Success
Nas Lyrics


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Your success took a shot at you
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
Let that bitch breath

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

Overall Meaning

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
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