Legit
Nas Lyrics

Is there a heart?
Is there genuine emotion or passion?

Is there a heart in the house tonight?
Is there someone who truly cares present?

Brave hearts
People who are courageous and bold

Stand up, stand up
Show your strength and resilience

Let me know, let me know if you understand
Tell me if you comprehend and truly get it

You gotta have love
Love is essential

Yeah (you gotta have love in your heart)
Yes, love needs to be within you

Yeah, my beginnings was intense
Yes, my starting point was challenging and demanding

Who'd have thought I'd go legit?
Who could have imagined I would become respectable?

For sure, yeah, yeah
Definitely, affirming it

We comin' Blacker than Black Panther 2
We are arriving with a level of blackness surpassing even Black Panther 2

Nobody this thorough, that's the truth
No one is as meticulous and comprehensive as us, that's a fact

Never go against the family, that's somethin' you don't do
Never betray your own, it's an absolute rule

Don't get Eddie King'd, tryna sing your way back in the group, nah
Don't end up like Eddie King, attempting to regain your place through singing, it won't work

Stars in the ceilin', God's Son in the buildin'
Luxury and divinity present, including God's chosen one

Rep that 718, it's hard to depart from that feelin'
Representing the area code 718, it's difficult to let go of that sentiment

Careful sellin' weight, the DEA be watchin' you dealin'
Be cautious when selling drugs, because the DEA is monitoring your transactions

Get yourself straight, before they find that paraphernalia
Fix your life before they discover your drug-related equipment

For those who claim a hundred million on taxes, beautiful actresses
Referring to those who falsely report a hundred million dollars in taxes and interact with stunning actresses

Street dudes who turn activist who used to move packages
Former street hustlers who become social activists, previously involved in drug dealing

No Nas, still here to remove the wall that I'm back against
Despite challenges, Nas is still present to overcome obstacles

Legitimized all your hustles before the gavel hit (oh)
Validating all your illicit activities before facing legal consequences

It takes more than love
Love alone is not enough

It takes wakin' up early to face the moment debatin'
One must wake up early to confront and contemplate the situation

Should I save it or blow it? I mean, it's only some paper
Should I save money or spend it? After all, it's just currency

None of my neighbors too nosy, the Joneses ownin' some acres
My neighbors aren't overly curious, while the Joneses own significant land

To be the greatest is lonely, but it chose me, I take it
To achieve greatness is isolating, but I accept it since it was destined for me

Whatever the case may be, I'm out of space, OD
Regardless of the situation, I'm overwhelmed and in dire need of relief

NASA without the A at the end, take off on three
Symbolically referencing NASA without the last letter, signifying departure

What's the cost of a CD when fifteen-hundred places one sell?
How valuable is a CD when it sells in only 1,500 locations?

What's that to fifteen-hundred peas on one scale?
Compared to making a large profit from illegal drugs?

For a starvin' artist tryna sneak out and reroute
For a struggling artist attempting to find a way out

Originality, I seek out, let's clean house
I actively search for uniqueness, let's eliminate the competition

To Black homeowners, check it out
Attention to Black homeowners, listen up

To Black homeowners, take over and throw the lease out
Black homeowners, assert your control and get rid of the lease

This that movie real, the Jordan Peele of this thing, low-key
This is authentic and cinematic like a Jordan Peele film, but quietly so

Boss shit, pull the strings behind the scenes
In charge, manipulating events from a position of power

On my soul, this for my kids and the cold shit I done did
I swear on my soul, this is for my children and the cruel acts I committed

All them O's I tried to flip, who'd have thought I'd go legit? Yeah
All the illegal drugs I attempted to sell, who would have imagined I would become lawful?

Pretty girls who let me hit, who'd have thought I'd go legit? Yeah
Attractive women who allowed me sexual encounters, who would have believed I would become respectable?

And the cold shit that you did
And the cruel acts that you performed

All them O's you tried to flip, who'd have thought you'd go legit?
All the illegal drugs you attempted to sell, who would have imagined you would become lawful?

Grown man business, Covid closed jail visits
Serious, mature affairs, with jail visits halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Stove still lit, Mini still on the scales with us
The stove is still active for cooking drugs, and we still have a small gun nearby

System failed my niggas, in the trial hearin'
The legal system let down my friends during their court hearings

No bail, eyewitness showed up and snitches
No opportunity for bail, as witnesses appeared and provided incriminating information

I read Jesus' diary and ran to tell the streets
Metaphorically speaking, I gathered deep knowledge and shared it with the community

No, this ain't no hype, we in the belly of the beast
No, this is not exaggeration, we are deeply entrenched in a dangerous situation

All they said was I would be a felon, be deceased
They predicted I would end up as a criminal and dead

Instead, I'm in Margiela and Loewe with the crease
Instead, I'm wearing fashionable clothing brands, Margiela and Loewe, and everything is pristine

The consument (uh)
The consumer

Kill 'em all, call the bomb squad and the SWAT for this (uh)
Annihilate everyone, bring in the bomb squad and SWAT for maximum impact

Got off the block for this (yeah)
I left my hustling days behind to pursue better opportunities

On my soul, this for my kids and the cold shit that I did
I swear on my soul, this is for my children and the cruel acts that I performed

Pretty girls who let me hit, it's only right I went legit (uh, too legit)
Attractive women who engaged in sexual encounters with me, it's only fair that I became respectable

And the cold shit I done did
And the cruel acts that I performed

All them O's I tried to flip, who'd have thought I'd go legit? Yeah (I do it for y'all)
All the illegal drugs I attempted to sell, who would have imagined I would become lawful? Yes, I do it for all of you

And the cold shit that you did
And the cruel acts that you performed

All them O's you tried to flip, who'd have thought you'd go legit? (Do it for y'all)
All the illegal drugs you attempted to sell, who would have imagined you would become lawful? (Do it for all of you)

Yeah, we was just chillin' on the sofa
Yes, we were simply relaxing on the couch

No job, no school, ghetto babies
No employment, no education, young individuals from the disadvantaged neighborhood

I was small-time, small-time to big-time
I started with minor accomplishments, then escalated to major achievements

You can do it too, go legit
You can also accomplish it, become law-abiding

Yeah, believe in yourself
Yes, have faith in your abilities

Live the life you deserve
Lead the life that you are worthy of

Haha, that's how we do
Haha, that's our way of doing things

I ain't forget the roaches and mice
I haven't forgotten about the infestation of roaches and mice

I ain't forget all that
I haven't forgotten any of it