I Do It For Hip Hop
Nas Lyrics

Now this is what they call poetry in motion
The singer is describing their rap style as poetic and speaks of their passion for hip hop.

My soul bleeds on the paper, heart screams with emotion
The singer pours all their emotions into their music creating a powerful and meaningful expression of themselves.

This my daily devotion, the verses stay deeper than the ocean
The singer is devoted to creating deeply emotional, expressive lyrics that are timeless and impactful.

So hip hop you owe me a promotion
The artist feels that their work in hip hop is deserving of recognition and promotion.

What's all the commotion and nagging about?
The artist is questioning why there is negativity and criticism around their work in hip hop.

Cuz Im Still the Champ in the south
The singer is confident in their stature as one of the best rappers in the southern states.

Cuz rappers get in the booth and I keep dragging them out
The singer is asserting their dominance as a rapper by taking down other rappers in the recording studio.

For they fire at these pink slips im handing them out
The artist is willing to give other rappers pink slips (termination notices) if they don't measure up to the quality of their work.

Cuz this is theatre of the mind
The artist compares hip hop to a form of theater where the listener can imagine and visualize the lyrics in their head.

Considerate a sign of whats to come next
The artist is hinting that what they're doing in hip hop is just the beginning of something even greater.

My money's just fine bank filled with dumb checks
The singer doesn't do hip hop for the financial gain but they still have plenty of money in the bank.

Terrorist threat flow, proceed to drop bombs like mr.pump flex
The artist has a unique and powerful rap flow and is capable of dropping amazing verses like explosives.

But I don't do it for the money, I do it from the heart
The singer is emphasizing that their work in hip hop is fueled by their passion and love for the genre, not financial gain.

I do it with the beatbox, I did it from the start
The singer has always loved hip hop and has been involved in it from a young age, even using their own beatboxing skills in their music.

I do it for the DJ's, I do it for the chart's
The singer respects and appreciates the role of DJs in hip hop culture and seeks to create music that resonates with audiences and climbs the charts.

The fan gel flow, luda do it cuz it's art
The artist is proud of their distinctive, fan-facing flow and considers their work in hip hop to be art.

I do it for the fans, I do it on command
The artist takes pride in creating music that their fans love and respects their support by fulfilling their musical requests.

I do it for the front row, I do it for the stands
The singer aims to create music that resonates with audiences both near and far, from those in the front row to those in the stands at a venue.

I spit it for the hood, I do it for the block
The singer seeks to create music that speaks to and represents their community and neighborhood, known as the hood or block.

It's Nine Years old, I did it for HIP HOP!
The artist has been proud to be a part of hip hop culture for many years and will continue to create music for the genre they love.

I do it for HIP HOP...
Throughout the song, the artist emphasizes that their work in hip hop is driven by their passion and love for the genre above all else.

And I don't do it for the cars and the fancy drops
The artist is not motivated by the allure of material possessions, like luxury cars and expensive jewelry.

And I don't do it for the chains and the flashing rocks
The singer is not motivated by the allure of material possessions, like expensive jewelry and other flashy trinkets.

I do it for HIP HOP... I do it for HIP HOP...
The artist reiterates that their work in hip hop is grounded in their deep love and dedication to the genre throughout the song.

I do it for HIP HOP and never ever stop
The singer is committed to creating music in the hip hop genre for as long as they can.

Till I get copped, popped, or arrested and locked up
The singer is willing to face the consequences of creating their music, even if it means getting arrested or imprisoned.

Not for the lowrider with the chrome T-Top
The singer is not motivated by the allure of material possessions, like a lowrider with a chrome T-Top.

Not for the money that can cop any shop
The artist is not motivated by the financial gain that comes from their work in hip hop.

Not for any Hot Mamas, But nonstop change like obama
The artist is not motivated by the prospect of attracting women, but rather driven to create positive change in hip hop culture akin to Barack Obama's political legacy.

No need for drama yo I do it for my soul
The singer's motivation for creating music in the hip hop genre is purely based on their passion for it, without wanting to engage in drama or conflict with others.

To hold and control what I can and that's the goal
The singer is focused on creating music to maintain a sense of control in their life and as a way of achieving their goals.

To puncture a hole in the bag and leak the movement
The artist aims to disrupt the status quo in hip hop culture and start a new movement by creating music that challenges the norm.

Improvement that's the destination, provin the obligation
The artist seeks to improve the quality of hip hop music and culture, acknowledging their obligation to their genre and community.

Changing the population, making the situation
The artist intends to create wide-reaching change within hip hop culture and change the situation for the better.

Better now then ever, n' vow to educating
The singer is committed to creating music that educates their audience and improves the state of hip hop culture.

The hood to good choices and getting a place in
The artist seeks to inspire people from their community to make positive choices and create opportunity for themselves within their society.

Society with the things we facing, while they hating
While others may criticize and oppose the singer's work in hip hop, they remain committed to creating music that addresses relevant societal issues.

We racing to like the masons all the way to the top
The singer is making a comparison to the Freemasons, who ascend through ranks to reach the highest level of recognition, as they strive to reach the pinnacle of success in hip hop culture.

Cleaning up the game from the same damn thing
The singer is committed to creating music that challenges the norms of hip hop culture and creates greater diversity and variation within the genre.

Cats faking and acting lame just to attract fame
The artist is critical of rappers who create inauthentic and insincere music in their quest for fame and success within hip hop culture.

But lyrically we react and blast them with words not gats
The artist believes that the true power of hip hop lies in the quality of lyrics, not in violent or aggressive behavior.

We (w)rap words around them like an island on a map
The singer is comparing the way good hip hop lyrics envelop and dominate their audience to how an island is surrounded and enveloped by water on a map.

As I put on my fitted cap, I think about the music
The singer is reflecting on their commitment to hip hop culture as they prepare to write and create music.

And why we do it and how we do use it
The artist is considering the purpose and value of their work in hip hop and how they can best utilize the genre to achieve their goals.

To be a nuisance to the common mind
The artist seeks to challenge and disrupt conventional ways of thinking through their work in hip hop.

And it's time for the whole world to see me with a blinding shine
The artist is confident in their abilities as a rapper and seeks to achieve global recognition and success within hip hop culture.