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..
Once a Man Twice a Child
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oldtimer told me (yeah)
You ain't gon' be able to fuck the same
Drink the same
Hang out the same
I'm like, once a man, twice a child
Yeah, once a man, twice a child
It's like a baby again
Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun, Nintendo Duck Hunt
I ducked police, I had to run
Meanwhile, when you get old you might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope, but I love my new girl
So when I'ma slow down this merry go round called life
I was a youngster with a fever, moms brought cold ice
And I was young, scared
She ain't care, she made me fight
Fifty-two sweep you, haymaker right
When I get old ,I hope that I can stay this fly
Once a man, twice a child
From mama's boy to preschool to college to now employed
Now you on, got your first crib, she's having your firstborn
Went from buying the finer toys with your boys
To buying toys for your boy
It's crazy how fast he's growing for sure
Grandpops he told me 'bout his days of old
One day I'll be him on the porch, sippin' on something cold
And it stuck with my soul
I been divided at the road
Hot-headed as a youngster, confronted I might unload
Now listen, knowledge I received as a seed, as a G
That would feed my personal frequency
Transcends through all, travel through walls
My ministry, we ain't know we was livin' hazardous
Savages, first niggas in New York with Bentleys
Tyson, Kedar, Puff, Stoute and then me
Before "Many Men" was out, we went on tour and took 50
Live while you got the strength to
Health you should tend to
Look all of ain't gon' get old, I hope this message hits you
For real
Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun, Nintendo Duck Hunt
I ducked police, I had to run
Meanwhile, when you get old, you might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope, but I love my new girl
So when I'ma slow down this merry go round called life
I was a youngster with a fever, moms brought cold ice
I'm tryin' to expand the pineal gland
The world ain't our home, just temporary, please understand
You die tomorrow then you born again, so life is deathless
Respect and balance, human dignity that's the perspective
Aimé Leon Dore New Balance when I'm steppin'
Time is precious
One day I might need my diaper changed inside a convalescent
The soul is different than the flesh is
Life is teachin' me more, wisdom and ignorance is kin
To have peace, you need war
By the time you see the stars in the skies, they already burnt out
Same way these dudes be shinin' but been burnt out
But we don't change, as we get stuck in our ways
We just act like we agree so we can end the exchange
What's meant for you is sent to you
But you could be the problem, it's not always them, my dude
Was she crazy before you met her or you made her crazy?
Possibly, she gonna be a nurse when you back to a baby
Once a man, twice a child
Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun, Nintendo Duck Hunt
I ducked police, I had to run
Meanwhile, when you get old, you might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope, but I love my new girl
So when I'ma slow down this merry go round called life
I was a youngster with a fever, moms brought cold ice
And in the streets I had agility, was quick to strike
My fear's not seeing it coming, got too rich for that sight
So take advantage of your youth before you elderly
'Cause today is the youngest that you will ever be
In Nas's song "Once a Man Twice a Child," he explores the concept of aging and the cycle of life. The lyrics depict the transition from youth to old age and the changes that come with it. The line "If you lucky, you get old" suggests that growing old is a privilege not granted to everyone. The oldtimer mentioned in the song emphasizes that as one gets older, they will no longer be able to do the same things they did when they were younger - they can't have the same experiences, indulge in the same vices, or hang out in the same way. This idea is reiterated with the phrase "once a man, twice a child," which reflects the cyclical nature of life where one starts as a child, becomes a man, and, ultimately, returns to a childlike state in old age.
The song contrasts the strength and resilience of youth with the vulnerability and limitations of old age. Nas recounts his experiences as a young person, highlighting his ability to evade danger and navigate through life's challenges. However, as he ages, he recognizes that his old style is no match for his new style. He acknowledges the passing of time and the inevitability of change, both in his personal life and in society. The lyrics also touch on the importance of family and the guidance received from parents and grandparents throughout life. Nas reflects on the impact of his upbringing, particularly his mother's support and tough love.
Line by Line Meaning
If you lucky, you get old
If you're fortunate enough, you will age
Oldtimer told me (yeah)
An older person advised me
You ain't gon' be able to fuck the same
You won't be able to perform sexually like you used to
Drink the same
You won't be able to consume alcohol like before
Hang out the same
You won't be able to socialize like you used to
I'm like, once a man, twice a child
I believe that as you age, you become vulnerable and dependent like a child
Yeah, once a man, twice a child
Yes, indeed, as a man grows older, he regresses and becomes childlike
It's like a baby again
It feels as if you're a baby all over again
Strong motherfucker when you're young
You're a resilient and powerful individual in your youth
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
I avoided getting cut by a razor and dodged physical assaults
Even ducked a gun, Nintendo Duck Hunt
I even evaded getting shot, just like in the video game 'Nintendo Duck Hunt'
I ducked police, I had to run
I managed to avoid confrontation with the police by fleeing
Meanwhile, when you get old, you might become futile
However, as you age, you may lose your effectiveness or significance
My old style is a rough of my new style
My previous way of doing things is the foundation for my current approach
My old girl dope, but I love my new girl
I had a great relationship in the past, but I'm currently in love with someone else
So when I'ma slow down this merry go round called life
Therefore, when I decide to take a break from the constant cycle of life
I was a youngster with a fever, moms brought cold ice
When I was young and sick with a fever, my mother provided me with ice to alleviate it
And I was young, scared
And in my youth, I was fearful
She ain't care, she made me fight
But my mother didn't care about my fear and encouraged me to stand up for myself
Fifty-two sweep you, haymaker right
She taught me how to throw effective punches, like a right haymaker
When I get old, I hope that I can stay this fly
As I grow older, I wish to maintain my cool and stylish demeanor
From mama's boy to preschool to college to now employed
From being a mother's son to attending preschool, college, and now being employed
Now you on, got your first crib, she's having your firstborn
Now you've progressed and have your own home, while your partner is pregnant with your first child
Went from buying the finer toys with your boys
You've transitioned from purchasing expensive toys with your friends
To buying toys for your boy
To now buying toys for your own child
It's crazy how fast he's growing for sure
It's astonishing how rapidly your child is maturing
Grandpops he told me 'bout his days of old
My grandfather shared stories about his younger days with me
One day I'll be him on the porch, sippin' on something cold
Someday, I'll be just like him, sitting on the porch, enjoying a refreshing beverage
And it stuck with my soul
His words deeply resonated with me
I been divided at the road
I've been conflicted at this crossroad in life
Hot-headed as a youngster, confronted I might unload
When I was young, I had a short temper and would react aggressively when challenged
Now listen, knowledge I received as a seed, as a G
Now hear me out, the wisdom I received as a child and as a respected individual
That would feed my personal frequency
That knowledge would nourish my individual vibrations
Transcends through all, travel through walls
This wisdom extends beyond boundaries and barriers
My ministry, we ain't know we was livin' hazardous
My purpose, we didn't realize that our way of life was dangerous
Savages, first niggas in New York with Bentleys
We were reckless individuals, the first African Americans in New York to own Bentleys
Tyson, Kedar, Puff, Stoute and then me
Referring to Mike Tyson, Kedar Massenburg, Sean Combs, and Steve Stoute, influential figures who came before me
Before 'Many Men' was out, we went on tour and took 50
Before 50 Cent released the song 'Many Men,' we went on a tour together and supported him
Live while you got the strength to
Enjoy life while you have the energy and ability
Health you should tend to
Take care of your health
Look all of ain't gon' get old, I hope this message hits you
Not all of us will have the privilege of growing old, so I hope this message resonates with you
I'm tryin' to expand the pineal gland
I'm attempting to enhance my spiritual and metaphysical awareness
The world ain't our home, just temporary, please understand
The world is not our permanent abode, it's just a temporary place, I hope you comprehend
You die tomorrow then you born again, so life is deathless
If you die tomorrow, you will be reborn, indicating that life is everlasting
Respect and balance, human dignity that's the perspective
Having respect, equilibrium, and valuing human dignity is the right mindset
Aimé Leon Dore New Balance when I'm steppin'
I wear exclusive Aimé Leon Dore New Balance sneakers when I walk
Time is precious
Time is invaluable
One day I might need my diaper changed inside a convalescent
One day, I may require help with even the most basic tasks in a nursing home
The soul is different than the flesh is
The soul is distinct from the physical body
Life is teachin' me more, wisdom and ignorance is kin
Life continues to educate me, teaching me the similarities between wisdom and ignorance
To have peace, you need war
In order to experience peace, there must be conflict
By the time you see the stars in the skies, they already burnt out
By the time we observe the stars in the sky, they have already ceased to exist
Same way these dudes be shinin' but been burnt out
Similarly, these individuals may appear successful, but they have lost their spark
But we don't change, as we get stuck in our ways
However, we tend to resist change and become entrenched in our habits
We just act like we agree so we can end the exchange
We pretend to agree with others in order to conclude a conversation or argument
What's meant for you is sent to you
What is destined for you will come to you in due time
But you could be the problem, it's not always them, my dude
However, you might actually be the issue, it's not always others who are at fault
Was she crazy before you met her or you made her crazy?
Was she already mentally unstable, or did your actions cause her instability?
Possibly, she gonna be a nurse when you back to a baby
Perhaps, when you regress to being dependent like a baby, she will take care of you as a nurse
Once a man, twice a child
As a man ages, he becomes like a child again
And in the streets I had agility, was quick to strike
In my younger days, I was nimble and ready to retaliate in the streets
My fear's not seeing it coming, got too rich for that sight
My fear is not being able to anticipate and avoid danger, I've become too affluent for that level of vigilance
So take advantage of your youth before you elderly
Therefore, make the most of your youth before you become old and fragile
'Cause today is the youngest that you will ever be
Because today is the youngest you will ever be, cherish and appreciate it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Chauncey Hollis Jr., Nasir Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CSmoothh
"We just act like we agree so we can end the exchange" ...The simplicity yet truth in that line...
@2KGbaby
All the way. Surface level Minded ppl won't understand or agree to that....but I feel him....and I feel you too bro. Real.💯
@legrandeblackwell2541
I was just about to write this lol. Line hits hard
@omarsharif3381
My fav line resonates deep‼️
@adilla121783
That burnt out star line which set this up 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@kawhi2934
Hell naaaaah. Pac the GREATEST
@akashtiwari8044
"Today is the youngest that you will ever be"
That's a quote for lifetime 😌
@andrecurry
Is it
@treecitycowboy
My best friend just passed away. Been locked up at home don't wanna talk to no one. This albums the only thing that's been able to make me smile. Thanks Nas
@NoFuckingHandlesLeft
Sorry about your friend. Hang in there.