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..
Good Life
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(All star baby)
Young quick see (F-U-B-U)
Lately all I see is D-P-G
When I turn the radio on keep hearin' me (All day, everyday)
Livin' the good life, good life uh huh good life (Braveheartz)
Sure as the world is turnin' round and round (Shit is real yo)
There's these niggas, bitches, snitches tryin' to bring you down
(Fucked up) But I don't know why I mention
And if I don't pay no attention I'm cool (Real niggas do real things)
(Real niggas do real things)
Sure as my chronic is the best in town [* Inhale and coughs *]
Those who trippin' slippin' listen, we ain't stoppin' now (Can't stop)
We won't even pause, y'all can lick my balls (Bitches)
We livin' the good life, good life, good life
(Livin' the good life baby)
[Hook]
Young quick see (Come on, come on)
Lately all I see is D-P-G (Nate Dogg)
When I turn the radio on keep hearin' me (Still, still, still)
Livin' the good life, good life uh huh good life (We livin' the life)
[JS]
It ain't nothin' but a paper chase
But even when ya paper straight
Every stage just another way to see cake
But niggas still gotta die hate
Well fuck it, I'ma do it cause the streets put me to it
See y'all niggas is late
See it's big face, big livin'
Big dogs and big pimpin'
Game played with nothin' but precision
Money, cars, and women
See niggas hatin' cause they on the outside
Wishin' they could find a way in it
You see the rims spinnin' all black tinted
With the niggas who'll bring it to ya brain
If it's fuckin' with change
Fifty-four nigga remember the name
Ritz, glitz only when we empty clips
And dismember your brain
Cause I remember pain, gain pain, this winner reign
But now it's high tech out here in the center lane
See we got the world respectin' the slang
The good life, hit the studio, the club, straight to the plane
[Hook]
[Nas]
Yo, yo, yo
Pass you cowards, classical rap mix form power
Yasser Arafat, I'm stormin' with lead showers
And I'm murderous, common is formerly Nastradamous
I'm goin' for the top regardless
Pretty Boy Floyd, the rotten tooth king
Ghosts of my dead friends linger
I toast to you lover, blunts lit, wish I was hittin'
Cock back, four pound, let six in the air
Rock that raw sound, gettin' wet to this year
Cause of the projects Hannibal Lec, hand on my tech
In front the White House, my ice out demandin' respect
Braveheartin' to the grave darlin' wavin' my sterling
From out the black Bentley it's off, spray till y'all fallin'
East to West Coast ballin'
Nate Dogg, Nas, and Kurupt, liven it up, dimes in the cut
Sizin' us up, y'all wanna fuck, gin and tonic my cup
And we live the good life, still chronic it up
[Hook]
The song Good Life by Nas, featuring Nate Dogg and JS, talks about how life is good for them despite the haters that try to bring them down. The lyrics encourage listeners to focus on the positive things in life and to not pay attention to those who are trying to bring negativity. The chorus is all about living "the good life" and how the rappers keep hearing their own music on the radio, indicating that they have become successful and are enjoying the fruits of their labor.
Nas's verse talks about his own life and how he is going for the top regardless of what others may think or say about him. He references his past struggles and friends who have passed away, saying he wishes they were here with him to enjoy the success he has achieved. The verse also includes references to historical figures such as Yasser Arafat and Pretty Boy Floyd, showcasing Nas's lyrical prowess and ability to weave in different references into his verses.
Line by Line Meaning
Young quick see (F-U-B-U)
I see young people wearing FUBU clothing everywhere I go.
Lately all I see is D-P-G
I'm constantly surrounded by people who are part of the D-P-G group.
When I turn the radio on keep hearin' me (All day, everyday)
Every time I turn on the radio, I hear my own songs playing.
Livin' the good life, good life uh huh good life (Braveheartz)
I'm fortunate enough to be living a good life, and my crew is doing the same.
Sure as the world is turnin' round and round (Shit is real yo)
The world keeps moving and changing, and things can get tough sometimes.
There's these niggas, bitches, snitches tryin' to bring you down
There are people who are trying to drag you down with their negativity and drama.
But I don't know why I mention
I'm not sure why I'm even bringing this up.
And if I don't pay no attention I'm cool (Real niggas do real things)
If I don't pay attention to the haters and drama, I know I'll be fine because I'm a real person who does real things.
Sure as my chronic is the best in town [* Inhale and coughs *]
I know for a fact that my marijuana is the best quality you can find.
Those who trippin' slippin' listen, we ain't stoppin' now (Can't stop)
For those who are struggling or doubting us, we won't let that slow us down or stop us.
We won't even pause, y'all can lick my balls (Bitches)
We won't even take a break, and we don't care if people who doubt us don't like us.
We livin' the good life, good life, good life
We're all enjoying a great life and full of good things.
It ain't nothin' but a paper chase
At the end of the day, we're all just trying to make money.
But even when ya paper straight
Even when you have a lot of money, there will still be other challenges and goals to work towards.
Every stage just another way to see cake
Every new opportunity or stage of life is just another way to make more money.
But niggas still gotta die hate
People will still hate spitefully, even if you're successful.
Well fuck it, I'ma do it cause the streets put me to it
I'll keep working hard and succeeding because my upbringing in the streets motivated me to do so.
See y'all niggas is late
Some people might doubt me or think I won't make it, but they're wrong and behind the times.
See it's big face, big livin'
I'm living a luxurious and successful lifestyle.
Big dogs and big pimpin'
I'm a successful and dominant figure in my field.
Game played with nothin' but precision
I'm precise and skilled in my craft.
Money, cars, and women
I have the typical luxuries and vices associated with success.
See niggas hatin' cause they on the outside
People who are not successful might hate me because I am living a great life.
Wishin' they could find a way in it
Those same people might want to be successful like me.
You see the rims spinnin' all black tinted
I have expensive and modified car rims that show off my wealth.
With the niggas who'll bring it to ya brain
I have people around me who are violent and willing to use force if needed.
If it's fuckin' with change
If someone is obstructing my wealth or success, those people will be dealt with violently.
Fifty-four nigga remember the name
My name and reputation is important and should be remembered.
Ritz, glitz only when we empty clips
I only display my wealth and luxury lifestyle when I have completed violent or forceful actions.
And dismember your brain
I'll harm people who cross me or obstruct my progress.
Cause I remember pain, gain pain, this winner reign
I am successful because I had to endure and overcome hardships and pain in order to get here.
But now it's high tech out here in the center lane
I'm in the fast lane of success, with new and advanced resources and technology.
See we got the world respectin' the slang
My unique and personal style is being recognized and respected worldwide.
The good life, hit the studio, the club, straight to the plane
I'm living the good life, going from studio sessions to partying to traveling on private planes.
Pass you cowards, classical rap mix form power
I'm leaving behind less talented and less successful people in my pursuit of greatness.
Yasser Arafat, I'm stormin' with lead showers
I am powerful and make a big impact, like the late Yasser Arafat.
And I'm murderous, common is formerly Nastradamous
I have a reputation for violence, and I am well-known in the rap industry.
I'm goin' for the top regardless
I am determined to reach the top of my field, no matter the cost or obstacles.
Pretty Boy Floyd, the rotten tooth king
I'm a successful and wealthy person who stands out from the rest.
Ghosts of my dead friends linger
I'll always remember and honor my friends who have passed away.
I toast to you lover, blunts lit, wish I was hittin'
I am celebrating with a lit blunt and wishing that my past lover was here to celebrate with me.
Cock back, four pound, let six in the air
I'm firing a gun, shooting six rounds into the air.
Rock that raw sound, gettin' wet to this year
I am making great music and getting my fans excited and hyped up.
Cause of the projects Hannibal Lec, hand on my tech
I am from the projects and had to be tough and street-smart to survive, so I always carry a weapon for protection.
In front the White House, my ice out demandin' respect
Even in front of the White House, my expensive jewelry demands respect from others.
Braveheartin' to the grave darlin' wavin' my sterling
I am a Braveheart and will never give up or back down, even if it leads to my death.
From out the black Bentley it's off, spray till y'all fallin'
I'm driving an expensive black Bentley and will harm anyone who gets in my way.
East to West Coast ballin'
I am successful and wildly popular all over the country and beyond.
Nate Dogg, Nas, and Kurupt, liven it up, dimes in the cut
Nate Dogg, Nas, and Kurupt are all making great music together, with attractive women around them.
Sizin' us up, y'all wanna fuck, gin and tonic my cup
People are envious of us and want to sleep with us, but I'm too busy enjoying my drink to pay them any attention.
And we live the good life, still chronic it up
We're all living a great life and smoking the best quality marijuana.
Hook
Repeating the chorus again.
Contributed by Bentley V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ericb9035
I remember back in Junior High, my boy used to always sing Nate’s part! He wasn’t the greatest singer but he was putting his soul into it.. my friend I mean. Peace to him wherever he at and RiP Nate Dogg
@IvanSalcido-sz9kt
Best the best
🍉 of
Your Osiris Nosbnaom
💯
@ericb9035
@@IvanSalcido-sz9kt right on 👌
@lifranchize7325
@@ericb9035look your friend up family !
@C0nspiracyNy
This was on DJ clue heavy components mixtape back in 2001, i was in 8th grade, still bumpin in 2022, rest up nate dogg
@TonyDMV
Exactly right. I was in HS excellent memory with the DJ clue.
@derrickmiller8761
NAS IS THE BEST, AND RIP, NATE IS THE DOPEST ON THE HOOK'S, REAL SPILL BILL
@ElAbuelardo
I remember my childhood dancing with my brother being all original gangsters. Greetings from Argentina
@spreekstofspringstofdvb6351
Aint nobody that can come close to nate's Voice period. Nobody does is better!!
@patricknkhosi1587
Anthony Hamilton