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..
Book of Rhymes
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the type of nigga that write rhymes right on the spot in the studio
Soon as I hear the track, you know what I'm saying?
Word but I wanted to bring a couple of books to the studio today
Man I found these shits up in the crib man in boxes man
I don't even remember when I was writing these shits
Or what's in these shits man probably a bunch of bullshit man
Fuck it check it
How can I trust you when I can't trust me?
Picture myself a old man a O.G.
Some niggas will conversate with liars all day
Time pass (Nah lemme start somethin' else)
Soul on ice death threats given by clowns
I guess livin' is prison when you live around clowns
I'm hexed cursed worse I been blessed first
I thought I was abnormal cause I would overcome any tasked called to
So there it is I'ma prince I'ma get slain
Some do minor shit swear they on the top of they game
Ya rhymin' is called "Vagina Monologue"
It kinda supports theories of scary niggas who should lie in the morgue
Rarely y'all come in contact with the real
Since Pun passed he was the last shine of sun I could feel
Yo said there's a few left since music's expressions of life
Damn I wish I took more time to write in my book of rhymes
Oh shit Tina, I been lookin' for this bitch number damn.
No this rhyme is weak,
This is week I remember this bullshit right here
(My Book of Rhymes)
Gandhi was a, what the fu?
Gandhi was a fool, nigga fight to the death
The US Army is a school that teach ya plights of conquest
(I wonder when I wrote this. Nah it's weak)
The money's ya religion sky the limit live life
Numbers is big business makes the poor live trife
The glimmers of hope provoke those without dollars to dream
Through your existence become wealthy knowledge is king
Pimps and card sharks thiefs murderers with hard luck
Addicts and fiends prostitutes passin' for teens is my society
Cops that shoot blacks is routine for notoriety
Grow up watchin' well dressed niggas with charms
Beautiful ladies on their arms
Dangerous new cars was my fantasy for Nas
Rubbin my lips with Campophenique
Still behind the ears wet turned out to be
Pioneers vets amongst hustlers crack sellers and liers and squares,
(Nah that was weak there)
My people be projects or jail never Harvard or Yale
Pardon me type in my 2way while I'm chargin' my cell
It's hard to be iced up with Gucci god poverty's real
I can't fight you cause you would sue me niggas be groupies
I see imitators tryin' to make albums spittin' my style
And they don't even realize that I notice they stealing Nas' shit
I pump some Rick James with that Teena Marie
My nina lean on me like Swoop it's crap this can't be
My book of rhymes
This can't be my book of rhymes writing this bullshit!
(My Book of Rhymes)
Nah neva that fuck that, aw why you laughin' Alchemist?
Huh you a funny nigga, naw yeah
(My Book of Rhymes)
I'm tellin' you I'ma come up with some new shit now
Fuck that I'ma write again now fuck that
I musta been high on some shit mmm what the fuck is this?
Look how we treat pregnancy women in the 'hood
Our values so low our values are no good
Things our mothers told us we should of heeded
Cause now we need it
We older almost able to
I'm jealous of you how come you so beautiful?
Smelling fresh youthful intelligent while I'm stressin' and shit
Aiyo I envy you 'cause all you do is smile and things come your way
Such a innocent child is what some say
I get upset 'cause I just want to be treated the way you are
Like a star not a worry in this world thus far
But wait a minute we both need ya mother's attention
I must be crazy jealous of my own baby infant
(Kinda crazy)
In Nas's song Book of Rhymes, the rapper exhibits his lyrical talent by dissolving in and out of the studio booth and reciting the contents of his "book of rhymes" which are essentially notes written in books on a variety of topics. Nas begins the song by saying that he is the type of rapper who can write rhymes instinctively. Still, he has found some old books in his house and is curious to read them. He admits that he doesn't remember what he wrote in these books and says it could be a bunch of bullshit. However, when he starts reading it, it's clear that he's written about pivotal moments in history and the realities of his community.
Throughout the verses, Nas jumps from talking about the lies and deceit he's experienced to societal issues like police brutality and how it's normalized, drugs, poverty, and his envy for an innocent child. He also finds some of his own verses and critiques them for being weak. Overall, Nas encourages readers to write and document their thoughts while making it clear that rap is a form of literature that can convey stories and express emotions.
Overall, the song speaks to a broader concept of documenting life experiences in any medium and serves as an inspiration to keep writing.
Line by Line Meaning
Alchemist you know me man
I have a close relationship with Alchemist and he understands me well
I'm the type of nigga that write rhymes right on the spot in the studio
I have the ability to create rhymes spontaneously and write them down immediately in the studio
Soon as I hear the track, you know what I'm saying?
As soon as I listen to the instrumental track, I start getting ideas for my rhymes
Word but I wanted to bring a couple of books to the studio today
I decided to bring some of my old rhyme books to the studio today
Man I found these shits up in the crib man in boxes man
I discovered these rhyme books in boxes at my house
I don't even remember when I was writing these shits
I have no recollection of the time period when I wrote these rhymes
Or what's in these shits man probably a bunch of bullshit man
I assume that these rhymes might not be of good quality and may contain nonsense
Fuck it check it
Nevertheless, let's take a look at them
How can I trust you when I can't trust me?
I struggle with self-doubt and find it difficult to trust others when I can't even trust myself
Picture myself a old man a O.G.
I envision myself as an older, experienced individual who has gained wisdom and respect
Some niggas will conversate with liars all day
Certain individuals spend their time engaging in conversations with dishonest people
Time pass (Nah lemme start somethin' else)
Time keeps moving forward and I decide to redirect my focus on a different topic
Soul on ice death threats given by clowns
I receive death threats from foolish individuals who want to harm me
I guess livin' is prison when you live around clowns
Living in a world surrounded by foolish people can make life feel like a prison
I'm hexed cursed worse I been blessed first
I feel as though I am cursed, but at the same time, I have also been blessed in many ways
I thought I was abnormal cause I would overcome any tasked called to
I used to believe that I was different from others because I had the ability to successfully complete any challenge presented to me
So there it is I'ma prince I'ma get slain
Despite my accomplishments and abilities, I know that I will still face challenges and obstacles
Some do minor shit swear they on the top of they game
Some people focus on trivial matters, but still believe they are at the peak of their success
Ya rhymin' is called "Vagina Monologue"
Your style of rapping is considered weak and lacks substance
It kinda supports theories of scary niggas who should lie in the morgue
Your rap style aligns with the beliefs of cowardly individuals who deserve to be dead
Rarely y'all come in contact with the real
It is uncommon for you to encounter authentic and genuine individuals
Since Pun passed he was the last shine of sun I could feel
Ever since the passing of Pun, I have not experienced the same level of inspiration and greatness in the rap industry
Yo said there's a few left since music's expressions of life
You claimed that there are still a few talented artists who create music that represents the essence of life
Damn I wish I took more time to write in my book of rhymes
I regret not dedicating more time to writing and documenting my thoughts and rhymes in my personal collection
Oh shit Tina, I been lookin' for this bitch number damn.
Oh wow, Tina, I've been searching for this girl's phone number, damn
No this rhyme is weak,
No, this particular rhyme I'm reading is not good
This is week I remember this bullshit right here
This rhyme is weak, I recall writing this low-quality content
(My Book of Rhymes)
These rhymes are taken from my personal collection of written verses and ideas
Gandhi was a, what the fu?
Gandhi was a controversial figure, expressing surprise or confusion
Gandhi was a fool, nigga fight to the death
Gandhi, in my opinion, was foolish because he advocated for non-violent resistance, while I believe in fighting until the end
The US Army is a school that teach ya plights of conquest
The US Army serves as an institution that educates individuals about the challenges and struggles associated with conquering others
(I wonder when I wrote this. Nah it's weak)
I wonder when I wrote these lines, but upon reflection, I consider them to be weak
The money's ya religion sky the limit live life
For many people, their devotion to acquiring money becomes their religion, and they believe there are no bounds to what they can achieve in life
Numbers is big business makes the poor live trife
In the business world, numbers and financial success have a significant impact, resulting in a difficult and impoverished life for the poor
The glimmers of hope provoke those without dollars to dream
Even small glimpses of hope inspire those who are financially disadvantaged to dream for a better future
Through your existence become wealthy knowledge is king
By expanding your knowledge and wisdom, you can achieve wealth and success in life
Pimps and card sharks thiefs murderers with hard luck
Individuals involved in illegal activities, such as pimps, gamblers, thieves, and murderers, often face unfortunate circumstances
Addicts and fiends prostitutes passin' for teens is my society
In my community, there is a prevalence of drug addicts, addicts seeking their next fix, and prostitutes disguising themselves as teenagers
Cops that shoot blacks is routine for notoriety
Police officers shooting black individuals has become a regular occurrence, often done for the sake of gaining attention and fame
Grow up watchin' well dressed niggas with charms
As I matured, I observed influential and stylish individuals who possessed charisma and charm
Beautiful ladies on their arms
These individuals were usually accompanied by attractive women
Dangerous new cars was my fantasy for Nas
My aspiration as Nas was to own luxurious and powerful cars
Rubbin my lips with Campophenique
I used to apply Campophenique to my lips to alleviate discomfort or cold sores
Still behind the ears wet turned out to be
Despite being young and inexperienced, I eventually learned and gained maturity
Pioneers vets amongst hustlers crack sellers and liers and squares
I, alongside other respected and experienced individuals, navigated through a community filled with drug dealers, dishonest individuals, and people lacking street credibility
(Nah that was weak there)
Upon reviewing my own rhyme, I determine that it wasn't strong or impactful
My people be projects or jail never Harvard or Yale
The majority of people in my community end up living in public housing or incarcerated, with very few opportunities for higher education like attending prestigious universities
Pardon me type in my 2way while I'm chargin' my cell
Excuse me for using my two-way pager while I'm charging my cell phone
It's hard to be iced up with Gucci god poverty's real
It is challenging to flaunt expensive jewelry and designer clothing when poverty continues to exist and affect people's lives
I can't fight you cause you would sue me niggas be groupies
I cannot engage in physical altercations with you because you would take legal action against me; some individuals behave like fans and followers rather than equals
I see imitators tryin' to make albums spittin' my style
I notice other artists attempting to release albums while imitating my unique style of rapping
And they don't even realize that I notice they stealing Nas' shit
Those copycats don't even realize that I'm aware of them stealing my musical concepts and ideas
I pump some Rick James with that Teena Marie
I play some songs by Rick James along with Teena Marie, enjoying their music
My nina lean on me like Swoop it's crap this can't be
My gun, referred to as 'nina,' is always by my side like a close friend named Swoop; this situation is unfortunate and cannot be true
(My Book of Rhymes)
These rhymes are taken from my personal collection of written verses and ideas
Nah neva that fuck that, aw why you laughin' Alchemist?
No, never that, forget it, why are you laughing, Alchemist?
Huh you a funny nigga, naw yeah
You have a humorous personality, Alchemist
(My Book of Rhymes)
These rhymes are taken from my personal collection of written verses and ideas
I'm tellin' you I'ma come up with some new shit now
I'm informing you that I will create fresh and innovative content from now on
Fuck that I'ma write again now fuck that
No, I won't accept that, I'm going to write more material
I musta been high on some shit mmm what the fuck is this?
I must have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol when I wrote this, what is this nonsense?
Look how we treat pregnancy women in the 'hood
Observe how we mistreat pregnant women living in our neighborhood
Our values so low our values are no good
Our moral principles and standards are incredibly low and have no worth
Things our mothers told us we should of heeded
We should have paid closer attention to the advice and wisdom our mothers shared with us
Cause now we need it
Now we find ourselves in a situation where we desperately need that guidance
We older almost able to
We are getting older and reaching a point where we are almost capable of making better choices
I'm jealous of you how come you so beautiful?
I feel envious of you, wondering why you possess such beauty
Smelling fresh youthful intelligent while I'm stressin' and shit
You exude a fresh, youthful aura and seem intelligent, whereas I am dealing with stress and various problems
Aiyo I envy you 'cause all you do is smile and things come your way
I confess, I envy you because it seems like all you need to do is smile, and good things automatically come your way
Such a innocent child is what some say
Some people view you as an innocent and pure child
I get upset 'cause I just want to be treated the way you are
I become frustrated because I desire to be treated in the same manner as you
Like a star not a worry in this world thus far
Like a celebrity, without a worry or care in the world up to this point
But wait a minute we both need ya mother's attention
However, both you and I still require our mother's care and attention
I must be crazy jealous of my own baby infant
I realize it's absurd to feel jealous of my own baby daughter, but sometimes I can't help it
(Kinda crazy)
Admitting that my feelings may seem irrational or illogical
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Alan Maman, David E Camon, Nasir Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind