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..
Project Windows
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The gutter's wild and every child watches
Chains in top locks get ripped off hinges
Doors kicked off, drunks stag off Smirnoff, wipe your beard off
Crippled dope fiends in wheelchairs stare, vision blurry
'Cause buried deep in they mind are hidden stories
Bet he's a mirror image of that 70s era
He's finished for the rest of his life, 'til he fades out
So many ways out the hood, but no signs say out
Mental slave house where gats go off, I show off
Niggas up north, prisonology talk, 'til they time cut off
You should chill if you short, prepare deep thought
To hit the street again, get it on, get this paper and breathe again
Plan to leave somethin' behind
So your name'll live on, no matter what the game lives on
Lookin' out of my project window (lookin' out)
Oh, I feel uninspired
Lookin' out, lookin' out of my project window
(Oh, I'm lookin' out)
Oh, it makes me feel, so tired
Yo, if this piano's the cake, then my words are the candles
Light it up, make a wish, and them angels will grant you
Impatient once tried, but in those angels and bamboo
They lit it up, hit it up, now they dismantled
Think the whole world is crazy, got a nine, watch where you walk
Two dollar fine, sign of the times here in New York
Hire Satan, United Nations quietly taken, toll on your soul
Take it or leave it, just my evaluation
Stack loot and guns, teach the girls karate, school your sons not to hate
But to stay awake, 'cause the scars a razor make is nothin' in comparison
To the gas left on this whole mass, if we don't get it controlled fast
Might as well be, laughin' with Malcolm X's assassin as we die slow
Perishin', brain dead from a Ericsson
Words are the medicine, two teaspoons for goons
A cup of it for those thuggin' it, y'all sing the tune, uh
Lookin' out of my project window (lookin' out)
Oh, I feel uninspired
Lookin' out, lookin' out of my project window
(Oh, I'm lookin' out)
Oh, it makes me feel, so tired
Another day, another dollar, my mother will holla
She said, "go and see the world for myself, and my brother should follow
Pops was smooth, from his top to his shoes
Sang the blues, guitar strings he played smokin' his Kool
Duke Ellington hat, picture this yo, seventies cat
He wrote his music in the back of the crib, I did my homework
At night the windows were speakers, pumpin' life out
A fight, people screamin' 'cause somebody pulled a knife out
So I look at this room, I'm hooked to this tune
Every night the same melody, hell sounded so heavenly
But jail was ahead of me, speedin' like amphetamine
Reading's what I should've done, 'cause my imagination would run
I was impatient to get out and become part of the noise out there
I used to stare, five stories down, basketball courts, shot up playgrounds
And I witnessed the murders and police shake-downs
Yo, the hustla's and hoes, drugs and fo'-fo's
This was the life of every kid, lookin' out project windows
Oh, outta my window
Lookin' out of my project window (lookin' out)
Oh, I feel uninspired
Lookin' out, lookin' out of my project window
(Oh, I'm lookin' out)
Oh, it makes me feel, so tired
Lookin' out of my project window (lookin' out)
Oh, I feel uninspired
Lookin' out, lookin' out of my project window
(Oh, I'm lookin' out)
Oh, it makes me feel, so tired
Starin' out of, out my window
Oh I, feel so tired
Oh yeah, outta my window
Oh, lookin' out, lookin' out of
Lookin' out my window, oh yeah
Makes me, feel so tired
Lookin' out of my project window
Oh, it makes me feel, so tired
The song "Project Windows" by Nas is a gritty depiction of life in the projects, where black hoods, cops, and sewers are a constant reality. Nas describes the dire conditions of the neighborhood, where doors are kicked off, drunkards stagger, and cripples stare from wheelchairs with blurry vision. The lyrics express the sense of hopelessness felt by those trapped in poverty, with no signs pointing the way out of the mental slavehouse. The chorus emphasizes the sense of exhaustion and lack of inspiration felt by those who are constantly surrounded by these challenges.
The second verse of the song touches upon larger societal issues, such as the United Nations quietly taking control of people's souls, the importance of stacking loot and guns, and the need to teach young girls karate while teaching boys to avoid hatred. Nas repeats the importance of staying awake and aware, as ignorance can lead to tragedy. The third verse is a nostalgic reflection on Nas's childhood in the projects, during a time when his father played the guitar and his mother encouraged him to see the world.
Overall, "Project Windows" is a poignant portrayal of life in the projects, highlighting the systemic issues and harsh realities that many individuals face every day. The lyrics touch on themes such as hopelessness, exhaustion, and societal inequality.
Line by Line Meaning
Black hoods, cops 'n projects
The projects are dangerous due to gang violence and police brutality.
sewers flooded with foul blockage
The environment is unsanitary and polluted.
The gutter's wild and every child watches
Violence and crime are rampant and even children are exposed to it.
Changin top locks with ripped off hinges
People are breaking into others' homes in order to steal and survive.
doors kicked off, drunks stag off smirnoff, wipe your beard off
People are dealing with alcohol addiction and the neglect of their appearance.
Crippled dope fiends in wheelchairs stare
Drug addiction has left some unable to care for themselves.
vision blurry, cus buried deep in they mind are hidden stories
The drug addicts have a past and backstory, but their drug addiction has caused them to not be able to see things clearly.
Bet he's a mirror image of that 70's era
He is like those who fell into addiction in the 70s, but now it is too late for him to recover.
finished for the rest of his life, till he fades out
His addiction has caused him to be stuck in his current state and he will remain there until he dies.
The liquor store workers miss him but then it plays out
The workers who know the addict personally miss him when he is no longer around due to his addiction, but they know it is just a cycle.
so many ways out the hood but no signs say out
There are paths to escape the difficult life in the projects, but there is no clear guidance on how to follow them.
Mental slavehouse where gats go off, I show off
The projects are like a prison of the mind where gun violence is commonplace and people must act tough to survive.
niggas up north, prison-ology talk, till they time cut off
Those in prison talk about how to survive and stay safe there until their sentence is over.
You should chill if you short, prepare deep thought
Those who are struggling should focus on introspection and self-improvement instead of getting in trouble and facing prison time.
to hit the street again, get it on, get this paper and breathe again
To get back on their feet, they need to find ways to make money and support themselves.
Plan to leave somethin' behind
They should aim to make a positive impact and have a lasting legacy.
so your name'll live on, no matter what the game lives on
Even though the projects are an unforgiving place, they should aim to be remembered and have a lasting impact.
Yo, if this piano's the cake then my words are the candles
Nas compares his words to birthday candles on a cake that will bring light to the listener's life.
Light it up, make a wish, and them angels will grant you
If you make a wish, and have a positive attitude, good things will come your way.
Impatient once tried, but in those angels and bamboo they lit it up, *puff* *puff*, hit it up, *puff*
He tried to gain success quickly but later found peace in marijuana and a hopeful outlook.
Now they dismantled, think the whole world is crazy, got a 9
The drug addicts fall apart and believe the world is insane due to their addiction, they have a gun to protect them from danger.
watch where you walk, 2 dollar fine, sign of the times here in New York
New York City is a dangerous place where even walking can result in a fine or danger.
Hi Satan, United Nations quietly taken, to own your soul
Evil seems to lurk around every corner in the projects and it almost feels as if the devil himself runs the show.
take it or leave it, just my evaluation
This is just Nas's view of the projects and everything going on there, and individuals should form their own opinions.
Stack loot and guns, teach the girls karate, school your sons not to hate
People should save their money and protect themselves but also look to empower gender equality and kindness
but to stay awake, cus the scars a razor make is nothin' in comparison to the gas left on this whole mass, if we don't get it controlled fast
We need to be aware of the dangers that surround us, as they are much more significant than we might think.
might as well be, laughin' with Malcolm X's assassin as we die slow
If we don't control these dangers, we might as well be slowly dying while laughing with the one who killed Malcolm X.
perishin', brain dead from a Erickson
Without intervention, people's lives will fade away either from addiction or a toxic environment.
Words are the medicine, two teaspoons for goons
Nas believes his words can heal and instill positivity in those who need it the most.
a cup of it for those thuggin' it, y'all sing the tune
Even those who live a dangerous lifestyle are still able to have hope and sing along to the message.
Another day, another dollar, my mother will holla
Life in the projects is a struggle to get by, and his mother is the one who brings in the income and is therefore always shouting and scolding.
She said 'go and see the world for myself, and my brother Should follow'
Nas's mother encourages him and his brother to leave the projects and experience the world.
Pops was smooth, from his top to his shoes
Nas's father was stylish and always dressed well.
sang the rules, guitar strings he played smokin' his ?
Nas's father played guitar and sang songs that contained messages for his family on how to survive in the projects.
? hat, picture this yo, seventies cat
Nas's father would wear a hat with a wide brim and looked like he stepped from the 70s.
He wrote his music in the back of the crib, I did my homework
Nas's father would write and play music in his home, while Nas did his homework nearby.
At night the windows were speakers, pumpin' life out
At night, his home was full of music that could be heard outside and brought energy to the entire community.
a fight, people screamin' cus somebody pulled a knife out
Even in a place of joy such as the projects, violence can still break out without warning.
So I look at this poem, I'm hooked to this tune
Nas reflects on this entire story and states that the music still resonates with him today.
every night the same melody, hell sounded so heavenly
Despite the prevalence of violence, the sounds of music mixed with the sounds of sirens came together to create a heavenly sounding melody.
But jail was ahead of me, at the speed like amphetamine
Despite everything his family was doing to keep them safe, jail seemed to be the only way out for Nas.
Reading's what I should've done, cus my imagination would run
Nas should have read more, as it inspired him and gave him hope to better his life.
I was impatient to get out and become part of the noise out there
He was eager to escape the projects and venture into the outside world where opportunity awaited him.
I used to stare, five stories down, basketball courts, shot up playgrounds
He would look out of his window and see a place riddled with violence, yet it was still a place for children to play basketball and have fun.
and I witnessed the murders and police shake-downs
Nas saw both sides of the coin; the brutal murders that took place, but also the way in which police would intimidate or harm the citizens.
Yo, the hustlas and hoes, drugs and fo-fos
The projects are filled with people selling drugs and participating in dangerous activities to get by.
This was the life of every kid, lookin' out project windows
Regardless of background or family, every child in the projects shares a similar upbringing full of danger and hardship.
Outta my window
The song ends with Nas looking out of his window, reflecting on everything he has experienced in the projects.
Lord I feel, uninspired
Despite everything, Nas feels drained and devoid of inspiration.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Nasir Jones, Carlos Daronde Broady, Samuel J. Barnes, Nashiem Myrick, Jean Claude Olivier, Alvin Germaine West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind