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..
Less Than An Hour
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la..
(Uh-oh, yeah)
[Nas]
Mr. International
The man centerfold women loathe
Voice bump out the Bose in a tinted Rolls
Don't ask if Nasty's back at it
I don't run out of magic
Popular, box-cutter flow
Time is money; the watch cost dough
Shaking the dice, fragrances from some beautiful ladies
The lights, the ambiance, yeah, this is the life
The money, hotties on each arm--It's on
I party like a rap star, baby the facts are
The third time's a charm
So meet me by the Eiffel Tour
Bring a bottle of Dom
[Cee-Lo]
I am here (I am here)
This is the place (This is the place)
The atmosphere of espionage at expensive tape
And each one that I see is an unfamiliar face
So I guess I'll just cut straight through the chase
And before I could say the name of whom I came to see
Someone suspicion then came to me
I'm so close and I've come so far
A glass of red wine sits from the women at the end of the bar
I love to talk to you - but I don't have the time
She looks like the prettiest part of a perfect crime
Oh if I could I could I'd put a picket fence around a wild flower
But darling I have 'Less Than an Hour'
(I... have 'Less Than an Hour')
(I... have 'Less Than an Hour')
Hmmmm... Ohhhh... Funny how time flies when you're having fun
(Nas: Yeah, let' em know) But I got to do what must be done
[Nas]
You on a winning streak
You survived the killer streets
Now you at the crap table, where the real villains meet
Number seven might get you to Heaven
You break the bank, just might make you a legend
It's after eleven, you playing against a poker face
Genie eyes, light green, sipping on Bellini's
You play your cards right, she'll let you touch
She'll be a devil in disguise, lady incubus
Better know who to trust
She might roll with thugs who roll bodies up in Asian rugs
I'ma rush up and move on 'em, put the uz' on 'em
The crews do something new, inform me
[Cee-Lo]
(I... have 'Less Than an Hour')
Oh... time will wait baby
(I... have 'Less Than an Hour')
Ew-oh... ew... hmm
I'm in the pursuit of my own personal power
And I only have an hour
The song "Less Than an Hour" by Nas featuring Cee-Lo Green is all about enjoying life and living in the moment. Nas takes on the role of a confident and successful man who is surrounded by beautiful women, expensive cars, and dice. He describes his luxurious lifestyle while emphasizing the importance of time and how it equates to money. Cee-Lo joins in halfway through the song and describes his own personal pursuit of power, highlighting that time is of the essence as he only has less than an hour. The lyrics convey the message that life is short, so one must live it to the fullest and make the most of every second.
Throughout the song, Nas' tone is one of confidence and bravado. He talks about how he enjoys playing craps and how he has to be careful when dealing with beautiful women who may not have his best interests at heart. He also references the Eiffel Tower, suggesting that he’s living the high life, and is very comfortable in wealthy, social circles. Cee-Lo's part in the song, on the other hand, is more introspective, as he is reflective on his own personal journey towards success. He seems to express the idea that, despite feeling as though he's made progress, he still has a lot he needs to do, and not much time to do it all.
Overall, the song is about enjoying life, living it to the fullest, and using the limited time you have to achieve what you want in life. Nas and Cee-Lo are both at different points in their lives, but the message remains clear: carpe diem, seize the day, and live it up!
Line by Line Meaning
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la..
Instrumental
(Uh-oh, yeah)
Nas is signaling that he is about to drop lines providing insight into the glitzy, lavish lifestyle of a rich and famous rap star.
Mr. International
Nas is asserting that he is a global superstar as a rapper and icon entrenched in the popular culture of the time.
The man centerfold women loathe
Nas is so popular with women despite cliche centerfold image conventions showing attractive women leaning towards stylish average-looking men. Instead, Nas is considered handsome globally.
Voice bump out the Bose in a tinted Rolls
Nas’s voice is so powerful that he can play his music at full volume in a completely soundproof tinted Rolls-Royce car.
Craftiness, take a stab at it
Nas’s lyrics are so insightful and layered that one needs to give it a try and explore his raps in-depth.
Don't ask if Nasty's back at it
Nas is a legendary rapper and will always churn out timeless hits.
I don't run out of magic
Nas is a gifted and prolific rapper who will continue shining as one of the most exceptional hip hop artistes of his time.
Popular, box-cutter flow
Nas’s rapping mesmerizes his audience with its unrivaled skill and fluidity, which is sharp as a box cutter.
Time is money; the watch cost dough
Nas values his time so much that his wristwatch costs a lot of money.
Shaking the dice, fragrances from some beautiful ladies
Nas is gambling and hanging around a posh club with lovely-smelling women.
The lights, the ambiance, yeah, this is the life
Nas is living the dream; his lifestyle involving luxurious parties and the finer things in life.
The money, hotties on each arm--It's on
Nas has everything he has ever wanted, including money and stunning women, and he is enjoying his life to the fullest.
I party like a rap star, baby the facts are
Nas is a rapper, and he loves to party like a superstar and icon.
The third time's a charm
Nas is hoping that his third trip to a particular location (most probably in France, given the reference to Eiffel Tower) will turn out better than the first two.
So meet me by the Eiffel Tour
Nas provides his rendezvous point in France: the Eiffel Tower.
Bring a bottle of Dom
Nas would like to enjoy Dom Perignon champagne with someone when meeting in Paris.
I am here (I am here)
Cee-Lo announces he has arrived at the scene of the club alongside Nas.
This is the place (This is the place)
The club is the perfect location for Cee-Lo, Nas to have fun and let loose.
The atmosphere of espionage at expensive tape
There is a vibe of secrecy and danger here, and one has to be rich to attend this club.
And each one that I see is an unfamiliar face
Cee-Lo observes the faces of people in the club, but he doesn't recognize any of them, indicating the club attracts the wealthy or the powerful elites.
So I guess I'll just cut straight through the chase
Cee-Lo is tired of wandering around and decides to head straight to a person he wants to see.
And before I could say the name of whom I came to see
Cee-Lo is thwarted in his efforts as he gets suspiciously interrupted, preventing him from revealing the identity of the person he wants to see.
Someone suspicion then came to me
Cee-Lo is growing paranoid and uneasy about his current situation after being barred from seeing the person he was looking for or having friends recognized by people in the club.
I'm so close and I've come so far
Cee-Lo has been waiting for this particular person, which he's invested considerable emotional effort and energy into meeting.
A glass of red wine sits from the women at the end of the bar
Cee-Lo notices a lady at the bar drinking red wine and feels the sudden urge to speak to her.
I love to talk to you - but I don't have the time
Cee-Lo is interested in talking to the lady at the bar, but he is aware of how little time he has to accomplish his primary objective of seeing another person.
She looks like the prettiest part of a perfect crime
Cee-Lo sees the lady as a potential accomplice for any mischief or wrongdoing due to her attractiveness.
Oh if I could I could I'd put a picket fence around a wild flower
Cee-Lo realizes that he has reached a point where all he wants is simplicity in his life, and the young lady at the bar would be a perfect fit for him, but time isn't on his side.
But darling I have 'Less Than an Hour'
Cee-Lo is reminiscing about the limited amount of time he has to see the person he's been wanting to meet all this while.
Hmmmm... Ohhhh...
Instrumental
Funny how time flies when you're having fun
Nas is acknowledging that time seems to pass very quickly when people are having a good time.
(Nas: Yeah, let' em know) But I got to do what must be done
Even though Nas is enjoying his life, he understands he has to work hard ultimately, and he speaks to his fans and listeners to push them to do the same.
You on a winning streak
Nas is congratulating someone for their recent success and good fortune.
You survived the killer streets
Nas acknowledges the struggles of life, having come from a tough environment, highlighting his own experiences and turning them into a positive message.
Now you at the crap table, where the real villains meet
Nas notes that having achieved wealth and success in life, people are drawn to gamble and take on riskier ventures with negative connotations.
Number seven might get you to Heaven
Seven might be a lucky number, and it might draw fortune, as people assign meaning to numbers in their lives.
You break the bank, just might make you a legend
If someone gets very lucky, they could make a ton of money and become famous due to their record-breaking wealth acquisition.
It's after eleven, you playing against a poker face
It's already late, and one is playing against the house or someone with considerable experience in gambling.
Genie eyes, light green, sipping on Bellini's
Nas is describing a woman with light green, almost greyish-colored eyes, drinking a peach bellini, a classic champagne-peach puree cocktail that's quite popular in posh environments.
You play your cards right, she'll let you touch
Nas is suggesting that if someone acts correctly and plays their cards right, luck and success will follow, including opportunities to get intimate with women.
She'll be a devil in disguise, lady incubus
However, even if someone succeeds in charming her, they should exercise caution, as she could end up being deceitful or having malevolent intent, like a female demon called an incubus in ancient mythology.
Better know who to trust
Nas urges listeners to be aware of the people they work with, ensure they maintain good company and practice due diligence to avoid burning out or losing their hard-earned gains.
She might roll with thugs who roll bodies up in Asian rugs
Nas is warning listeners of the possible dangerous and deadly accomplices that such women tend to surround themselves with, explicitly implying the violent practice of covering corpses with rugs.
I'ma rush up and move on 'em, put the uz' on 'em
Nas is telling his entourage to take swift action and subdue the cohorts or threats of a violent encounter.
The crews do something new, inform me
Nas is signaling that he has a team that always brings new ideas and solutions to problems, even challenges which he is yet to be informed of yet.
Oh... time will wait baby
Cee-Lo laments that he doesn't have enough time or that time is fleeting and waits for no one once it's gone.
Ew-oh... ew... hmm
Instrumental
I'm in the pursuit of my own personal power
Cee-Lo is talking about the personal authority that one possesses and seeks, as opposed to other types that can limit someone.
And I only have an hour
Cee-Lo realizes he has limited time to achieve his goals, and he is urging listeners to make the most of their time as well to realize their goals.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THOMAS DECARLO CALLAWAY, NASIR JONES, SALAAM REMI, LALO SCHIFRIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind