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..
If I Ruled The World feat. Lauryn Hill
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder
Will it take me under
I don't know
Imagine smoking weed in the streets without cops harassin'
Imagine going to court with no trial
Lifestyle, cruising blue Bahama waters
Days are shorter, nights are colder
Feeling like life is over, these snakes strike like a cobra
The world's hot, my son got knocked
Evidently, it's elementary, they want us all gone eventually
Troopin' out of state for a plate of knowledge
If coke was cooked without the garbage, we'd all have the top dollars
Imagine everybody flashin' fashion, designer clothes
Lacing your clique up with diamond Roles
Your people holdin' dough, no parole, no rubbers
Go in raw, imagine law with no undercovers
Just some thoughts for the mind
I take a glimpse into time
Watch the blimp read, "The World Is Mine"
If I ruled the world (imagine that)
I'd free all my sons, I love 'em, love 'em, baby
Black diamonds and pearls
(Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine)
If I ruled the world
(Still livin' for today, in these last days and times)
Yo, it'd be, paradise life, relaxin'
Black, Latino and Anglo-Saxon
Armani Exchange, the Range
Cash, Lost Tribe of Shabazz free at last
Brand new whips to crash, then we laugh in a iller path
The Villa house is for the crew, how we do
Trees for breakfast, dime sexes and Benz stretches
So many years of depression make me vision
The better livin', type of place to raise kids in
Open they eyes to the lies, history's told foul
But I'm as wise as the old owl, plus the Gold Child
Seeing things like I was controlling, clique rollin'
Trickin' six digits on kicks and still holdin'
Trips to Paris, I'd civilize every savage
Give one shot, I turn trife life to lavish
Political prisoners set free, stress free
No work release, purple M3's and jet skis
Feel the wind breeze in West Indies
I'd let Coretta Scott-King mayor the cities and reverse fiends to Willies
It sounds foul, but every girl I meet'd go downtown
I'd open every cell in Attica, send 'em to Africa
If I ruled the world (imagine that)
I'd free all my sons, I love 'em, love 'em, baby
Black diamonds and pearls
(Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine)
If I ruled the world
(Still livin' for today, in these last days and times)
And then we'll walk right up to the sun, hand in hand
We'll walk right up to the sun, we won't land
We'll walk right up to the sun, hand in hand
We'll walk right up to the sun, we won't land
You love to hear the story how the thugs live in worry
Duck down in car seats, heat's mandatory
Runnin' from Jake, gettin' chased, hunger for papes
These are the breaks, many mistakes go down out of state
Wait, I had to let it marinate, we carry weight
Tryna get laced, flip the ace, stack the safe
Millionaire plan to keep the gat with the cocked hammer
Makin' moves in Atlanta, back and forth scrambler
'Cause you could have all the chips, be poor or rich
Still nobody want a nigga havin' shit
If I ruled the world and everything in it, sky's the limit
I push the Q-45 Infinit'
It wouldn't be no such thing as jealousies, or B felony
Strictly living longevity to the destiny
I thought I'd never see, but reality struck
Better find out before your time's out, what the fuck
If I ruled the world (imagine that)
I'd free all my sons, I love 'em, love 'em, baby
Black diamonds and pearls
(Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine)
If I ruled the world
(Still livin' for today, in these last days and times)
If I ruled the world, if I ruled, if I ruled (imagine that)
I'd free all my sons, if I ruled, if I ruled
I love 'em, love 'em, baby
Black diamonds and pearls, black diamonds, black diamonds
(Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine)
If I ruled the world
(Still livin' for today, in these last days and times)
If I ruled the world, if I ruled, if I ruled
I'd free all my sons, black diamonds
I love 'em, love 'em, baby
Black diamonds and pearls, if I ruled
If I ruled the world
If I ruled the world
I love 'em, love 'em, baby
The lyrics of Nas feat Marsha Ambrosious's song If I Ruled The World ‘09 express the rapper's desire to imagine a better place to live in without oppression and inequality. Nas paints a picture of a world where people can smoke weed in the streets and go to court without a trial, where there is no poverty or welfare support, where everyone is conscious about the way they raise their daughters, and where those in power have a complete understanding of the history of oppression that has created such inequality. At the same time, the song acknowledges the reality that life in the present is not perfect and many people are struggling. The song expresses the belief that things can be better and that we need to work together to create a better world for everyone.
The song expresses Nas's desire to create a world where people can live their lives without fear of persecution, where everyone has equal opportunities and where nobody is left behind. The lyrics also express Nas's opinion on the state of the world, and his belief that we can do better if only we work together towards a common goal. The song expresses the desire to create a world that is inclusive, diverse, and compassionate.
Line by Line Meaning
Life, I wonder
I am curious about the nature of life
Will it take me under, I don't know
I am unsure if life will defeat me
Imagine smokin' weed in the streets without cops harassin'
Imagine a world where people can smoke marijuana in public without fear of arrest or persecution
Imagine goin' to court with no trial
Imagine a world where people are not unfairly prosecuted without a fair trial
Lifestyle cruisin' blue behind my waters, no welfare supporters
I live a luxurious lifestyle and do not need government assistance
More conscious of the way we raise our daughters
We need to be more mindful of how we raise our daughters
Days are shorter, nights are colder
Life feels bleak and depressing
Feelin' like life is over, these snakes strike like a cobra
Life is full of unexpected dangers that can destroy it quickly
The world's hot, my son got not evidently
The world is a difficult and unforgiving place, and even my children are not exempt from its challenges
It's elementary, they want us all gone eventually
It is obvious that some forces want to destroy us all eventually
Troopin' out of state for a plate knowledge
Traveling far to learn something valuable
Of coke was cooked without the garbage, we'd all have the top dollars
If drugs were made more carefully, they would be more expensive and profitable
Imagine everybody flashin', fashion
Imagine a world where everyone is wealthy and fashionable
Designer clothes, lacin' your click up with diamond vogues
Wearing expensive clothes and diamonds with one's friends
Your people holdin' dough, no parole
Your friends and associates have money and are not in prison
No rubbers, go in raw, imagine law with no undercovers
Imagine a world where there is no risk of sexually transmitted infections and where law enforcement is honest and transparent
Just some thoughts for the mind, I take a glimpse into time
These are just my musings that reflect insight into the past and potential future
Watch the blimp read 'The World Is Mine'
I have a feeling of power and control over the world
If I ruled the world, imagine that
If I were the ruler of the world, just imagine
I'd free all my sons, I love 'em, love 'em, baby
I would release all prisoners, including my loved ones
Black diamonds an' pearls, could it be
Imagine a world where black diamonds and pearls are common
If you could be mine, we'd both shine?
If you were with me, we would both prosper and shine
Still livin' for today
We should live in the present
In these last days an' times
We are currently living in tumultuous times
The way to be, paradise like relaxin' black
The ideal way to live is to be carefree and relaxed
Latino an' Anglo-Saxon, Armani exchange the reins
People of different cultures can share power and wealth
Cash, Lost Tribe of Shabazz, free at last
All people should have financial freedom
Brand new whips to crash, then we laugh in the iller path
We can afford to buy new cars and laugh when we get into accidents
The Villa house is for the crew, how we do
We have a luxurious villa reserved for our group of friends
Trees for breakfast, dime sexes an' Benz stretches
We can choose to do whatever we want, including having sex and driving expensive cars
So many years of depression make me vision
My past struggles have led me to have a clear idea of what I want
The better livin', type of place to raise kids in
We need a better world for our children to grow up in
Open they eyes to the lies history's told, foul
We need to teach our children to critically examine the misinformation in history books
But I'm as wise as the old owl, plus the Gold Child
I have the knowledge of an ancient owl and the potential to achieve greatness
Seein' things like I was controllin', click rollin'
I feel like I have complete control over the situation and my group of friends are with me
Trickin' six digits on kicks an' still holdin'
Spending a lot of money on shoes and still being financially secure
Trips to Paris, I civilized every savage
Traveling to Paris makes me feel sophisticated and worldly
Gimme one shot I turn trife life to lavish
I can turn a life of crime into a life of luxury with one opportunity
Political prisoner set free, stress free
Freeing political prisoners would be a great relief
No work, release purple M3's an' jet skis
Enjoying life by owning luxury cars and jet skis without having to work
Feel the wind breeze in West Indies
Enjoying the pleasant climate and location of the West Indies
I make Coretta Scott-King mayor the cities
I would elect Coretta Scott-King as the mayor of all cities
An' reverse themes to Willies
Turning negatives into positives
It sounds foul but every girl I meet to go downtown
I have sexual desires, and I want to fulfill them with multiple women
I'd open every cell in Attica, send 'em to Africa
I would release all the prisoners from Attica and send them to Africa
An' then we'll walk right up to the sun
We will aim high and not be held back by anything
Hand in hand
Together
We'll walk right up to the sun
We will succeed in our endeavors
We won't land
We will not give up or fail
You'd love to hear the story how the thugs live in worry
You are curious about the lives of gangsters and their struggles
Duck down in car seats, heat's mandatory
Having to hide from the police and carrying firearms is necessary for survival
Runnin' from jake, gettin' chased, hunger for papes
Fleeing the police and seeking money to survive
These are the breaks, many mistakes go down out of state
These are the circumstances of life, and mistakes often lead to legal trouble
Wait, I had to let it marinate, we carry weight
Let me think about this for a while. We have heavy burdens to bear
Tryin' to get laced, flip the ace, stack the safe
Trying to become wealthy by acquiring drugs, gambling, and saving money
Millionaire plan to keep the gat with the cop camera
A plan to become a millionaire by stealing a police camera
Makin' moves in Atlanta, back an' forth scrambler
Traveling to Atlanta to do illegal business
'Cause you could have all the chips, be poor or rich
Money does not necessarily guarantee happiness or success
Still nobody want a nigga havin' shit
People do not want to see a black man prosper
If I ruled the world an' everythin' in it, sky's the limit
If I were in charge of the world, there would be no limit to what we could achieve
I push a Q-45 infinite
I drive an expensive, luxurious car
It wouldn't be no such thing as jealousies or be Felonies
There would be no crimes of passion or major crimes
Strictly livin' longevity to the destiny
Living a long and prosperous life by fulfilling our fate
I thought I'd never see but reality struck
Something that I never thought would happen has finally happened
Better find out before your time's out, what the fuck?
You better figure out what you want in life before you run out of time
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Cloud9
Written by: Samuel J. Barnes, Allan Wayne Felder, Norman Ray Harris, Jalil Hutchins, Nasir Jones, Aaron O'Bryant, Jean Claude Olivier, David Franklin Reeves, Lawrence Smith, Kurtis Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@spike6985
I wish we could go back to this era of Hip Hop
@Matt_and_stuff
D4RK what is hip hop
@kellympinda4723
FACTS
@sirflooowsn4941
Go back to this erea of time... 90‘ best century to life 👍👌 ... said a german 😉
@Rapmaneasteregg
It was the best
@mr.e695
WOrd!!
✌️
@vladtheinhaler8754
Lauryn Hill is honestly one of the most remarkable artists to have set foot on this planet, she just goes so well with any beat and any rapper. Nas is easily one if the best rappers from this era no doubt.
@patriciasmith8756
This was the best of the best. NAS was on point
@vonbee22
Real talk !!!!
@deneenreed2019
Facts!!!