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..
It Ain't Hard to Tell
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It ain't hard to tell, I excel then prevail
The mic is contacted, I attract clientele
My mic check is life or death, breathing a sniper's breath
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps
Deep like the Shining, sparkle like a diamond
Sneak a Uzi on the island in my army jacket liningHit the Earth like a comet. invasion
Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazing
'Cause in my physical, I can express through song
Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong
I drink Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell
From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell
It ain't hard to tell
The buddha monk's in your trunk, turn the bass up
Not stories by Aesop, place your loot up, parties I shoot up
Nas, I analyze, drop a jewel, inhale from the L
School a fool well, you feel it like Braille, it ain't hard to tell
I kick a skill like Shaquille holds a pill
Vocabulary spills I'm Ill plus Matic
I freak beats, slam it like Iron Sheik
Jam like a Tec with correct techniques
So analyze me, surprise me, but can't magnetize me
Scannin' while you're plannin' ways to sabotage me
I leave 'em froze like her-on in your nose
Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell
It ain't hard to tell
This rhythmatic explosion is what your frame of mind has chosen
I'll leave your brain stimulated, niggas is frozenSpeak with criminal slang, begin like a violin
End like Leviathan, it's deep, well let me try again
Wisdom be leaking out my grapefruit, troop
I dominate break loops, giving mics men-e-strual cycles
Street's disciple, I rock beats that's mega trifle
And groove even smoother than moves by Villanova
You're still a soldier, I'm like Sly Stone in Cobra
Packing like a Rasta in the weed spot, vocals'll squeeze Glocks
MC's eavesdrop though they need not to sneak
My poetry's deep, I never fail
Nas's raps should be locked in a cell, it ain't hard to tell
"It Ain't Hard To Tell" is a song by Nas that was first released on his debut album, Illmatic in 1994. The song is a lyrical masterpiece that showcases Nas' confidence, skill, and unique perspective on life as a streetwise rapper. The song's verses consist of complex rhymes, metaphors, and clever wordplay. In the first verse, Nas boasts about his ability to excel and succeed as a rapper. He compares his rhymes to a sniper's breath, emphasizing how his words are life or death. He also talks about his love for weed and how it helps him free his mind and reduce stress. Nas’ second verse, he once again boasts about his rhyming ability, comparing his skills to NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal's basketball skills. Nas also mentions his dominance of the rap game, and his ability to control the mic and dominate any beat.
In the third verse, Nas emphasizes his dominance in the rap game by using clever metaphors that portray himself as a powerful force in the history of hip-hop. Nas compares himself to a violent predator that leaves his enemies frozen with fear and compares his rhymes to a criminal act that will leave an indelible mark on the listener's brain. The song's chorus ("it ain't hard to tell...") emphasizes Nas' confidence and self-awareness, recognizing that his talent is what sets him apart from other rappers.
Line by Line Meaning
It ain't hard to tell, I excel, then prevail
I'm a skilled rapper and it's easy to see that I'm only getting better with each song.
The mic is contacted, I attract clientele
My music draws in a crowd and sets me apart as a talented musician.
My mic check is life or death, breathin' a sniper's breath
When I rap, I put everything on the line and make an impact like a deadly sniper.
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps
As I achieve success, I remain grounded and humble, smoking buddha with a pure heart.
Deep like the Shining, sparkle like a diamond
My lyrics are insightful and thought-provoking, shining brightly like a diamond in the rough.
Sneak a Uzi on the island in my army jacket linin'
I'm always prepared for anything, carrying protection even in dangerous situations.
Hit the Earth like a comet, invasion
My impact on the music scene is powerful and unprecedented, like a sudden and unexpected invasion.
Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazin'
My unique identity combines elements of different cultures, making me an extraordinary and fascinating person.
'Cause in my physical I can express through song
My music allows me to express myself in ways that I can't through my physical body alone.
Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong
My music can help relieve the stress and difficulties of life, giving me and my fans strength to keep going.
I drink Moët with Medusa, give her shotguns in Hell
I'm not afraid of danger, even when drinking expensive champagne with a mythical figure like Medusa, I'm still ready to defend myself.
From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell
My smooth and effortless flow comes from my relaxed state, as I take a hit from a joint and let the music flow.
The buddha monk's in your trunk, turn the bass up
My music is powerful and deserves to be played at high volume, allowing the listener to feel its full impact.
Not stories by Aesop
My lyrics are not simple fables or folktales, but real life experiences and observations.
Place your loot up, parties I shoot up
I'm not afraid to show off my wealth and make a statement by throwing extravagant parties and splurging on luxuries.
Nas, I analyze, drop a jewel, inhale from the L
I'm always in deep thought and have insights to share, even while smoking a joint and relaxing.
School a fool well, you feel it like Braille
I educate and enlighten even the most ignorant, and anyone who listens will feel the impact of my message like Braille.
I kick a skill like Shaquille holds a pill
My rapping skills are as impressive as Shaquille O'Neal's basketball skills, and I can demonstrate them effortlessly.
Vocabulary spills, I'm Ill plus Matic
My extensive vocabulary allows me to craft intricate rhymes and my overall skill is top-notch.
I freak beats, slam it like Iron Sheik
I have a unique and powerful style that can smash and overpower instrumentals like a wrestling move.
Jam like a TEC with correct techniques
I approach every song with the precision and technique of a musician playing an instrument.
So analyze me, surprise me, but can't magmatize me
I've been scrutinized and judged before, but it doesn't affect me anymore, I'm too tough to be hindered by criticism.
Scannin' while you're plannin' ways to sabotage me
People may try to bring me down or hinder my success, but I'm always one step ahead, scanning for potential threats.
I leave 'em froze like heroin in your nose
My skill and talent can leave people stunned and amazed, like a person frozen in the grip of addiction.
Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell
I'm a great rapper, it's obvious to anyone who listens to my music.
This rhythmatic explosion
The fast-paced and energetic rhythm of my music is explosive and captivating.
Is what your frame of mind has chosen
If you're a fan of my music, it's because you have chosen to appreciate and love it from your own frame of mind.
I'll leave your brain stimulated, niggas is frozen
My deep and insightful lyrics can leave people's brains buzzing and overwhelmed, unable to react.
Speak with criminal slang, begin like a violin
My unique way of speaking and rapping is unusual, and can be compared to the way a violin is played at the beginning of a song.
End like Leviathan, it's deep? Well, let me try again
To end my verses, I bring a big finish, like a sea monster rising out of the deep. If you didn't understand it the first time, let me explain it again.
Wisdom be leaking out my grapefruit, troop
I have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that I can easily share, and it seeps out of me like juice from a grapefruit.
I dominate break loops, givin' mics men-e-strual cycles
I'm a master at manipulating music and making beats that stand out. My talent can even cause other rappers to feel intimidated and frazzled.
Street's disciple, I rock beats that's mega trifle
My identity and perspective is shaped by my difficult upbringing, and I dominate the music scene with my skills even though some may find it trivial.
And groove even smoother than moves by Villanova
I'm a smooth and skilled rapper, moving effortlessly and smoothly like a talented dancer from the Villanova dance team.
You're still a soldier, I'm like Sly Stone in Cobra
Even though you may be tough and skilled, I'm just as, if not more, impressive and deadly like the hit movie character, Sly Stone in the movie Cobra.
Packin' like a Rasta in the weed spot
I'm always prepared and ready to go, just like a Rasta with all the weed paraphernalia he might need.
Vocals'll squeeze Glocks
My voice can be as powerful and unstoppable as a handgun, able to make an impact with every word.
MCs eavesdrop, though they need not to sneak
Other rappers can't help but overhear and take notes on my impressive rapping, even though they don't have to work covertly or secretly to do it.
My poetry's deep, I never fell
My way of expressing myself is thoughtful and insightful, and I've never failed to deliver meaningful and impactful lyrics.
Nas' raps should be locked in a cell, it ain't hard to tell
My incredible rapping abilities are so powerful that they could be dangerous and need to be locked up, it's easy to see how good I am.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Bettis, Gene Redd, Roy Handy, Cleveland Horne, Robert Bell, Ronald Nathan Bell, Robert Mickens, Dennis Thomas, Richard Westfield, George Brown, Claydes Smith, Steven M. Porcaro, William Paul Mitchell, Nasir Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xa25ja
Decades later this opening leaves me speechless.
It ain't hard to tell.
I excel
then prevail.
The mic is contracted,
I attract clientele.
My mic check is life or death
breathing a sniper's breath
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps.
The first time I heard this I hit rewind at least 20 times. Unbelievable.
@MickB-g2y
This is the first nas song ive ever listened too.
Production is crazy. Love the strings in the background. Something about the beat sounds reminiscent.
Lyrics are fantastic. So many quotables. For such an old song his flow isn't as boombastic as a few songs ive heard from this era. Its smooth and more complex then I though I'd probably be.
score 9
This sound makes me want to take a journey. What nas song do i listen to next?
@dariusjennings2953
Michael Jackson cleared this sample on one condition, Nas couldn’t curse on the track. And Nas bodied it!
@nikkinonames5265
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@deas3016
Same sample to SWV for free
@JuicyJLee
Mj giving free samples rights 😎
@HybridGamerzKlub
These are true hip hop facts folks..and NAS definitely showed that his rap didn't need cursing. He's a real poet! Nasty Nas, the ILLMATIC 1!!
@titorios1416
Wasn't he in the video also?@@deas3016
@waamiq360
I am 56 years old and this song still gets me hyped up like it did when it first came out! Nas made a masterpiece!
@CITIZENYOST
56 Gang!
@Sentient.A.I.
44 xD
@KrishnaSingh-ow1ie
His metaphors and wordplay and poetry was somthing new and different