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..
Hero
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hate him or love him for the same reason
Can't leave it, the game needs him
Plus the people need someone to believe in
So in God's Son we trust
'Cause they know I'm gonna give 'em what they want
They looking for a (hero)
I guess that makes me a (hero)
Another chapter of the cleanest rapper, distinguished gentlemen
Crooks and Castle on his back, Maybacher
Exotic lady eye-catcher, holla at ya, call me the chiropractor
Working like Muay Thai class, get perspire out ya
And of course I've been the boss since back when
Rocking D Boy, Fila velour in one-ninety black Benz
Now they shut down the stores when I'm shopping
Used to be train robbing, face covered in stocking
I'm him
Chain gleaming, switching lanes, two-seater
Hate him or love him for the same reason
Can't leave it, the game needs him
Plus the people need someone to believe in
So in God's Son we trust
Cause they know I'm gonna give 'em what they want
They looking for a (hero)
I guess that makes me a (hero)
Rubber-grip-holder, reloader, come at me
I'ma rip your soliders in half, silverback ape, nickel-plated mag
Young, rich and flashy, young bitch, I'm nasty
All black clothes 'til ice lay on me so classy
And every time I close my lids
I can still see the borough, I can still see the Bridge
I can still see the dreams that my niggas ain't never lived to see
Tell them angels open the door for me
From nine Berettas and moving raw to chilling in wine cellars
Sticks and humidors, that's what I call mature
That's what I call a G, that's what I call a pimp
That's what I call a gangsta, to the fullest, shit
I try to make more cream
By every September 14th, that's my dream
So I can be more clean, as I grow yearly
I can see things more clearly, that's why they fear me
Let's go
Chain gleaming, switching lanes, two-seater
Hate him or love him for the same reason
Can't leave it, the game needs him
Plus the people need someone to believe in
So in God's Son we trust
'Cause they know I'm gonna give 'em what they want
They looking for a (hero)
I guess that makes me a (hero)
This universal apartheid, I'm hog-tied, the corporate side
Blocking y'all from going to stores and buying it
First L.A. and Doug Morris was riding with it
But Newsweek article startled big wigs
They said "Nas, why is he trying it?"
My lawyers only see the Billboard charts as winning
Forgetting Nas the only true rebel since the beginning
Still in musical prison, in jail for the flow
Try telling Bob Dylan, Bruce or Billy Joel
They can't sing what's in their soul
So "Untitled" it is
I never change nothing, but people remember this
If Nas can't say it, think about these talented kids
With new ideas being told what they can and can't spit
I can't sit and watch it, so shit, I'ma drop it
Like it or not, you ain't gotta cop it
I'm a hustler in the studio, cups of Don Julio
No matter what the CD called, I'm unbeatable y'all
Let's go
Yeah, Nas, Polow da Don
In โHeroโ by Nas, the rapper describes the pressures of being a hero-figure in hip-hop. He describes how people look up to him and believe in him, both as a rapper and as a voice in their community. Nas asserts that he is the โheroโ that the people are looking for, someone to believe in, and that he is the one who can give them what they want. Despite the pressure, Nas revels in the attention, describing his flashy lifestyle and his success at every turn. He is a โyoung, rich and flashyโ rapper who is also โyoung, bitch, [and] nasty.โ
Nas also speaks to the challenges of being a political force in hip-hop. He shares his struggles with the โcorporate sideโ of the industry, battling record labels and censorship as he tries to spread his message. Despite these challenges, Nas never backs down. He is a โtrue rebel,โ imprisoned by the flawed structure of the industry, but still willing to fight for his beliefs. At the end of the song, Nas remains defiant, refusing to change his values or his message for anyone. He is the โunbeatableโ hero that the people need.
Line by Line Meaning
Chain gleaming, switching lanes, two-seater
Nas describes himself riding in a luxurious two-seater sports car, switching lanes while his chain glistens and shines
Hate him or love him for the same reason
People either love or hate Nas for the same reason - his talent in the rap game
Can't leave it, the game needs him
Nas feels he cannot leave the rap game because the industry needs his talent and voice
Plus the people need someone to believe in
The people need a figure to believe in and Nas can fill that role
So in God's Son we trust
Nas refers to himself as God's son and people trust in him to give them what they want
'Cause they know I'm gonna give 'em what they want
Nas knows what his audience wants and he's determined to deliver
They looking for a (hero)
The people are looking for someone to look up to or a hero
I guess that makes me a (hero)
Since Nas can provide what they are looking for, he is the hero
Another chapter of the cleanest rapper, distinguished gentlemen
Nas positions himself as an exceptional rapper and distinguished gentleman in the rap game
Crooks and Castle on his back, Maybacher
Nas references designer brands Crooks and Castle along with Mercedes Maybacher that he prefers to wear and drive himself
Exotic lady eye-catcher, holla at ya, call me the chiropractor
Nas is attracting exotic ladies and full of confidence with a punchline saying he can make them feel better and remedies care with one shot
Working like Muay Thai class, get perspire out ya
Nas works hard like a Muay Thai class and wants to get rid of the sweat or pressure out of his system
And of course I've been the boss since back when
Nas has been the boss and on top of the game for a long time
Rocking D Boy, Fila velour in one-ninety black Benz
Nas reminisces about rocking D Boy attire in luxurious Fila velour tracksuits and driving the impressive 1990's Mercedes Benz car
Now they shut down the stores when I'm shopping
Nas' celebrity status is such that stores shut down when he goes shopping to look around
Used to be train robbing, face covered in stocking
Nas was once a train robber in the past and wore a mask to conceal his identity
I'm him
Nas is confident in himself and has become the successful figure he aspired to become
Rubber-grip-holder, reloader, come at me
Nas is ready for anything and well-equipped with a rubber grip gun, ready to defend himself when required
I'ma rip your soliders in half, silverback ape, nickel-plated mag
Nas is capable of overcoming and destroying anyone who opposes him, comparing himself to a muscular silverback gorilla with a dangerous nickel-plated gun
Young, rich and flashy, young bitch, I'm nasty
Nas describes his lavish lifestyle and attitude
All black clothes 'til ice lay on me so classy
Nas often wears all-black clothes and looks even classier when dressed up with diamonds
And every time I close my lids
Whenever Nas closes his eyes
I can still see the borough, I can still see the Bridge
Nas has a strong connection with the Queensbridge neighborhood and the Bridge across it
I can still see the dreams that my niggas ain't never lived to see
Nas remembers the dreams he once shared with his friends who have since passed away
Tell them angels open the door for me
Nas prays for a good afterlife and wants to be welcomed into heaven
From nine Berettas and moving raw to chilling in wine cellars
Nas remembers his past when he was dealing with drugs and had multiple guns, as opposed to now living in comfort with wine cellars
Sticks and humidors, that's what I call mature
Nas has transitioned from drugs and guns to smoking cigars and enjoying other mature activities
That's what I call a G, that's what I call a pimp
Nas now considers himself a gangster and pimp, living the dream life and doing what he wants, being the success that he is today
That's what I call a gangsta, to the fullest, shit
For Nas, being a gangsta and living the dream life, doing whatever he wants, is what being a gangsta is all about
I try to make more cream
Nas tries to earn more money and achieve greater success in his career
By every September 14th, that's my dream
Nas has set a goal to achieve his dreams by every 14th September
So I can be more clean, as I grow yearly
Nas wants to be more successful each year and remain clean in his endeavors, making better decisions and living a good life
I can see things more clearly, that's why they fear me
Nas has gained more clarity over time and people fear him because he knows what he's talking about and has achieved a lot in his life
Let's go
Nas is determined and motivated to keep going forward and achieve even greater things in life
This universal apartheid, I'm hog-tied, the corporate side
Nas talks about the systematic segregation and discrimination he faces in the music industry by those belonging to corporate side that control the music industry.
Blocking y'all from going to stores and buying it
Nas feels corporations are stopping people from buying his music by being resistant in promoting his music
First L.A. and Doug Morris was riding with it
Nas had big record label executives backing him until a critical Newsweek article came out which exposed that certain executives were the ones preventing his music from being sold
But Newsweek article startled big wigs
The Newsweek article was an eye-opener for the record label executives and revealed the truth behind Nas' struggles in his career
They said "Nas, why is he trying it?"
Record label executives are questioning why Nas is fighting his case and why it bothers him to go against the grain.
My lawyers only see the Billboard charts as winning
The only way Nas can earn vindication and prestige is through winning on the Billboard charts and putting out successful music
Forgetting Nas the only true rebel since the beginning
Nas feels that despite his body of work, which has been revolutionary, he has not been given the credit he deserves from the music industry
Still in musical prison, in jail for the flow
Nas still feels trapped in the music industry where he does not control the distribution of his art, and people continue to profit off his talent as an artist
Try telling Bob Dylan, Bruce or Billy Joel
Nas wonders if legendary musicians from different genres, such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, or Billy Joel, would face similar struggles in having their music heard
They can't sing what's in their soul
Nas believes record companies do not give musicians the creative freedom to express what their soul desires
So "Untitled" it is
Nas protested against the industry by making an album called "Untitled" to draw attention to the record label's restrictions put upon him
I never change nothing, but people remember this
Nas will not change himself for the music industry, but he wants people to remember that he always stood up for himself and fought for his vision
If Nas can't say it, think about these talented kids
Nas is concerned that if he isn't given the freedom to express himself, then there's very little hope for upcoming, talented kids who want their art to be heard
With new ideas being told what they can and can't spit
Nas is worried that record labels and executives will stifle the creativity and freedom of expression of young artists, telling them what they can and cannot say
I can't sit and watch it, so shit, I'ma drop it
Nas does not want to be a spectator in the ongoing industry struggle someone needs to speak up for the artists and calls out the injustice practiced by the big record label companies.
Like it or not, you ain't gotta cop it
Nas reassures listeners that it's not necessary to purchase his art, despite whether they like it or not
I'm a hustler in the studio, cups of Don Julio
Nas discloses that while others fight the battles, he's still a hustler with an urge to create music and drink cups of Don Julio
No matter what the CD called, I'm unbeatable y'all
Nas feels that no matter what the album is called, he'll give it his best, and his music will always be exceptional
Let's go
Nas concludes the song by urging people to keep going and continue the struggle with full determination and confidence.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jamaal Sublett, Nasir Jones, Jamal F. Jones, Cornell Haynes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zane Chambers
Criminally under rated song.
Adam Hutchison
True
josue guerrero
FrFr
Dragon Slayer
Criminals need to put their hands on their heads
Alima Turay
@Peter Griffin 99n99999k9k9kn9999kn99k999999999kn9999n 9k999999k9999kn99999k9k999k99999k999999k99
aBrownMindWalkingThroughTime
You sure? Since when are people out here UNDERrating Nas?๐
Jose B.
This was one of the first songs I put in my truck when I finally had a good sound system. The bass is insane!
Nas still one of the greatest rappers.
Curtchrisdagod
It does bump Excellently in your car.๐๐พ
jillmatic
This track has always given me chills...its such a wicked underrated song. I remember a lot of ppl thinking it was corny. It might be a TINY bit diff than say a "made you look" or an "undying love"..but please you heard the man...the game needs him, a lyrical hero.
Mike B
You must be from Massachusetts.