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.
1973β1992: 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.
1992β1995: 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 Serchβs solo album is released later in the year, Nasβ 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.
1996β1998: 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.
1998β2000: 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.
2000β2001: 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."
2002βPresent: 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 KoΠ―n'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, Nasβ 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..
SOSA vs the State
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Last page i'm half dazed, hands in shackles
Locked like a slave my past plays put my
Co-defendant in his grave
Exchangin' shots with foul cops, I got grazed
Here to face the judge, catch flashbacks
Taste the blood hate the love
It's part of the life that makes a thug
The same charges Gotti went through
It's mental, them open door trials sent you
White lights, cagey mics, wild press
I'm mild-dressed
All the Caucasians be on some foul sketch
I'm blessed and I never got
Bagged for gun possessions
So no connection, no cop-out, no confession
Caught in confusion
Leavin' the jury in illusion
No course for losin', got a ill lawyer
Black and Cuban state of the art vocal
Technician playin' his part
Displayin' his smarts
So the world can stay in the dark
Yo, Honor
It's my client that don't deserve the time
Which really got me disturbed is you
Never even heard him rhyme
Once you lock a man down, preserve his mind
Check his rap sheet
Misdemeanors and some tax fees
Stressed for a minute
Now he's back on his feet call him Sosa
Went his whole life with no stars
Law abidin', entrepreneur, carried gold cards
Father of 2 sons, double his loot
Mutual funds, known for rockin' suit's
Stayed fly since he was young
Harvard graduate
Bachelors degrees in Time Management
Now condemned on some savage shit
May we approach the bench? This
Court vibe is so intense
Knowin' the grain's the only
Thing they go against
It's careless whispers with no defense
They just wastin' time, weak links, yo
This case is mine
With all faith divine, say no more
Throw a Mason sign
The nerve of you, lyin' in court
We all heard of you bUGATCHI suit's
Your lawyer push a Porsche convertible
Acquitted 5 years ago for money launderin'
We onto him
Tap his phone line without warnin' him
Have a list of prior cases
Information leads us to more of
His kind in higher places
Arch enemies 'cause he start plenty beefs
Sosa shot up soldiers, lieutenants and chiefs
In the crime industry a capo
Started as a pickpocket, though
Later came riches and the privates, yo
Used to target corner stores and supermarkets
Mad warrants
Spent time as a youth up in Spofford
Juvenile detentions
By '89 he was sentenced once
Out of the year, he did 6 months
Give or take
Maybe longer 'cause he cut an inmate
Carry thin weight
Sosa verses the whole state
The lyrics of Nas's song "SOSA vs the State" tell the story of a man named SOSA who is facing trial and being judged by the legal system. The song begins with a reference to the biblical Book of Revelations, implying that these are the last days or a time of spiritual reckoning. SOSA feels trapped and shackled, comparing himself to a slave. He mentions exchanging shots with corrupt police officers, indicating a history of violence and conflict with the authorities. Despite facing these challenges, SOSA maintains his composure, dressing modestly while questioning the questionable actions of the predominantly white legal system. He believes he is blessed, having avoided previous gun charges and refusing to confess to crimes he did not commit.
In the second verse, the focus shifts to SOSA's defense lawyer addressing the judge. The lawyer argues that his client does not deserve to be sentenced, expressing frustration that the judge has not even taken the time to listen to SOSA's rap music, which may reveal another side to his character. The lawyer highlights SOSA's accomplishments as an entrepreneur, father, and Harvard graduate. The mention of mutual funds and "rockin' suits" suggests that SOSA has achieved financial success and respectable status in society. The defense lawyer argues passionately, claiming that the courtroom atmosphere is intense and biased against the defendant. He requests a chance to present further evidence and implies a secret society connection by mentioning a Masonic sign.
The song ultimately portrays SOSA as a complex character, someone who has faced struggle, made mistakes, and achieved success in his life. It criticizes the legal system for its biases and highlights the challenges faced by individuals who come from certain backgrounds or have a particular reputation. Through these lyrics, Nas sheds light on the issues of police brutality, racial inequality, and the criminal justice system.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the last days, Revelations, Bibles
These are the final times, as described in the book of Revelations in the Bible
Last page i'm half dazed, hands in shackles
I'm at the end of my story, feeling confused and trapped
Locked like a slave my past plays put my
Imprisoned like a slave, my previous actions have resulted in my current situation
Co-defendant in his grave
My accomplice is now dead
Exchangin' shots with foul cops, I got grazed
Engaging in gunfights with corrupt police, I was only grazed
Here to face the judge, catch flashbacks
I'm in court to face the judge, remembering past experiences
Taste the blood hate the love
Experiencing violence and conflict, I despise the supposed love
It's part of the life that makes a thug
These struggles and hardships are what defines a thug's life
Presidential fire
Facing serious charges, similar to what the infamous Gotti did
The same charges Gotti went through
I'm facing similar criminal charges to those of Gotti
It's mental, them open door trials sent you
It's a psychological battle, these non-public trials are meant to imprison you
White lights, cagey mics, wild press
Intense media attention in court, with bright lights and aggressive microphones
I'm mild-dressed
I'm dressed modestly, unlike the flashy Caucasian individuals in court
All the Caucasians be on some foul sketch
The white individuals in court are engaging in dishonest and suspicious behavior
I'm blessed and I never got
I'm fortunate that I have not been
Bagged for gun possessions
Arrested for carrying illegal firearms
So no connection, no cop-out, no confession
There is no evidence linking me to any criminal activity, no easy way out, and no confession
Caught in confusion
Trapped in a state of uncertainty and disarray
Leavin' the jury in illusion
Confusing the jury, leaving them uncertain about the truth
No course for losin', got a ill lawyer
No possibility of losing, as I have an exceptional lawyer
Black and Cuban state of the art vocal
My lawyer, of black and Cuban descent, has excellent speaking skills
Technician playin' his part
My lawyer, being highly skilled, is fulfilling his role effectively
Displayin' his smarts
Demonstrating his intelligence and expertise
So the world can stay in the dark
Causing the world to remain uninformed and unaware of the truth
Yo, Honor
Addressing the judge in a respectful manner
It's my client that don't deserve the time
My client is undeserving of the punishment
Which really got me disturbed is you
What truly bothers me is you, the judge
Never even heard him rhyme
You have never listened to his music, never understood his art
Once you lock a man down, preserve his mind
Once a person is imprisoned, their mental well-being should be protected
Check his rap sheet
Review his criminal record
Misdemeanors and some tax fees
Minor offenses and unpaid taxes
Stressed for a minute
He was under pressure for a short period
Now he's back on his feet call him Sosa
Now he has recovered and is doing well, referring to him as Sosa
Went his whole life with no stars
He lived his entire life without achieving fame or recognition
Law abidin', entrepreneur, carried gold cards
He was a law-abiding citizen, an entrepreneur, and possessed prestigious credit cards
Father of 2 sons, double his loot
He is the father of two sons and has doubled his wealth
Mutual funds, known for rockin' suit's
He invests in mutual funds and is recognized for wearing stylish suits
Stayed fly since he was young
He has always been fashionable since his youth
Harvard graduate
He graduated from Harvard University
Bachelors degrees in Time Management
He holds multiple Bachelor's degrees, specifically in the field of Time Management
Now condemned on some savage shit
Now he is being unjustly accused of violent actions
May we approach the bench? This
Can we come closer to the judge? This
Court vibe is so intense
The atmosphere in the courtroom is extremely tense
Knowin' the grain's the only
Understanding that going against the system is
Thing they go against
The only thing they oppose
It's careless whispers with no defense
Rumors and accusations are being spread without any evidence or rebuttal
They just wastin' time, weak links, yo
They are merely wasting time, presenting flimsy evidence
This case is mine
I have complete control over this case
With all faith divine, say no more
With unwavering belief in a higher power, there is no need for further explanation
Throw a Mason sign
Make a symbolic gesture of affiliation with the freemasons
The nerve of you, lyin' in court
How dare you lie in court
We all heard of you bUGATCHI suit's
We all know about your expensive Bugatchi suits
Your lawyer push a Porsche convertible
Your lawyer drives a convertible Porsche
Acquitted 5 years ago for money launderin'
You were cleared of money laundering charges five years ago
We onto him
We are aware of his true intentions
Tap his phone line without warnin' him
We intercepted his phone calls without his knowledge
Have a list of prior cases
We possess a record of his previous cases
Information leads us to more of
The information we have points us toward
His kind in higher places
Individuals like him in positions of power and influence
Arch enemies 'cause he start plenty beefs
We are enemies because he initiates numerous conflicts
Sosa shot up soldiers, lieutenants and chiefs
Sosa engaged in violent acts against military personnel of various ranks
In the crime industry a capo
In the world of organized crime, he is a high-ranking member
Started as a pickpocket, though
Although he began as a pickpocket
Later came riches and the privates, yo
He eventually acquired wealth and loyal followers
Used to target corner stores and supermarkets
He used to focus on robbing small retail shops and supermarkets
Mad warrants
He had numerous outstanding arrest warrants
Spent time as a youth up in Spofford
During his younger years, he was incarcerated in Spofford, a juvenile detention facility
Juvenile detentions
Periods of being held in juvenile detention centers
By '89 he was sentenced once
By 1989, he had already been sentenced to prison
Out of the year, he did 6 months
Out of the entire year, he only served six months in prison
Give or take
Approximately
Maybe longer 'cause he cut an inmate
Possibly longer because he injured another prisoner
Carry thin weight
He carries a minimal amount of influence or respect
Sosa verses the whole state
Sosa is in a conflict with the entire state
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alex Mason
I love early Aftermath beats. Loud hi-hats and all that.
R. L. Watkins
"State of the art global technician playing his part, displaying his smarts, so the world can stay in the dark." I guess that's what is most needed to be UNTOUCHABLE in this day and age.
vini
Mestres βπΏππΎππΎππΎππΎππΎππΎ
Adn Ben
Perfect πππ
Ricky Moreno
This was π₯
Daniel Luna
π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯
Heru of Egypt
Fire π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π―π―π―π―
colombo po
2022 we hereβ€οΈπ₯
Adn Ben
version without dj ?
Adn Ben
@HiPHOPx87 Thank you