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..
Black Zombie
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All we are is dope dealers, and gangstas and hoes?
And you believe when they be telling you lie, all on the media?
They make the world look crazy to keep you inside?
Why you listen when the teachers at school
Know you a young single parent out struggling, they think you a fool
Give your kids bad grades and put 'em in dumber classes
Killing shorty future, I wonder how do we last it?
I'm learning something every day, there is no Lazarus
Words like God is Greek or Latin
So if you study Egypt, you'll see the truth written by the masters
My niggas is chilling, getting high, relaxing
Envisioning, owning shit, yo it can happen
What do we own? Not enough land, not enough homes
Not enough banks, to give my brother a loan
What do we own? The skin on our backs, we run and we ask
For reparations, then they hit us with tax
And insurance if we live to be old, what about now?
So stop being controlled, we black zombies
Walking talking dead, though we think we're living (black zombies)
We just copy-cat, following the system (black zombies)
Walking talking dead, though we think we're living (black zombies)
We just copy-cat, following the system (black zombies)
Ayo, we trapped in our own brain, fuck behind bars
We've already gone insane
We've already gave up, cut our own heads offs
Stab our own backs and dream too much
Without fulfilling reality, too greedy and
Can't have one or two chains, we need three of them
Can't have one or two guns without squeezing 'em
On our own people and, fuck black leaders
'Cause whites ain't got none leading them, the rhythm is cosmic
Nas is divinity, the deity's prophet
Let's all get down and get up
Victims walking 'round with Down's Syndrome, all stuck
Fainting, shouting, catching Holy Ghost in church
Scared to do it for ourselves 'less we see somebody doing it first
We begged, we prayed, petitioned and demonstrated
Just to make another generation, black zombies
Walking talking dead, though we think we're living (black zombies)
We just copy-cat, following the system (black zombies)
Walking talking dead, though we think we're living (black zombies)
We just copy-cat, following the system (black zombies)
You scared to be yourself, 'cause you in a trance
Feel free, hear the music and dance
If you cared what they think, why wear what they wear, just for you
Dumb niggas with long beards like they Arabs or Jews
Or from Israel, Bismillah al rahman al rahim
Islam's a beautiful thing
And Christian and Rastafari, helps us to bring
Peace against the darkness, which is ungodly
So what's the black man's true religion, who should we follow?
Use your own intuition, you are tomorrow
That's the sound of the beast
I'm a Columbia record slave, so get paid
Control your own destiny, you are a genius
Don't let it happen to you like it did to me, I was a black zombie
Walking talking dead, though we think we're living (black zombies)
We just copy-cat, following the system (black zombies)
Walking talking dead, though we think we're living (black zombies)
We just copy-cat, following the system (black zombies)
Wake up! Black zombies in a spell for more than fo'hundred years
Ghetto niggas won't have it no mo', can I get a witness?
Why listen to somebody else tell you how to do it
When you can do it yourself, it's all in you, do it, do it
Do it niggas, come on, uh, peace
In Nas's song "Black Zombie," the rapper questions and challenges the negative perceptions and stereotypes that society has attached to Black people. He opens the song by questioning whether society believes that Black people cannot grow and are limited to being dope dealers, gangsters, and prostitutes. He then proceeds to criticize the media for making the world look crazy to keep people inside and suggests that people should stop believing everything they hear and should learn to think for themselves.
Nas then questions the education system and how it fails young single parents by giving their kids bad grades and putting them in less advanced classes, which limits their future potential. He also highlights the lack of ownership in Black communities, specifically land, homes, and banks, that impede financial progress. Instead of being motivated to make positive changes, Black people have become "Black Zombies," who are trapped in their own minds and living in a cycle of copy-catting and following the system. They have lost sight of their own intuition, and instead of walking towards progress, they follow someone else's lead.
Nas's biggest message in "Black Zombie" is that Black people should stop being controlled and start controlling their own lives. He encourages listeners to wake up and start taking responsibility for their destinies, not to repeat the same mistakes that he did in his life. In the end, the song is a call to action, urging Black people to stop living like "Black Zombies" and start working towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, yo, you believe when they say we ain't shit, we can't grow?
Expressing disbelief at the notion that black people are incapable of progressing.
All we are is dope dealers, and gangstas and hoes?
Challenging the stereotype that black people are only involved in negative behaviors.
And you believe when they be telling you lie, all on the media?
Wondering why people trust the media, which can be biased or untruthful.
They make the world look crazy to keep you inside?
Posing the idea that exaggerated portrayals of the world are meant to limit people's experiences and keep them from seeking outside information.
Why you listen when the teachers at school
Questioning why students give authority to their teachers, who may not understand the struggles of being a young single parent.
Know you a young single parent out struggling, they think you a fool
Suggesting that teachers underestimate their students who may be struggling with difficult home situations.
Give your kids bad grades and put 'em in dumber classes
Implying that teachers unfairly stereotype students who are struggling, without trying to understand their unique circumstances.
Killing shorty future, I wonder how do we last it?
Lamenting the damaging effects of the educational system on young students' futures.
Underground in they casket, ancestors turning
Reflecting on the hardship and struggle of the ancestors who died before seeing significant progress in the black community.
I'm learning something every day, there is no Lazarus
Acknowledging that the quest for knowledge is ongoing and that there is no magic solution to the systemic problems faced by black people.
Words like God is Greek or Latin
Reminding the listener that many religious concepts are rooted in ancient cultures and languages.
So if you study Egypt, you'll see the truth written by the masters
Encouraging exploration of ancient Egyptian culture, which can illuminate truths about religion and history.
My niggas is chilling, getting high, relaxing
Describing a slice of life for some African Americans who partake in recreational drugs as an escape from hardship.
Envisioning, owning shit, yo it can happen
Encouraging African Americans to aspire to own and control their own businesses and assets.
What do we own? Not enough land, not enough homes
Explaining the lack of ownership that African Americans experience, which limits their ability to create wealth and generational change.
Not enough banks, to give my brother a loan
Pointing out the systemic issues of discrimination that keep African Americans from accessing banking and loans.
And insurance if we live to be old, what about now?
Questioning the priorities of the insurance industry, which focuses on the future rather than the present needs of African Americans.
So stop being controlled, we black zombies
Urging African Americans to stop following the status quo and to take control of their own lives in order to avoid being viewed as lifeless and submissive.
Walking talking dead, though we think we're living (black zombies)
Comparing African Americans to zombies because they are controlled and manipulated by the system and may not realize their full potential.
We just copy-cat, following the system (black zombies)
Explaining that African Americans tend to emulate the dominant culture, even if it goes against their own interests.
Ayo, we trapped in our own brain, fuck behind bars
Suggesting that African Americans are limited mentally and by societal systems, which trap them in a cycle of poverty and oppression.
We've already gone insane
Pointing out that African Americans may feel powerless in the face of pervasive discrimination.
We've already gave up, cut our own heads offs
Lamenting that African Americans may feel defeated and give up on their dreams and aspirations.
Stab our own backs and dream too much
Implying that African Americans can hurt themselves by being complacent and dreaming without taking action.
Without fulfilling reality, too greedy and
Suggesting that African Americans may be too focused on material possessions rather than social progress.
Can't have one or two chains, we need three of them
Highlighting the societal pressure on African Americans to have flashy possessions as a symbol of success.
Can't have one or two guns without squeezing 'em
Noting the cultural glorification of violence in the African American community.
On our own people and, fuck black leaders
Expressing a distrust of black leadership, implying that they may not serve the interests of the broader community.
'Cause whites ain't got none leading them, the rhythm is cosmic
Noting the lack of leadership from the white community, while also acknowledging the potential for African Americans to be guided by a cosmic or spiritual force.
Nas is divinity, the deity's prophet
Describing Nas as a prophetic figure with a divine understanding of the African American experience.
Let's all get down and get up
Encouraging African Americans to resist complacency and take action to change their circumstances.
Victims walking 'round with Down's Syndrome, all stuck
Comparing African Americans to people with Down syndrome, who may be viewed as stuck or limited by their condition.
Fainting, shouting, catching Holy Ghost in church
Pointing out the emotional nature of African American religious services, which can be a source of solace but may not address systemic issues.
Scared to do it for ourselves 'less we see somebody doing it first
Noting the lack of initiative in the African American community, and the tendency to wait for someone else to take action before following suit.
We begged, we prayed, petitioned and demonstrated
Highlighting the long history of African Americans fighting for civil rights through peaceful means.
Just to make another generation, black zombies
Expressing frustration that despite past progress, African Americans continue to be seen as lifeless and controlled by the dominant culture.
You scared to be yourself, 'cause you in a trance
Noting the fear that African Americans feel in expressing their true identity because they have been trapped by societal norms and expectations.
Feel free, hear the music and dance
Encouraging African Americans to embrace their identity and to take joy in their culture and creativity without fearing judgment.
If you cared what they think, why wear what they wear, just for you
Noting the self-defeating tendency for African Americans to dress and act in ways that please others rather than being true to themselves.
Dumb niggas with long beards like they Arabs or Jews
Critiquing African Americans for adopting radical religious identities, which may be paradoxical or not represent their true beliefs.
Or from Israel, Bismillah al rahman al rahim
Highlighting the complex religious identities African Americans may adopt without fully understanding the cultures from which they originate.
Islam's a beautiful thing
Praising Islam as a religion, which may offer a sense of spiritual fulfillment to African Americans.
And Christian and Rastafari, helps us to bring
Acknowledging the diverse religious traditions that may serve to uplift and inspire African Americans.
Peace against the darkness, which is ungodly
Describing the role of religion in guiding African Americans to peace and positive action against systemic oppression.
So what's the black man's true religion, who should we follow?
Questioning which religious tradition African Americans should embrace, and whether there is a universal truth or a need to create a new spiritual path.
Use your own intuition, you are tomorrow
Encouraging African Americans to trust their own judgment and to create their own path forward.
That's the sound of the beast
Describing the oppressive and power-seeking nature of society, which can limit the potential of African Americans and others.
I'm a Columbia record slave, so get paid
Acknowledging the capitalist system that controls the music industry and his own career, and noting the need to make money in order to survive.
Control your own destiny, you are a genius
Encouraging African Americans to take control of their own future and to recognize their innate intelligence and creativity.
Don't let it happen to you like it did to me, I was a black zombie
Sharing a personal experience of feeling trapped by societal expectations and urging the listener to avoid the same fate.
Wake up! Black zombies in a spell for more than fo'hundred years
Expressing the pressing need for African Americans to shed the mindset of control and oppression that has been pervasive for centuries.
Ghetto niggas won't have it no mo', can I get a witness?
Celebrating the growing sense of empowerment and resistance among African American communities.
Why listen to somebody else tell you how to do it
Urging African Americans to reject the authority of others and to take control of their own lives.
When you can do it yourself, it's all in you, do it, do it
Encouraging African Americans to embrace their own abilities and to take affirmative action without relying on external guidance or permission.
Do it niggas, come on, uh, peace
Urging African Americans to take action and to continue fighting for progress in their communities.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Nasir Jones, Tommie Spearman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind