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..
Family
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah
Literally rich, this Nas, sick
Still woulda hit a enemy with a TEC in nine-six
Exotic material on the neck and fly whips
I was fresh out the 'jects, decked out to death
Y'all witnessed it, I could fill you with real millionaire shit
Esco alias, my escrow grow daily
It's the freshest Air Max wearer, yes
Ejaculatory depression after sex
And that mean after I nut, don't touch me, no questions
Unless she's a restless spirit then I can heal it
Spend a lot of time together, I know her feelings
But you fightin' what the essence of a woman is
I respect you, my love's limitless
But what are you becoming?
You wanna be the man or the woman? Play your position
Mornin' or night I'm lickin' the pudding ain't I?
Since my days of St. Ides
Pullin' out box cutters to bang opps who ain't us
To Bentley Continentals, see the man I is
Hand-to-hand hustlers always claiming they ran The Brizz
The big homies don't approve that
Felt and Dirty Red fundin' RK but where was you at?
We all tried to move crack
Nowadays I'm just showing my age
The new goons hardly heard of these legendary names, it's strange
The Bridge rappers influenced me, son
But if I was in the Juice Crew, we woulda won
No disrespect 'less disrespect served to me
You a gangsta groupie, gassin' niggas to murder me, nigga?
Who I'm reppin'? 10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
And that's word to Yammy, yeah
Deep roots, I ain't have to fake it yet
Old solid tree branches ain't breakin' yet
A vet
Get rich project niggas
Billionaire mindset niggas
Know you know my set, niggas
10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
Get rich project niggas
Billionaire mindset niggas
Know you know my set, niggas
10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
I got the je ne sais quoi, why bother
With girls who like to play keep-away with they toddlers?
She started with good intentions like a rich pastor
Bitch was bad, turned from good thing to disaster
Takes forever to build a rep, one second to lose it
She put her neck in a noose, snapped it
Hangin' on every word she heard come outta cougar mouth, super foul
Play your cards right, deuces wild, salute my pals
Fathers all around the board goin' through it
She got lobster appetites, lots of habits
Like frontin' when she need apartment deposits
Here's something, get you a starter
But pardon my pimpin', I don't sponsor
I don't by cars, I coach you to win, know what?
If you broke and your man don't teach you, get rid of him
Who I'm reppin'? 10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon, still
And that's word to Will, for real
Get rich project niggas
Billionaire mindset niggas
Know you know my set, niggas
10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
Get rich project niggas
Billionaire mindset niggas
Know you know my set, niggas
10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
Shout to Draws, Spanky, Black Ed, Hands
Shout to Shabazz, Wewop and Harvey
Rest in glory
TJ Killa Black, rest in glory
Shout to all the young legends we losin' too soon
Yeah
In the song "Family," Nas speaks about his riches and success amidst facing challenges and enemies. He describes himself as "literally rich" and flaunts his wealth and possessions such as an exotic car and expensive jewelry. Nas also touches upon his personal relationships and experiences, cautioning women to play their position and warning against those who may try to bring him down. The end of the song pays homage to those who have passed away and to the "young legends" who died too soon.
Throughout the song, Nas presents himself as a self-made success story, having risen from the projects to a lavish lifestyle. Despite the challenges he faces, he remains proud of his roots, referencing his street and familial connections. Nas also reflects on his status as a rap legend, lamenting that newer generations may not be aware of the pioneers who paved the way for them. The song's title "Family" represents the importance of community and the support that Nas relies on to remain strong in the face of adversity.
Overall, Nas uses "Family" to reflect on his personal experiences and perspective on success and legacy. The song highlights the importance of staying rooted and connected to one's past while pursuing success and protecting oneself from those who may seek to tear them down.
Line by Line Meaning
Literally rich, this Nas, sick
Nas is extremely wealthy and successful in his career.
Still woulda hit a enemy with a TEC in nine-six
Nas is tough and would have defended himself and his honor in dangerous situations.
Exotic material on the neck and fly whips
Nas wears expensive jewelry and drives luxurious cars.
I was fresh out the 'jects, decked out to death
Despite coming from the projects, Nas has always had a great fashion sense.
Y'all witnessed it, I could fill you with real millionaire shit
Nas's wealth is evident, and he could share many stories about the luxurious lifestyle he leads.
Escargot, my car fresh from the dealership
Nas enjoys fine dining and has recently purchased a new car.
Esco alias, my escrow grow daily
Nas uses the nickname Esco and his finances continue to grow every day.
It's the freshest Air Max wearer, yes
Nas is always wearing trendy and fashionable clothing, especially Air Max sneakers.
Ejaculatory depression after sex
Nas is often not in the mood for conversation after sex.
And that mean after I nut, don't touch me, no questions
Nas wants to be left alone after he climaxes and does not want to discuss it further.
Unless she's a restless spirit then I can heal it
If his sexual partner is feeling restless, Nas will comfort and heal them emotionally.
Spend a lot of time together, I know her feelings
Nas has a deep emotional connection with his sexual partner and understands their feelings well.
But you fightin' what the essence of a woman is
Nas believes that some women fail to embrace their true feminine qualities and urges them to do so.
I respect you, my love's limitless
Nas has unconditional love and respect for his partner.
But what are you becoming?
Nas questions his partner's personal growth and urges them to reach their full potential.
You wanna be the man or the woman? Play your position
Nas wants his partner to determine and embrace their true gender identity, and accept the role that follows.
Mornin' or night I'm lickin' the pudding ain't I?
Nas enjoys performing oral sex on his partners in the morning or at night.
Since my days of St. Ides
Nas has been sexually active since his early days of drinking St. Ides malt liquor.
Pullin' out box cutters to bang opps who ain't us
Nas has used a box cutter to defend himself from people he felt were not part of his community.
To Bentley Continentals, see the man I is
Nas's wealth and success have allowed him to own luxury cars like Bentley Continentals.
Hand-to-hand hustlers always claiming they ran The Brizz
Some drug dealers in Nas's area claim they have power and control, but Nas does not respect them.
The big homies don't approve that
Nas and his peers do not approve of the drug dealers' behavior, and likely distance themselves from them.
Felt and Dirty Red fundin' RK but where was you at?
Nas is critical of individuals who did not contribute to the funding of their local community or people.
We all tried to move crack
Many people in Nas's community have tried to sell cocaine for money and success.
Nowadays I'm just showing my age
Nas recognizes that he is getting older and may not be able to engage in the same behaviors as he did when he was younger.
The new goons hardly heard of these legendary names, it's strange
The younger generation of criminals is not familiar with the reputations of the older gang members.
The Bridge rappers influenced me, son
Nas was inspired by fellow rappers from Queensbridge, an area in New York City.
But if I was in the Juice Crew, we woulda won
Nas believes that if he had been part of a historical rap group called the Juice Crew, they would have been more successful.
No disrespect 'less disrespect served to me
Nas will only disrespect someone if they have disrespected him first.
You a gangsta groupie, gassin' niggas to murder me, nigga?
Nas is accusing someone of encouraging others to kill him, possibly out of jealousy or hatred.
Who I'm reppin'? 10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
Nas is representing his community and those from the surrounding streets.
Deep roots, I ain't have to fake it yet
Nas has genuine connections with his peers in the community and does not need to fake anything.
Old solid tree branches ain't breakin' yet
Nas and his peers are strong and resilient despite facing challenges and adversity.
I got the je ne sais quoi, why bother
Nas has a natural charm and charisma that does not need to be augmented or explained.
With girls who like to play keep-away with they toddlers?
Nas is not interested in pursuing romantic relationships with women who prioritize their children over him.
She started with good intentions like a rich pastor
A woman Nas was involved with began with good intentions but ended up harming him.
Bitch was bad, turned from good thing to disaster
The woman Nas was involved with caused chaos and misery.
Takes forever to build a rep, one second to lose it
It takes a long time to establish a good reputation, but one mistake can ruin it.
She put her neck in a noose, snapped it
The woman Nas was with made a bad decision and suffered the consequences.
Hangin' on every word she heard come outta cougar mouth, super foul
The woman was easily influenced by others, and this had negative consequences for her and those around her.
Play your cards right, deuces wild, salute my pals
Nas has many friends and peers who are important to him, and he values their relationships.
Fathers all around the board goin' through it
Many fathers are struggling, likely with issues related to parenthood or family relationships.
She got lobster appetites, lots of habits
The woman Nas was with had expensive tastes and many indulgences.
Like frontin' when she need apartment deposits
The woman Nas was with pretended to have money when she needed to pay for important things like apartments.
Here's something, get you a starter
Nas is offering advice to someone, suggesting that they start small and work their way up.
But pardon my pimpin', I don't sponsor
Nas does not endorse or support anything related to the sex industry or prostitution.
I don't by cars, I coach you to win, know what?
Nas prefers to help others achieve success rather than buying things for himself.
If you broke and your man don't teach you, get rid of him
Nas believes that if a man is not willing to provide guidance and support to a woman who needs it, he is not worth keeping around.
Shout to Draws, Spanky, Black Ed, Hands
Nas is sending greetings and well wishes to his friends and peers.
Shout to Shabazz, Wewop and Harvey
Nas is sending greetings and well wishes to his friends and peers.
Rest in glory
Nas is paying respect to those who have passed away.
TJ Killa Black, rest in glory
Nas is paying respect to someone named TJ Killa Black who has passed away.
Shout to all the young legends we losin' too soon
Nas is mourning the loss of young people who have died before reaching their full potential.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jamal Sublett, Nasir Jones, Pharrell Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind