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.
1973โ1992: 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.
1992โ1995: 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 Serchโs solo album is released later in the year, Nasโ 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.
1996โ1998: 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.
1998โ2000: 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.
2000โ2001: 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."
2002โPresent: 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 Koะฏn'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, Nasโ 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..
Represents
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Represent, represent!
Represent, represent!
Represent, represent!
Straight up shit is real and any day could be your last in the jungle
Get murdered on the humble, guns'll blast, niggas tumble
The corners is the hot spot, full of mad criminals
At the out-of-towners (Ay, yo, yo, who that?) They better break North
Before we get the four pounders, and take their face off
The streets is filled with undercovers, homicide chasing brothers
The D.A.'s on the roof, trying to, watch us and knock us
And killer coppers, even come through in helicopters
I drink a little vodka, spark a L and hold a Glock for
The fronters, wannabe ill niggas and spot runners
Thinking it can't happen til I, trap em and clap em
And leave em done, won't even run about Gods
I don't believe in none of that shit, your facts are backwards
Nas is a rebel of the street corner
Pulling a Tec out the dresser, police got me under pressure
Represent, represent!
Represent, represent!
Represent, represent!
Represent, represent!
Yo, they call me Nas, I'm not your legal type of fella
Moet drinking, marijuana smoking street dweller
Who's always on the corner, rolling up blessed
When I dress, it's never nothing less than Guess
Cold be walking with a bop and my hat turned back
Love committing sins and my friends sell crack
This nigga raps with a razor, keep it under my tongue
The school drop-out, never liked the shit from day one
Cause life ain't shit but stress fake niggas and crab stunts
So I guzzle my Hennesey while pulling on mad blunts
The brutalizer, crew de-sizer, accelerator
The type of nigga who be pissing in your elevator
Somehow the rap game reminds me of the crack game
Used to sport Bally's and Gazelle's with black frames
Now I'm into fat chains, sex and Tecs
Fly new chicks and new kicks, Heine's and Beck's
Represent, represent!
Represent, represent!
Represent, represent!
No doubt; see my, stacks are fat, this is what it's about
Before the BDP conflict with MC Shan
Around the time when Shante dissed the Real Roxxane
I used to wake up every morning, see my crew on the block
Every day's a different plan that had us running from cops
If it wasn't hanging out in front of cocaine spots
We was at the candy factory, breaking the locks
Nowadays, I need the green in a flash just like the next man
Fuck a yard God, let me see a hundred grand
Could use a gun Son, but fuck being the wanted man
But if I hit rock bottom then I'ma be the Son of Sam
Then call the crew to get live too
With Swoop, Hakim, my brother Jungle, Big Bo, cooks up the blow
Mike'll chop it, Mayo, you count the profit
My shit is on the streets, this way the Jakes'll never stop it
It's your brain on drugs, to all fly bitches and thugs
'Nough respect to the projects, I'm ghost, One Love
Represent ya'll, represent!
Represent ya'll, represent!
Represent ya'll, represent!
Represent ya'll, represent!
The lyrics of Nas's song "Represent" paint a vivid picture of life on the streets, with all its dangers and pitfalls. Nas speaks of the harsh realities of life in the "jungle," where violence can strike without warning, and the police are always watching. The street corners are full of "mad criminals" who are always on the lookout for their next victim. Nas himself is a rebel of the street corner, armed with a Tec and always under pressure from the law.
Nas's lyrics are filled with gritty realism and sharp insights into the urban landscape. He speaks of the lure of the streets, and how it can be hard to escape from its grasp, even for those who try to stay away. He uses his flow and rhymes to create a sense of urgency and tension, as if he is always on edge, ready to defend himself against any threat.
Overall, "Represent" is a powerful statement on the harsh realities of life on the streets. It offers a perspective that is rarely seen in mainstream hip-hop, and it demonstrates Nas's mastery of the art of rap.
Line by Line Meaning
Represent, represent!
Nas is urging his crew and himself to represent and stand tall.
Straight up shit is real and any day could be your last in the jungle
The life in the ghetto is a constant reminder of how quickly and brutally it can all end.
Get murdered on the humble, guns'll blast, niggas tumble
Violence can strike at any moment without warning.
The corners is the hot spot, full of mad criminals
The intersection is a hub for criminal activity and danger.
Who don't care, guzzling beers, we all stare
The local criminals are reckless and carefree, and the community is unable to stop them.
At the out-of-towners (Ay, yo, yo, who that?) They better break North
Strangers are targets and must flee before they face the wrath of the locals.
Before we get the four pounders, and take their face off
The locals will use their firearms to inflict deadly force on outsiders.
The streets is filled with undercovers, homicide chasing brothers
Law enforcement is always present and the criminal brotherhood is on the run.
The D.A.'s on the roof, trying to, watch us and knock us
Law enforcement is constantly monitoring the criminal activity and trying to bring them down.
And killer coppers, even come through in helicopters
Even the elite forces are used to combat the criminal activity.
I drink a little vodka, spark a L and hold a Glock for
Nas is always ready with his gun, liquor, and cigarette.
The fronters, wannabe ill niggas and spot runners
Poser wannabes and low-level runners are eyeing Nas's domain.
Thinking it can't happen til I, trap em and clap em
Nas is confident he can trap and eliminate anyone who challenges him.
And leave em done, won't even run about Gods
The results of Nas's actions will be permanent and not even the higher powers can reverse them.
I don't believe in none of that shit, your facts are backwards
Nas does not rely on religion or faith to conquer his challenges.
Nas is a rebel of the street corner
Nas is a non-conformist who challenges the status quo in the streets.
Pulling a Tec out the dresser, police got me under pressure
Nas feels the pressure from law enforcement but is always ready with his weapon.
Yo, they call me Nas, I'm not your legal type of fella
Nas is not the typical law-abiding citizen.
Moet drinking, marijuana smoking street dweller
Nas is a heavy drinker and smoker who resides on the streets.
Who's always on the corner, rolling up blessed
Nas is always smoking marijuana.
When I dress, it's never nothing less than Guess
Nas only wears designer clothes.
Cold be walking with a bop and my hat turned back
Nas is always walking with a confident swagger while wearing his hat backward.
Love committing sins and my friends sell crack
Nas enjoys engaging in sinful activities while his associates engage in the drug trade.
This nigga raps with a razor, keep it under my tongue
Nas's music is sharp and incisive, and he is always ready to defend himself with his razor blade.
The school drop-out, never liked the shit from day one
Nas never fit into the traditional schooling system.
Cause life ain't shit but stress fake niggas and crab stunts
Life is full of fake people and bottom feeders who bring stress and negativity.
So I guzzle my Hennesey while pulling on mad blunts
Nas copes with life's challenges by drinking heavily and smoking marijuana.
The brutalizer, crew de-sizer, accelerator
Nas is a hardened and aggressive criminal who can take down any competition.
The type of nigga who be pissing in your elevator
Nas is not afraid to break the rules and offend others.
Somehow the rap game reminds me of the crack game
The music industry is like the drug trade in its cut-throat nature and high stakes.
Used to sport Bally's and Gazelle's with black frames
Nas used to wear the latest and most expensive shoes and sunglasses.
Now I'm into fat chains, sex and Tecs
Nas now enjoys wearing expensive jewelry, sex with women, and owning firearms.
Fly new chicks and new kicks, Heine's and Beck's
Nas enjoys the finer things in life and has a penchant for attractive women and beer.
No doubt; see my, stacks are fat, this is what it's about
Nas's wealth is increasing and he is proud of it.
Before the BDP conflict with MC Shan
Nas is reminiscing on the early days of rap beef.
Around the time when Shante dissed the Real Roxxane
This is another reference to early rap battles.
I used to wake up every morning, see my crew on the block
Nas's past involved daily involvement with his crew on the streets.
Every day's a different plan that had us running from cops
Their activities always involved avoiding law enforcement.
If it wasn't hanging out in front of cocaine spots
Part of their activities included standing outside areas where drugs were sold.
We was at the candy factory, breaking the locks
The group also engaged in theft and other illegal activities for quick cash.
Nowadays, I need the green in a flash just like the next man
Nas has come to desire money just like everyone else in the game.
Fuck a yard God, let me see a hundred grand
Nas does not rely on God for his fortunes, but rather wants to see a significant sum of money.
Could use a gun Son, but fuck being the wanted man
Nas acknowledges the power of firearms but does not want to be a fugitive from law enforcement.
But if I hit rock bottom then I'ma be the Son of Sam
Nas acknowledges that if he ever becomes destitute, he may resort to violent actions.
Then call the crew to get live too
Nas's crew is always ready to assist him in any way possible.
With Swoop, Hakim, my brother Jungle, Big Bo, cooks up the blow
Nas's crew includes his siblings and an associate who is in charge of preparing drugs for sale.
Mike'll chop it, Mayo, you count the profit
Nas and his crew have specific roles and tasks to maximize profits.
My shit is on the streets, this way the Jakes'll never stop it
Nas's drug trade is so extensive and on the streets that law enforcement is unable to shut it down completely.
It's your brain on drugs, to all fly bitches and thugs
Nas encourages others to live a life of excess, even though it may be detrimental to their health and safety.
'Nough respect to the projects, I'm ghost, One Love
Nas pays homage to his roots but is ready to move on and leave his past behind.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Nasir Jones, Christopher E. Martin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Andrey_SamZnaeshKakoi
[Chorus]
Represent, represent
Represent, represent
Represent, represent
Represent, represent
[Verse 1]
Straight up, shit is real
And any day could be your last in the jungle
Get murdered on a humble, guns'll blast, niggas tumble
The corners is the hot spot, full of mad criminals
Who don't care, guzzling beers
We all stare at the out-of-towners
(Aiyyo, yo, who that?) They better break North
Before we get the four pounders and take their face off
The streets is filled with undercovers, homicide chasing brothers
The D's on the roof tryin' to watch us and knock us
And killer coppers even come through in helicopters
I drink a little vodka, spark a L and hold a Glock for
The fronters, wannabe ill niggas and spot runners
Thinking it can't happen 'til I trap 'em and clap 'em
And leave 'em done, won't even run about gods
I don't believe in none of that shit, your facts are backwards
Nas is a rebel of the street corner
Pulling a TEC out the dresser; police got me under pressure
[Chorus]
Represent, represent
Represent, represent
Represent, represent
Represent, represent
[Verse 2]
Yo, they call me Nas, I'm not your legal type of fella
Moรซt drinking, marijuana smoking street dweller
Who's always on the corner, rolling up blessed
When I dress, it's never nothing less than Guess
Cold be walking with a bop and my hat turned back
Love committing sins and my friends sell crack
This nigga raps with a razor, keep it under my tongue
The school drop-out, never liked the shit from day one
โCause life ain't shit but stress, fake niggas, and crab stunts
So I guzzle my Hennessy while pulling on mad blunts
The brutalizer, crew de-sizer, accelerator
The type of nigga who be pissing in your elevator
Somehow the rap game reminds me of the crack game
Used to sport Bally's and Cazals with black frames
Now I'm into fat chains, sex and TECs
Fly new chicks and new kicks, Heines and Beck's
[Chorus]
Represent, represent
Represent, represent
Represent, represent
[Verse 3]
No doubt, see my stacks are fat, this is what it's about
Before the BDP conflict with MC Shan
Around the time when Shante dissed the Real Roxanne
I used to wake up every morning, see my crew on the block
Every day's a different plan that had us running from cops
If it wasn't hanging out in front of cocaine spots
We was at the candy factory, breaking the locks
Nowadays, I need the green in a flash just like the next man
Fuck a yard, God, let me see a hundred grand
Could use a gun, son, but fuck being the wanted man
But if I hit rock bottom, then I'ma be the Son of Sam
Then call the crew to get live too, with Swoop
Bokeem, my brother Jungle, Big Bo cooks up the blow
Mike'll chop it; Mayo, you count the profit
My shit is on the streets, this way the Jakes'll never stop it
It's your brain on drugs, to all fly bitches and thugs
'Nuff respect to the projects, I'm ghost, one love
[Chorus]
Represent y'all, represent
Represent y'all, represent
Represent y'all, represent
Represent y'all, represent
[Outro]
One time for your mothafuckin' mind
This goes out to everybody in New York
That's living the real fucking life in every projects, all over
To my man Big Will, he's still here
The 40 side of Vernon, my man Big L.E.S
Big Cee-Lo from the Don, Shawn Penn, the 40 busters
My crew the shorty busters, the 41st side of Vernon posse
The Goodfellas, my man Cormega, Lakey the Kid
Can't forget Draws, the Hillbillies
My man Slate, Wallethead, Black Jay, Big Oogie
Crazy barrio spot, (Big Dove), we rock shit a lot, PHD
And my man Preemo from Gang Starr
'94 real shit y'all (word up Harry O)
Fuck y'all crab-ass niggas though!
[Nas' posse]
Bitch ass niggas! Bitch ass niggas!
You bitch ass motherfuckers!
Come to Queensbridge, motherfucker!
Yeah, yeah, let's bring it back
That's just a warm up
โCause I canโ on anybody, anybody
@TheForzajuvexsempre
Nas is New York
@topshot2219
JuventusScelta Divita no one but ny and the magnetic area will understand. white black hispanic this culture raised from the gravel.... Hope every ones doing REAL GOOD in 2019
@RalphDaVillain
Nas is from my blessed NY. On some real shit though, Nas is universal!
@oliverrodriguezpregal9491
Nas is life
@amvrosiosmadouvalos9616
Prodigy is from canada then ... -.-
@codywashereasmr7436
Supreme team
@selectorjahoutofjahfarisound
Nas sounded like some kind of street hero on this track.
@felipeprado1583
Street Savior
@tochiRTA
because the beat is magical. Some Prince of Persia type shit lmao. That's what makes Illmatic so fuckin dope - the crazy ass beats (and Nas murders them of course).
@kevinscholfield2037
There is a heavy but totally real quality to each of his verses, and an urgency too..probably more anger and rage and righteous knowledge all encassed and compressed within the entirety of the whole track, in response to the situation he and his crew and all the people living within QueensBridge were experiencing...this track and the whole album is how hip hop is meant to be done right done well with flawless execution on the lyrical front on the production front on the sequencing front....sound of the whole entire album sounds perfect too, with each track having its own unique sonic quality...one of the greatest works of music ever created ever conceived ever crafted and layed out on tape, that's for sure....