Loco-Motive
Nas Lyrics


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42nd street terminal

Yo, yo, I live it and I speak it
My religion is reefer
Big money and the most
Uninhibited freak to sleep with
My visions are realistic
Nothing is figurative
I can wish it into existence
God want this nigga to live
Blunt big as a dread
I get high and forget who bled
Who we stomp-kicked in the head and who we left for dead
Who are you niggas
Why argue niggas
The truth is the truth
I really put my scars on niggas
They wear them lifetime, they tell they hoes, Nas did this
Pointing to they scars like
Right here, baby, really Nas did this
Like a badge of honor, not bragging I'm just honest
War stories we tell them, nothing's realer than karma
Sip prohibition liquor, prohibition whiskey
Rap Jack Dempsey, matte black Bentley, pimply
Shatterin' your silence, passing round the chalice
Due to my Indian ancestry at the weed dispensery
Official kings and gents is who I mix and mingle with
Fuck your ice
I rock rubies, amethyst
I'll fuck your wife cause she a groupie, scandalous
This for my bad hood bitches, ghetto glamorous

Yo, what we talking bout niggas
What we talking bout niggas
This is Nas, what, Nas
What, Nasty, what recollect fucker

At seventeen I made seventeen thousand living in public housing
Integrity intact, repping hard
They asking how he disappear and reappear back on top
Saying Nas must have naked pictures of God or something
To keep winning is my way like Francis
As long as I'm breathing, I'll take chances
A soldier comin' home, twenty years old with no legs
Sayin' there's no sense to cry and complain, just go head
So much to write and say, yo I don't know where to start
So I'll begin with the basics and flow from the heart
I know you think my life is good cause my diamond piece
But my life been good since I started finding peace
I shouldn't even be smiling, I should be angry and depressed
I been rich longer than I been broke, I confess
I started out broke, got rich, lost paper then made it back
Like Trump being up down up, play with cash

My nigga's like a locomotive
Nas, we push it, mush 'em
Queensbridge to Bushwick
Harlem
Bronx
All that
You ain't even supposed to be here
You know where you at

At night, New York, eat a slice too hot
Use my tongue to tear the skin hanging from the roof of my mouth
Shit was felicissimo melting pot, city sweltering hot
Staggering, drunker than those cops that 2Pac shot
I was a crook by the train with that iron thing, concealed
Reaching, soon as I heard them iron wheels screeching
When it came to a halt whoever walked off got caught
Token man safe behind a locked door for sure
Minor thief shit, minor league shit, beasting
Looking for the juks young, but now we older chiefing
In my truck, play The Greatest Adventures of Slick Rick
Bugging on how his imagination was so sick
It's ghetto beef, sinister niggas snicker through yellow teeth
Alcohol aging my niggas faster than felonies
How dare I
Must be, something in the air that corrupts me
Look at my upkeep, owned and sublease
I'm here y'all

This for my trapped in the 90s niggas




For my trapped in the 90s niggas
Ha for y'all niggas

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of "Loco-Motive" by Nas featuring Large Professor sets an introspective tone to the lyrical flow that follows throughout the song. Nas begins by stating that his religion is "reefer" which is a pun on the drug marijuana. He depicts his self-awareness and assertiveness over big money, sex, and life which is juxtaposed to his reflection that nothing in his life is figurative, rather his visions are realistic. Nas believes he can "wish it into existence" and fulfill his desires since God wants him to live. He then talks about smoking weed the size of a dreadlock while getting high and forgetting who he hurt/success he made, which can be a reference to his musical career that flourished after he released his debut album, “Illmatic,” in 1994. The overall theme of the song is reality-based with an aim to inspire young hip-hop artists to preserve the essence of rap.


The song's lyrics are a tribute to the golden days of New York City's rap scene in the 1990s, and Nas reminisces while weaving in his own life experiences. He tells of his hustling experiences, working his way out of poverty, and how he is "trapped in the '90s." There is mention of the degradation of society and how it affects interpersonal relationships, like when he talks about how he will "fuck your wife cause she a groupie, scandalous, this is for my bad hood bitches, ghetto glamorous." Large Professor's production, which has a jazz-inspired beat, blends perfectly with Nas's lyrics, accentuates the stories he tells and the nostalgia he feels.


Line by Line Meaning

42nd street terminal
Starting from the 42nd Street Terminal


Yo, yo, I live it and I speak it
I live and speak the truth


My religion is reefer
Marijuana is my religion


Big money and the most
I have lots of money and the best things


Uninhibited freak to sleep with
I can sleep with anyone I want


My visions are realistic
My goals are achievable


Nothing is figurative
I mean what I say


I can wish it into existence
I can manifest my desires


God want this nigga to live
God wants me to succeed


Blunt big as a dread
I smoke very large joints


I get high and forget who bled
I use drugs to escape my past


Who we stomp-kicked in the head and who we left for dead
I have a violent past


Who are you niggas
I don't care who you are


Why argue niggas
I don't want to argue with you


The truth is the truth
I only speak the truth


I really put my scars on niggas
I have hurt people and they have scars to prove it


They wear them lifetime, they tell they hoes, Nas did this
My victims never forget what I did to them


Pointing to they scars like
They show their scars as proof


Like a badge of honor, not bragging I'm just honest
They wear their scars with pride


War stories we tell them, nothing's realer than karma
We tell stories of our violent past and believe in karma


Sip prohibition liquor, prohibition whiskey
I drink illegal alcohol


Rap Jack Dempsey, matte black Bentley, pimply
I rap like a boxer, drive a black Bentley, and have acne


Shatterin' your silence, passing round the chalice
We break the silence and pass around a drug-filled pipe


Due to my Indian ancestry at the weed dispensery
I am part Indian and go to a marijuana dispensary


Official kings and gents is who I mix and mingle with
I hang out with important and classy people


Fuck your ice
I don't care about your expensive jewelry


I rock rubies, amethyst
I wear precious stones like rubies and amethyst


I'll fuck your wife cause she a groupie, scandalous
I will sleep with your wife if she is a fan of mine


This for my bad hood bitches, ghetto glamorous
My music is for girls from the ghetto who want to be glamorous


Yo, what we talking bout niggas
What are we discussing?


This is Nas, what, Nas
I am Nas


What, Nasty, what recollect fucker
I am Nas and I'm remembering things


At seventeen I made seventeen thousand living in public housing
I made $17,000 while living in public housing at age 17


Integrity intact, repping hard
I have maintained my integrity and represent my beliefs strongly


They asking how he disappear and reappear back on top
People wonder how I can fall and rise back to success


Saying Nas must have naked pictures of God or something
People think I have some kind of secret to my success


To keep winning is my way like Francis
I am like Francis in that I never stop winning


As long as I'm breathing, I'll take chances
I will always take risks as long as I am alive


A soldier comin' home, twenty years old with no legs
A soldier returning home from war with no legs at age 20


Sayin' there's no sense to cry and complain, just go head
He says there is no point in complaining, just move forward


So much to write and say, yo I don't know where to start
I have a lot to say and don't know where to begin


So I'll begin with the basics and flow from the heart
I will start with the basics and speak from the heart


I know you think my life is good cause my diamond piece
You think my life is good because of my expensive jewelry


But my life been good since I started finding peace
My life has been good since I found inner peace


I shouldn't even be smiling, I should be angry and depressed
I have no right to be happy and should be unhappy


I been rich longer than I been broke, I confess
I have been rich for longer than I have been poor


I started out broke, got rich, lost paper then made it back
I started with nothing, got rich, lost money, and made it back


Like Trump being up down up, play with cash
Like Donald Trump, I am comfortable with financial ups and downs


My nigga's like a locomotive
My friends are like trains


Nas, we push it, mush 'em
We push forward and overcome obstacles


Queensbridge to Bushwick
We are from Queensbridge to Bushwick in New York


Harlem
We are also from Harlem


Bronx
And the Bronx too


All that
We are from all over New York


You ain't even supposed to be here
You are not supposed to be here


You know where you at
You know where you are


At night, New York, eat a slice too hot
At night in New York, we eat too-hot pizza


Use my tongue to tear the skin hanging from the roof of my mouth
The pizza is so hot, it hurts our mouths


Shit was felicissimo melting pot, city sweltering hot
New York is a melting pot of many cultures and is very hot


Staggering, drunker than those cops that 2Pac shot
We are drunk and staggering like the police officers who shot 2Pac


I was a crook by the train with that iron thing, concealed
I used to carry concealed weapons on the train


Reaching, soon as I heard them iron wheels screeching
I would reach for my weapon as soon as I heard the train wheels screech


When it came to a halt whoever walked off got caught
I would rob anyone who got off the train when it stopped


Token man safe behind a locked door for sure
I would never rob a man behind a locked door


Minor thief shit, minor league shit, beasting
I used to steal small things, but now I am successful


Looking for the juks young, but now we older chiefing
I used to look for opportunities to rob people when I was young, but now I just smoke marijuana


In my truck, play The Greatest Adventures of Slick Rick
I listen to The Greatest Adventures of Slick Rick while driving my truck


Bugging on how his imagination was so sick
I am amazed by Slick Rick's creative mind


It's ghetto beef, sinister niggas snicker through yellow teeth
There is conflict in the ghetto and dangerous people laugh with yellow teeth


Alcohol aging my niggas faster than felonies
My friends are aging due to alcohol abuse


How dare I
How could I


Must be, something in the air that corrupts me
There must be something in the air that makes me bad


Look at my upkeep, owned and sublease
Look at my lifestyle, I own and rent properties


I'm here y'all
I am present


This for my trapped in the 90s niggas
My music is for people stuck in the 90s


For my trapped in the 90s niggas
Again, this is for people stuck in the 90s


Ha for y'all niggas
This is for all of you




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ERNEST WILSON, WRITER UNKNOWN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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