This track also features the mysterious 070 Shake, who has appeared many different times throughout Kanye’s executively produced G.O.O.D. Music Rollout.
The track also features Puff Daddy/Diddy. This marks the third collaboration between the two. The first being the well-known track “Hate Me Now” and “Everything I Love”. In fact, Kanye also produced the latter track.
The sampled choir/orchestra track is the “Hymn to Red October” from the 1990 motion picture of the Tom Clancy novel “The Hunt for Red October”.
On June 11th 2018, Kanye published a tweet showing the definitions of the 7 deadly sins from Urban Dictonary. Each one of the 7 songs on the album is based on one of the 7 deadly sins, with “Not For Radio” corresponding to pride – being too self-satisfied, where he boasts about Black pride the whole song. Nas later concludes that being overzealous and prideful can lead into irrational behavior.
Not For Radio
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Black Kemet gods, black Egyptian gods
Summoned from heaven, blessed, dressed in only Goyard
Homie go hard like stole and rob it in a stolen car
Shoot the ballot box, no voter cards, they all are frauds
Senegal's finest, minerals, diamonds
The earth is cursed but I survive many climates
John Fitzgerald me, the industry never bought me
Fear will make you reveal who you really are
Feel me y'all? Be solid, your foes hold you in ill regard
This ain't knowledge, this is not intense
For honored men, women too
Us who can see the same thing but have a different view
All is somethin', frontin', niggas knew you from your past
Got all kinds of guys sayin' we go way back
And who y'all comparing me to is nonsense
Show gratitude in the presence of dominance
I think they scared of us, yeah
I think they scared of us
I think they scared of us, yeah
I think they scared
To Catholics, Moors and Masons
John Hanson was not the first black pres to make it
Abe Lincoln did not free the enslaved
Progress was made 'cause we forced the proclamation
SWAT was created to stop the Panthers
Glocks were created for murder enhancement
For hunting men, circumstances
Edgar Hoover was black
Willie Lynch was a myth, Colombians created crack
The government made stacks
Reagan had Alzheimer's, that's true
Fox News was started by a black dude, also true
Convinced my experiences were meant to be
Helps me navigate as they validate theyy treachery
Felt established, fake as he smile, handshake questionable
"Am I good?" he ask, thinkin', "But is he testin' you?"
In my hood, fear does a few things
Make you pussy, make you snitch
Make irrational moves or even turn you to food
I think they scared of us, yeah
I think they scared of us
I think they scared of us, yeah
I think they scared
I think they scared of us, yeah
I think they scared of us
I think they scared of us, yeah
I think they scared
The opening line of Nas's song "Not for Radio" is powerful and sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. When he says "Escobar season begins", he is referring to his alter ego, Escobar, and the start of a new chapter in his music. The next few lines of the song, "Black Kemet gods, black Egyptian gods, Summoned from heaven, blessed, dressed in only Goyard" refer to the idea of black excellence and the power that black people hold.
Nas then goes on to talk about the struggles that black people face, from voter suppression to being stereotyped by others. He also highlights the accomplishments of black people throughout history, such as John Hanson being the first black president and the fact that Abe Lincoln did not actually free the enslaved. Nas wants to remind people that progress was made because black people have fought for it, not because it was handed to them.
Towards the end of the song, Nas touches on the idea that fear can do many things to a person, such as making them turn on their own people or behave irrationally. He also questions the motives of those around him, wondering if they are genuine or if they are testing him in some way.
Line by Line Meaning
Escobar season begins
This is the start of Nas's music style that is inspired by Pablo Escobar's life and it is going to be intense
Black Kemet gods, black Egyptian gods
Nas is referencing the ancient black gods from Kemet and Egypt to showcase the greatness and power of black heritage
Summoned from heaven, blessed, dressed in only Goyard
The black gods possess divine qualities and they are blessed, they only need the fancy Goyard clothing brand to accentuate their greatness
Homie go hard like stole and rob it in a stolen car
Nas's friend is dedicated and hardworking just like someone who commits a crime to get what they want
Shoot the ballot box, no voter cards, they all are frauds
In a corrupt system where there is no fair representation for the people, violence and rebellion are necessary actions
Senegal's finest, minerals, diamonds
Nas acknowledges the natural resources and beauty that Africa possesses, specifically diamonds from Senegal
The earth is cursed but I survive many climates
Although the world faces its challenges, Nas continues to navigate and overcome any obstacle
Calm and thoroughly, they try to Hyman Roth me
Nas stays composed while people around him plot and scheme, much like the character Hyman Roth in The Godfather series
John Fitzgerald me, the industry never bought me
Nas has been compared to the assassinated President John F. Kennedy, but unlike him, Nas cannot be bought or controlled by the music industry
Fear will make you reveal who you really are
Fear can be a revealing factor that shows one's true character and intentions
Feel me y'all? Be solid, your foes hold you in ill regard
Nas wants people to be strong and united because their enemies will always hold them in a negative light
This ain't knowledge, this is not intense
Nas believes that what he's saying is not common knowledge and that it is more than just typical 'intense' rap lyrics
For honored men, women too
Nas wants to highlight the importance of women's contributions to society and honor them equally
Us who can see the same thing but have a different view
People can have different perspectives and interpretations of the same situation or object
All is somethin', frontin', niggas knew you from your past
People can pretend to be something they're not, but others who know their past will see through the facade
Got all kinds of guys sayin' we go way back
People will often exaggerate their connections and relationships to appear more important
And who y'all comparing me to is nonsense
Nas thinks it's ridiculous for people to compare him to other rappers who are not on his level
Show gratitude in the presence of dominance
Be humble and thankful when in the presence of someone superior or with more power
To Catholics, Moors and Masons
Nas is acknowledging the influence of religion and secret societies on history
John Hanson was not the first black pres to make it
Contrary to popular belief, John Hanson was not the first black president in America
Abe Lincoln did not free the enslaved
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation did not single-handedly free all enslaved people in America
Progress was made 'cause we forced the proclamation
Progress was made towards emancipation because of the relentless efforts of black people
SWAT was created to stop the Panthers
The creation of SWAT teams was a response to the Black Panther Party's militancy and activism to protect their communities
Glocks were created for murder enhancement
Nas believes that firearms like Glocks were designed to make killing easier or more efficient
For hunting men, circumstances
Weapons like Glocks are specifically designed to target and kill people, regardless of the circumstances
Edgar Hoover was black
'Black' could symbolize Hoover's corruption and injustice against black people, despite him being a white man
Willie Lynch was a myth, Colombians created crack
The infamous 'Willie Lynch letter' used to justify slavery is a hoax, while the epidemic of crack cocaine was introduced by the Colombian drug trade
The government made stacks
The government has made a lot of money from illegal activities and corruption
Reagan had Alzheimer's, that's true
Former President Reagan was suffering from Alzheimer's disease while in office, which casts doubt on his decision-making abilities
Fox News was started by a black dude, also true
Fox News, known for its conservative and often controversial reporting, was started by a black man named Robert Johnson
Convinced my experiences were meant to be
Nas believes that his life experiences, both good and bad, were part of his destiny
Helps me navigate as they validate theyy treachery
Nas's experiences have prepared him for dealing with people who are deceitful and untrustworthy
Felt established, fake as he smile, handshake questionable
Despite feeling successful and established, Nas is wary of people who give him phony smiles and handshakes
"Am I good?" he ask, thinkin', "But is he testin' you?"
Nas is suspicious of those who ask if everything is okay, because he believes they might have an ulterior motive or put him to the test
In my hood, fear does a few things
Fear has different impacts and consequences in Nas's neighborhood
Make you pussy, make you snitch
Fear can make someone weak and cowardly, or make them betray others to save themselves
Make irrational moves or even turn you to food
Fear can also make people act impulsively and make poor decisions, and in extreme cases, even make them vulnerable to attack or exploitation
I think they scared of us, yeah
Nas believes that people are afraid of him and his message
I think they scared
People are scared and intimidated by Nas and his power
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kanye Omari West, Nasir Jones, Mike Dean, Basil Poledouris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind