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..
The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28 1993
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How should I begin, to sin?
Grab the microphone and my rhymes'll win
Wheel of Fortune, spin, around
Check it out, I'm not a rap clown
Get smacked down by the fuckin' four pound
In your dome
Hit you with the nick plate chrome
Off the top of my head, yo, I'm a blunt head
Police... Police want a nigga dead
But, I'm not going out like that black
I kick the actual facts in so low
Cold as a Polar Bear, I swear, word to Will
But I'mma chill, rhymes'll kill
Niggas know the style when I freak the profile
Asiatic Child, yo
Grand Wizard on the side of me
Yo, Get on the mic and bless the M-I-C
But I'mma pass it off to my man Six-Nine
Kick it one time
Hey, Yo, Six-Nine a true to life nigga
Yo, my style is iller, iller than Halle Berry's figure
Niggas don't fuck with the Six-Niner
Shorty watch your mouth, I smack you back in your vagina
Heres to reaper crack and sunrise tequila
Kill the margarita heres a 50 get some more cheaper
The ghetto trooper, so sparred up the booth buddha
My thoughts stay nasty like the underground sewage
To be the man you gotta beat the man
It ain't nothing, so start come here but nothin' mark my timberlands
You want static? Lets have it knuckles will flow like the Atlantic
But sink like the Titanic
Since birth I was thinking too fast, my first beef was with the doctor
When he smacked me on the ass
The trigger man, I'm crazy like Sam
My skills so Ill like a with a white chick with a suntan
One for the money
Two for pussy and foreign cars
Three for Alize, niggas deceased or behind bars
I rap divine, God, check the prognosis: is it real or showbiz?
My window faces shootouts, drug overdoses
Live amongst no roses, only the drama, for real
A nickel-plate is my fate, my medicine is the ganja
Here's my basis, my razor embraces, many faces
Your telephone blowing, black stitches or fat shoelaces
Peoples are petro, dramatic automatic .44 I let blow
And back down po-po when I'm vexed so
My pen taps the paper then my brain's blank
I see dark streets, hustling brothers who keep the same rank
Pumping for something, some'll prosper, some fail
Judges hanging niggas, uncorrect bails for direct sales
My intellect prevails from a hanging cross with nails
I reinforce the frail, with lyrics that's real
Word to Christ, a disciple on streets, trifle on beats
But, Chill! Place the microphone and say peace
So Sudan, take the microphone in your hand
Kick the flim flam
Queensbridge, when will the drama ever cease?
I like to say peace Willie and rest in peace
A cool brother who's all about justice
I still can't understand how he left us
Well... he's gone and life goes on you know
We had a crew but one by one we go
Memories of his face that was full of joy
Rock-a Rock-a bye Rock-a bye homeboy
Reminiscing with the brothers standing on the block
Never talk a lot, never was a big shot
It's so hard to say goodbye a sad song
And damn I can't believe my man's gone
Digging back in the days when we used to laugh
Now its a memory that's haunted from the past
Poor Willy its a shame how the ghetto got him
And word is bond - I wanna cry when I think about him
Three bullets to his back on his own block
Not a way to go, killed by the buckshot
Queensbridge wake and up and smell the air
And stop killin' like a villain, like you don't care
Remember Willie and times we had with joy
Rock-a Rock-a bye Rock-a bye homeboy
Rock-a Rock-a bye Rock-a bye homeboy
Rock-a Rock-a bye
My skills are ill like the prez with a plan
My brothers run from Sudan then the Ku-Klux-Klan
Like a kamikaze, Sadaam Hussein then won
Feel the buns of a nun, put tricks for funds and chill
I slow a verse so you can understand
I kill rappers more freaky than a motherfuckin' a Mic Man
And when it comes to a battle
I stand out tall like the man who played the man on The White Shadow
To my man Jungle
Dwelling in the jungle
Where must we go?
Where must we wander
Deep out the skies come the MC Nas
Not to surprise, but to civilize
Yo, the dumb men wandering around the streets
Listenin' to a nigga rappin' on fly beats
I just kicked a mad philly style
Get bucked wild cause you know my style
I could run a word, kick it to a herb
Make 'em turn into a rich man
Increase the plan, the master plan
Yo, I'm buggin' out cause the weed got me buggin'
Plus the Guinness Stout
Grand Wizard yo, you my physical
Why don't you mic the mic, make the microphone miserable
It's cuisine, the G the Wiz (?)
You know our culture gone get Biz
I got my man Nasty on the side of me
My man Six-Nine, you know we're not hotter G
I am the man that'll break it down
I'll break all down cuz I got the sound
I got Queensbridge in the back of me
The Tec and everything, I'm coming strapped G
Money and murder, money and murder
The sick shit you heard comin' from my motherfuckin' my swerve
The words are poetic, I sound energetic
When I'm blunted or Moet'd
My microphone's upsetted cause I'm crazy
Now you know, never lazy
Yo, I'm gonna get all the cash I can
Don't give a fuck if I gotta shoot a policeman
Pluckin' a church and snatch a fuckin'... nah can't be flippin' like that
Cause you niggas try to jock the style
But I left that shit to get the new shit, float like the now
Now you can't catch up G
Cause I got the new styles on the M-I-C
I keep gettin' newer, can't step to her
Nigga from the Bridge, so you keep that shit
And I'mma flip the script next year
And my real name is Nasir
Can't spell it cause I say it too clear
The alphabets are not enough words or letters to use
When it comes to mics I bruise
I just go, with the magical mystic flow
Niggas don't know, that's word to the man Bo
I get Illmatic with the style that's insane
Comin' outta fuckin' murderous brain
Grand Wizard, please take this Mic from me
Before I bug the fuck out and end up D-E-A-D
The lyrics of Nas's song "The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28 1993" are a representation of his prowess as a rapper. In the beginning, he starts by posing a question about how he should begin, showing his confidence in his abilities to sin or rather win with his rhymes. He mentions his hometown- Queensbridge- which has a reputation for being a rough neighborhood. Nas talks about how he is not interested in wielding weak rhymes and that he is capable of spitting hard-hitting bars that will hit hard like the four-pound, referring to a gun.
He goes further to state that he aspires to be known for his lyrical talent, like Will Shakespeare or the Grand Wizard, a title attributed to various prominent Hip-Hop artists over the years. The song then takes on various topics, including poverty, street violence, activism, and remembering his fallen comrades.
Overall, Nas conveys a message of resilience and pride in this song. The lyrics are empowering to urban youth and serve to inspire them to strive to be better and make a change in their society.
Line by Line Meaning
How should I start this?
How should I begin this song?
How should I begin, to sin?
How should I embark on a sinful journey?
Grab the microphone and my rhymes'll win
Seize the mic and my lyrics will conquer
Wheel of Fortune, spin, around
Like the game show, luck is unpredictable
Check it out, I'm not a rap clown
I am not a joke in the rap game
Get smacked down by the fuckin' four pound
Experience a beatdown from a gun
In your dome
In your head
Hit you with the nick plate chrome
Strike you with a nickel-plated gun
Queensbridge, thats my motherfuckin' home
Queensbridge is my hometown
Off the top of my head, yo, I'm a blunt head
Freestyling from the top of my mind
Police... Police want a nigga dead
The police are out to kill me
But, I'm not going out like that black
But, I won't let them kill me that easily
I kick the actual facts in so low
I deliver the truth in a raw, intense manner
Cold as a Polar Bear, I swear, word to Will
Emotionless and tough, a tribute to Will
But I'mma chill, rhymes'll kill
But I will remain calm, my lyrics will destroy
Niggas know the style when I freak the profile
People recognize my unique rap style
Asiatic Child, yo
Proudly claiming my Asian heritage
Grand Wizard on the side of me
A talented partner by my side
Yo, Get on the mic and bless the M-I-C
Take the microphone and showcase your skills
But I'mma pass it off to my man Six-Nine
But now I'll give the spotlight to my friend Six-Nine
Kick it one time
Show us what you've got
Hey, Yo, Six-Nine a true to life nigga
Hey, Yo, Six-Nine is an authentic guy
Yo, my style is iller, iller than Halle Berry's figure
My style is exceptional, even better than Halle Berry's beauty
Niggas don't fuck with the Six-Niner
People don't mess with Six-Nine
Shorty watch your mouth, I smack you back in your vagina
Be careful what you say, or I'll hit you hard
Heres to reaper crack and sunrise tequila
Celebrate with drugs and alcohol
Kill the margarita heres a 50 get some more cheaper
Finish the margarita, here's money to buy more at a lower price
The ghetto trooper, so sparred up the booth buddha
A warrior from the streets, ready to fight for his beliefs
My thoughts stay nasty like the underground sewage
My mind is filled with vulgar thoughts, comparable to sewage
To be the man you gotta beat the man
To succeed, you must surpass others
It ain't nothing, so start come here but nothin' mark my timberlands
It's easy, so step up and face me but you'll achieve nothing, remember my Timberland boots
You want static? Lets have it knuckles will flow like the Atlantic
You want a fight? Let's do it, punches will be thrown fiercely like the waves of the Atlantic Ocean
But sink like the Titanic
But ultimately fail, just like the Titanic
Since birth I was thinking too fast, my first beef was with the doctor
I've always been quick-minded, my first conflict was with the doctor who delivered me
When he smacked me on the ass
When he spanked me as a newborn
The trigger man, I'm crazy like Sam
I'm the one with the gun, I'm as insane as Sam
My skills so Ill like a with a white chick with a suntan
My skills are amazing, like a white girl with a deep tan
One for the money
One reason: money
Two for pussy and foreign cars
Two reasons: sex and expensive cars
Three for Alize, niggas deceased or behind bars
Three reasons: drinking Alize, dead friends, or incarcerated friends
I rap divine, God, check the prognosis: is it real or showbiz?
I rap with a divine presence, God-like, check if my authenticity is genuine or just for show
My window faces shootouts, drug overdoses
I witness gunfights and drug overdoses from my window
Live amongst no roses, only the drama, for real
I live in a harsh environment with no beauty, only drama
A nickel-plate is my fate, my medicine is the ganja
A gun is my constant companion, and marijuana is my remedy
Here's my basis, my razor embraces, many faces
I rely on my weaponry, my razor sharp skills, and my ability to adapt to different situations
Your telephone blowing, black stitches or fat shoelaces
Your phone is ringing constantly, representing either bad news or a sign of wealth
Peoples are petro, dramatic automatic .44 I let blow
People are explosive, I unleash my .44 caliber gun
And back down po-po when I'm vexed so
I challenge the police when I'm angry
My pen taps the paper then my brain's blank
I start writing, but my mind goes blank
I see dark streets, hustling brothers who keep the same rank
I see the reality of the grim streets, where brothers are trapped in the same cycle of hustling
Pumping for something, some'll prosper, some fail
Striving for a purpose, some will succeed, while others will fail
Judges hanging niggas, uncorrect bails for direct sales
Judges unfairly sentencing black men, with high bails for drug-related crimes
My intellect prevails from a hanging cross with nails
My intelligence overcomes hardships and obstacles
I reinforce the frail, with lyrics that's real
I strengthen the vulnerable with genuine lyrics
Word to Christ, a disciple on streets, trifle on beats
A shout-out to Jesus Christ, I'm a follower in the streets and a villain on beats
But, Chill! Place the microphone and say peace
But, calm down! Pass the mic and share peace
So Sudan, take the microphone in your hand
So Sudan, grab the mic and perform
Kick the flim flam
Deliver your style
Queensbridge, when will the drama ever cease?
Queensbridge, when will the turmoil ever end?
I like to say peace Willie and rest in peace
I would like to send peace to Willie, rest in peace
A cool brother who's all about justice
A calm and righteous individual
I still can't understand how he left us
I can't comprehend his departure
Well... he's gone and life goes on you know
Well... he's gone, but life continues
We had a crew but one by one we go
We had a group, but one by one we leave this world
Memories of his face that was full of joy
I remember his joyful face
Rock-a Rock-a bye Rock-a bye homeboy
Goodbye, my friend
Reminiscing with the brothers standing on the block
Remembering the good times with friends on the street corner
Never talk a lot, never was a big shot
We were quiet and humble, never seeking attention
It's so hard to say goodbye a sad song
It's difficult to bid farewell, it's a sad situation
And damn I can't believe my man's gone
And damn, I can't believe my friend is gone
Digging back in the days when we used to laugh
Reflecting on the past when we laughed together
Now its a memory that's haunted from the past
Now it's a haunted memory from the past
Poor Willy its a shame how the ghetto got him
Poor Willy, it's a shame how the neighborhood destroyed him
And word is bond - I wanna cry when I think about him
And I swear - I feel like crying when I think about him
Three bullets to his back on his own block
He was shot three times in the back on his own street
Not a way to go, killed by the buckshot
A tragic way to die, killed by shotgun blasts
Queensbridge wake and up and smell the air
Queensbridge, wake up and realize the reality
And stop killin' like a villain, like you don't care
And stop killing each other, as if you have no regard for life
Remember Willie and times we had with joy
Remember Willie and the happy times we shared
Rock-a Rock-a bye Rock-a bye homeboy
Goodbye, my friend
Rock-a Rock-a bye Rock-a bye homeboy
Goodbye, my friend
Rock-a Rock-a bye
Goodbye
My skills are ill like the prez with a plan
My skills are sick, like the President with a well-thought-out plan
My brothers run from Sudan then the Ku-Klux-Klan
My brothers flee from Sudan to escape the Ku Klux Klan
Like a kamikaze, Sadaam Hussein then won
Like a kamikaze, I will cause chaos just like Saddam Hussein did
Feel the buns of a nun, put tricks for funds and chill
Feel the excitement of a nun, perform tricks for money and relax
I slow a verse so you can understand
I deliver a verse slowly so that you can comprehend
I kill rappers more freaky than a motherfuckin' a Mic Man
I destroy rappers in a more magnificent manner than a mic-master
And when it comes to a battle
And when it comes to a rap battle
I stand out tall like the man who played the man on The White Shadow
I stand out prominently, just like the actor who portrayed the coach on The White Shadow
To my man Jungle
Shout-out to my friend Jungle
Dwelling in the jungle
Living in the dangerous streets
Where must we go?
Where do we have to go?
Where must we wander
Where do we have to wander?
Deep out the skies come the MC Nas
From the depths of the sky comes the MC Nas
Not to surprise, but to civilize
Not to shock, but to educate
Yo, the dumb men wandering around the streets
Hey, the ignorant men aimlessly wandering the streets
Listenin' to a nigga rappin' on fly beats
Listening to a black man rapping on cool beats
I just kicked a mad philly style
I just showcased a unique Philly rap style
Get bucked wild cause you know my style
Get wild and energetic because you know my style
I could run a word, kick it to a herb
I can freestyle and speak to anyone
Make 'em turn into a rich man
Make them transform into a wealthy individual
Increase the plan, the master plan
Strengthen the strategy, the ultimate plan
Yo, I'm buggin' out cause the weed got me buggin'
Hey, I'm losing my mind because of the marijuana
Plus the Guinness Stout
And the strong beer called Guinness Stout
Grand Wizard yo, you my physical
Grand Wizard, you're my partner in crime
Why don't you mic the mic, make the microphone miserable
Take the mic, make the microphone suffer
It's cuisine, the G the Wiz (?)
It's the perfect blend, the Grand Wizard (?)
You know our culture gone get Biz
You know our culture will prosper and succeed
I got my man Nasty on the side of me
I have my friend Nasty by my side
My man Six-Nine, you know we're not hotter G
My friend Six-Nine, you know we're not better, G
I am the man that'll break it down
I am the man who will explain it clearly
I'll break all down cuz I got the sound
I'll break everything down because of my unique sound
I got Queensbridge in the back of me
I have the support of Queensbridge
The Tec and everything, I'm coming strapped G
I'm prepared with my gun and everything, ready to go
Money and murder, money and murder
The constant cycle of money and murder
The sick shit you heard comin' from my motherfuckin' my swerve
The disturbing things you hear from my unpredictable style
The words are poetic, I sound energetic
My lyrics are poetic, and I sound lively
When I'm blunted or Moet'd
When I'm high on marijuana or intoxicated with Moet
My microphone's upsetted cause I'm crazy
My microphone is disturbed because I'm insane
Now you know, never lazy
Now you know, I'm never lazy
Yo, I'm gonna get all the cash I can
Hey, I'll do whatever it takes to get all the money I can
Don't give a fuck if I gotta shoot a policeman
I don't care if I have to shoot a police officer
Pluckin' a church and snatch a fuckin'... nah can't be flippin' like that
Robbing a church and stealing, but no, I can't go down that path
Cause you niggas try to jock the style
Because you people try to copy my style
But I left that shit to get the new shit, float like the now
But I've moved on to the new style, flowing with the current trends
Now you can't catch up G
Now you can't keep up, my friend
Cause I got the new styles on the M-I-C
Because I possess the new styles on the microphone
I keep gettin' newer, can't step to her
I keep evolving, can't compete with me
Nigga from the Bridge, so you keep that shit
A person from the Bridge, so you better watch out
And I'mma flip the script next year
And I'm going to change things up next year
And my real name is Nasir
And my actual name is Nasir
Can't spell it cause I say it too clear
Can't spell it out, because I pronounce it too clearly
The alphabets are not enough words or letters to use
The alphabet is insufficient to express my thoughts
When it comes to mics I bruise
When it comes to microphones, I dominate
I just go, with the magical mystic flow
I just go with the enchanting and mystical flow
Niggas don't know, that's word to the man Bo
People don't understand, that's a tribute to the man Bo
I get Illmatic with the style that's insane
I become Illmatic with my insane style
Comin' outta fuckin' murderous brain
Coming from a mind filled with murderous thoughts
Grand Wizard, please take this Mic from me
Grand Wizard, please take the microphone away from me
Before I bug the fuck out and end up D-E-A-D
Before I go crazy and end up dead
Contributed by Makayla G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.