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..
No Idea
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's never what you do, but how it's done
What you base your happiness around? Material, women, and large paper
That means you inferior, not major
No idea's original, there's nothing new under the sun
It's never what you do, but how it's done
What you base your happiness around? Material, women, and large paper
If niggas could look inside my mind, you'll find
Where bodies are buried, first look past the hotties who dimes
Go to the center, enter with caution, past the brain cell graveyard
Where weed's responsible for memory loss
Let's witness, the horrific, the stench'll make you nauseous
See what I seen every day I live with this torture
Lightin' spliffs up to stay high like 24 hours
Sleep with my heat, wash with my gun in the shower
My tongue is power, it thrills women, kills demons
Long as I'm still breathin' I'm still winnin', I'll teach 'em
The hood converted from trey bags to 20's a girl
Everybody had money, every summer was real ill
Four-finger rings, dope dealers, 'caine/Kane
"No Half Steppin'" with flat tops when Rakim reigned
Radios on card tables, Benetton, the Gods buildin'
Ask for today's mathematics, we Allah's children
And this was goin' on in every New York ghetto
Kids listened, Five Percenters said it's pork in Jell-o
We coincide, we in the same life, maybe a time difference
On a different coast, but we share the same sunlight
You're part of the world, might be like colors and gangs
While on my side, brothers'll murder for different things
But it all revolve around drugs, fame and shorties
Stuck for your bling, stripped for your chain, the same story
From, Czechoslovakia to Texas metropolis
Them treacherous rastas in the Mexican mafias
Be scrapping with tats on they back, violent wars
Nothing less than a lethal injection if ever caught
Courtrooms, eagles and flags, American style
While in our world, the ghetto stays incredibly foul
Watching for paint chips, don't want no lead in yo' child
But them gangstas put lead in yo' child, the bezzy be out
The chain be like a hundred K
Shining since Roxanne Shante' made "Runaway"; that's been a minute
Genesis is deep, my features are that of a God
It's not a facade it's a fact, these rappers wanna be Nas
My Exodus doesn't exist, I'll never leave the streets, it's all in my mind
Even with sleep I'm duckin nines in my dreams
Si-rens, wide awake, why'd I think it would change
Can't hide when you famous or even try to do the same things
Like, somebody's always watching
My life before I, walk out the door I size up every option
Eyes cut every direction, it's like God or guns
Which is better protection? Can't decide, that's a hard one
I mean they wanna see me in prison, the chains bamboozled
Headline reading "Rapper Slain From a Man Shootin'"
The lyrics of Nas's song No Idea's Original express the idea that there are no original ideas and nothing new under the sun. The song articulates that it's not what you do, but how you do it. Nas questions what people base their happiness around, and he believes that material possessions, women, and wealth indicate inferiority, not major success. Moving on, in the song, Nas describes his mind as a place where secrets are buried, and he invites listeners to look beyond the superficialities of life, encounter its horrors, and witness things that can be nauseating. He also talks about the use of marijuana and the resultant memory loss.
Nas delves deeper into his experiences in the ghetto, where he learned four-finger rings, drugs, rap, and other street knowledge. He speaks about how the Mexican Mafia, treacherous rastas, and violent wars of Texas metropolis contribute to the existence of lead paint chips and childhood deaths. In the song, Nas expresses his superiority to other rappers who want to be like him, and he talks about his Exodus, which will never exist since he'll never leave the streets. Finally, Nas sings about the constant paranoia that envelops him as a famous person, the inability to decide whether God or guns better protect him, and the ever-present danger of being shot.
Line by Line Meaning
No idea's original, there's nothing new under the sun
There's no such thing as a new idea or invention. Everything is being borrowed or inspired from someone or something that has come before us.
It's never what you do, but how it's done
Success doesn't depend on what you do or accomplish, but on how you execute and approach what you're doing.
What you base your happiness around? Material, women, and large paper
What you choose to make yourself happy depends on material possessions, women/girls, and money.
That means you inferior, not major
Focusing on these things that do not hold significance instead of important matters makes you inferior rather than major.
If niggas could look inside my mind, you'll find
If people could read my mind, they would see
Where bodies are buried, first look past the hotties who dimes
I have a lot of dark and violent thoughts in my mind, and you need to look beyond the superficial or attractive things that catch your attention.
Go to the center, enter with caution, past the brain cell graveyard
If you're brave enough to look deeper into my thoughts, you'll see how my mind operates and all of the thoughts and memories that are buried deep inside.
Where weed's responsible for memory loss
Smoking weed has affected and damaged my memory.
Let's witness, the horrific, the stench'll make you nauseous
I want to show you the terrifying and awful things I have seen and experienced that may be disturbing to witness or hear.
See what I seen every day I live with this torture
I am haunted by the things I have witnessed and live with this emotional pain every day.
Lightin' spliffs up to stay high like 24 hours
I smoke a lot of weed to escape reality and remain high throughout the day.
Sleep with my heat, wash with my gun in the shower
I carry my gun with me everywhere I go, even in the shower or to bed at night for protection since my life is always in danger.
My tongue is power, it thrills women, kills demons
I have a way with words that can charm women and put fear in demons/my enemies.
Long as I'm still breathin' I'm still winnin', I'll teach 'em
As long as I am alive, I still have a chance to succeed and share my knowledge and experiences with others.
The hood converted from trey bags to 20's a girl
Drug dealers in my neighborhood used to sell drugs in small quantities but now they sell in larger amounts.
Everybody had money, every summer was real ill
Everyone had money and could enjoy a lavish lifestyle during the summer months.
Four-finger rings, dope dealers, 'caine/Kane
Drug dealers would wear four-finger rings, and sell cocaine/Kane drug.
"No Half Steppin'" with flat tops when Rakim reigned
The song "No Half Steppin'" was popular during the time when Rakim was at the height of his career, and flat top haircuts were trendy.
Radios on card tables, Benetton, the Gods buildin'
Radio would be placed on tables; people would be in Benetton clothing, and Five Percenters would gather and talk about their beliefs.
Ask for today's mathematics, we Allah's children
Ask for the knowledge of the day as Five Percenters believe that they are children of Allah.
And this was goin' on in every New York ghetto
These things were happening in every ghetto in New York.
Kids listened, Five Percenters said it's pork in Jell-o
Kids in the community listened to Five Percenters who taught that there is pork in Jell-o and other foods to avoid.
We coincide, we in the same life, maybe a time difference
Although we may be in different places or circumstances, our experiences in life may be similar due to shared struggles.
On a different coast, but we share the same sunlight
Even though we may be separated by distance, we still experience the same sun and daylight.
You're part of the world, might be like colors and gangs
Depending on where you are in the world, you may be identified by race or association with certain groups/gangs.
While on my side, brothers'll murder for different things
In my community, people may kill one another for different reasons and motivations.
But it all revolve around drugs, fame and shorties
The common themes and motivations behind these killings are often drugs, fame, or girls/women.
Stuck for your bling, stripped for your chain, the same story
People are often robbed or killed for their jewelry and other material possessions.
From, Czechoslovakia to Texas metropolis
These problems and issues are not exclusive to New York but can be found in other parts of the world like Czechoslovakia or Texas.
Them treacherous rastas in the Mexican mafias
There are dangerous and untrustworthy people in various gangs including the Mexican mafia.
Be scrapping with tats on they back, violent wars
Gang members often have tattoos on their back and are involved in violent and bloody conflicts.
Nothing less than a lethal injection if ever caught
If someone from a dangerous gang gets caught or arrested, they would most likely receive a death penalty and be executed.
Courtrooms, eagles and flags, American style
In American courtrooms, there are symbols such as eagles and flags that represent patriotism and national identity.
While in our world, the ghetto stays incredibly foul
However, in our community/ghetto, things are far from ideal and are often violent and unpleasant.
Watching for paint chips, don't want no lead in yo' child
Parents in the community are cautious to make sure their children are safe from lead poisoning from paint.
But them gangstas put lead in yo' child, the bezzy be out
However, gang members may harm your child and steal your most valuable possession.
The chain be like a hundred K
A chain may cost $100,000 or more.
Shining since Roxanne Shante' made "Runaway"; that's been a minute
Something has been shining or popular for a long time since Roxanne Shante's song "Runaway" was released.
Genesis is deep, my features are that of a God
My roots and beginnings run deep and my appearance resembles that of a higher power.
It's not a facade it's a fact, these rappers wanna be Nas
It's not a fake or deceptive image, but the truth that other rappers aspire to be like me.
My Exodus doesn't exist, I'll never leave the streets, it's all in my mind
I cannot leave my past or get away from my community, even if I physically move away. It's a part of my being and who I am.
Even with sleep I'm duckin nines in my dreams
Even when I'm asleep or dreaming, I'm always aware and prepared for danger or violent situations.
Si-rens, wide awake, why'd I think it would change
The sound of police sirens constantly makes me alert and fearful. It's like I was expecting things to change but they haven't.
Can't hide when you famous or even try to do the same things
When you're a public figure, you cannot hide or try to do things that are typical for normal people to do without being noticed or scrutinized.
Like, somebody's always watching
It's like there's always someone observing and judging your every move.
My life before I, walk out the door I size up every option
I think carefully and make calculated decisions before I step outside my door since my life could be in danger.
Eyes cut every direction, it's like God or guns
I am constantly looking around and watching my back, it's like my survival relies on having faith in God and carrying a gun.
Which is better protection? Can't decide, that's a hard one
I am struggling to determine what is more reliable for my protection, my faith in God or my gun.
I mean they wanna see me in prison, the chains bamboozled
People in power want to see me locked up and controlled due to their own self-interests, and the idea of material possessions has blinded and manipulated me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Barry White, Nasir Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
john lansingj
It’s the imagery in his bars for me. Nobody will ever compare imo
Obsidian_Pill on bitchuteDOTcom
Been saying nas is the goat for years
Kendall Burgess
Respectfully S.P and esco make a movement
Bump In The Night Studios
Factz NAS is the 🐐!
Robert Horry
He's the goat
74RED
K-Rino is better in almost every category.
Dub
This might be my favorite NaS track, and I got his entire library.
Consistent Ced
Adam Castagnetti nigga NAS is criminally underrated
D3m0n On The Beat
@Consistent Ced No he's not
to mito
This gotta be one of Nas’s best verses