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..
Success
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What are you gonna to do now?
How are you gonna kill it?
You're gonna become unsuccessful?
Frank, you can be successful and have enemies, uh
Be unsuccessful too, and you can have friends
I got these niggas, Breezy, don't worry 'bout it
I used to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less
What do I think of success
It sucks, too much stress
I guess I blew up quick, 'cause friends I grew up with
See me as a premie but I'm not and my nuts big
I don't know what the fuss is
My cribs illustrious
My rep is impeccable
I'm not to be fucked with, with
Shit, let that bitch breath
I'm way to important to be talking 'bout extorting
Asking me for a portion is like asking for a coffin
Broad day light I off your on switch
You're not too bright, goodnight, long kiss
Bye, bye, my reply, blah, blah
Blast burner, then pass burner to Ty-Ty
Finish my breakfast, why?
I got an appetite for destruction and you're a small fry
Now where was I?
Let that bitch breathe
I used to give a shit, now I don't give a shit more
Truth be told, I had more fun when I was piss poor
I'm pissed off
This what success all about?
A bunch of niggas acting like bitches with big mouths
All this stress, all I got is this big house
Couple cars, I don't bring half them shits out
All of this Ace of Spade I drank just to piss out
I mean, I like the taste, could've saved myself 6 hours
How many times can I go to Mr. Chow's, Tao's, Nobu?
Hold up, lemme move my bowels
I'll shit on y'all niggas, OG tell these boys
(Y'all ain't about to shit on my nigga)
I got watches I ain't seen in months
Apartment at the Trump, I only slept in once
Niggas said Hova was over, such dummies
Even If I fell I'll land on a bunch of money
Y'all ain't got nothing for me
Nas, let that bitch breathe
Success, McLaren, women staring
My villain appearance
Sacred blood of a king and my vein ain't spilling
Ghetto Othello, Sugar Hill Romello
Camaro driven, I climax from paper
Then ask, "Why is life worth living?"
Is it to hunt for the shit that you want?
To receives great, but I lust giving
The best jewelers wanna make my things
I make Jacob shit on Lorraine just to make me a chain
Niggas mentioned the One Love
Came home to paper in hand
Ain't gotta brag about the Feds, young man
Old cribs I sold, y'all drive by like monuments
Google Earth Nas, I got flats in other continents
Worst enemies wanna be my best friends
Best friends wanna be enemies like that's whats in
But I don't give a fuck, walk inside the lion's den
Take everybody's chips, 'bout to cash them in
Up your catalog, dawg, mine's worth too much
Like Mike Jacks ATV pub, Mottola can't touch
Let this bitch breathe
Let this bitch breathe
In the song "Success," Nas and Jay Z discuss the burden of success and the pressure that comes with it. The lyrics suggest that even though being successful comes with enemies and stress, it is still better than being unsuccessful and having friends. Jay Z's verse is particularly candid as he reflects on the downsides of success, including the constant attention and pressure from others. He even admits to feeling disillusioned with success, saying, "What do I think of success? It sucks, too much stress."
Despite the bleak outlook on success, the chorus repeats the phrase "let that bitch breathe," a metaphor for allowing success the space to thrive and reach its full potential. The lyrics also touch on themes of loyalty and power, with Jay Z claiming he has the upper hand in his relationships and can control the situation.
Overall, "Success" is a powerful commentary on the struggle for success and the pitfalls that come with it. The song is a reminder that even though success may seem glamorous from the outside, it often comes at a cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Your success took a shot at you
Your own success is causing you problems
What are you gonna to do now?
What actions will you take to overcome the problems caused by your success?
How are you gonna kill it?
How will you overcome the problems caused by your success?
You're gonna become unsuccessful?
Are you willing to give up your success to avoid the problems that come with it?
Frank, you can be successful and have enemies, uh
Being successful doesn't necessarily mean that you have the support of everyone around you
Be unsuccessful too, and you can have friends
Having less success can sometimes lead to more genuine relationships
I got these niggas, Breezy, don't worry 'bout it
I have control over my enemies and their actions
Let that bitch breath
Allow things to happen naturally and without interference
I used to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less
I used to care about things that don't matter anymore
What do I think of success
My perception of success
It sucks, too much stress
Success can often come with excessive and unwanted stress
I guess I blew up quick, 'cause friends I grew up with
My rapid success caused some friends to view me differently
See me as a premie but I'm not and my nuts big
My friends see me as less mature than I actually am
I don't know what the fuss is
I don't understand why people are making such a big deal about my success
My cribs illustrious
My homes are impressive
My rep is impeccable
My reputation is flawless
I'm not to be fucked with, with
I am not to be underestimated or taken lightly
Shit, let that bitch breath
Allow things to happen naturally and without interference
I'm way to important to be talking 'bout extorting
I am too busy and successful to be involved in illegal activities
Asking me for a portion is like asking for a coffin
Requesting a share of my success is equivalent to asking for death
Broad day light I off your on switch
I can take out my enemies in broad daylight
You're not too bright, goodnight, long kiss
My enemies are not very smart and are easily defeated
Bye, bye, my reply, blah, blah
I am uninterested in engaging in further conversation with my enemies
Blast burner, then pass burner to Ty-Ty
I will use my gun to neutralize my enemies and then pass it to my associate Ty-Ty
Finish my breakfast, why?
I have more important things to do than worry about my enemies
I got an appetite for destruction and you're a small fry
I crave success and will stop at nothing to achieve it, whereas my enemies are minor obstacles
Now where was I?
What was I doing? What was my point?
I used to give a shit, now I don't give a shit more
I cared about things that don't matter, now I don't care even more
Truth be told, I had more fun when I was piss poor
I enjoyed life more before I became successful
I'm pissed off
I am angry and frustrated
This what success all about?
Is this really what success is supposed to feel like?
A bunch of niggas acting like bitches with big mouths
People are acting like drama queens and making a big deal out of nothing
All this stress, all I got is this big house
Despite my success, all I have to show for it is a big house and a lot of stress
Couple cars, I don't bring half them shits out
I have multiple cars but don't even use half of them
All of this Ace of Spade I drank just to piss out
I consumed a lot of expensive alcohol just to excrete it later
I mean, I like the taste, could've saved myself 6 hours
I enjoyed the alcohol, but it wasn't worth the time and money spent on it
How many times can I go to Mr. Chow's, Tao's, Nobu?
How many times can I eat at expensive restaurants before it becomes pointless?
Hold up, lemme move my bowels
Wait a moment, I need to use the restroom
I'll shit on y'all niggas, OG tell these boys
I will defeat my enemies and emerge victorious
(Y'all ain't about to shit on my nigga)
My friends and associates are loyal to me and will defend me against my enemies
I got watches I ain't seen in months
I have so many possessions that some go unnoticed for long periods of time
Apartment at the Trump, I only slept in once
I have an apartment in a Trump building that I hardly use
Niggas said Hova was over, such dummies
People underestimated me and thought I was past my prime, but they were wrong
Even If I fell I'll land on a bunch of money
Even if I were to fail, I would still have a lot of money and resources
Y'all ain't got nothing for me
My enemies are insignificant and pose no threat to me
Success, McLaren, women staring
My success has brought me expensive cars and the attention of women
My villain appearance
My public persona is that of a villain or anti-hero
Sacred blood of a king and my vein ain't spilling
I come from a royal lineage but have not spilled any blood in battle
Ghetto Othello, Sugar Hill Romello
I am a combination of literary characters Othello and Romeo, from two different neighborhoods
Camaro driven, I climax from paper
I find excitement and satisfaction in accumulating wealth
Then ask, 'Why is life worth living?'
Despite my success, I still struggle with existential questions about the purpose of life
Is it to hunt for the shit that you want?
Is the purpose of life to relentlessly pursue what we desire?
To receives great, but I lust giving
While I enjoy receiving, I find greater satisfaction in giving to others
The best jewelers wanna make my things
Even the most prestigious jewelers want to create items for me
I make Jacob shit on Lorraine just to make me a chain
I have the power and influence to make well-known jewelers compete for my business
Niggas mentioned the One Love
People talk about my successful song 'One Love'
Came home to paper in hand
I profited greatly from my success
Ain't gotta brag about the Feds, young man
I don't need to boast about my connections with the FBI or other powerful entities, as most people already know
Old cribs I sold, y'all drive by like monuments
The homes I used to live in are now viewed as historic landmarks or monuments to my success.
Google Earth Nas, I got flats in other continents
I have homes in different countries that can be seen on Google Earth
Worst enemies wanna be my best friends
Even my enemies secretly want to be close to me and enjoy the benefits of my success
Best friends wanna be enemies like that's whats in
My closest associates sometimes become jealous and resentful of my success
But I don't give a fuck, walk inside the lion's den
I am fearless and willing to confront my enemies head-on, even in dangerous situations
Take everybody's chips, 'bout to cash them in
I am about to collect all of my winnings and cash in on my success
Up your catalog, dawg, mine's worth too much
My collection of songs and other works is so valuable that I am challenging others to increase their own value
Like Mike Jacks ATV pub, Mottola can't touch
Referencing Michael Jackson's ownership of ATV Music Publishing, making it clear that even powerful music executives like Mottola cannot surpass my success
Let this bitch breathe
Allow things to happen naturally and without interference
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Nasir Jones, Larry Ellis, Shawn C. Carter, Ernest Dion Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind