you keep become apart of you
Don't just be sitting around smoking weed letting time fly
If your homies don't inspire you to rise, tell them bye
You're better off dolo than rolling with a weak ass crew
I'm like Scarface: Who I trust? – Me, that's who
The song "Association" by Nas featuring Stic. Man of Dead Prez speaks about the impact of the people with whom one associates. The chorus "Association breeds similarity, that's why I'ma stay with real rich niggas 'til six niggas carry me" emphasizes that people often reflect who they are through those they choose to be around. Nas raps about the consequences of affiliating with the wrong people and how negative associations can hold one back from achieving greatness.
Nas acknowledges that some people are not what they appear to be, specifically mentioning snitches and fake friends. He advises staying away from these individuals and only associating with trustworthy people. Stic Man's verse provides a message of strength and independence, encouraging listeners to surround themselves with positive influences and not let anyone bring them down.
Overall, "Association" highlights the importance of being mindful of the company kept and choosing associates wisely. The song can be interpreted as a reminder that one's associations can make or break them.
Line by Line Meaning
You are who you associate with
The people you surround yourself with can greatly influence your behavior and character.
Look around at your five closest friends
Examine the qualities and values of the five people you are closest to.
And that's who you are
Your identity is shaped by the people you associate with.
If you don't want to be that person
If you don't want to have the same qualities and values as your closest friends.
You know what you got to do
You know what action you need to take.
Association breeds similarity
Being around certain types of people will make you more similar to them.
That's why I'ma stay with real rich niggers
That's why I will continue to associate with genuine and successful individuals.
til six niggers carry me
Until I am carried by my close friends and companions.
Poverty's a mind state
Being poor is a mindset.
Time waits for no man
Time does not wait for anyone.
But no man
However, no man wants to
Wants to die a poor man
Desire to die without wealth and success.
With no plan
Without a clear strategy or direction in life.
You try to kill me, but I come back
Despite attempts to harm or destroy me, I persevere and overcome.
Hate me, that's a small thing
Feeling hatred towards me is insignificant and does not affect me greatly.
Demons let the sword swing and sever off my offspring
Evil forces try to harm my children and family.
Bitches try to see me down, hugging the floor
Women try to bring me down and keep me low in life.
Bullets pulling me, playing tug of war
Facing danger and violence that constantly threatens to harm me.
With my body, gravity got me
The physical world and its forces weigh heavily on my existence.
Police want me arrested, just to see me naked
Law enforcement targets me unjustly to humiliate and degrade me.
Snakes want my necklace, fake niggas make me set-trip
Deceivers and fake individuals try to steal from me and provoke my anger.
Thugs shooting wreckless, everynight, niggas
Dangerous individuals engage in violence and reckless behavior every night.
Wonder, how will I exit from this life, niggas?
Others ponder how I will navigate and survive in this dangerous world.
Think you a killer, get cement shoes in the river
If you portray yourself as a dangerous person, you will face severe consequences.
You should watch them people with you
You should be cautious and observant of the people you surround yourself with.
Let them street rules hit you
Allow the harsh realities and consequences of street life to impact you.
If you hang around snitches, you get judged for that
If you associate with informants or betrayers, people will view you negatively.
'Cause you condone it, you know there ain't no love for that
Because you accept and support their behavior, there will be no loyalty or affection for you.
There's slugs for that
There are consequences, including violence and harm, for such actions.
Oh, you didn't know your man was talking?
You were unaware that your friend was providing information or cooperating with authorities?
That's why you stand with him, till you both land in the coffin
That's why you stick by his side until both of you end up dead.
When you first heard he was snitching, then you should have thought
When you initially learned he was betraying others, that should have prompted critical thinking.
Everytime this nigga got caught selling, they let him walk
Whenever this person was caught engaging in illegal activities, they were never held accountable.
Early on a nigga was taught, stay away from them niggas
Since a young age, I was taught to avoid associating with such individuals.
So a nigga like Nas got nothing to say to them niggas
Someone like me, Nas, has no interest in communicating or engaging with those individuals.
I fuck with, only the trusted thug clique
I associate and align myself only with a loyal and reliable group of individuals.
Who really done shit, run up in your bitch, busting guns quick
People who have taken real and significant actions, such as breaking into your partner's house and using weapons without hesitation.
Some bitches lie a lot
Certain women tell frequent lies.
They could be fly or not
Even if they appear attractive or popular.
Actresses cry a lot
Actresses commonly feign emotions and shed tears.
Their girlfriends spy a lot
Their female friends often engage in spying or gathering information.
They can shake your hand, girl
They can pretend to be friendly and shake your hand.
Then they take your man, girl
Then they pursue and engage in a romantic relationship with your partner.
The whole hood knowing
Everyone in the neighborhood is aware of their actions.
We got something good going
We have a strong and positive relationship.
None of these hoes is after me
None of these women are genuinely interested in me.
'Til they saw us happy
Until they witnessed us being content and fulfilled.
And that you bagged me
And that you succeeded in attracting me.
Now they wishing that they had me
Now they regret not pursuing a relationship with me.
So watch who you hang with
Be cautious and selective of the people you associate with.
And who you cling with
And who you form close attachments and rely on.
You know these bitches aint shit
You are aware that these women are not trustworthy or reliable.
They hoping to bank chips
They are seeking financial gain or benefits.
With the baller after she done gave him some head
They aim to take advantage of successful individuals after engaging in sexual acts.
He never called her
He never contacted her after the encounter.
He gang it and he left her for dead
He abandoned her and showed no concern for her well-being.
Birds of a feather fly together
People with similar characteristics or interests tend to associate with one another.
But chickens don't, they eat their own shit and die
However, chickens do not follow this pattern, instead, they engage in self-destructive behavior.
And you affiliated, now you look weak
And by associating with such individuals, you appear vulnerable and powerless.
Cause your peeps is freaks
Because the people you associate with engage in immoral or unconventional behavior.
Credit card stealing hoes, well known in the streets
They are notorious for committing credit card fraud and are familiar figures in the community.
And they brought your down in the dirt
And they have negatively influenced and degraded your reputation.
You was a pretty, young, smart thing
You were initially attractive, young, and intelligent.
Going to work, I bet it hurt
Engaging in legitimate employment, I'm sure it caused you pain.
Cause you had a clean rep
Because you initially had a good and respectable reputation.
But the girls you seen with make these niggas say
However, the women you associate with cause others to make derogatory remarks.
"I bet that bitch suck a mean dick"
"I'm certain that woman performs oral sex exceptionally well."
A warrior walk alone, there's one spot on this throne
A true warrior walks alone and occupies a unique and respected position of power.
Fake friends be off and on, but a man stand up on his own
False friends come and go, but a strong individual remains independent.
I'm raised by a different code, cut from a different cloth
I have been raised according to a distinct set of principles and have a unique identity.
Never been a follower, my momma told me be a boss
I have always been a leader and have received guidance from my mother to be in control.
Watch who you hang around, don't let nobody bring you down
Be cautious of the people you associate with and do not allow anyone to negatively influence you.
Friends come and go like seasons, leaves turn to brown
Friendships change and end, just like the seasons and the changing colors of leaves.
And some only come around when everything is green
Some people only show up when things are going well and there is something to gain.
Be careful not to let a snake infiltrate your team
Be cautious and avoid allowing a deceitful and treacherous person to become a part of your close group.
For every Jesus there's a Judas, every Caesar there's a Brutus
For every beloved and influential figure, there is a traitor or betrayer who brings them down.
If somebody tell you jump off a bridge - are you gon' do it?
If someone tells you to engage in a dangerous or foolish action, will you blindly follow their words?
There's two types of influence: either healthy or deadly
There are two forms of influence, one that is positive and beneficial, and the other that is harmful and destructive.
Keep your circle small, away from all the hate and the envy
Maintain a small and close-knit group of trusted individuals, separate from negative emotions such as hatred and jealousy.
Don't come nowhere near me with it, I'm bullshit intolerant
Do not approach me with deceitful or false intentions, as I have no tolerance for such behavior.
My politics bosses up, for you black empowerment
My political stance and beliefs promote and support the empowerment of the black community.
I stay in my element, braveheart intelligent
I remain true to who I am and display courageous and wise behavior.
Only associate with those for my betterment
I only align myself with individuals who contribute to my personal growth and improvement.
I'm out for dead presidents to represent mines
I am determined to acquire significant amounts of wealth to symbolize my achievements.
Only click with my kind, my best friend is my grind
I only connect and associate with individuals who share similar values and goals, and my main focus is my own hard work and dedication.
Everybody got big dreams, but few follow through
Many people have ambitious aspirations, but only a small number actually put in the effort to make them a reality.
And it's deep: the company you keep become apart of you
The people you associate with become a part of you and influence your character and actions.
Don't just be sitting around smoking weed letting time fly
Do not waste your time and potential by idling and engaging in unproductive activities like smoking marijuana.
If your homies don't inspire you to rise, tell them bye
If your friends do not motivate and encourage you to succeed, it is best to leave them behind.
You're better off dolo than rolling with a weak ass crew
You are better off being alone than being associated with a group of people who lack strength and determination.
I'm like Scarface: Who I trust? - Me, that's who
I resemble Scarface in that I only trust myself and do not rely on others for my success and well-being.
Contributed by Jordan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
CuzzinD
this go hella hard. 3rd verse go tha hardest !! stic killed it!
Humble K.
Nothing else to say about this track but three words; CLASSIC HIP-HOP
Charles Jacobi
MAN THIS IS ONE OF THE REALEST SONGS I EVER HEARD IT DONT GET NO REALER THAN THIS. "ASSOCIATION BREEDS SIMILARITIES"
Man Like Bango
Nas forever dropping jewels
doobie42
my man Stic. straight murdered this fuckin joint
johnkeef
Don't just be sitting around smoking weed letting time fly If your homies don't inspire you to rise, tell them bye You're better off dolo than rolling with a weak ass crew I'm like Scarface: Who I trust? – Me, that's who word
Chocolate Don
I miss the old Nas 😢
gdiggedy9
How did this stay off the album? Damn.
ezekwu
way too real...
SummertimeOne
this was the illest song on the mixtape. the will smith intro was dope