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..
God Love Us
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh,
Uh, speak without thinking,
Speak without speaking huh,
Feel without reaching, uh
That's what it's about
It's about that, inner, inner love, you know what i mean?
God love us hood niggaz (I know)
Cause next to Jesus on the cross was the crook niggas (I know)
And the killers, God love us good niggas (I know)
Cause on the streets is the hood niggas, uh
And I know he feel us, uh,
God love us hood niggas (I know)
Cause he be wit us in the prisons
And he takes time to listen, uh
God love us hood niggas (I know)
Cause next to Jesus on the cross was the crook niggas, uh
But he forgive us
[Nas]
He who has ears, let him hear
And he who has sight, let him see
He who has life, let him be
See everything goes through change
Those who know don't talk
And those who talk don't know a thing
Men are born soft and turn tough
Dead lay a stiffened heart, I've been kissed by God
I've been hurt, I've been marked for death, almost ripped apart
By the beast but he missed his mark
Alone in the dark my thoughts had sparked up
When I saw my body on the floor, from above I watch it all
Yo it came to me, the pain in me
Many slain empty skulls where a brain should be
It strangely seemed, like it was a dream
But the sirens had never woke me
Only reason I'm here now is cause God chose me
And to me, I'm only just a crook nigga
But God love us hood niggas
[Chorus]
[Nas]
Day by day by day I sit back and pray
My thugs get packed away, in a maxi-cage
They pass away, they went off the casket way
My gats will spray, but that won't bring em back today
So long my crimies now gone for eternity
The team we got left on the set, now turn to me
Can't speak, tears in my eyes, revenge in my mind
I ride past the church where they got his body and find
They taking him to the hearse to put his body in dirt
That's it, pay my respects, wipe my tears with my shirt
Now it's time to do work, out of love and retribution
As loyalty, he would die for me, no excuses
Loading clips up, counting bullets carefully
For self, though it feels like, he was there for me
Saw the enemy, I ate him, saw Jakes behind me
They ain't knock me, it's obvious that God's watching me
[Chorus]
[Nas]
Jealousy in the hood, felonies in the hood
Thugs wit guns become celebrities in the hood
Yo it's beef in the hood, smoke trees in the hood
Little girls have seeds by O.G.'s in the hood
It's food in the hood, it's drugs in the hood
You can choose if you would, coke to sniff
Dope to ooze in your blood, parolees
Ex-cons live in the hood, it's jobs in the hood
You can starve in the hood
Your best friends'll fuck your baby moms in the hood
But it's good in the hood
I was raised in the hood
Was taught how to walk and duck strays in the hood
I stays in the hood
Got my ways in the hood
Learned to play ball closer to NBA, in the hood
There's AIDS (uh) in the hood (what?)
Our lives are the worst, on top of that, we broke
That's the main reason why God, love us the most
[Chorus: x2]
In Nas's song God Love Us, he reflects on his experiences growing up in the hood and the struggles that come with it. He speaks about the love that God has for those who are considered "hood niggas" and how, despite their flaws and mistakes, they are still loved and forgiven by God. Nas uses religious imagery, referencing Jesus on the cross and the concept of forgiveness, to emphasize this message.
Throughout the song, Nas also contemplates the nature of existence and emphasizes the importance of inner love, stating: "Speak without thinking, feel without reaching, uh / That's what it's about / It's about that, inner, inner love, you know what I mean?" These lines suggest that true fulfillment comes from within and that one must prioritize self-love above all else.
Additionally, Nas touches on themes of loyalty, revenge, and loss, describing the pain he feels when his friends die, and how he seeks to avenge them. He also acknowledges the darker side of the hood, referencing drugs, violence, and infidelity. However, he ends the song on an optimistic note, stating that despite the hardships, there is still good to be found in the hood.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, speak without thinking,
Speaking without considering the consequences of one's words.
Speak without speaking huh,
Communicating without actually saying anything of substance.
Feel without reaching, uh
Experiencing emotions without being able to act on or express them.
That's what it's about
Life is about internal, personal experiences and emotions.
It's about that, inner, inner love, you know what i mean?
The most important type of love to cultivate is the love of oneself and one's inner being.
God love us hood niggaz (I know)
God loves those from the inner city who have faced struggle and adversity.
Cause next to Jesus on the cross was the crook niggas (I know)
Jesus showed love and understanding even to those who were considered outcasts or sinners by society.
And the killers, God love us good niggas (I know)
Even those who have committed wrongs in the past are capable of redemption and deserving of love from a higher power.
Cause on the streets is the hood niggas, uh
Those who grow up in the inner city face unique challenges and struggles that can only be understood by others who have lived through the same experiences.
And I know he feel us, uh,
There is a sense of comfort in knowing that a higher power understands and empathizes with one's struggles.
Cause he be wit us in the prisons
Even those who are incarcerated and separated from society can still feel the presence of a greater love and understanding.
And he takes time to listen, uh
God is always present and listening, offering comfort and guidance even in the darkest moments.
But he forgives us
Redemption and forgiveness are possible for anyone who is willing to seek it out.
He who has ears, let him hear
Only those who are truly listening and paying attention will understand the deeper meanings behind these words.
And he who has sight, let him see
True understanding and wisdom require not just hearing, but truly seeing and recognizing the world around us.
He who has life, let him be
Living life to the fullest and making the most of one's time on this earth is the greatest gift of all.
See everything goes through change
Life is constantly in a state of flux, and nothing remains the same forever.
Those who know don't talk
Often, the most wise and knowledgeable people are those who are quiet and observant rather than loud and boastful.
And those who talk don't know a thing
The loudest voices are not always the most informed or insightful.
Men are born soft and turn tough
As we grow older and face challenges in life, we become hardened and resilient in order to survive.
Dead lay a stiffened heart, I've been kissed by God
Even in the face of death, there can be a sense of peace and comfort from a greater power.
I've been hurt, I've been marked for death, almost ripped apart
Life can be brutal and unforgiving, but even in the darkest moments, there can be strength and resilience.
By the beast but he missed his mark
Even when facing the worst that life has to offer, there is always hope for survival and recovery.
Alone in the dark my thoughts had sparked up
In moments of isolation and solitude, the mind can be its most active and creative.
When I saw my body on the floor, from above I watch it all
In moments of extreme stress or danger, some people report out of body experiences where they feel disconnected from their physical selves and able to observe the world around them from a different perspective.
Yo it came to me, the pain in me
Sometimes, moments of extreme hardship and pain can lead to sudden, profound moments of insight or clarity.
Many slain empty skulls where a brain should be
The inner city can be a place of tragedy and loss, with too many young lives lost before they have a chance to truly live.
It strangely seemed, like it was a dream
The most surreal and traumatic experiences can sometimes feel like something out of a dream or nightmare, rather than reality.
But the sirens had never woke me
Certain experiences can be so jarring and shocking that they almost feel beyond the realm of reality.
Only reason I'm here now is cause God chose me
Even in moments of extreme danger or hardship, there can be a sense of purpose or reason behind one's survival.
And to me, I'm only just a crook nigga
Despite any past mistakes or wrongs committed, one can always strive to do better and be better.
Day by day by day I sit back and pray
Prayer can be a powerful way to find peace and solace in difficult times.
My thugs get packed away, in a maxi-cage
The criminal justice system can be a harsh and unforgiving place, particularly for those from the inner city who face systemic discrimination and bias.
They pass away, they went off the casket way
Too many young lives are cut short due to violence and senseless tragedy.
My gats will spray, but that won't bring em back today
Retaliation and violence will not bring back those who are lost, and may only lead to more pain and suffering in the future.
So long my crimies now gone for eternity
Losing friends and loved ones to violence can be a life-altering and traumatic experience.
The team we got left on the set, now turn to me
In times of loss and tragedy, it can be important to turn to those who are still present and seek comfort and support from them.
Can't speak, tears in my eyes, revenge in my mind
Strong emotions like grief and anger can be overwhelming and hard to process in healthy ways.
I ride past the church where they got his body and find
Grief can be a confusing and isolating experience, with a sense of detachment and helplessness in the face of something so tragic.
They taking him to the hearse to put his body in dirt
The reality of losing someone you care about can be difficult to process, particularly when faced with the practical aspects of funerals and burial.
That's it, pay my respects, wipe my tears with my shirt
Grieving is a deeply personal and individual experience, and everyone must find their own way to pay tribute and say goodbye to those they have lost.
Now it's time to do work, out of love and retribution
Sometimes, the best way to honor the memory of those who are lost is to strive for justice and work to make the world a better place.
As loyalty, he would die for me, no excuses
Friends and allies who are still present can provide crucial support and solidarity in times of loss and tragedy.
Loading clips up, counting bullets carefully
Revenge and retaliation may be tempting in the wake of loss, but they also come with a heavy cost and risk of further violence and harm.
For self, though it feels like, he was there for me
Even when those we care about are gone, their presence and memory can still be a source of strength and support.
Saw the enemy, I ate him, saw Jakes behind me
Sometimes, the justice system can feel like an enemy to those from the inner city who face discrimination and criminalization on a regular basis.
They ain't knock me, it's obvious that God's watching me
Even in moments of danger and risk, there can be a sense of divine protection and guidance watching over us.
Jealousy in the hood, felonies in the hood
The inner city can be a place of intense competition and violence, with few opportunities for economic or social mobility.
Thugs wit guns become celebrities in the hood
Those who are able to establish dominance and power through violence are often seen as heroes or role models in the inner city, perpetuating a dangerous cycle of aggression and harm.
Yo it's beef in the hood, smoke trees in the hood
The inner city can be a place of intense social and cultural stratification, with different groups and factions fighting for power and influence.
Little girls have seeds by O.G.'s in the hood
The inner city is a place where the cycle of violence and poverty is often perpetuated across generations.
It's food in the hood, it's drugs in the hood
The inner city can be a place of intense scarcity and deprivation, with few resources or opportunities to improve one's circumstances.
You can choose if you would, coke to sniff
Even in the midst of deprivation and scarcity, there are always choices to be made about one's own behavior and actions.
Dope to ooze in your blood, parolees
Those who are incarcerated often face intense difficulties when trying to reintegrate into society and avoid a life of crime once they are released.
Ex-cons live in the hood, it's jobs in the hood
The inner city is often a place of systemic inequality, with limited opportunities for economic or social advancement.
You can starve in the hood
The inner city can be a place of intense economic deprivation and scarcity, where basic needs like food and shelter are not accessible to all.
Your best friends'll fuck your baby moms in the hood
The inner city can be a place of intense social and sexual competition, with few social norms or boundaries to govern behavior.
But it's good in the hood
Despite all of the challenges and difficulties, the inner city can also be a place of intense community and solidarity, with people banding together to overcome adversity and improve their circumstances.
I was raised in the hood
Growing up in the inner city can be a formative and defining experience that shapes a person's identity and worldview.
Was taught how to walk and duck strays in the hood
The inner city teaches people to be constantly on guard and prepared for danger and violence.
I stays in the hood
Despite any challenges or difficulties, there can be a deep sense of loyalty and attachment to one's home and community.
Got my ways in the hood
The inner city can shape a person's actions and behaviors, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse.
Learned to play ball closer to NBA, in the hood
Despite the challenges and limitations of growing up in the inner city, there are also opportunities for growth and advancement for those who are willing to work hard and strive for success.
There's AIDS (uh) in the hood (what?)
The inner city can be a place of intense health disparities and social inequality, with certain communities disproportionately impacted by diseases like HIV/AIDS.
Our lives are the worst, on top of that, we broke
Those who grow up in the inner city face multiple systemic obstacles and disadvantages, including poverty, lack of access to education and healthcare, and systemic discrimination and bias.
That's the main reason why God, love us the most
Despite all of the challenges and obstacles, those from the inner city are capable of incredible resilience and strength, and are deserving of love and understanding from a higher power.
[Chorus: x2]
Repeating the main message and themes of the song: that those from the inner city are deserving of love and understanding, despite the challenges they face.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAMON BLACKMON, NASIR JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind