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..
Kings & Queens
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We all dream one day we kings and queens
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
Uh, chandelier ceiling, my couch, don’t sit with denim
My marble floors are killing, gold cars are so relentless
5 girls in the kitchen, they cooking something like chemists
God cover my soul, need it, can’t let it go
I know you get lonely when I ain’t home, on the road
I know I ain’t perfect, I’m out here working for the throne
I would take you along, but then that college loan you’ll owe
Young girls in cheap dresses, tryna impress us
Saying they all different, but I don’t show them no effort
Underestimated that, then I tested
Had to make investments, honey colored dressed it
I’m blessed it, cross-sign baptism West shit
Shit on anybody with opinions, you dead wrong
Go against a bull nigga head-on
I'm too strong, eight arms sticking to a bomb
Army stance, ready for war
We used a Andy Warhol to paint the decor
Apologizing for my actions, sometimes I get bored
They say my music knocks, so I hope it open every door
We all dream one day we kings and queens
We all dream one day we be kings and queens
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
We all dream one day we kings and queens
We all dream one day we be kings and queens
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
Never take this shit to heart, I take endo to chest
And now a nigga chasing dreams without losing his breath
Though my credits are slept, my ambition the best
Though I do this to be heard, I’ma do it to death
We in cool with all of these niggas
I’m through with all of these niggas
You fool with all of these niggas
You lose like all of these (niggas)
Honest, sincere, they seersuckers, lying in suits
Anybody riding with youngin' will probably recoup
Heavenly Father, Martin, Malcolm mixed with them lyrics
Finna be king, but I’m way too proud to offer as (minion?)
I just offer a guillotine to my vehicle, nigga
And don’t offer least of shit to these people’s opinions
I’m a king to these niggas, love a queen, fuck the bitches
Double M-G, Y-M-C-M, B ‘cause we run this you dig?
We all kings, give anything to my soft queens
I’m lost without them, when they around I am Charles Sheen
We all dream one day we kings and queens
We all dream one day we be kings and queens
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
We all dream one day we kings and queens
We all dream one day we be kings and queens
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
You’re in the presence of a majestic, esoteric
Message from the most ghettoest king, worldwide respected
I can say ghettoest ‘cause I come from where metal spit
Praying to God I can slide and slip out the Devil’s grip
Won’t pop another pill, can’t drink another sip
Tryna slow down with this pussy, I can’t, I love this shit
I seem to love these whips a white
Maserati’s my birthright car, pass it, I need another hit
At night, where they murdered (?)
That’s the same block Metta World Peace learned to play ball
See I’m born alone, die alone, from the hoods to the private home
College to prison, understand it, knowledge and wisdom
Shout out to baby mothers of niggas who gang bang
‘Cause he could die any day and you still the same thing
So that make you a queen, surviving anything
Escobar season begins, so let the semis ring
Pimp of the year, I could smack your father
Not only with my hand, but with a black revolver
I been in pressed silk since breast milk
Mets cap on tilt, we some kings, nigga
In “Kings and Queens,” Nas, Wale, and Tyga convey the universal aspiration for success and wealth. The lyrics portrayed in the song are celebratory, as the artists boast about their lavish lifestyles while additionally touching on the hardships and struggles that come with living in the ghetto. Through the lyrics, they paint a picture of their experiences, which involve chandeliers, marble floors, gold cars, and girls who can cook like chemists. They emphasize their appreciation for their friends who have made it, and how they as a group share these exciting moments.
Nas dominates the verses with his insanely smooth flow, delivering bars that carry deeper meanings than just humble brags. He expresses how there are times he feels alone on the road, and despite making mistakes, his hard work will help him ascend to the throne. He also goes further by acknowledging that he has to deal with the negative opinions of those who have given up on accomplishing big things in life. Wale picks up the chorus with Tyga, identifying that everybody dreams of grandeur and that one day the table will turn, and they will be living the luxurious lifestyle they hope for.
Overall, the track’s message revolves around dreaming big and working hard to turn those dreams into reality. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the artists' strong will and determination, and how they won’t be brought down by naysayers, as they journey through life concocting creative ways to earn a good life.
Line by Line Meaning
We all dream one day we kings and queens
Everyone dreams of being royalty
My nigga made it, we just young, living the dream
A friend has achieved success and they are enjoying their lives
Uh, chandelier ceiling, my couch, don’t sit with denim
The singer lives a luxurious lifestyle, with extravagant furnishings
My marble floors are killing, gold cars are so relentless
The artist's possessions are ostentatious, with marble floors and gold cars
5 girls in the kitchen, they cooking something like chemists
Several women are cooking something complicated, akin to a scientific experiment
Monumental shit is, statues like Egyptians
The singer has enormous assets, akin to Egyptian monuments
God cover my soul, need it, can’t let it go
The singer asks God to protect their soul
I know you get lonely when I ain’t home, on the road
The artist acknowledges that absence can be hard on loved ones while traveling
I know I ain’t perfect, I’m out here working for the throne
The artist isn't flawless, but they strive for the best they can attain
I would take you along, but then that college loan you’ll owe
The artist wants to do something that involves education, but is deterred by the cost of college debts
Young girls in cheap dresses, tryna impress us
Women try to flatter the singer with inexpensive outfits
Saying they all different, but I don’t show them no effort
Despite their claims to the contrary, the artist does not give these women any attention
Underestimated that, then I tested
The singer underestimated something or someone at first, but eventually tested it out
Had to make investments, honey colored dressed it
The singer had to make financial investments to improve their situation
I’m blessed it, cross-sign baptism West shit
The singer is grateful for their life and makes a reference to California culture
Shit on anybody with opinions, you dead wrong
The artist disagrees with people who have opposing viewpoints
Go against a bull nigga head-on
Challenging the artist directly would be a mistake
I'm too strong, eight arms sticking to a bomb
The singer is strong and capable, like an octopus's eight arms that can attach to a bomb
Army stance, ready for war
The singer is prepared for conflict, and takes a militant stance
We used a Andy Warhol to paint the decor
The artist used an Andy Warhol piece to decorate a space
Apologizing for my actions, sometimes I get bored
The artist admits fault, but suggests that their misbehavior stems from boredom
They say my music knocks, so I hope it open every door
The artist hopes that their music career will provide them with opportunities
Never take this shit to heart, I take endo to chest
The singer doesn't get too emotionally invested, and instead smokes marijuana
And now a nigga chasing dreams without losing his breath
The artist pursues their dreams without becoming too winded
Though my credits are slept, my ambition the best
The singer is overlooked, but they have the most determination
Though I do this to be heard, I’ma do it to death
The singer is motivated to succeed as a musician, and will continue to pursue it until the end
We in cool with all of these niggas
The singer is on good terms with everyone
I’m through with all of these niggas
The artist is done dealing with certain people
You fool with all of these niggas
Dealing with certain people could be a foolish choice
You lose like all of these (niggas)
These people are destined to fail
Honest, sincere, they seersuckers, lying in suits
People who wear seersucker suits may look trustworthy, but they are actually dishonest
Anybody riding with youngin' will probably recoup
Those who support the artist will likely benefit
Heavenly Father, Martin, Malcolm mixed with them lyrics
The artist attributes their talent to divine inspiration and influential figures
Finna be king, but I’m way too proud to offer as (minion?)
The artist has a sense of pride and will not degrade themselves to inferior positions
I just offer a guillotine to my vehicle, nigga
The singer provides themselves with something powerful, like a guillotine to a car
And don’t offer least of shit to these people’s opinions
The artist doesn't care about what other people think of them
I’m a king to these niggas, love a queen, fuck the bitches
The singer is an alpha in his own circle, who values romantic relationships over casual sexual encounters
Double M-G, Y-M-C-M, B ‘cause we run this you dig?
The singer references important music groups
We all kings, give anything to my soft queens
Everyone is deserving of respect and kindness, especially in regards to women
I’m lost without them, when they around I am Charles Sheen
The artist feels off-kilter without the women in his life, but normal with them
You’re in the presence of a majestic, esoteric
The artist exudes mystery and grandeur
Message from the most ghettoest king, worldwide respected
The singer is highly regarded despite his origins
I can say ghettoest ‘cause I come from where metal spit
The singer is allowed to speak in a certain way because of their background
Praying to God I can slide and slip out the Devil’s grip
The artist wants God to protect them from the Devil
Won’t pop another pill, can’t drink another sip
The artist is trying to break bad habits
Tryna slow down with this pussy, I can’t, I love this shit
The artist admits to struggling with sexual desire
See I’m born alone, die alone, from the hoods to the private home
The singer will always be an individual, whether in public or private life
College to prison, understand it, knowledge and wisdom
The artist has gained life experience by going from college to prison
Shout out to baby mothers of niggas who gang bang
The singer acknowledges mothers of gang members
‘Cause he could die any day and you still the same thing
The mother's children are at risk, but she remains unchanged
So that make you a queen, surviving anything
The mother's strength makes her a queen, capable of surviving anything
Escobar season begins, so let the semis ring
The artist is ready for a season of action or confrontation
Pimp of the year, I could smack your father
The artist mocks the idea of being 'pimp of the year', and threatens physical violence
Not only with my hand, but with a black revolver
The singer is prepared to use a gun to carry out this threat
I been in pressed silk since breast milk
The singer has been stylish since a young age
Mets cap on tilt, we some kings, nigga
The artist wears a Mets hat, signifying his regal status
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OLUBOWALE AKINTEMEHIN, NASIR JONES, JEREMY MCARTHUR, MICHAEL STEVENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bullfinals1
"You're in the presence of a majestic esoteric message from the most ghetooest king world wide respected" Nas is the best
@Izzy0694
"you're in the presence, of a majestic, esoteric" nas vocabulary and rhyme schemes are second to none.
@theofficialjkingmusic5277
his best album, honestly.
@thecontroversy7914
+theofficialjkingmusic hell yeah
@MaxEgoThePrince
Without a doubt
@ayoo3775
Its 2020 you still right
@charlesbradley7638
Facts
@Vintagefeen
Still right
@eddielazki8132
Hands down, Nas owns this song
@beamengivhan9902
Facts! Miss that Nas