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..
Suicide Bounce (featuring Bust
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey fellas
I think you might want to s-s-sneak your ratchet in here for this one
Hey ladies
Put your petroleum jelly on your face
Yo Nas, we got a big bet in the streets
That you knock they ass out in the first 30 seconds of the first round
Get 'em!
[Nas]
Sitting up drunk, shuffling thoughts
Got paper but I'm lost
Losing focus what a nigga still hustling for
My seed is straight, the fam is settled
Idle time get the man in trouble
When wifey touring, my life get boring
Start to remember all types of torment
The devil's calling, but I don't answer
Mom passed from cancer, leaving behind
Two granddaughters, two grandsons, two 9's
Next to me in the Phantom, who lying?
Big screen documentaries of Idi Amin
Gotta, try to stay away from creeps
With they bullshit, trying to put me back in the streets
War stories, funerals
Where feds be laying from a dreadful slaying
Body viewing's at the wake
Nigga sit stiff in his Ferrari, no casket
With his eyelids still open, it's kinda spooky
Iceman watch on, the suit Gucci
I'm above the standard
But dude just Mar-salis than Branford
Thinking you're too rich, they want to gun ya
Kidnap ya cause of they hunger, but you fucking with hunters
Camouflaged in black hoods that dump clips
Cause real niggas die over dumb shit
Camouflaged in black hoods that dump clips
Cause real niggas die over dumb shit
[Chorus Busta Rhymes: x2]
Fight, fists, dance, sucker
Suicide, bounce, brother
Ice, whips, cash, nigga
Watch yo', big, ass, momma
[Nas]
To your, power structure, Nas is dangerous
Y'all the antithesis, the opposite
Twitching shit, all up in your body language
Mean mugging your bitch, cause she leans over
To look closer told you y'all sloppy gangsters saying
"Nas is this and Nas is that"
Your eyes go front, your eyes go back
Surprised I'm at the same place y'all be at
It's obvious you don't know how I react
Like, I don't know where the party's at
You're foaming at the mouth, losing breath
Like a cardiac arrest, but I ain't impressed
Cause the fact is, y'all don't really want it
Two to the head, fo' to the stomach
Call more security cause I come off
Anywhere you at you scary cats
If you dare squeeze back, guns shall rain
A thousand times harder than when I first came
Y'all not relentless, y'all dumb
And y'all just forgot about the consequences
Not a jail sentence, but see
The nigga you feed'll kick it to dude that kick it to me
We possess, the recipes for death, cause jealousy destroys
Feed the dog first, watch out for salmonella poisoning
I know a kid who'll throw shit in your food
And say, "That's the way you kill a man, avoid the shooting"
Hey
[Chorus]
You smile, in my face
Secretly I know, you want my place
You waiting on me to choke, don't want a nigga to breathe
You want to come cut my throat, you want to get rid of me
But before I let it happen them guns gon' start clapping
And y'all gon' rest in peace, cause death is the recipe
Before I let it happen them guns gon' start clapping
And y'all gon' rest in peace, cause death is the recipe
[Busta: x4]
Suicide, bounce, brother
In this song, Nas and Busta Rhymes collaborate together to create 'Suicide Bounce.' The lyrics of the song revolve around personal struggles and the dangers that come with fame and success. The song begins with Busta Rhymes talking to his listeners and urging them to be prepared for what's to come. He sets the aggressive and exciting tone of the song with his fast-paced delivery.
Nas takes over the second verse and talks about how he struggles to maintain his focus despite having everything he needs. While his family's life is stable, Nas struggles with boredom and memories of past trauma. The lyrics refer to many real-life situations, including the death of Nas's mother and his current family set-up. Nas reflects on the fact that he has everything but is still not content, as he is an artist who continuously needs to hustle and strive for success.
The chorus is repeated twice and consists of Busta Rhymes yelling "Suicide, bounce, brother." The remainder of Nas's verses focuses on his rivals and how he views them. He addresses them as "sloppy gangsters" and "scaredy-cats," stating that they don't know how to handle themselves in his presence.
Overall, the song touches on themes like death, jealousy, and the struggles that come with fame. It’s an aggressive song with a hard and fast beat that perfectly captures the fears and frustrations of those in the rap game.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey fellas
Greetings, male listeners
I think you might want to s-s-sneak your ratchet in here for this one
You may want to discreetly bring your firearm for this occasion
Hey ladies
Greetings, female listeners
Put your petroleum jelly on your face
Apply petroleum jelly to your face to avoid getting hit or injured
Yo Nas, we got a big bet in the streets
Nas, there is a significant wager in the public domain about whether you can knock out your opponent in the first round
That you knock they ass out in the first 30 seconds of the first round
The bet is specifically about whether Nas can knock out the opposition within the first half minute of the first round
Get 'em!
Encourage Nas to win the fight and knock out the opponent
Sitting up drunk, shuffling thoughts
Nas is intoxicated and feeling unsure
Got paper but I'm lost
Nas is wealthy but feels aimless
Losing focus what a nigga still hustling for
Nas questions the reason why he continues to hustle despite losing his focus
My seed is straight, the fam is settled
Nas' children are doing well and his family is stable
Idle time get the man in trouble
Nas feels that having too much free time can lead to negative consequences
When wifey touring, my life get boring
Nas becomes bored when his wife is away on tour
Start to remember all types of torment
Nas begins to recall various traumatic experiences
The devil's calling, but I don't answer
Nas is being tempted, but he resists giving in to temptation
Mom passed from cancer, leaving behind
Nas' mother died of cancer and left behind
Two granddaughters, two grandsons, two 9's
She left behind six descendants and two 9mm firearms
Next to me in the Phantom, who lying?
The person riding beside Nas in his luxury car is not telling the truth
Big screen documentaries of Idi Amin
Nas is watching films about the notorious Ugandan dictator Idi Amin
Gotta, try to stay away from creeps
Nas has to be cautious and avoid shady characters
With they bullshit, trying to put me back in the streets
These individuals are attempting to lure Nas back into criminal activity
War stories, funerals
Nas reflects on the tragedies and realities of war and death
Where feds be laying from a dreadful slaying
Federal agents investigate homicides and related crimes
Body viewing's at the wake
People gather to pay respects and view the deceased at a wake
Nigga sit stiff in his Ferrari, no casket
A deceased person is seated in their Ferrari without a casket
With his eyelids still open, it's kinda spooky
The open eyes of the dead body are unsettling to Nas
Iceman watch on, the suit Gucci
The deceased was wearing a Rolex watch and a Gucci suit
I'm above the standard
Nas considers himself superior to the norm
But dude just Mar-salis than Branford
Nas feels that a certain individual is not as talented as a famous jazz musician
Thinking you're too rich, they want to gun ya
Nas believes that people may try to rob or kill wealthy individuals
Kidnap ya cause of they hunger, but you fucking with hunters
Nas knows that kidnappers will target wealthy individuals, but they are messing with dangerous individuals
Camouflaged in black hoods that dump clips
The kidnappers wear black attire and are armed with guns
Cause real niggas die over dumb shit
Many people, including those who consider themselves 'real', are killed over trivial issues
To your, power structure, Nas is dangerous
Nas is viewed as a threat to people in positions of power
Y'all the antithesis, the opposite
Nas sees his enemies as polar opposites to himself
Twitching shit, all up in your body language
Nas is hyper-aware of subtle movements and behavior
Mean mugging your bitch, cause she leans over
Nas is giving a threatening look to someone's girlfriend who leaned over him
Told you y'all sloppy gangsters saying
Nas is calling out his enemies for their laziness or carelessness
"Nas is this and Nas is that"
People are either talking smack or complimenting Nas
Your eyes go front, your eyes go back
Nas is saying that when they see him, his enemies' eyes go back and forth in fear
Surprised I'm at the same place y'all be at
Nas is mocking his enemies for being surprised to see him in the same location as them
It's obvious you don't know how I react
Nas believes that his enemies are unaware of how he will respond to their actions
Like, I don't know where the party's at
Nas is pretending to not know where the party is taking place
You're foaming at the mouth, losing breath
Nas' enemies are anxious and out of breath
Like a cardiac arrest, but I ain't impressed
Nas is not intimidated by his enemies' fear and anxiety
Cause the fact is, y'all don't really want it
Nas knows that his enemies are not prepared to face him in a physical confrontation
Two to the head, fo' to the stomach
Nas will shoot his enemies twice in the head and four times in the stomach
Call more security cause I come off
Nas is telling his enemies to call for backup because he will attack them relentlessly
Anywhere you at you scary cats
Nas' enemies are cowards who are afraid of him
If you dare squeeze back, guns shall rain
Nas is threatening that if his enemies shoot back, he will respond with an overwhelming amount of gunfire
A thousand times harder than when I first came
Nas is more powerful and dangerous now than he was when he first became famous
Y'all not relentless, y'all dumb
Nas' enemies lack persistence and intelligence
And y'all just forgot about the consequences
Nas' enemies have neglected to consider the repercussions of their actions
Not a jail sentence, but see
The consequence is not necessarily imprisonment, but something else
The nigga you feed'll kick it to dude that kick it to me
Someone who one of Nas' enemies pays or supports may ultimately support Nas' crew instead
We possess, the recipes for death, cause jealousy destroys
Nas and his group know how to cause harm, and they understand that jealousy can be destructive
Feed the dog first, watch out for salmonella poisoning
Nas advises people to take care of their allies and be wary of hidden dangers
I know a kid who'll throw shit in your food
Nas is aware of a person who would contaminate someone's food
And say, "That's the way you kill a man, avoid the shooting"
This person believes poisoning is a more effective way to commit murder than shooting someone
You smile, in my face
Nas' enemies pretend to be friendly with him
Secretly I know, you want my place
Nas suspects that his enemies want to take over his wealth and power
You waiting on me to choke, don't want a nigga to breathe
Nas' enemies hope that he will fail or falter
You want to come cut my throat, you want to get rid of me
Nas' enemies have violent intentions towards him
But before I let it happen them guns gon' start clapping
Nas will use his weapons before allowing anyone to harm him
And y'all gon' rest in peace, cause death is the recipe
Nas' enemies will die because of Nas and his crew's lethal skills
[Chorus Busta Rhymes: x2]
The chorus is repeated twice
Fight, fists, dance, sucker
The singer urges his enemies to fight like cowards
Suicide, bounce, brother
The act of stepping to Nas could be fatal
Ice, whips, cash, nigga
A reference to wealth and power
Watch yo', big, ass, momma
This line is unclear and might be taken as nonsense or gibberish
Before I let it happen them guns gon' start clapping
Similar to an earlier line, Nas will use his weapons before being harmed
And y'all gon' rest in peace, cause death is the recipe
Nas' enemies will die because of Nas and his crew's lethal skills
[Busta: x4]
Busta Rhymes repeats one line of the chorus four times
Suicide, bounce, brother
The act of stepping to Nas could be fatal
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, NEXT DECADE ENTERTAINMENT,INC.
Written by: ARTHUR BAKER, CLIFFORD PEACOCK, DONALD HAWKES, NASIR JONES, SALAAM REMI, VINCENT FULLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rthur.
2018:
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot
The cops shot the kid
I still hear him scream.
2020:
The cops choked the man
The cops choked the man, the cops choked
The cops choked the man
till he couldn't breath.
@aujus5735
Use me as a "I'm here after the Kanye rant" button😊
@flewway8134
I didn’t think NAS verse was bad till I heard Ye’s delivery sheeesh
@walterinnocentokotel8388
Me too 😊
@2PokeDoke
@@flewway8134That means you're easily influenced 😂😂😂😂
@KryptonIstheFuture
cap @@flewway8134
@MikhaleAshford
Kanye was right
@oh_thatz_mauricio
NAS still look like he in 1990 ..never aged
@harrisonsharkey6117
the back his neck aged look like grandpa oldballs
@miguelfranco7796
MAURO OooO black don’t crack
@Derek2k
Facts