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.
1973โ1992: 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.
1992โ1995: 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 Serchโs solo album is released later in the year, Nasโ 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.
1996โ1998: 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.
1998โ2000: 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.
2000โ2001: 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."
2002โPresent: 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 Koะฏn'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, Nasโ 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..
Superhero Status
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm on the sideline while he's playing around
The difference between you and I spittin's a wide difference
They hate on you, but me, they want me to die different
No ego, I'm just providing
A better understanding, I don't wish it on nobody
Who doesn't have the bandwidth
When you from a poor town, that generate awareness
The ventilation shifts where the air is erased when you hear it
Somewhere between great and endearing
You smell it and taste it, 'cause it's serious
And you don't think it's fair, you feel like you come with bars
And you won some wars
Frankly, they should send they regards
Some of the hardest rappers get overlooked and ignored
No matter what happen, I hope all of us soar, I go
Superhero status, no masks, no gadgets
Send them villains at us, we ain't scared of action
We ain't characters cappin'
Ability to leap buildings, if you blink, you won't catch it
(Audio) Dope, (audio) dope, (audio) dope, (audio) dope
It's a sh-
It's a shame, the
Always on time, I'm never petty, yeah, I'm always ready
That's why my shit flows smooth and steady, pictures on Getty
I don't complain, I don't blame, know when my time is done
I move to the side
I don't want nothing to prove to these guys, if y'all was moving like Nas
Y'all wouldn't assume someone owe you
Nobody know you when you old 'cept your peoples
That should keep you peaceful, instead
Delusional mood illusions refusin' to see truth
Your personal hurt, you unleash on the first
Person you come across doing your evil work
Damn
It's a sh-
It's a shame
It's a shame, the
Slugs, blood, laugh, hugs, survive if you could
Downsize, intro the thugs to the plug, and just today
I noticed a different pain
Man, catch me, don't let me slip in no demented stage
Repetitive Beat Street watcher, a gatekeeper, conqueror
Late night creep sponsor
Need a frequent flyer, beyond, think I'm a sheikh
She don't need to fly to Dubai for it
Fleet of cars, she under my arm, and she honored with' it
Cognizant correspondence, I don't respond to nonsense
Adidas shells, I keep a reefer smell on me
Ringin' the Wall Street bell at 9:30 AM Is my coffee
My gang is New York Stock Exchange
Here's my costume change
Superhero status, no masks, no gadgets
Send them villains at us, we ain't scared of action
We ain't characters cappin'
Ability to leap buildings, if you blink, you won't catch it
(Audio) Dope, (audio) dope, (audio) dope, (audio) dope
It's a sh-
It's a shame, the
It's a shame, the way it's goin' down
I'm on the sideline while he's playing around
In "Superhero Status," Nas reflects on his experience in the music industry and the challenges he faces as an artist. He begins by acknowledging that it's disheartening to see how things are unfolding in the industry, with others gaining success while he feels sidelined. Nas emphasizes the differences between himself and other artists, noting that while they may receive hate, he is often wished upon to meet a different fate. Despite this, he remains humble and seeks to provide a better understanding, not wishing harm on anyone who doesn't possess the same level of awareness or talent.
Nas delves into the struggle of coming from a poor town and how standing one's ground generates awareness. He describes the shift in ventilation, where the air becomes erased upon hearing his impactful music. It falls somewhere between greatness and endearment, as listeners can both smell and taste the serious themes within his lyrics. Nas recognizes the disparity between his abilities and the recognition he receives, as even the hardest rappers can be overlooked and ignored. Nevertheless, he hopes that all artists, including himself, can attain success and soar above these challenges.
The chorus of the song portrays Nas and his fellow artists as superheroes who don't need masks or gadgets. They aren't afraid of any challenges or villains sent their way. They possess the ability to leap buildings and are too quick to be caught if you blink. This superhero status is an embodiment of their talent and resilience in the face of adversity. Nas portrays himself and his peers as characters who are genuine and authentic, unlike others who feel the need to pretend.
Moving on to the second verse, Nas highlights his professionalism and readiness in the industry. He explains how his music flows smoothly and steadily, with his pictures being taken by Getty photographers, the mark of success and recognition. He reveals that he doesn't complain or blame others and knows when it's his time to step aside gracefully. Nas doesn't feel the need to prove himself to those who don't appreciate his art, mentioning that they wouldn't assume entitlement if they were moving like Nas himself. He encourages them to remember that only their close relationships will remain as they grow old, revealing the importance of finding peace within themselves rather than seeking validation from others.
The final verse brings attention to the harsh realities of life in the streets. It mentions slugs (bullets), blood, laughter, and hugs, highlighting the survival mentality one must adopt. Nas emphasizes the need for someone to guide and introduce the "thugs" to better opportunities to escape this cycle of violence and despair. He then brings attention to a personal revelation, acknowledging the pain he now recognizes in others. Nas pleads with others to catch him if he starts slipping into a demented state, underscoring how artists can be vulnerable to the detrimental effects of fame.
Overall, "Superhero Status" serves as Nas's introspective reflection on his journey as an artist, the challenges faced in the music industry, and the importance of staying true to oneself while navigating the complexities of fame.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a shame, the way it's goin' down
The current situation is regrettable and unfortunate
I'm on the sideline while he's playing around
I'm in a passive position while he's behaving recklessly
The difference between you and I spittin's a wide difference
Our skills in rapping are significantly different
They hate on you, but me, they want me to die different
They criticize you, but they wish harm upon me in a unique way
No ego, I'm just providing
I'm not being conceited, I'm just offering something
A better understanding, I don't wish it on nobody
I want people to have a deeper comprehension, but I don't want harm upon anyone
Who doesn't have the bandwidth
Those who lack the capacity or resources
It come with standin' your ground
It involves asserting your position and not backing down
When you from a poor town, that generate awareness
When you come from an impoverished area, it brings attention to certain issues
The ventilation shifts where the air is erased when you hear it
The atmosphere changes and becomes void when you listen to it
Somewhere between great and endearing
Somewhere in the range of exceptional and lovable
You smell it and taste it, 'cause it's serious
You can sense and experience it fully because it's significant
And you don't think it's fair, you feel like you come with bars
You believe it's unjust, you think your lyrical skills are superior
And you won some wars
And you have emerged victorious in some battles
Frankly, they should send they regards
Honestly, they should express their respect
Some of the hardest rappers get overlooked and ignored
Even the most skilled rappers are often disregarded and unnoticed
No matter what happen, I hope all of us soar, I go
Regardless of the outcome, I hope we all succeed, and I move forward
Superhero status, no masks, no gadgets
Achieving a powerful and influential position without relying on disguise or equipment
Send them villains at us, we ain't scared of action
Challenge us with adversaries, we are not afraid to engage
We ain't characters cappin'
We are not pretending or putting on a facade
Ability to leap buildings, if you blink, you won't catch it
Capable of extraordinary feats, too quick for the eye to perceive
It's a sh-
It's a shameful situation
Always on time, I'm never petty, yeah, I'm always ready
Consistently punctual, never engaging in trivial matters, always prepared
That's why my shit flows smooth and steady, pictures on Getty
That's why my music is effortlessly composed and popular
I don't complain, I don't blame, know when my time is done
I don't whine or hold others responsible, aware of when my moment has passed
I move to the side
I step aside
I don't want nothing to prove to these guys, if y'all was moving like Nas
I have no need to demonstrate anything to these individuals, if you were operating like Nas
Y'all wouldn't assume someone owe you
You wouldn't expect someone to owe you something
Nobody know you when you old 'cept your peoples
When you're elderly, only your close ones recognize you
That should keep you peaceful, instead
That should bring you tranquility, instead
Delusional mood illusions refusin' to see truth
False perceptions and denial preventing recognition of reality
Your personal hurt, you unleash on the first
You release your personal pain onto the first person
Person you come across doing your evil work
Individual you encounter while engaged in malicious actions
Damn
Expression of exasperation or frustration
Slugs, blood, laugh, hugs, survive if you could
Violence, injury, humor, affection, strive to endure if you are able
Downsize, intro the thugs to the plug, and just today
Reduce in scale, introduce the criminals to the supplier, and only as of today
I noticed a different pain
I recognized a distinct suffering
Man, catch me, don't let me slip in no demented stage
Man, support me, don't let me descend into an unstable mental state
Repetitive Beat Street watcher, a gatekeeper, conqueror
Observing the repeated Beat Street culture, a guardian determining access, a triumphant figure
Late night creep sponsor
Supporter of late-night activities and secrets
Need a frequent flyer, beyond, think I'm a sheikh
Require a frequent traveler, surpassing expectations, they regard me as a ruler
She don't need to fly to Dubai for it
She doesn't have to travel to Dubai to experience it
Fleet of cars, she under my arm, and she honored with' it
Collection of vehicles, she accompanies me, and she appreciates the status
Cognizant correspondence, I don't respond to nonsense
Thoughtful communication, I don't engage in meaningless discussions
Adidas shells, I keep a reefer smell on me
Adidas sneakers, I carry the scent of marijuana
Ringin' the Wall Street bell at 9:30 AM Is my coffee
Signaling the start of Wall Street trading at 9:30 AM is my daily routine
My gang is New York Stock Exchange
My group is like the New York Stock Exchange
Here's my costume change
Now it's time to transform my appearance or persona
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Nasir Jones, Chauncey Hollis Jr., Penelope McClendon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheWordofHeraldHarkins
Verse
I've been blatantly patient
For this weight to be weightless
Zero gravity still be grabbin me
You be movin so faceless
You call me the faithless
Then I beat you in the face n
A time piece even taste it
I'm better than you don't you fake it
This ain't a role call
or a fold y'all
We of the same cloth
ain't you know dawg
The super powers I have
Was meant for empowerment
But look how power was spent
It wasn't on love, not lovin it
It wasn't on hope n a dream
Hope in you open to me
Chokin on planets I breathe
This weather be killer to me
But if I could I would
Save all of us as I should
Built onto a new house
These youngins singin blues now
I'ma need 10 million horses
Fit in to 10 mini porches
Appealin that's they orange n
Bananas and OJs be forced in
And a Padawan needs to paddle on
No mind the Babylon get your saddle on
I mean just settle down, settle Seattle now
I sound like serina now, but only in battle grounds
@mohamedkaki3911
We all should be grateful that Nas is still making music at the highest level ๐๐ผ๐ฅ
@nicksansouci
I certainly am seeing a new Nas record is like Christmas
@msstaypositiveallthetime7456
His quality of music is unmatched. ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
@brzaproductions2393
Def agree
@domnel3981
Discogrรกfica second to none
@dwaynejpeterkin
Nobody is moving like nas he is untouchable ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
@agthaog1986
musicallu he got his timbs on jay neck
@shanna3000
Facts of life
@allanwilliams317
๐ฌ๏ธ He's in Motion ๐๐๐๐๐ฏโ๐พ
@DarrylJohnson-yv3id
โ@@agthaog1986nope Jay is doin business so he not making small change plus that beef been over it's the fans who can't accept this.