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.
1973β1992: 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.
1992β1995: 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 Serchβs solo album is released later in the year, Nasβ 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.
1996β1998: 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.
1998β2000: 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.
2000β2001: 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."
2002βPresent: 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 KoΠ―n'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, Nasβ 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..
Ghetto Prisoners
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh, regulate nigga
Bravehearts nigga
Live for this
Some of y'all don't live at all
Get yours nigga
Get yours baby
Uh, yo, yo
As the night close down on the Earth like gray dark rings
Light of cities in the nights, destination for Kings
With big dreams, like Castro, overthrew Bautista
From Cuba, and pointed nukes toward the U.S.
About to shoot us for revolution, that's how you gotta move
A lot of rules, some locked in solitude
Curse the day of they birth confused, who's to be praised?
The mighty dollar, or almighty Allah
I'm like the farmer, planting words, people are seeds
My truth is the soil, help you grow like trees
May the children come in all colors, change like leaves
But hold before you, one of those, prophetic MC's
With blunted flows, seven hundred souls in me
Each channeling, from past to present times, heaven shines
Light on those, innocent to how the world grows
Some men become murderers, and some girls become hoes
And you accounted for, everything that you heard
Do not speak to fools; they scorn the wisdom of your words
My heart is wise, bloodshot eyes, the saga never dies
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise [Repeat: x4]
Ghetto prisoners
Yo we gotta be God's children, habitats in tall buildings
Rats crawl in filthy hallways, incinerators
Sinners who faithless, still there's hope, pray it's answered
Dreams turned real, what's a wicked nation?
One with blind men, not taking charge of the situation
Empty arguments and real conversations needed
The world'll need it, to hear it
Evil tries to weaken my spirit, it's chronic herb
This hurt come from the honest word
I now try hardest to serve my maker, what I learned
Find it's way on the paper, so I could dictate it
Articulate it, luckily, I was put on one of the ships that made it
Through strong currents and winds that left the others stranded
To sink in the Atlantic
Satan jigs the planet, not to get too religious, but
Who decides when and if your life is finished?
If Christ is in this, for the sake of your name, oh Lord
May we break away from the chains abroad
[Chorus]
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise [Repeat: x3]
Ghetto prisoners, get up, wake up, rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise [Repeat: x3]
Ghetto prisoners
You want to buy time? I'm the seller of minutes
I give you every second low-priced, if I so lies; the truth is
Time waits for none of you, in fact
He can't wait for the date to snatch the ground right from under you
Small visions of better life if cheddar was right
Lurk in the mind, of young ones ahead of they time
Trapped in the slums, begging for nothing but taking
Headed for nothing but the state pen, where they cousins be waiting
Judges is not relating to pleas, guns busting where the kids play
Richochet off lamp poles and leave damp holes
In bystanders, get canceled, D.O.A.
Around the way where we from
Hope the future reduce the rate of those buried young
Life is every man's kingdom, a dyin man's past
And a newborn's, first time to be here at last
And shouldn't have to grow up fast, and suffer our pain
Hustling harder than the generations here before he came
Going through the same bullshit as our fathers
Reading history, but who's the authors?
For some the game is easy, for most of us the game is much harder
But never lose faith; through the years just get smarter
Ghetto prisoners, ghetto prisoners
[Chorus]
The song "Ghetto Prisoners" by Nas is a depiction of life in the ghettos of America where people are trapped in their surroundings and struggle against the system. Nas begins by drawing a picture of how cities light up at night, with everyone chasing their own dreams. However, he points out that people are losing sight of the bigger picture and ignoring the injustices around them. He speaks of the importance of revolution, citing the example of Castro overthrowing Bautista from Cuba. However, he also acknowledges the struggles of those locked up in solitary confinement, lost and forgotten in society.
Nas goes on to express his faith in God and the power of his words to impact others, like planting seeds that will eventually grow into trees. He calls himself a "prophetic MC" with a wise heart and bloodshot eyes who channels words from past to present times. Nas notes how some women become prostitutes and men become murderers, but some still hold onto their wisdom and value truth. The chorus "Ghetto prisoners rise, rise, rise" encourages listeners to rise up and break free from the chains of oppression.
Overall, Nas's lyrics reveal the complexities of life in the ghettos of America, presenting a picture of both the struggles and the hopes of the people who live there. The song urges people to take action, whether through revolution or education, to change their lives and make a difference in the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, regulate nigga
The singer is setting the tone for the song with this phrase.
Bravehearts nigga
The singer is shouting out his crew.
Live for this
The singer is emphasizing how much he loves making music.
Some of y'all don't live at all
The artist is pointing out that some people don't truly live their lives to the fullest.
Get yours nigga
The artist is urging his listeners to go after what they want in life.
Get yours baby
The singer is continuing to encourage his listeners to succeed.
As the night close down on the Earth like gray dark rings
The singer is setting the scene for the following lyrics with his description of the setting.
Light of cities in the nights, destination for Kings
The artist is pointing out that cities are attractive to powerful people.
With big dreams, like Castro, overthrew Bautista
The artist is referencing Fidel Castro's successful overthrow of Fulgencio Batista in Cuba.
From Cuba, and pointed nukes toward the U.S.
The artist is referencing the Cuban Missile Crisis.
About to shoot us for revolution, that's how you gotta move
The singer is suggesting that sometimes revolutionary actions require extreme measures.
A lot of rules, some locked in solitude
The artist is pointing out that people can be punished for their actions and may become isolated.
Curse the day of they birth confused, who's to be praised?
The singer expresses confusion over whether to value money or religion more highly.
The mighty dollar, or almighty Allah
The singer is referencing a popular comparison between financial success and devotion to a higher power.
I'm like the farmer, planting words, people are seeds
The singer is comparing his lyrics to seeds that will grow and influence the minds of his listeners.
My truth is the soil, help you grow like trees
The artist is suggesting that his honest message will help his listeners grow as people.
May the children come in all colors, change like leaves
The artist is expressing his hope that children of all races will have a better future.
But hold before you, one of those, prophetic MC's
The singer is referring to himself as someone who can predict the future through his lyrics.
With blunted flows, seven hundred souls in me
The singer is suggesting that he is influenced by many different people and ideas.
Each channeling, from past to present times, heaven shines
The artist is suggesting that he can connect with the past and the divine through his music.
Light on those, innocent to how the world grows
The artist is suggesting that his music can help people who are unaware of the realities of the world.
Some men become murderers, and some girls become hoes
The artist is acknowledging that not everyone has the opportunity to succeed in life.
And you accounted for, everything that you heard
The singer is suggesting that people should be discerning in what they believe and take to heart.
Do not speak to fools; they scorn the wisdom of your words
The artist is advising listeners not to waste their time trying to convince foolish people of anything.
My heart is wise, bloodshot eyes, the saga never dies
The singer is suggesting that he has lived a lot and experienced many things that have led to his current perspective.
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
The singer is urging listeners who are confined to the ghetto to rise up and succeed.
Yo we gotta be God's children, habitats in tall buildings
The singer is suggesting that people living in urban areas are still part of God's plan.
Rats crawl in filthy hallways, incinerators
The artist is pointing out the harsh realities of living in a dirty and polluted city.
Sinners who faithless, still there's hope, pray it's answered
The artist is acknowledging that people may have lost faith in themselves or in a higher power, but there is still hope for them.
Dreams turned real, what's a wicked nation?
The singer is questioning what it means for someone to achieve their dreams in a society that they view as corrupt.
One with blind men, not taking charge of the situation
The singer is criticizing those in power who are not working to improve society.
Empty arguments and real conversations needed
The artist is suggesting that people need to have more meaningful discussions rather than just arguing about things.
The world'll need it, to hear it
The artist is suggesting that the world needs to hear the truth about what is happening in society.
Evil tries to weaken my spirit, it's chronic herb
The artist is suggesting that his spirit is being weakened by societal problems, which he compares to an addictive drug.
This hurt come from the honest word
The singer is suggesting that his pain comes from his truthful lyrics that reflect the realities of the world.
I now try hardest to serve my maker, what I learned
The artist is suggesting that he has learned from his past and is now trying to serve a higher power.
Find it's way on the paper, so I could dictate it
The singer is suggesting that he writes down his thoughts so that he can share them with others.
Articulate it, luckily, I was put on one of the ships that made it
The singer is referring to his heritage as an African-American and how he was fortunate enough to have been born in America.
Through strong currents and winds that left the others stranded
The singer is pointing out that he has overcome trials that have left others behind.
Satan jigs the planet, not to get too religious, but
The artist is referencing the influence of evil in the world, but also acknowledging that he doesn't want to rely too heavily on religion for his message.
Who decides when and if your life is finished?
The artist is questioning who has control over people's lives and when they will die.
If Christ is in this, for the sake of your name, oh Lord
The singer is asking for help from a higher power to make a positive impact on the world.
May we break away from the chains abroad
The singer is asking for freedom and independence from oppressive societal structures.
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
The artist is once again urging those who are confined to the ghetto to rise up and succeed.
You want to buy time? I'm the seller of minutes
The artist is suggesting that he values time and can help other people do so as well.
I give you every second low-priced, if I so lies; the truth is
The artist is suggesting that he can help people live fully even on a tight budget, and that his lyrics are truthful.
Time waits for none of you, in fact
The singer is pointing out that time is always moving and waits for no one.
He can't wait for the date to snatch the ground right from under you
The artist is suggesting that people need to make the most of their time before it's too late.
Small visions of better life if cheddar was right
The singer is acknowledging that people have the idea that having money would improve their lives.
Lurk in the mind, of young ones ahead of they time
The singer is referring to the fact that young people who have high ambitions need to work to achieve them.
Trapped in the slums, begging for nothing but taking
The singer is pointing out that people stuck in the ghetto may feel like their only option is to take what they can, even if it's wrong.
Headed for nothing but the state pen, where they cousins be waiting
The artist is pointing out that people in the ghetto may feel like their only long-term option is to end up in jail.
Judges is not relating to pleas, guns busting where the kids play
The artist is criticizing the justice system for being too harsh and also for not protecting children.
Richochet off lamp poles and leave damp holes
The singer is providing a visual description of gun violence.
In bystanders, get canceled, D.O.A.
The singer is pointing out that innocent people can be killed in gun violence.
Around the way where we from
The artist is referencing his hometown or a similar area.
Hope the future reduce the rate of those buried young
The artist is expressing hope that future generations will not have to endure as many untimely deaths.
Life is every man's kingdom, a dyin man's past
The artist is suggesting that life is what you make of it, and that people should enjoy it while they can.
And a newborn's, first time to be here at last
The singer is pointing out the wonder of experiencing life for the first time.
And shouldn't have to grow up fast, and suffer our pain
The artist is suggesting that children should be able to enjoy their childhoods and not have to experience the pain of the world too soon.
Hustling harder than the generations here before he came
The singer is pointing out that people today have to work even harder than previous generations did.
Going through the same bullshit as our fathers
The singer is pointing out the cyclical nature of societal problems and how they affect different generations.
Reading history, but who's the authors?
The singer is questioning who gets to decide what is recorded in history and whose perspectives are represented.
For some the game is easy, for most of us the game is much harder
The artist is acknowledging that some people have advantages that allow them to succeed more easily than others.
But never lose faith; through the years just get smarter
The artist is giving advice to his listeners, urging them to keep trying and to learn from their experiences.
Ghetto prisoners, ghetto prisoners
The singer is repeating the chorus, urging those confined to the ghetto to rise up and succeed.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAMON BLACKMON, NASIR JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind