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.
1973โ1992: 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.
1992โ1995: 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 Serchโs solo album is released later in the year, Nasโ 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.
1996โ1998: 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.
1998โ2000: 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.
2000โ2001: 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."
2002โPresent: 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 Koะฏn'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, Nasโ 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..
Got Ur Self
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got yo'self a gun (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Got yo'self a gun
Yo, I'm livin' in this time behind enemy lines so
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
And when I see you I'ma take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
My, first album had no famous guest appearances
The outcome: I'm crowned the best lyricist
Many years on this professional level
Why would you question who's better? The world is still mine
Tattoos real with "God's Son" across the belly
The boss of rap, you saw me in "Belly" with thoughts like that
To take it back to Africa, I did it with Biggie
Me and Tupac were soldiers of the same struggle
You lames should huddle, your team's shook
Y'all feel the wrath of a killer, 'cause this is my football field
Throwin' passes from a barrel, shoulder pads apparel
But the Q.B. don't stand for no quarterback
Every word is like a sawed-off blast, 'cause y'all all soft
And I'm the black hearse that came to haul y'all ass in
It's for the hood by the corner store
Many try, many die, come at Nas if you want a war, get it bloody, uh
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
And when I see you I'ma take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
Yo, I'm the N the A to the S-I-R
And If I wasn't, I must've been Escobar
You know the kid got his chipped tooth fixed
Hair parted with a barber's preciseness, Bravehearted for life
It's the return of the Golden Child, son of a blue's player
So who are you playa? Y'all awaited the true savior
Puffin' that tropical, cups of that Vodka too
Papi chu', tore up, wake up in a hospital
Throw up? Never, 'member I do this through righteous steps
You Judists thought I was gone, so in light of my death
Y'all been all happy-go-lucky, bunch of sambos
Call me "God's Son", with my pants low
I don't die slow, put them rags up like Petey Pablo
This is Nasdaq dough, in my Nascar with this Nas flow
Flip the beat back, now it's all reppin'
Hit the record sto', never let me go, get my whole collection, yo
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
And when I see you I'ma take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
It's, the, return of the Prince, the boss
This is real hardcore, Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit's soft
Sip Cris', get chips, wrist gliss, I floss
Stick shift, look sick up in that Boxter Porsche
With the top cut off, rich kids go and cop The Source
They don't know about the blocks I'm on
And everybody want to know where the kid go? Where he rest at?
Where he shop at and dress at?
Know he got dough, where does he live? Is he still in the bridge?
Does he really know how ill that he is?
Got all of y'all watchin' my moves, my watch and my jewels
Hop in my coupe, dodge interviews like that
It's not only my jewels, ice anything, plenty chains
Look at my tennis shoes, I iced that
Who am I? The back-twister, lingerie-ripper
Automatic leg-spreader, quicker brain-getter
Keepin' it gangsta wit' ya, uh
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
And when I see you I'ma take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
And when I see you I'ma take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
In Nas's song "Got Ur Self A...," he explores the idea of living in a dangerous and violent environment, and how people need to protect themselves. He starts the song by saying he woke up and has a gun, and hopes that others in his community have weapons for protection as well. He mentions wanting to take what he wants when he sees someone frontin' and also notes that he is the best lyricist, and no one should question who's better. Nas goes on to reference his tattoos, "God's Son" and his role in the movie "Belly." He talks about his collaborations with Tupac and Biggie, calling them his fellow soldiers. He warns others that they will feel the wrath of a killer, and that he is a force to be reckoned with. The chorus emphasizes the importance of having a gun and being ready to defend oneself in a harsh and unforgiving world.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up this mornin', (yeah)
I woke up this morning feeling ready to take on the world.
You got yo'self a gun (yeah, yeah, yeah)
You have to be prepared to defend yourself in this dangerous world.
Got yo'self a gun
Make sure you have the right tools to protect yourself, whether it's a real gun or something else.
Yo, I'm livin' in this time behind enemy lines so
I feel like I'm constantly under attack and have to be on guard at all times.
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
I have what I need to protect myself, and I hope you do too.
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self a gun)
Growing up in the hood can be dangerous, and I hope you're prepared to defend yourself.
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
If you're looking for trouble, I hope you have the means to protect yourself.
And when I see you I'ma take what I want
I'm not afraid to take what I want, and I'll do whatever it takes to get it.
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
If you're going to try to challenge me, you better be prepared to defend yourself.
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self a gun)
If you're not genuine or authentic, you could be in danger, so I hope you're prepared to protect yourself.
My, first album had no famous guest appearances
I made a name for myself on my own, without any help from others.
The outcome: I'm crowned the best lyricist
My hard work and dedication paid off, and I am now considered the best in my field.
Many years on this professional level
I have been successful in my career for a long time.
Why would you question who's better? The world is still mine
I am confident in my abilities and do not feel the need to prove myself to anyone, as I am still on top of the world.
Tattoos real with "God's Son" across the belly
I have a tattoo that signifies my spirituality and faith.
The boss of rap, you saw me in "Belly" with thoughts like that
I am a leader in the rap industry and was even in a movie that showcased my dominance.
To take it back to Africa, I did it with Biggie
I traveled to Africa with Biggie in an effort to reconnect with our roots.
Me and Tupac were soldiers of the same struggle
Tupac and I had a shared passion for fighting for what we believed in, which connected us on a deep level.
You lames should huddle, your team's shook
Those who are weak or ineffective should band together to try and protect themselves from stronger opponents.
Y'all feel the wrath of a killer, 'cause this is my football field
I am a force to be reckoned with, and anyone who challenges me will experience my deadly power.
Throwin' passes from a barrel, shoulder pads apparel
I am like a football player, throwing powerful shots with my weapon and equipping myself with protective gear.
But the Q.B. don't stand for no quarterback
I am not a typical quarterback, but instead use my talent and skill to dominate in my own way.
Every word is like a sawed-off blast, 'cause y'all all soft
My words have the power to destroy and intimidate those who are weak or cowardly.
And I'm the black hearse that came to haul y'all ass in
I am like a hearse, taking away those who dare to challenge me and leaving them in the dust.
It's for the hood by the corner store
This song is meant for those who come from impoverished areas around the corner store.
Many try, many die, come at Nas if you want a war, get it bloody, uh
Many have tried to take me down, but they have only ended up defeated and killed.
Yo, I'm the N the A to the S-I-R
I am Nas, abbreviated to N.A.S.I.R.
And If I wasn't, I must've been Escobar
If I wasn't Nas, I would have to be someone as powerful and influential as Pablo Escobar.
You know the kid got his chipped tooth fixed
I used my success to fix something that had previously bothered me.
Hair parted with a barber's preciseness, Bravehearted for life
I take pride in my appearance and conduct myself with courage and conviction at all times.
It's the return of the Golden Child, son of a blue's player
I am making a triumphant comeback as a highly respected and legendary figure, born to a father who also achieved great success.
So who are you playa? Y'all awaited the true savior
I am the one everyone has been waiting for, the true savior who can deliver them from their struggles.
Puffin' that tropical, cups of that Vodka too
I enjoy smoking and drinking, often indulging in tropical strains and vodka mixed drinks.
Papi chu', tore up, wake up in a hospital
I partied so hard that I ended up in the hospital, worse for the wear.
Throw up? Never, 'member I do this through righteous steps
I never get sick or throw up when partying, because I always do so in moderation and with a clear head.
You Judists thought I was gone, so in light of my death
People thought I had disappeared or died, but I am still here, stronger than ever before.
Y'all been all happy-go-lucky, bunch of sambos
People have been too carefree and naive, like a group of sambos who have not yet realized the dangers of the world.
Call me "God's Son", with my pants low
People see me as a divine being, even though I wear my pants low and dress casually.
I don't die slow, put them rags up like Petey Pablo
I will not die a slow or painful death, and will instead go out with my head held high like rapper Petey Pablo.
This is Nasdaq dough, in my Nascar with this Nas flow
I have made a lot of money, and am now able to enjoy expensive hobbies like owning a NASCAR and rapping with my signature Nas style.
Flip the beat back, now it's all reppin'
I am able to flip the beat and make it my own, dominating the rap game.
Hit the record sto', never let me go, get my whole collection, yo
My music is so good that I have a dedicated fanbase who eagerly collect all of my albums and singles.
It's, the, return of the Prince, the boss
I am making a comeback once again, as the powerful and in-charge leader in the rap game.
This is real hardcore, Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit's soft
My style is far more hardcore and impactful than that of Kid Rock or Limp Bizkit, who are seen as more commercial and safe.
Sip Cris', get chips, wrist gliss, I floss
I enjoy drinking Cristal and making money, while showing off my jewelry and fashionable clothing.
Stick shift, look sick up in that Boxter Porsche
I look powerful and cool driving my Porsche with a manual stick shift.
With the top cut off, rich kids go and cop The Source
I drive my Porsche with the roof off, while wealthy children buy The Source magazine to read about me.
They don't know about the blocks I'm on
People have no idea about the dangerous areas that I come from and represent.
And everybody want to know where the kid go? Where he rest at?
People are curious about my whereabouts and where I sleep at night.
Where he shop at and dress at?
People are also interested in where I go shopping and what kind of clothing I wear.
Know he got dough, where does he live? Is he still in the bridge?
People assume that I have a lot of money and want to know where I live, potentially in my old neighborhood of Queensbridge.
Does he really know how ill that he is?
People question whether I truly understand just how talented and impactful I am.
Got all of y'all watchin' my moves, my watch and my jewels
People are constantly monitoring my actions and possessions, such as my expensive watch and jewelry.
Hop in my coupe, dodge interviews like that
I avoid interviews and media attention, preferring to keep to myself and drive my car.
It's not only my jewels, ice anything, plenty chains
My wealth is apparent in more than just my jewelry collection, as I also have plenty of expensive possessions.
Look at my tennis shoes, I iced that
Even my casual shoes are expensive and covered in ice to showcase my wealth.
Who am I? The back-twister, lingerie-ripper
I am a powerful and dominant figure, twisting people's backs and ripping lingerie as a show of my strength and virility.
Automatic leg-spreader, quicker brain-getter
I am a sexual force to be reckoned with, as well as a smart and quick thinker.
Keepin' it gangsta wit' ya, uh
I am always honest and real with my fans, never trying to be someone I'm not.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management
Written by: MEGAHERTZ, CHESTER SP ACCT. BURNETT, JAKE BLACK, N. JONES, P. MARSH, S. EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@suinegCarter
If You are listening to this in 2024. You have an impeccable music taste.
@rs-28sarmat49
I got mine I hope you got yourself
@user-rz6lg6ms5c
Every Year:)
@katzumihanzo5471
๐๐ผ๐๐ผ
@lonnmutta2073
am listening
@1FanofTHEECOSYSTEM
I came here SPECIFICALLY coz K-Dot woke up on some "woke up this morning! you got yourself.." HISTORY on repeat.
@wadzorwachirashi3961
This Guy deserves a statue....this is Rap Music....Timeless
@rwarren4637
Bruh! Preach!โ๐ฟ
@lexg3607
Facts!!!!!
@SheepdogColumbus
hip hop...