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..
Quick To Back Down
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Lil Jon]
Yeah!
Bravehearts!
Yeah!
That boy Nas!
Yeah!
Me I'm your boy Lil Jon
Right now we going to talk about these niggas!
Yeah!
That's got a lot of mouth, what!
Yeah!
But when It's time to do some shit
Yeah!
They folding, these niggas is folding and shit
Know What I'm talking bout, like paper
Yeah!
[Chorus: Nas + Lil Jon]
[N] I know your type I know your kind ya
[L] Quick to back down
[N] You be leaving when there's drama
[L] Quick to back down
[N] Fucking fake ass nigga
[L] Quick to back down
[N] Soft and cornflake nigga ya
[L] Quick to back down
[N] You ya whole crew ya
[L] Quick to back down
[N] Ya'll don't want none of this ya
[L] Quick to back down
[N] And I hate ya'll niggas ya
[L] Quick to back down
[N] Soft and cornflake nigga ya
[Nas]
First of all this is Nas I'ma Braveheart veteran
And why'all already know who I'm better than
why'all know the beef in the hood it'll never end
Never hit the club unless I get's my berretta in
The letter N, short for Nasir
More drama than the President with North Korea
Gettin Krunk wit Lil Jon, he da livest in the south
Fuck around and you get wires in your mouth
Cowards I despise and my power keeps on risin
Niggas try to hate me but they keep recognizin
Who's the next label I'ma bury
CEO's, rappers and A&R's go to the rap cemetery
And ya all got guns but ya scared to use 'em
Six million ways to die, nigga choose one
I'm a Braveheart I'll be right here
why'all talk shit but I smell fear, motherfucker!
[Chorus]
[Jungle]
Ay yo, all these niggas they afraid of the Bravehearts
I'll take a razor open your face up
I tried to tell these niggas we don't play
I run up on you broad day with a A-K
Cornball I can make your heart beat stop
Pop pop your body drop from a couple shots
When you see me in the street, we can handle the beef
If you see me in jail you know you dead meat
I be fighting and stabbin, shooting and laughing
My ratchet blast on top of you bastards
Committing sins in Cincinnati
We'll drive by in all black caddy's
A 21 gun salute
Your last words be, please Jungle don't shoot
Pussy, I'll put a slug between your eyes
And stand there and watch your punk ass die
[Wiz]
I'm fuckin' wit them, Bravehearts
My niggas is coming we just don't stop
why'all niggas is running I'm just goin pop
I twist up my gun up and slap your mouth
With Lil John down south
My religion is green motherfucker too late
Since birth, I'm cursed, the worst motherfucka in da state
Time and time again you niggas back down, laugh now
Fuck ya numbers nigga ya'll all fake
The hunt is on, fuck if I'm wrong, test my dead arm
Robbery, heavily armed, might leave him gone
Bang him duff him, actin like he don't know what's going on
Hang em' rush em' get his clown ass his teammates wrong
And oh he got a 22, give him the gauge the brave way
God ain't going to save his bitch ass today
Wait I'ma Braveheart I'll be right here
why'all talk shit but I smell fear, mothafuckas!
[Chorus]
The song Quick To Backdown by Nas ft. Bravehearts & Lil Jon portrays the idea of people who talk big but back down when confronted with the consequences of their words. Nas is a veteran and a man of his word. He doesn't go to clubs without his Beretta and has more drama than the President and North Korea. Lil Jon, on the other hand, is the man from the south who gets Krunk and puts wires in your mouth if you mess with him. Jungle is a fearless and ruthless Braveheart who is not afraid to take down his enemies. And finally, Wiz is a cursed man who's fed up with fake people and is not afraid to resort to extreme measures.
The lyrics are a commentary on the nature of bullying and how people who talk the most are the ones who back down when confronted with actual conflict. Nas and his crew are not afraid to stand up for themselves and confront their enemies head-on. The song also highlights the idea that actions speak louder than words and to back up your talk with action.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah!
Lil Jon is hyping up the song and the featured artists - Nas and Bravehearts.
That boy Nas!
Lil Jon is introducing Nas, one of the featured artists.
Me I'm your boy Lil Jon
Lil Jon is introducing himself as one of the featured artists and a collaborator.
Right now we going to talk about these niggas!
The song is about people who talk tough but don't follow through, causing drama.
That's got a lot of mouth, what!
The song is about people who talk tough and boast a lot, but don't back up their words and actions.
But when It's time to do some shit
These people who talk big become fearful when it's time to act or deal with drama.
They folding, these niggas is folding and shit Know What I'm talking bout, like paper
These people are weak, like paper, and quickly back down or give up when faced with any challenge or confrontation.
I know your type I know your kind ya
Nas is addressing the people who talk big but can't back it up or follow through on their words.
Quick to back down
These people are quick to back down, flee or give up when faced with any challenge or confrontation.
You be leaving when there's drama
These people are cowardly and run away, often causing more drama and conflict in the process.
Fucking fake ass nigga
Nas is calling out these people as fake and not genuine in their words or actions.
Soft and cornflake nigga ya
These people are weak and easily crumble, like a cornflake or soft material.
You ya whole crew ya
This is not just about one person, but their entire crew or group of similar individuals who act tough but do not follow through.
Ya'll don't want none of this ya
Nas is challenging these people and their crew to stand up to their tough talk and face consequences of their actions.
And I hate ya'll niggas ya
Nas has no respect or tolerance for these people who talk big but cannot back it up or follow through.
First of all this is Nas I'ma Braveheart veteran
Nas is asserting his veteran status and experience as part of the Bravehearts collective.
And why'all already know who I'm better than
Nas is confident in his skills and superiority to others in the industry.
why'all know the beef in the hood it'll never end
There is always conflict and drama in the neighborhood and Nas has experienced and witnessed it firsthand.
Never hit the club unless I get's my beretta in
Nas is always prepared and ready to defend himself and others with his gun if necessary.
The letter N, short for Nasir
N is a reference to Nas's nickname and a shortened version of his given name, Nasir.
More drama than the President with North Korea
Nas is involved in more drama and conflict in his life than even the President of the United States dealing with North Korea's threats and aggression.
Gettin Krunk wit Lil Jon, he da livest in the south
Nas is collaborating with Lil Jon who is known for his energetic and exciting music in the Southern United States.
Fuck around and you get wires in your mouth
If you mess with Nas or his crew, you risk getting beaten or seriously injured with wires going in your mouth.
Cowards I despise and my power keeps on risin
Nas hates cowardly people and he continues to maintain and increase his power and status despite these obstacles and challenges.
Niggas try to hate me but they keep recognizin
Although people may hate on Nas, they cannot deny his talent, success and accomplishments in the music industry.
Who's the next label I'ma bury CEO's, rappers and A&R's go to the rap cemetery
Nas is challenging and threatening to take down any record labels, executives or artists who try to stand in his way or disrespect him.
And ya all got guns but ya scared to use 'em Six million ways to die, nigga choose one
Nas is calling out the people who claim to have guns and weapons but are too scared to use them when it is necessary to defend themselves or their crew.
I'm a Braveheart I'll be right here why'all talk shit but I smell fear, motherfucker!
Nas is a Braveheart and he will always be present and ready to defend himself and his crew. He senses fear in those who talk tough but cannot back it up.
Ay yo, all these niggas they afraid of the Bravehearts
Jungle is acknowledging that people fear and respect the Bravehearts collective.
I'll take a razor open your face up
Jungle is threatening to physically harm and disfigure those who try to mess with him or the Bravehearts.
I tried to tell these niggas we don't play
Jungle has warned others not to mess with him and the Bravehearts, because they are not to be taken lightly.
I run up on you broad day with a A-K
Jungle is threatening to use a powerful weapon, an AK-47, in broad daylight to take down anyone who disrespects him or his crew.
Cornball I can make your heart beat stop Pop pop your body drop from a couple shots
Jungle is calling out someone as a cornball or weak, and threatening to shoot them and cause their body to fall and die.
When you see me in the street, we can handle the beef If you see me in jail you know you dead meat
Jungle is challenging anyone who has a problem with him to confront him in the street, knowing that he will win. If you try to mess with him in jail, he will retaliate and end your life.
I be fighting and stabbin, shooting and laughing My ratchet blast on top of you bastards
Jungle is not afraid to use violence to get his way, and he enjoys seeing his enemies suffer and die. He will shoot with a dangerous weapon, a ratchet, on top of anyone who opposes him.
Committing sins in Cincinnati We'll drive by in all black caddy's
Jungle is admitting to committing crimes in Cincinnati, and he and his crew will arrive in black Cadillac cars and will take care of any issues they have with anyone there.
A 21 gun salute Your last words be, please Jungle don't shoot Pussy, I'll put a slug between your eyes And stand there and watch your punk ass die
Jungle and his crew will give a 21 gun salute as a sign of respect, but then will kill anyone who tries to mess with them. If you express fear or plead, Jungle will not show mercy and instead will kill you and watch you die.
I'm fuckin' wit them, Bravehearts My niggas is coming we just don't stop why'all niggas is running I'm just goin pop
Wiz is collaborating with the Bravehearts, and they are not afraid to chase after anyone who tries to run away or hide. Wiz will use his gun and pop someone if necessary.
I twist up my gun up and slap your mouth With Lil John down south
Wiz will prepare and use his gun to shoot someone, and Lil Jon is with him in the Southern United States.
My religion is green motherfucker too late
Wiz's religion is money or wealth, and it is too late for anyone who tries to mess with him and get in his way, as he will use his power and resources to end them.
Since birth, I'm cursed, the worst motherfucka in da state
Wiz has always been a troubled and cursed person, and he considers himself to be the worst or most dangerous motherfucker in his state or area.
Time and time again you niggas back down, laugh now
Wiz has seen many people talk tough but then back down or flee when faced with real confrontation, and he finds it amusing and ironic.
Fuck ya numbers nigga ya'll all fake
Wiz does not respect or care about anyone's status or numbers in terms of fame or influence, because he sees everyone as fake and not genuine.
The hunt is on, fuck if I'm wrong, test my dead arm Robbery, heavily armed, might leave him gone
Wiz is on the hunt for anyone who tries to mess with him, and he does not care if he is wrong or not. He will use his powerful and armed crew to rob, injure or kill anyone who opposes him.
Bang him duff him, actin like he don't know what's going on Hang em' rush em' get his clown ass his teammates wrong
Wiz will bang or shoot someone, then beat and rush them, as he thinks they are acting clueless or ignorant. He will also harm the teammates of anyone he is targeting.
And oh he got a 22, give him the gauge the brave way God ain't going to save his bitch ass today
Wiz acknowledges that someone has a 22 caliber gun, but he will use his more powerful and brave gauge weapon to take them down. He has no mercy and knows that God cannot save that person's life.
Wait I'ma Braveheart I'll be right here why'all talk shit but I smell fear, mothafuckas!
Wiz is part of the Bravehearts, and he will not back down or flee when faced with confrontation. He senses fear in those who talk tough but are not genuine or brave.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: MICHAEL EPPS, JABARI N JONES, NASIR N JONES, JONATHAN N SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@avocadogodoy7272
One of the best tracks on NFL STREET 🔥
@MrExtraFINESSEtrial
💯 True
@KevinBurnsJR-he5zs
Yo I remembered that game and it was a hit!
@vancerhett4210
Nas killed this and he proved he could kill a southern track
@thomaswalker1833
Vance Rhett facts
@oppzgaming-2202
Respect from Texas !!! He went silly on that beat I fucks with it!!
@bn2192
yes, Tru that....
@columbusohio72
He can kill any beat
@blackdiamond6369
Nas never fails...., a beast on his own.
@3rdGenerationCancer
Nas verse basically saying "I bodied the whole Roc-A-Fella"