Illmatic was a critically acclaimed bestseller and is widely considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time. He married R&B singer Kelis in 2005, they have one son together, and she filed for divorce on the 29th of April 2009. Nas was also a part of hip hop supergroup The Firm, which released one album.
In the years following the release of Illmatic, Nas pursued a more commercial direction, which resulted in wider success but decreased artistic credibility among critics and hip-hop purists. Furthermore, Nas' increased commercial success was accompanied by stylistic changes that fostered accusations of "selling out". Nevertheless, the LP Stillmatic is often credited for restoring Nas' credibility among fans. Since the success of Stillmatic, Nas continues to maintain a high profile within the hip hop community, and has pursued a decidedly progressive and personal aesthetic. While Nas' current artistic direction differs greatly from his most successful work, it has ensured that he remains one of the most respected and acclaimed contemporary rappers.
1973–1992: Childhood and early career
Nas was born in Brooklyn, New York, as the elder of Olu Dara and Fannie Ann Jones's two children; his brother Jabari (nicknamed "Jungle" because he was born in the Congo) is the younger of the two. The family lived for a time in Brooklyn, before moving to Queensbridge, the largest public housing project in the United States. Olu Dara left the household in 1986, when Nas was 13, and Ann Jones raised her two boys on her own. Nas dropped out of school in the eighth grade and began selling drugs on the streets of New York. He educated himself, reading about African culture and civilization, the Qur'an, the Bible and the Five Percent Nation. He also studied the origin of hip hop music, taping records that played on his local radio station. As a child, Nas had wanted to be an instrumentalist (at the age of three, Nas played his father's trumpet on the step of their Brooklyn home) and also a comic book artist. Shortly after his parents separated, Nas began to write short stories as he immersed himself deeper into hip-hop culture.
By his preteen years, he had settled on pursuing a career as a rapper, and as a teenager enlisted his best friend and upstairs neighbor Willie "Ill Will" Graham as his DJ. Nas first went by the nickname Kid Wave before adopting his more commonly known alias of Nasty Nas. Nas and Graham soon met hip-hop producer and Flushing Queens resident Large Professor, who introduced Nas to his group, Main Source. In 1991, Nas made his on-record debut with a verse on "Live at the BBQ", from Main Source's LP Breaking Atoms. Despite the substantial buzz for Nas in the underground scene, the rapper was rejected by major labels and was not signed to a recording deal. Nas and Graham continued to work together, but their partnership was cut short when Graham was shot and killed by a gunman in Queensbridge on May 23, 1992.
1992–1995: The recording and release of Illmatic
In mid-1992, Nas was approached by MC Serch of 3rd Bass, who became his manager and secured Nas a record deal with Columbia Records the same year. Nas made his solo debut on the single "Halftime" from Serch's soundtrack for the film Zebrahead. The single increased the buzz surrounding Nas and when MC Serch’s solo album is released later in the year, Nas’ standout appearance on "Back To The Grill" only intensified interest in his upcoming album, amid immense anticipation. Hailed as the second coming of Rakim, his rhyming skills attracted a significant amount of attention within the hip-hop community. However, many were concerned that Columbia, being a major label, would try to dilute his New York based style.
In 1994, Nas' debut album, Illmatic was finally released. Critically acclaimed and widely regarded as one of the premier rap albums ever created, Illmatic featured lyrics that portrayed stunning visual imagery and production courtesy of several producers . The album featured production from Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest) and DJ Premier, as well as guest appearances from Nas' friend AZ and his father Olu Dara on the song "Life's a Bitch", Illmatic was immediately hailed as a masterpiece by critics, and is still highly regarded as one of the definitive hip-hop albums of all time. Notable songs on the album included "NY State of Mind" (produced by Premier), "The World Is Yours" (produced by Pete Rock), "One Love" (produced by Q-Tip) and "It Ain't Hard To Tell" (produced by Large Professor and featuring a sample of "Human Nature" by Michael Jackson). However, due in part to extensive bootlegging, the record sales fell below expectations.
Following Illmatic, Nas appeared on AZ's Doe Or Die album, and collaborated with his Queensbridge-associates, Mobb Deep, on their album, The Infamous. One notable achievement during this period was Nas' verse on "Verbal Intercourse" on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. After this appearance, Nas received a Source Quotable as he had the distinction of being the only non-Wu-Tang Clan member to be featured on one of the group's solo albums.
1996–1998: From It Was Written to The Firm
Columbia began to press Nas to work towards more commercial topics like the rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who had become successful by releasing street singles that still retained pop-friendly appeal. Nas traded manager MC Serch for Steve Stoute, and began preparation for his second LP, It Was Written, consciously working towards a crossover-oriented sound. It Was Written, chiefly produced by Poke and Tone of Trackmasters Entertainment, was released during the summer of 1996. Two singles, "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" (featuring Lauryn Hill of The Fugees) and "Street Dreams" (a remix features R. Kelly) were instant hits. These songs were promoted by big-budget music videos directed by Hype Williams, making Nas a common name among mainstream hip-hop. Other notable tracks on the album included "The Message" and "I Gave You Power," which tells a story from the perspective of a gun. It Was Written also featured the debut of The Firm, a supergroup consisting of Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. The album also introduced Nas's Mafioso-inspired character "Nas Escobar", who lived more of a Scarface/Casino-esque lifestyle. On the other hand, Illmatic, which, while having numerous references to Tony Montana and the theatrical hit featuring Al Pacino, was more about Nas' life as a teenager in the projects, hustling and smoking marijuana.
The Firm signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment label, and began working on their debut album. Halfway through the production of the album, Cormega was fired from the group by Steve Stoute, who had unsuccessfully attempted to force Cormega to sign a deal with his management company. Cormega therefore became one of Nas' most vocal opponents, releasing a number of underground hip-hop singles dissing Nas, Stoute, and Nature, who was Cormega's replacement in The Firm. The Firm's The Album was finally released in 1997 to mixed reviews and lackluster sales and the members of the supergroup went their separate ways.
At about this time, Nas became a spokesperson for the Willie Esco urban clothing line, but had no other connection with the clothing line. He stopped promoting Willie Esco in 2000, dissatisfied with the company's operations. During the same period, Nas co-wrote and starred in Hype Williams' 1998 feature film Belly, which also featured DMX, Taral Hicks, and T-Boz of TLC among its cast.
1998–2000: I Am... to Nastradamus
In 1998, Nas began work on a double album to be entitled I Am...The Autobiography, which he intended as the middle ground between the extremes of Illmatic and It Was Written. The album was completed in early 1999, and a music video was shot for its lead single, Nas Is Like, produced by DJ Premier and featuring vocal samples from "It Ain't Hard to Tell". However, much of the LP was leaked in MP3 format onto the Internet, and Nas and Stoute quickly recorded enough substitute material to constitute a single-disc release.
The second single for I Am was "Hate Me Now," featuring Sean "Puffy" Combs (now "Diddy"), was used as an example by Nas' critics for moving towards commercial themes. Hype Williams shot an allegorical video for the single, which featured Nas and Puffy being crucified in a manner similar to Jesus; After the video was completed, Combs, a Catholic, requested his crucifixion scene be edited out of the video. However, the unedited copy of the "Hate Me Now" video made its way to MTV, and was premiered on April 15, 1999 on TRL. A furious Combs and his bodyguards allegedly made their way into Steve Stoute's office and assaulted him, at one point apparently hitting Stoute over the head with a champagne bottle. Stoute pressed charges, but he and Combs settled out-of-court that June.
Columbia had scheduled to release the pirated material from I Am under the title Nastradamus during the latter half of 1999, but, at the last minute, decided Nas should record an entirely new album for release. Nastradamus was therefore rushed to meet a November release date. Though critics were not kind to the album, it did result in a minor hit, the Timbaland-produced "You Owe Me," featuring R&B singer Ginuwine. The only pirated track from I Am... to make it onto Nastradamus was "Project Windows," featuring Ronald Isley. A number of the other bootlegged tracks later made their way onto The Lost Tapes, a collection of underground Nas songs that was released by Columbia in September 2002. The collection saw decent sales and received glowing reviews.
2000–2001: The Nas vs. Jay-Z rivalry and Stillmatic
The highly publicized rivalry between Nas and Jay-Z began as a rivalry between Nas and Jay-Z's protege, Memphis Bleek. On his debut album Coming of Age, Bleek made a song entitled "Memphis Bleek Is", which was similar in concept to Nas' single "Nas is Like". On the same album, Bleek recorded "What You Think Of That" featuring Bleek's mentor Jay-Z, which contains the refrain, "I'ma ball 'til I fall/what you think of that?". In retaliation, "Nastradamus", the title track from Nas' second 1999 album, featured a reference to "What You Think Of That". The lyrics state, "You wanna ball till you fall, I can help you with that/You want beef? I could let a slug melt in your hat." Memphis Bleek perceived the reference on "Nastradamus" as a diss, and therefore dissed Nas on the lead single for his The Understanding LP, My Mind Right".
QB's Finest was a compilation album that featured Nas and a number of other rappers from Queensbridge, including Mobb Deep, Nature, Littles, The Bravehearts (which included Nas' younger brother Jungle among its members), and Cormega, who had briefly reconciled with Nas. The album also featured guest appearances from Queensbridge hip-hop legends Roxanne Shante, MC Shan, and Marley Marl. Shan and Marley Marl both appeared on the lead single "Da Bridge 2001", which was based on Shan & Marl's 1986 recording "The Bridge". "Da Bridge 2001" also featured a response from Nas to Memphis Bleek, in which Nas called out most of the Roc-A-Fella Records roster, including Bleek, Damon Dash, Beanie Sigel, and Jay-Z.
Jay-Z responded to Nas' songs with an onstage swipe during the 2001 Hot 97 Summer Jam concert in New York City, when he premiered his song "Takeover." Initially, the song was to only be a Mobb Deep diss, only including one line about Nas near the end. Nevertheless, Nas recorded the "Stillmatic Freestyle," an underground single which sampled Rakim and Eric B.'s "Paid in Full" beat, and attacked Jay-Z and his Roc-A-Fella label. On his 2001 album, The Blueprint, Jay-Z rewrote "Takeover," dedicating half of the song to dissing Nas, claiming that he had a "...one hot album every ten year average" record (referring to Illmatic) that his flow was weak, and that he had fabricated his past as a hustler.
Nas responded with "Ether", the track begins with gunshots and a repeated, slowed-down sample of Tupac rapping "Fuck Jay-Z." (taken from Tupac's "Fuck Friends") In "Ether," Nas accuses Jay-Z of stealing ("biting") lyrics from The Notorious B.I.G. and brown-nosing Nas and other rappers for fame. Ether was included on Nas' fifth studio album, Stillmatic, released in December 2001. Stillmatic managed to be not only a critically-acclaimed comeback album, but a commercial success as well, albeit not on the level of It Was Written and I Am...; the album debutted at #7 on the Billboard album charts and featured the singles "Got Ur Self A..." and "One Mic." In terms of commercial success, Jay's The Blueprint was certified double-platinum, while Stillmatic went platinum.
Jay-Z responded to "Ether" with a freestyle entitled "Supa Ugly." going into detail about how he had sex with Carmen Bryan, the mother of Nas' daughter Destiny. Nas dismissed the track by claiming that he was no longer with Bryan during the time the affair took place. In a recent interview, however, New York radio station Hot 97 settled the battle taking votes comparing "Ether" and "Supa Ugly," and Nas won with 58% while Jay-Z got 42% of the votes. By 2005, the two rappers had eventually ended their feud without violence or animosity. During Jay-Z's I Declare War - Power House concert, Jay-Z announced to the crowd, "It's bigger than 'I Declare War'. Let's go, Esco!" Nas then joined Jay-Z onstage, and the two then performed "Dead Presidents" together, which Jay-Z had sampled from Nas' song "The World is Yours."
2002–Present: From God's Son to Street's Disciple and beyond
In December 2002, Nas released the God's Son album. and its lead single, "Made You Look". The album debuted at #18 on the Billboard charts despite widespread internet bootlegging. Time Magazine named his album best hip-hop album of the year. Vibe Magazine gave it 4 stars and The Source gave it 4 mics. The second single, the inspirational "I Can", which reworked elements from Beethoven's "Fur Elise", became Nas' biggest hit to date during the spring and summer of 2003, garnering substantial radio airplay on urban, rhythmic, and top 40 radio stations, as well as on the MTV and VH1 music video networks. God's Son also includes several songs dedicated to memory of Nas' mother, who died of cancer in 2002. In 2003, Nas was featured on the Korn song "Play Me", from KoЯn's Take a Look in the Mirror LP.
Nas released his seventh studio album, the critically acclaimed double-disc Street's Disciple, on November 30, 2004. The album's first singles were "Thief's Theme" and "Bridging the Gap", which features his father Olu Dara on vocals. The album also includes "These are Our Heroes", which accuses prominent sports stars and actors such as Kobe Bryant, Lenny Henry, Tiger Woods, and Cuba Gooding, Jr. of neglecting their heritage and background in favour of white values. The videos for "Bridging the Gap" and "Just A Moment" received moderate airplay on MTV and BET. Although the album went platinum, its commercial profile was relatively low compared to the rapper's previous releases.
Nas was featured on Kanye West's album Late Registration on a song titled "We Major". West said the song was Jay-Z's favorite on the album, but West was unable to get Jay-Z to record a vocal for the final mix of the song. He also appeared on Damian Marley's song "Road to Zion" (which also featured newcomer The Game in the video, widening Nas' still growing universally appreciated raps) and several other songs such as "Death Anniversary" and "It Wasn't You" (featuring Lauryn Hill). In addition, Nas was most recently married to the R&B singer Kelis, who is mostly known for her work internationally, but nonetheless released great hits in the U.S. The couple wed on Jan. 8, 2005 in Atlanta, GA, after a two-year engagement.
During this time, Nas announced that his next album would be entirely self-produced and feature no other rappers, and would be titled Nasir, and later that the project would feature other producers after all and would be called Nasdaq: Dow Jones. Neither of these albums ever materialized.
At a free concert in Central Park, New York, Nas made a statement regarding the quality of 50 Cent's music. "this is the real shit, not that 50 Cent shit!" In response, 50 Cent included a stab at Nas by speaking negatively of his wife Kelis on his single "Piggy Bank," implying that Kelis was promiscuous and calling Nas a "sucker for love." Nas was quoted as saying that he feels no obligation to retaliate, remarking "[50 has] got a good five to six more albums before I can really respond to him." Nas eventually decided to retaliate, and in July 2005 released "Don't Body Ya Self (MC Burial)", a song which taunts 50 Cent and his G-Unit crew, stating that 50 was "a sucka for death if I'm a sucka for love." However, despite all of this, Nas still claims to "have a lot of love towards 50," claiming 50 didn't understand his moves when they both were together at Columbia Records.
In January 2006, Nas signed a label deal with Jay-Z's Def Jam, further emphasizing the Jay-Z/Nas truce and raising expectations for a collaboration even higher. His album due in fall of 2006 will come out in a joint deal with this imprint and Columbia Records. He recently announced to MTV News that his album is to be named, "Hip Hop is Dead...the N," the N being a play on the word the "end." The title is supposed to reflect what some would term the current low quality of rap music. The highly anticipated album is due out in December 19th, 2006.
Musical style and Technique
Nas has long been famed for his creativity and storytelling prowess, which has earned him acclaim from both the hip-hop community and critics. In his early stages, from his first appearance on the Main Source's Breaking Atoms and throughout the recording of Illmatic, he was perhaps best known for his street-oriented topics, complex lyrical schemes (which often incorporated multi-syllabic internal rhymes), and witty phrasing and imagery. As he progressed and matured, Nas began to branch out into different subjects and developed a richer voice and slower rapping technique.
Following Illmatic's release, Nas developed a penchant for hyper-visual storytelling and topical creativity. For instance, "Undying Love" (featured on I Am...) is a tale of his wife's betrayal told in first person, "Rewind" (featured on Stillmatic) is a narrative in which a story is recited backwards, while on "I Gave You Power" (featured on It Was Written), Nas assumes the role of a gun who recounts brutal tales of murder and violence. Over the years Nas' style has changed significantly. In contrast to his previous work, Nas’ most recent material is distinctively socially aware and often politically inflammatory. Songs such as "I Can" (featured on God's Son) convey moral messages of black youth empowerment, while "These Are Our Heroes (Coon Picnic)" accuses several African-American celebrities of being Uncle Toms. Furthermore, controversial songs such as "My Country" and "A Message to the Feds (Fuck The Police II)" (which are featured on Stillmatic and Street's Disciple, respectively) question the conduct of the American government. Nas' views in his lyrics throughout his career have made references to Islam and the Five Percent Nation..
Some_of_us_have_angels
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some of us have angels, the kingdom, the power
Some of us have angels, the power, the glory
Some of us have demons, greed, and lust
Some of us have demons, lust, temptation
[Nas]
Now this is you, dressed in all black, fatigue hat, ready for combat
A hood nigga wanting G-stacks, do what you gotta do to get that
You feel you need that, where the jooks at?
These are your niggaz, creeping they be leaving niggas sleep with you
Loc' style, quiet no smile, it's the official
Sometime they grimy, speaking on they own people
They snake you if they have to, raised tattoos
Now these are your bitches, phoning lonely homey chickens
All the homies stick em, you think you own em man listen
She stab you in your sleep with a knife from out the kitchen
Put a root on you, next week they find you missing
Dead in your Expedition in the forest, fell off the cliff and
Tumbled til you blew up, Feds told her and she threw up
Fake bitches, actresses, wicked witch practices
Two sides of us, negative or positive
[Chorus]
[Nas]
Now this is your mom, your good luck charm
Pushing you to do no wrong, praying for you that you live long
Nobody kill my baby, but she know her baby crazy
In and out of jail, mom's screaming, "God take me!"
This is your pop, chip off the old block that made him
The man of the house, mom and pops seperating
Spitting image of a gangster the way pop walked
The way pop talked, got older and you thanked him now
This is your hood, poor folks drugs and robberies
Turning into the things moms wanted you not to be
Crime following the wrong dudes who have no values
Life's cheap as the dime in the minds of those around you
This is the test, the stress, the conflict the ups and downs of
Niggas around you make threats
They tell you keep it gangster, no matter the predicament
Even though your decision won't help you benefit
[Chorus]
[Nas]
Now once again this is you, entertaining your desires
Bitches money and guns, aiming and you fire
Everyday is grief, if it ain't beef, it's feeding your seed
Trying to eat? You form material needs
The weed make your brain sizzle, a pistol make it cool off
By sticking up niggas, make them take they jewels off
His reputation is, bigger than his whole life span
He never planned to fail, he just failed to plan
What does it take to realize, Satan's alive, he whispers
And any chance he get, he can take niggas
He comes in all shapes and sizes, his best disguise is
When he stand beside us, but God is inside us, within me
You are your worst enemy, my mom's words echo in my head
And if I let go I'm dead
He stepped at my door, the ? motivate my spirit
And now the body experience, so now I feel it
Looking at my blessings, the bullets, that missed me could of hit me
Them court cases could of put me in the penitentiary
I never hate, that's just wasted energy
The past is gone, the present's a gift, so what's the mystery?
The future, and time only reveals, what fear is
False expectations, appearing real
We only human, love thy neighbor, so I was told
And I will til permanently, my eyes are closed
[Chorus]
The song "Some of Us Have Angels" by Nas touches on the duality of human nature which involves the presence of both good and evil forces. The lyrics are an introspective exploration of one's inner thoughts and external influences that shape their actions. Nas uses powerful imagery to paint a picture of a person surrounded by negative elements such as friends who are quick to betray and women who are after money and luxury. He also talks about the positive forces in a person's life such as a protective and caring mother who always prays for her child's well-being, and the father who provides guidance on how to navigate through the challenges of life.
The song's chorus is a reference to the Christian prayer "Our Father," which emphasizes the two opposing forces that exist in the world – good and evil. Nas uses similar language in the chorus to highlight the idea that some people are guided by positive forces such as their angels, while others are led by their demons, which can manifest in the form of greed, lust, or temptation. The song's message is a warning to be aware of our actions and the forces that motivate them, as they can have both positive and negative consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Some of us have angels, the kingdom, the power
Some people have the protection and blessings of God and are able to exercise great influence in their lives
Some of us have angels, the power, the glory
Some people have the favor of God and are blessed with power and glory
Some of us have demons, greed, and lust
Some people are controlled by their base desires and are influenced by negative forces
Some of us have demons, lust, temptation
Some people are tempted by their passions and are ensnared by their weaknesses
Now this is you, dressed in all black, fatigue hat, ready for combat
You are prepared for battle and ready to take on any challenge that comes your way
A good nigga, you don't leave tracks
You are a skilled and stealthy operator who doesn't leave any evidence behind
A hood nigga wanting G-stacks, do what you gotta do to get that
You are a street-smart individual looking to make money by any means necessary
You feel you need that, where the jooks at?
You are driven by the need for money and are seeking out opportunities to hustle
These are your niggaz, creeping they be leaving niggas sleep with you
These are your associates who are willing to take advantage of others and are not to be trusted
Loc' style, quiet no smile, it's the official
You are a low-key person who doesn't show emotions and is a respected figure in your circle
Sometime they grimy, speaking on they own people
Sometimes your associates are untrustworthy and will betray their own kind
They snake you if they have to, raised tattoos
Your associates are capable of betraying you and may have gang tattoos that display their allegiance
Now these are your bitches, phoning lonely homey chickens
These are the women in your life who are always looking for attention and companionship
All the homies stick em, you think you own em man listen
Your friends will pursue these women and you cannot control them
She stab you in your sleep with a knife from out the kitchen
These women may be capable of harming you and are not to be trusted
Put a root on you, next week they find you missing
These women may use voodoo or other means to harm you or cause you to disappear
Dead in your Expedition in the forest, fell off the cliff and
You may meet an unfortunate end at the hands of these women or others who wish to harm you
Feds told her and she threw up
The law enforcement authorities may use informants to gather information and catch criminals
Fake bitches, actresses, wicked witch practices
These women may be deceitful and manipulative, using their charms to control and take advantage of men
Two sides of us, negative or positive
People have both good and bad sides to their nature and must choose which one to follow
Now this is your mom, your good luck charm
Your mother is a source of good fortune and support in your life
Pushing you to do no wrong, praying for you that you live long
Your mother encourages you to make good choices and prays for your well-being
Nobody kill my baby, but she know her baby crazy
Your mother loves you and wants to protect you, but understands that you have a wild streak
In and out of jail, mom's screaming, "God take me!"
Your mother is deeply worried about your safety and the risks you take in your life
This is your pop, chip off the old block that made him
Your father is a strong influence on your character and behavior
The man of the house, mom and pops seperating
Your father is the head of the household but he and your mother are experiencing marital problems
Spitting image of a gangster the way pop walked
You resemble your father and may have inherited some of his tough-guy traits
The way pop talked, got older and you thanked him now
As you grow older, you appreciate your father more and understand the lessons he taught you
This is your hood, poor folks drugs and robberies
Your neighborhood is plagued by crime, poverty, and drug problems
Turning into the things moms wanted you not to be
Your mother raised you to avoid negative influences and bad behavior, but the street culture is drawing you in
Crime following the wrong dudes who have no values
You may be tempted to associate with criminals who have no moral compass or sense of decency
Life's cheap as the dime in the minds of those around you
People in your neighborhood do not value life and may be willing to take violent action over small disagreements
This is the test, the stress, the conflict the ups and downs of
Your life is full of challenges and struggles, but they are necessary to build character and resilience
Niggas around you make threats
People in your community may pose a physical threat to your safety
They tell you keep it gangster, no matter the predicament
Your associates encourage you to maintain your street credibility and refuse to back down from threats or challenges
Even though your decision won't help you benefit
Your loyalty to the streets and your friends may not ultimately bring you success or happiness
Now once again this is you, entertaining your desires
You are indulging in your carnal desires and chasing after material possessions
Bitches money and guns, aiming and you fire
You are pursuing women, wealth, and power, and are willing to use violence to attain your goals
Everyday is grief, if it ain't beef, it's feeding your seed
Everyday is a struggle, whether you are involved in conflicts or simply trying to provide for your family
Trying to eat? You form material needs
You are focused on acquiring material possessions and making money to fulfill your desires
The weed make your brain sizzle, a pistol make it cool off
You use drugs and weapons to cope with the stresses and challenges of your life
By sticking up niggas, make them take they jewels off
You may engage in robbery and violence to take what you want from others
His reputation is, bigger than his whole life span
Some people are more concerned with their image and reputation than with their actual accomplishments or character
He never planned to fail, he just failed to plan
Some people do not prepare adequately for their goals and end up falling short
What does it take to realize, Satan's alive, he whispers
People must recognize the influence of evil in the world and be vigilant against it
And any chance he get, he can take niggas
Satan will take advantage of people whenever possible and lead them down a destructive path
He comes in all shapes and sizes, his best disguise is
Satan can appear in many different forms and may be difficult to recognize
When he stand beside us, but God is inside us, within me
God's presence is within all of us and can help us resist the influence of evil
You are your worst enemy, my mom's words echo in my head
People sometimes sabotage themselves and must be aware of their own weaknesses and tendencies
And if I let go I'm dead
If you give in to negative influences or behaviors, you may suffer serious consequences
He stepped at my door, the ? motivate my spirit
An inspirational figure or force motivates you and encourages you to overcome challenges
And now the body experience, so now I feel it
You are experiencing a new level of consciousness or awareness that makes you more in tune with your surroundings and your own thoughts and feelings
Looking at my blessings, the bullets, that missed me could of hit me
You are grateful for the good things in your life and recognize how lucky you are to have avoided harm or danger in the past
Them court cases could of put me in the penitentiary
You realize that the consequences of your actions could have been much worse and are grateful for your freedom
I never hate, that's just wasted energy
You choose not to harbor negative emotions or resentments, recognizing that they only drain your energy and do not bring you peace
The past is gone, the present's a gift, so what's the mystery?
You recognize that you cannot change the past and choose to focus on the present moment, enjoying the gifts that life has to offer
The future, and time only reveals, what fear is
The future is uncertain and brings with it the possibility of fear and anxiety
False expectations, appearing real
Many of our fears are based on false or exaggerated expectations that we place on ourselves or others
We only human, love thy neighbor, so I was told
We are all flawed and imperfect, but we are called to show love and compassion to others
And I will til permanently, my eyes are closed
You vow to continue loving and caring for others throughout your life, until the day you die
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAMON BLACKMON, NASIR JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind