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..
Sitting With My Thoughts
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We bounce back when we take losses
Ayy Hit, how we gon' know some shit like this, nigga
I once, too, was a young boy, wylin' on tour
Runnin' with some of the wildest youngin's out of New York
Met some more in Baton Rouge, used to wild how they talked
Nineteen, my girl was pregnant, had to sit with my thoughts
I had to sit with my thoughts
My family was my motivation, focus on the elevation
I'm attractin', not chasin'
We ain't scared of niggas, we rarer than niggas
Rope chain hang, diamonds in the pendant
I am independent
She wrote a comment, they pinned it
It got my attention, we could go viral in minutes
Aspire to win it
I'm spiraling in it
Flip sides of the coin, that's life in the business
Flip publishing it goes to the highest of bidders
I got 'em bitter
Blows up a winner
That shit comes with being great, it's a lot on my plate
Never broke again, I'm blacker than the NBA
Espn couldn't cover all of my highlights
Look at this money machine, I love what it sound like
And Nipsey would've loved that I'm working with Hit
He might've took me to 6-0 and turned me a Crip
It's our money in
Xo in my cup, I'm sittin' with my thoughts again, yeah
To OG's and young bosses
We bounce back when we take losses
I pray we all get prayed for
I pray we all can make more
Whole time writin' this, I'm typing some people back
Who need me to get 'em in places
Typa shit is that?
I'm a concierge for most people I know
I'm in the studio with Hit, Cash Appin' my folks
I love it
That shit comes with being great, there's a lot on my plate
I would give it all away for a smile on they face
Shout out to rappers who inspired me in my beginnings
Who I inspired right back when they pen was dwindlin'
Sittin' with my thoughts
Thinkin' what it cost
For peace of mind, I'd go crazy if I couldn't rhyme
I finally took time to drop constant releases
I finally put me first, the intro on the sequence
Don't need a new assistant
I'm just too persistent
Officially efficient, I see it through to the finish
So complete, I'm not a control freak
Personal chef flow, I make sure that we all eat
To OG's and young bosses
We bounce back when we take losses
I pray we all get prayed for
I pray we all can make more
To OG's and young bosses
We bounce back when we take losses
I pray we all get prayed for
I pray we all can make more
In the song "Sitting With My Thoughts" by Nas, the lyrics reflect on the journey of growth and resilience. The opening lines address both the older generation (OG's) and the younger bosses, acknowledging their ability to bounce back after experiencing setbacks. Nas wonders how he came to know and understand certain things, expressing his awareness of his own wisdom and knowledge.
He then delves into his personal experiences, reminiscing about his younger days when he traveled and associated with wild and reckless individuals from New York and Baton Rouge. At the age of nineteen, Nas faced the reality of impending fatherhood, forcing him to introspect and sit with his thoughts. This time of reflection was necessary for him to evaluate his priorities and find motivation in his family.
Nas highlights his independence and fearlessness, contrasting himself with others who are hesitant or afraid. He mentions the symbol of wealth and status, a rope chain with diamonds on the pendant, representing his stature in the music industry. Despite being independent, he acknowledges the influence of social media, acknowledging the power of a viral comment. His aspiration is not simply to chase fame or success but to attract it naturally.
The lyrics then touch on the struggles that come with success. Nas acknowledges that achieving greatness comes with a heavy burden and a lot of responsibilities. He alludes to his financial success, declaring that he will never face poverty again and drawing parallels between his achievements and the NBA. However, he acknowledges that the media, represented by ESPN, can never fully capture all of his accomplishments.
Nas pays tribute to the late rapper Nipsey Hussle, expressing his belief that Nipsey would have supported his collaboration with Hit-Boy and taken him under his wing. He also references the influence of the XO brand and mentions sitting with his thoughts again, possibly indicating that he is in a reflective state of mind.
The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the resilience of both the OG's and the young bosses in bouncing back from failures and setbacks. Nas prays for himself and everyone else to receive blessings and opportunities for success. In the final verse, he acknowledges his role as a support system for those around him and describes himself as a concierge, facilitating connections and opportunities. Despite the challenges, Nas's commitment to his craft remains strong, as he emphasizes the importance of peace of mind and the joy he derives from creating music. Ultimately, he seeks to inspire others as his idols have inspired him, embracing his position as a leader in the industry.
Line by Line Meaning
To OG's and young bosses
Acknowledging and respecting both experienced veterans and upcoming leaders in various fields
We bounce back when we take losses
We learn, grow, and recover from setbacks and failures
Ayy Hit, how we gon' know some shit like this, nigga
Expressing curiosity and wonder about the knowledge and experiences they have gained
I once, too, was a young boy, wylin' on tour
In his earlier years, he was a reckless and adventurous young man during his time on tour
Runnin' with some of the wildest youngin's out of New York
Being associated with the most unruly and daring young individuals from New York
Met some more in Baton Rouge, used to wild how they talked
Encountered more individuals in Baton Rouge who impressed him with their unfiltered manner of speech
Nineteen, my girl was pregnant, had to sit with my thoughts
At the age of nineteen, his girlfriend was expecting a child, forcing him to reflect deeply on his responsibilities and future
Sit with my thoughts
To engage in introspection and reflect on personal experiences
I had to sit with my thoughts
Further emphasizing the necessity to contemplate and analyze one's own thoughts and actions
My family was my motivation, focus on the elevation
His family served as his main source of inspiration, driving him to strive for personal growth and success
I'm attractin', not chasin'
He is focused on attracting success and opportunities rather than desperately chasing after them
We ain't scared of niggas, we rarer than niggas
He and his associates are not fearful of others, as they possess exceptional qualities and are unique individuals
Rope chain hang, diamonds in the pendant
Describing the luxurious jewelry worn, emphasizing wealth and opulence
I am independent
Highlighting his autonomy and lack of reliance on others for his success
She wrote a comment, they pinned it
Referring to a person's comment being highlighted and given prominence online
It got my attention, we could go viral in minutes
The attention received from a comment has the potential to quickly gain widespread popularity and recognition
Aspire to win it
Having ambitious goals and aims to achieve success
I'm spiraling in it
Immersed and deeply involved in the pursuit of his goals and success
Flip sides of the coin, that's life in the business
Indicating the contrasting aspects and challenges of the music industry
Flip publishing it goes to the highest of bidders
Referring to the competitive nature of selling music publishing rights to the highest bidder
I got 'em bitter
His success may evoke envy and resentment from others
Blows up a winner
Achieving success brings about positive outcomes and establishes one as a winner
That shit comes with being great, it's a lot on my plate
Acknowledging that achieving greatness brings significant responsibilities and burdens
Never broke again, I'm blacker than the NBA
Expressing wealth and success, surpassing the financial status of the NBA (National Basketball Association)
Espn couldn't cover all of my highlights
Even a sports media giant like ESPN would struggle to capture and showcase all his accomplishments
Look at this money machine, I love what it sound like
Reflecting on his lucrative financial success and expressing satisfaction in the sound of wealth being generated
And Nipsey would've loved that I'm working with Hit
Acknowledging the late rapper Nipsey Hussle's hypothetical approval of collaborating with his producer, Hit-Boy
He might've took me to 6-0 and turned me a Crip
Speculating that Nipsey Hussle could have potentially introduced him to the Rolling 60's Neighborhood Crips gang
It's our money in
Emphasizing a collective ownership and shared financial success among his associates and himself
Xo in my cup, I'm sittin' with my thoughts again, yeah
Indulging in personal reflection while enjoying a drink and reminiscing
I pray we all get prayed for
Expressing a desire for everyone to receive prayers and positive energy
I pray we all can make more
Wishing for everyone to achieve greater success and abundance
Whole time writin' this, I'm typing some people back
While dedicating time to write this song, he is simultaneously responding to messages and texts from others
Who need me to get 'em in places
Assisting and connecting people with opportunities and influential individuals
Typa shit is that?
What kind of behavior or expectation is that?
I'm a concierge for most people I know
Acting as a personal assistant or facilitator for the majority of people in his social circle
I'm in the studio with Hit, Cash Appin' my folks
While working on music in the studio with Hit-Boy, he is also sending money to his friends and family through the Cash App
I love it
Expressing joy and enthusiasm for his current situation and lifestyle
I would give it all away for a smile on they face
Stating that the happiness and satisfaction of his loved ones means more to him than material possessions and success
Shout out to rappers who inspired me in my beginnings
Showing appreciation to the influential rappers who motivated and influenced him during the early stages of his career
Who I inspired right back when they pen was dwindlin'
Acknowledging the reciprocal inspiration he provided to those same rappers when their creativity and motivation were diminishing
Sittin' with my thoughts
Engaging in introspection and deep contemplation
Thinkin' what it cost
Considering the sacrifices and consequences involved in pursuing his dreams and achieving success
For peace of mind, I'd go crazy if I couldn't rhyme
Indicating that he finds solace and maintains his mental well-being through his ability to express himself and create music
I finally took time to drop constant releases
After a period of consistent work and output, he has allowed himself to take a break and release music less frequently
I finally put me first, the intro on the sequence
Prioritizing his own needs and desires, making himself the focus of his endeavors and artistic projects
Don't need a new assistant
Asserting that he is self-sufficient and does not require additional help or support
I'm just too persistent
His determination and perseverance are driving forces behind his success
Officially efficient, I see it through to the finish
Operating with established effectiveness and ensuring that he completes tasks and goals with determination
So complete, I'm not a control freak
Feeling fulfilled and satisfied, he does not obsessively seek control over every aspect of his life
Personal chef flow, I make sure that we all eat
Drawing a metaphor to highlight his ability to provide and ensure the well-being of his team and those around him
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Nasir Jones, Chauncey Hollis Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ronaldbaker5201
He dropped 6 quality albums in 3 years! Where are the other so-called greats at? Let's make one thing clear, there ain't nobody f_cking with Nas, period!
@MRB1199
You wrote the best comment ive read all year .....no debate about whos the greatest
@knowyourVALyou
Big facts
@HipHop_Heartistry_323
FactzππΌπ€π
@user-zj3by1ey8k
Facts!!! If you look at song for song on all of these joints it's nothing shy of amazing, KD3 is simply heavenly
@honourthefire9182
Its all about quality, not quantity.
Nas has it in droves π₯
@hoodtohollywood
If you followed Nas career you witnessed the growth of a KING.
@dineshshakur3888
Nas never gets oldπ―π₯
@suckafish2754
One life, one love, so there can only be one King !
@drivethrujedi83
Facts π―