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..
Rare
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Niggas speak down on my name like I wasn't there for 'em
Talk about back in the days, this isn't back in the days
They want me back in my ways, chipped tooth and the fade
Uh, musically I'm on Mars
Walking all over the beat, puttin' my feet on the stars
I rock it like Lenny, thinkin' like Jimi
Standin' in front of where they shot Ahmaud
And said we gotta know who we are
Uh, I'm in rare form
Wearin' rare Jordans straight from Air Jordan this a fair warning
Too many young gods beef over nothin'
When you get money you know that it's comin'
Sayin' they homies but they ain't a hunnid
We the most hunted, uh
I got my Mets hat on to the back
Y'all already know where we goin' with the stats
Hall of Fame only, Kings and Queens only
They all be grabbin' my style but you know they can't hold me
Yeah, I'm in rare form
Y'all still on the ground, you know I been airborne
Studyin' Big, studyin' Nietzsche
You gotta call on the chopper to reach me
Homie, I don't need the jeweler to freeze me
Ice in my veins, I make it look easy
Mentally, I'm in Queens
Mo' money, mo' problems, you gotta be ready for all that it brings
Let 'em say what they say, revenge on my plate, I'm lovin' the taste
They see you shinin' emotions get hard to contain
They just not evolvin' the same
Me and HB is too rare
I'm movin' all through the snares, the sound on billionaire
Ain't nothin' changed, I'm flippin' a page
I'm Prince on the stage, SLAVE on his face
You know what they say, KD the wave
I'm stayin' rare for all of my days (Braveheart, Braveheart)
I'm stayin' rare for all of my days (Braveheart)
Levels of Tarantino
Curvin' my ego, even though he know
Empty glass of Pinot, cigars and casinos
What they especially praise is the ethos
Stacks on blackjack, movin' my chips
No superstition to make me get rich
I'm with this chick, just one I brought today
In between placin' my bets, we shop to Cartier
Rose gold, I copped her a set
Runway, hopped in the jet, flight attendant poppin' Moet
I said I need that Dom, off of respect
We havin' conversations, nigga, show me property then
I call my nigga and I told him, "Yo, I gotta be there"
Salmon shish kebab, in a misty fog, roll a sticky log
Big dawg affair, no kids involved
Roundtable havin' war council
Press one button, it'll change the world around you
Too rare, nothin' to see here, Cuban over my streetwear
You're nobody 'til somebody kills you just to be fair
It's okay to keep the mystique, I learned that in the street
I'm me, solo or deep, I'm puttin' on for the G's
(Hit-Boy)
We been doin' gangsta shit for a long time
Look inside my mind, see a gold mine
I'm my own cosign, she textin' the old line
You keep starin' at the glow, bitch, don't go blind
Braveheart energy, fuck all of the enemies
XO Hennessy, it's not on me, it's in me
I'm not here to be friendly, they ain't even pretendin'
Comprende?
We've been doin' gangsta shit for a long time
Look inside my mind, see a gold mine
I'm my own cosign, she textin' the old line
Comprende?
It's up, Hit-Boy you on some other shit
We on some other shit, comprende? Yeah
In the song "Rare" by Nas, he talks about his own greatness and how people have been speaking down on his name despite him being there for them in the past, which makes him want to show them what he is truly capable of. He declares himself to be in rare form and musically on Mars, walking all over the beat and putting his feet on the stars. He channels the energy of Lenny and Jimi, feeling like he's the first person who ever picked up a guitar, and standing in front of the place where Ahmaud was shot, he emphasizes the importance of knowing oneself. He says he doesn't need any jeweler to freeze him because ice is already in his veins, making everything look easy.
In his rare form, Nas is still moving all through the snares and focusing on the sound of a billionaire. He talks about how keeping the mystique is essential, especially since he learned this on the streets. He also mentions putting on for the G's and staying rare for all of his days. In the last verse, his associate Hit-Boy speaks about his own greatness and how they have been doing gangsta shit for a long time. He emphasizes his own energy and how he's not here to be friendly, with XO Hennessy in his veins.
One interesting fact about the song "Rare" is that it's produced by Hit-Boy, who is known for his work with other rappers such as Jay-Z and Kanye West. Nas and Hit-Boy worked together on the entire album "King's Disease," which features other artists like Charlie Wilson, Big Sean, and Don Toliver. Another interesting fact is that on this album, Nas raps over beats that combine jazz and boom-bap, which are old-school hip-hop sounds. Another fact is that Nas changed the album's artwork after deciding that the original cover featuring a photo of the World Trade Center was not appropriate. He replaced it with a painting by a Black artist.
In terms of sales, "King's Disease" became Nas's thirteenth album to debut in the top ten of the Billboard 200, with over 47,000 album-equivalent units sold. The album features a mix of personal storytelling, social commentary, and braggadocio from Nas, who is known for his clever wordplay and intricate rhyme schemes. In "Rare," he showcases his lyrical prowess and his ability to paint vivid pictures with his words, particularly when he compares himself to musicians of the past like Lenny Kravitz and Jimi Hendrix. Finally, the song's lyrics and overall sound demonstrate a certain level of confidence and maturity from Nas, who takes pride in his decades-long career in the rap game.
Chords:
The chords for "Rare" are not currently available.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, I'm in rare form
I am in exceptional condition and state of mind.
Niggas speak down on my name like I wasn't there for 'em
People talk about me negatively as if I did not have their back in times past.
Talk about back in the days, this isn't back in the days
People speak of the past without acknowledging the present reality.
They want me back in my ways, chipped tooth and the fade
They desire me to return to my old self, to my old, rough ways.
Uh, musically I'm on Mars
I am in a league of my own musically, in a class that has no match or rival.
Walking all over the beat, puttin' my feet on the stars
I am dominating the instrumental track, exceeding expectations phenomenally.
I rock it like Lenny, thinkin' like Jimi
I perform and create music in ways similar to Lenny Kravitz and Jimi Hendrix, two celebrated music icons.
The first time he seen a guitar
The moment when Jimi Hendrix first set eyes on a guitar.
Standin' in front of where they shot Ahmaud
Referring to Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was fatally shot in Georgia, USA.
And said we gotta know who we are
Jimi Hendrix's reaction was to say that as black people, they must know and appreciate their identity and worth.
Wearin' rare Jordans straight from Air Jordan this a fair warning
I am wearing exclusive, limited edition Air Jordan sneakers which are a warning that I am here and ready.
Too many young gods beef over nothin'
Too many young people argue and fight over trivial issues.
When you get money you know that it's comin'
With wealth, positive and negative situations will be attracted to you.
Sayin' they homies but they ain't a hunnid
People claim to be loyal friends, but they do not keep it real and honest.
We the most hunted, uh
We are the most targeted and pursued group of people, particularly in a societal sense.
I got my Mets hat on to the back
I am wearing a New York Mets baseball cap backwards.
Y'all already know where we goin' with the stats
We are headed to success and triumph, and it's obvious to everyone through the statistics.
Hall of Fame only, Kings and Queens only
Only the best and the most regal and important people deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.
They all be grabbin' my style but you know they can't hold me
People try to copy my unique style but they cannot succeed as I am unmatched and untouchable.
Mentally, I'm in Queens
I am in a certain state of consciousness that reflects the Queens, a neighborhood in New York City where I grew up.
Mo' money, mo' problems, you gotta be ready for all that it brings
The more money one has, the more challenges and complications one must handle.
They see you shinin' emotions get hard to contain
When people realize one's brilliance and success, they become jealous and cannot handle their emotions well.
Me and HB is too rare
Hit-Boy and I are extraordinary, unusual, and inimitable.
I'm movin' all through the snares, the sound on billionaire
I am gracefully and confidently moving and maneuvering through life's hardships and difficulties, with music that sounds like a billionaire's style.
I'm flippin' a page, I'm Prince on the stage, SLAVE on his face
I continue to evolve my music and performances, like the late Prince; however, I am also a slave to the system and circumstances that impact my life and art.
You know what they say, KD the wave
As others say, KD is a trendsetter or a force to follow or emulate.
Levels of Tarantino
My experiences and talent reflect those of the celebrated filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino.
Curvin' my ego, even though he know
I am controlling my self-importance and vanity, despite the challenge of my ego.
Empty glass of Pinot, cigars and casinos
I indulge in luxurious pleasures such as drinking Pinot wine, smoking cigars and going to casinos.
What they especially praise is the ethos
What garners the most admiration and attraction is the character, values, and beliefs that people embody.
Stacks on blackjack, movin' my chips
I am gambling with large amounts of money on a game of blackjack, and moving my betting chips.
No superstition to make me get rich
I am not relying on superstitious or religious beliefs to make me wealthy.
In between placin' my bets, we shop to Cartier
While gambling, I make time to shop at places like Cartier, a well-known jewelry store.
Rose gold, I copped her a set
I bought a matching jewelry set for the woman I am with, made of rose gold.
Runway, hopped in the jet, flight attendant poppin' Moet
I got on a runway, hopped onto my private jet, and was served Moet champagne by a flight attendant.
I said I need that Dom, off of respect
I asked for Dom Perignon champagne as a sign of respect, since it is a high-end and excellent brand.
We havin' conversations, nigga, show me property then
As we chat, I request that the other person show proof of ownership of property or possessions.
Salmon shish kebab, in a misty fog, roll a sticky log
I am eating a skewered salmon dish, smoking a marijuana joint, in a misty environment.
Big dawg affair, no kids involved
This is a serious matter between major players or adults, with no children present or included.
Roundtable havin' war council
We, a group of knowledgeable and powerful people, are having a meeting to strategize and plan war.
Press one button, it'll change the world around you
With just one action, the world around you can be transformed and affected.
Cuban over my streetwear
I am wearing a Cuban link chain of gold over casual and comfy streetwear clothing.
You're nobody 'til somebody kills you just to be fair
In street culture, fame and significance only come to you when someone kills you, not out of love but as a way to balance and settle scores and claims.
It's okay to keep the mystique, I learned that in the street
It is perfectly fine to keep your image, reputation, and backstory interesting and mysterious, as I learned from the tough and grimy streets.
I'm me, solo or deep, I'm puttin' on for the G's
I am proud of my identity and individuality, and I will represent myself and my community, by myself or with my people.
We been doin' gangsta shit for a long time
We have been engaging in illicit and risky behavior for a considerable amount of time.
Look inside my mind, see a gold mine
If you were to delve into my mind and thoughts, you would see that I have a wealthy and valuable imagination and creativity.
I'm my own cosign, she textin' the old line
I am my own supporter and validator, and the woman I am with is sending me an old text message.
You keep starin' at the glow, bitch, don't go blind
If you keep looking at and admiring me and my light and achievements too intensely, you might blind yourself or overextend.
Braveheart energy, fuck all of the enemies
I am embodying the same fearless, combative, and aggressive attitude and spirit as the Scottish warriors in the film, Braveheart, and I will not spare any foes or rivals.
XO Hennessy, it's not on me, it's in me
I am not just drinking XO Hennessy cognac, it is within me, a part of my identity and heritage.
I'm not here to be friendly, they ain't even pretendin'
I am not attempting to be amicable or fake about it, and neither are the other people I am dealing with.
Comprende?
Do you understand what I am saying?
We on some other shit, comprende? Yeah
We are on a different or unusual level, do you get it? Yeah.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Chauncey Hollis Jr., Dustin James Corbett, Nasir Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
L. T.
When I was 11 years old, back in 2007, my friend showed me the song "nas is like". The beat played for 2 seconds and I've been in love with hip hop ever since. Thank you King NAS for giving me this gift 🖤🖤🖤
Jërk
You should thank ur friend, great story mate
L. T.
@Jërk we've known each other since kindergarten and he fell in love with hip hop because of nas is like, too. Now we're both 25, from Germany traveling the world being in Panama right now listening to Kings Disease II. Hope our story will go on for 75 more years 🖤🤙🏼
L. T.
God bless all ya'll. Stay healthy, happy and genuine. Never stop chasing and fulfilling your dreams! Love to all of you! 💕
Citizen Blane
Kind gesture but the first two seconds is just drums fam😂😂😂. I get what you mean though
Papa Smurf
So many of us have had a similar experience with Nas music this man is legendary 🐐
Neoficial
This is not music, this is magic 👏💯👑
Liviu Bla
Ma bucur sa vad si romani pe aici
Neoficial
@Liviu Bla 🙏🏻
Chikule Chikule
You can say that again