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..
Back When )
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing like them 80s summer N.Y. days
Hop on the NB5 days
Mopeds, Pro Keds, city split five ways
How it all started, fifth floor apartment
A jigsaw puzzle aerial view of the projects
A kid saw struggle, buried a few of his partners
Now chill in resorts, enjoying massages
Nas, I'll rise the deads by thousands
I remember seeing Shan chilling near his Audi
Hollis Ave. running them, but I probably
Put a poster up of Shan and Marley, that was art, kid
You love to hear the story how it started
The bubbly I'm pouring wasn't popped yet
Before there was a audience to watch us
I assure you, there was a process
"You love to hear the story, how it all got started"
How it all got started, yeah
"You love to hear the story, how it all got started"
How it, how it all got started
"You love to hear the story how it all got started"
Hear the story, how it all started off
Started off, started off, started off
How it all got started
"Back when, back when, back when, back when
Back when, back when, back when, back when"
To call them fake today is hate, real niggas extinct
Pac left me inside a rap world with niggas that's weak
And other rappers, undercover niggas spit every way
Won't be surprised if all their rides have federal plates
Let alone their wardrobes are Studio 4 flow
It was real when I appeared, it would've been some jaws broke
Nas, my real name, stage name, same thing
How could you let these claim king? I'm so ashamed, man
I light a L for Vernon, for niggas who would burn in Hell
For Vernon, 10th Street, 12th Street, Nightmare on Elm Street
Pimps creep, delve deep inside the editorials
Of the ghetto queens, kings, stories true
Who possesses the testicular fortitude
To blow away myths that's a hindrance to all of you?
You blame your own shortcomings on section, race
The mafia, homosexuals and all the Jews
It's hogwash point of views, stereotypical
Anti-Semitic like the foul words Gibson spewed
And it's pathetic, I don't get the credit I deserve
That's why I hate doing interviews
But I don't sweat it, study long, study raw
My man Deon said "Nas over-think the songs he writing"
I'm not a wack performer standing behind a corny hype man
I got the Donism, I'm here to enlighten
"You love to hear the story, how it all got started"
How it all got started, yeah
"You love to hear the story, how it all got started"
How it, how all got started
"You love to hear the story how it all got started"
Hear the story, how it all started off
Started off, started off, started off
How it all got started
"Back when, back when, back when, back when
Back when, back when, back when, back when"
In the song "Back When," Nas reminisces about the 80s summer days in New York and how it all got started for him. He reflects on his humble beginnings, growing up on the fifth floor of an apartment building in the projects, where he witnessed the struggles and losses of his friends. Nas mentions how he used to put up posters of Shan and Marley, and how that was considered art to him. He then shifts to the current state of the rap game, stating how real rappers are now extinct, and fake ones dominate the industry. He calls out other rappers who lip-sync and have ghostwriters and criticizes the stereotypical views and victim-blaming some hold about race and marginalized groups. Nas also mentions his dislike of interviews and how he studies hard to write his songs.
The lyrics above are a powerful commentary on the evolution of hip hop and the cultural and political changes that have taken place over the years. Nas's words highlight the struggle of black communities throughout the country and the importance of staying true to your roots no matter what. He suggests that the real kings of rap are those who rise above the stereotypes and advocate for social justice and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
The ill reminisce and think about the fly days
Nas and his peers look back fondly on their past experiences and memories
Nothing like them 80s summer N.Y. days
Nas remembers the unique vibe of summers in New York City during the 1980s
Hop on the NB5 days
Nas and his friends used to ride the New Balance 5 sneakers back in the day
Mopeds, Pro Keds, city split five ways
Nas recalls the fashion trends of his youth, including mopeds and Pro Keds shoes, and how the city was divided into different boroughs
How it all started, fifth floor apartment
Nas reflects on the beginnings of his music career, which started in a fifth floor apartment
A jigsaw puzzle aerial view of the projects
Nas remembers the maze-like layout of the housing projects where he grew up
A kid saw struggle, buried a few of his partners
Nas witnessed many struggles and tragedies during his youth, including the loss of some of his friends
Now chill in resorts, enjoying massages
Nas has come a long way since his rough beginnings and can now relax in luxury resorts and enjoy the finer things in life
Check out the oracle bred from city housing
Nas sees himself as a symbol of success despite coming from a low-income housing project
Nas, I'll rise the deads by thousands
Nas believes his music has the power to bring back the spirit and energy of the past
I remember seeing Shan chilling near his Audi
Nas recalls seeing MC Shan hanging out near his luxury car
Hollis Ave. running them, but I probably
Nas may have also been a part of the rap scene on Hollis Avenue back in the day
Put a poster up of Shan and Marley, that was art, kid
Nas considered the posters of MC Shan and Marley Marl to be works of art
The bubbly I'm pouring wasn't popped yet
Nas was drinking champagne before he even had an audience to perform for
Before there was a audience to watch us
Nas and his peers were making music purely for themselves and their own enjoyment in the beginning
I assure you, there was a process
Nas wants people to know that even though his success seemed sudden, there was a lot of hard work and dedication that went into it
To call them fake today is hate, real n*****s extinct
Nas believes that true authenticity is rare in the contemporary rap scene and that calling out fake rappers is important but can be seen as negative
Pac left me inside a rap world with n*****s that's weak
Nas feels that the death of Tupac Shakur left a void in the rap world and that many of today's rappers are not up to par
And other rappers, undercover n*****s spit every way
Nas believes that many rappers pretend to be something they're not and try to appeal to different audiences
Won't be surprised if all their rides have federal plates
Nas even suspects that some rappers may have government connections or be involved in illegal activity
Let alone their wardrobes are Studio 4 flow
Nas thinks that some rappers' fashion sense is contrived and influenced by their record label's image rather than their own style
It was real when I appeared, it would've been some jaws broke
Nas believes that his authenticity and realness helped him stand out in the rap scene and that he would have physically confronted anyone who doubted him
Nas, my real name, stage name, same thing
Nas uses his real name as his stage name, indicating his commitment to authenticity
How could you let these claim king? I'm so ashamed, man
Nas is disappointed in the state of the rap world and feels that undeserving rappers have been crowned as kings
I light a L for Vernon, for n*****s who would burn in Hell
Nas pays tribute to his friends who are no longer alive and hopes they are resting in peace
For Vernon; 10th Street, 12th Street, Nightmare on Elm Street
Nas mentions specific streets and neighborhoods where he and his friends grew up, including a reference to the horror movie franchise Nightmare on Elm Street
Pimps creep, delve deep inside the editorials
Nas criticizes the media's representation of pimps and the exploitation of women in general
Of the ghetto queens, kings, stories true
Nas acknowledges the hardships and struggles faced by people living in the ghetto and the real stories that need to be told
Who possesses the testicular fortitude
Nas admires people who have the courage and strength to speak the truth
To blow away myths that's a hindrance to all of you?
Nas wants to expose the lies and myths that hold people back and prevent them from achieving their full potential
You blame your own shortcomings on section, race
Nas criticizes people who use their race or social status as an excuse for their own failures
The mafia, homosexuals and all the Jews
Nas calls out the ridiculousness of blaming groups of people like the mafia, homosexuals, and Jews for personal shortcomings
It's hogwash point of views, stereotypical
Nas believes that these types of views and beliefs are nonsense and rely on stereotypes rather than actual facts
Anti-Semitic like the foul words Gibson spewed
Nas draws attention to Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic remarks and connects them to the type of ignorant beliefs he is criticizing
And it's pathetic, I don't get the credit I deserve
Nas feels that he is not given enough credit for his contributions to the rap world and society in general
That's why I hate doing interviews
Nas dislikes having to constantly explain himself and feels that he is not always understood
But I don't sweat it, study long, study raw
Despite the lack of recognition, Nas continues to hone his craft and work hard
My man Deon said "Nas over-think the songs he writing"
Nas's friend Deon comments on Nas's meticulous songwriting process
I'm not a wack performer standing behind a corny hype man
Nas prides himself on his skills as a rapper and would never rely on a lackluster hype man to boost his performances
I got the Donism, I'm here to enlighten
Nas believes that he has a message and a valuable perspective to share with his fans and society as a whole
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, LIBRARY GOLD APM
Written by: NASIR JONES, BARRY FORGIE, SHAWN LEIGH MOLTKE, MARLON LU'REE WILLIAMS, ERNEST DION WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ads254
This track is pretty addictive. Lyrics, smooth beat. Everything is right with this one. Probably my favorite track on this album out of many.
Jared Candelaria
Such a nostalgic sounding song. Life is Good is definitely one of Nas' best albums
Marc NY
Number 5 on my list... Top 5 album for sure
CHRISTOPHER. M
Marc NY 3rd on mine mabey 2nd just depends on my mood
Troynoss Marvel
In this moment in time it's better than Jay Kenny j cole
redcomic619
Easily his most underrated
redpiller12
Cristopher Martinez it's top four definitely. Illmatic , It was written, lost tapes, life is good
forbidden_msfts
"I don't get the credit I deserve that's why I hate doin' interviews, but I don't sweat it study long study raw. My man Deon said nas overthink the songs he writing. I'm not a wack performer standing behind a corny hype man, I got the Donism in me I'm here to enlighten" Nas is the king.
W _
The most played song in my car since. Sometimes I play it on repeat just driving location to location.
Akin Okunola
It took me a few days (too long) to realize Nas went in hard on this album. Trust is deep to the core and then he can flip it on the 3rd verse of Bye Baby to Angry Nas. True poet! Thank God he is still alive!