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..
Traveling Through the Mind
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Microscopes got me scrutinized
Why they watch me like eagle eye
Wanna soar but can barely fly
I watched my whip commit suicide
It blew out it's brains I'm tired of running from pain
If I don't make a change today my situation won't change
Two things bout Nc'SHON: he ain hatin' he ain't trippin' off fame
cin't here for greatness but I know one day they'll mention my name
We just fulfilling the prophecy
Y'all just jumped on this odyssey
Hard to forgive when you been waiting a few years on apologies
That's no cap let's be honest stitched up my heart that's embroidery
I respect that girl honestly cause she beautiful modestly
cnd I don't need no diamonds better watch me smile with these crooked teeth
I'm no longer in crimes ain't tryna' ride on no enemies
I wan' see us all eat
Matter fact they can call me
Got to show respect to DMX cause I was slippin' and fallin'
Don't pay me no mind I'm just talkin' dawg
Ima' let you jump straight through my mind and watch you sky dive
We gon' forever be in our prime this for a lifetime
Love my dad to death heart of the flex he be the life line
Was scoping out the things we spoke now it's the right time
Ima' let you jump straight through my mind and watch you sky dive
We gon' forever be in our prime this for a lifetime
Love my dad to death heart of the flex he be the life line
Was scoping out the things we spoke now it's the right time
cye yeah yeah
cin't got no clexand' McQueen on top my feet but I been dreaming bigger
Hold your head you know they want us dead or locked inside the system
Yungin' be warned u roaming through these streets you better be calm
Get locked for life off herb the judge who sentence you own weed farms
We tired of struggling
Night time watch our brothers lose they freedom hustling
cdmit I was afraid but I stopped being scared when I realized my soul ain't never lost could stop my heart can't take it from me
No weapon shall prosper I'm a proctor I could teach you sum
Certain things instilled ain't had to teach me how to be one hundred
cll it take is will you can't let nobody take it from you
cnd all I need is loyalty and love don't need nobody perfect
Hit NYC then Dallas Texas I'm not Kyrie Irving
Tell me what's the cost don't call yourself a boss if u misguide the youth
Fire in me sword of the sky in me so I can't hide the truth
I Know they don't wan' see me speak the real they just might hide the booth
We Straight from the south and risin' up they can't deny the boot
I'm gonna let you jump straight through my mind and watch you sky dive
We gon' forever be in our prime this for a lifetime
Love my dad to death heart of the flex he be the life line
Was scoping out the things we spoke now it's the right time
cnd I say ohhh
I finally realize I'm enough
I know that it takes some dedication
When you tryna' get to your destination
This journey a make you grow cold
This hole in my heart finally closing
I'm feeling down but rising up
I held it down I'm going up
The lyrics to Nas's song "Traveling Through the Mind" delve into themes of struggle, redemption, self-reflection, and personal growth. Nas opens by acknowledging his past mistakes and the difficulty of adapting to the evils of life. He feels scrutinized, like an eagle being watched, yet he aspires to soar even though he feels grounded. Nas references the road to redemption, symbolizing his desire to change and escape from pain. He also mentions his car committing suicide, which may symbolize a breaking point or a realization that he cannot continue running from his problems without making a change. Nas also reflects on his own character, stating that he is not concerned with fame but hopes to be remembered one day. He sees himself as fulfilling a prophecy, while others have merely jumped on the same journey.
The second verse highlights the challenges of forgiveness, especially when waiting for apologies that never come. Nas stitches up his heart, implying a process of healing and self-preservation. He expresses admiration for a girl who is modest and beautiful, demonstrating his appreciation for genuine qualities rather than material possessions. Nas no longer engages in criminal activities and has no desire to seek revenge against his enemies. He wishes for everyone to succeed, emphasizing unity and collective progress. He mentions DMX, recognizing the impact the rapper has had on his own life and acknowledging his own mistakes. Nas concludes by inviting the listener to delve into his mind, symbolizing an open connection where they can witness his growth, and asserts the timeless nature of their prime.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm still living with sins hard to adapt in this evil life
I continue to struggle with the consequences of my past actions in this corrupted world
Microscopes got me scrutinized
People are constantly examining and judging my every move
Why they watch me like eagle eye
I wonder why everyone is so vigilant and observant of my actions
Wanna soar but can barely fly
I aspire to achieve great things, but I feel limited in my abilities
On the road to redemption
I am on a journey to seek forgiveness and make amends for my past mistakes
I watched my whip commit suicide
I witnessed my car being destroyed, representing my desire to escape my pain and problems
It blew out its brains I'm tired of running from pain
My car was damaged to such an extent that it symbolizes my exhaustion from trying to escape my emotional pain
If I don't make a change today my situation won't change
I understand that if I don't take action, my current circumstances will not improve
Two things bout Nc'SHON: he ain hatin' he ain't trippin' off fame
I want others to know that I am not filled with envy or obsessed with fame
cin't here for greatness but I know one day they'll mention my name
While I may not be seeking greatness, I believe that one day I will be acknowledged and recognized
We just fulfilling the prophecy
We are simply carrying out the predicted destiny
Y'all just jumped on this odyssey
Others have joined us on this adventurous journey
Hard to forgive when you been waiting a few years on apologies
It becomes difficult to forgive someone when you have been waiting for apologies for several years
That's no cap let's be honest stitched up my heart that's embroidery
That's not an exaggeration, let's be truthful - my heart has been repaired, like an embroidered garment
I respect that girl honestly cause she beautiful modestly
I genuinely admire and appreciate a girl who possesses both beauty and humility
cnd I don't need no diamonds better watch me smile with these crooked teeth
I don't require any extravagant possessions, observe how I can still find happiness with my imperfect smile
I'm no longer in crimes ain't tryna' ride on no enemies
I have moved away from a life of crime and no longer seek revenge on my enemies
I wan' see us all eat
I desire for all of us to succeed and thrive
Matter fact they can call me
In fact, they can refer to me by that name
Got to show respect to DMX cause I was slippin' and fallin'
I have to pay homage to DMX because I was making mistakes and stumbling in my own life
Don't pay me no mind I'm just talkin' dawg
Don't give any attention to what I'm saying, I'm just expressing myself
Ima' let you jump straight through my mind and watch you sky dive
I will allow you to explore my thoughts and emotions and witness your exhilarating journey
We gon' forever be in our prime this for a lifetime
We will always be at our best, this will last a lifetime
Love my dad to death heart of the flex he be the life line
I deeply love and cherish my father, he is the core of my strength and support
Was scoping out the things we spoke now it's the right time
I was observing the discussions we had, and now it is the opportune moment to take action
cye yeah yeah
Expressing agreement or affirmation
cin't got no clexand' McQueen on top my feet but I been dreaming bigger
I may not own expensive designer shoes, but I have grand ambitions and aspirations
Hold your head you know they want us dead or locked inside the system
Stay strong and aware, as there are forces that wish harm upon us or seek to confine us within societal constraints
Yungin' be warned u roaming through these streets you better be calm
Young one, be cautious as you navigate these dangerous streets, it is crucial to remain composed
Get locked for life off herb the judge who sentence you own weed farms
You can face a lifetime in prison for a minor drug offense, as judges profit from imprisoning individuals involved in marijuana cultivation
We tired of struggling
We are exhausted from enduring constant hardships
Night time watch our brothers lose they freedom hustling
During the darkness of night, we witness our fellow brothers losing their freedom while engaging in illegal activities to survive
cdmit I was afraid but I stopped being scared when I realized my soul ain't never lost could stop my heart can't take it from me
I confess that I used to experience fear, but I overcame it when I understood that my soul can never be lost or my spirit crushed
No weapon shall prosper I'm a proctor I could teach you sum
No harm or attack against me will succeed, as I am an authority who can impart wisdom
Certain things instilled in't had to teach me how to be one hundred
Certain values and principles were ingrained in me from the start, I didn't need someone to teach me how to be true and genuine
cll it take is will you can't let nobody take it from you
All it requires is determination and resolve, you must not allow anyone to rob you of it
cnd all I need is loyalty and love don't need nobody perfect
And all I require is loyalty and love, I don't need someone who is flawless
Hit NYC then Dallas Texas I'm not Kyrie Irving
I will visit New York City and then Dallas, Texas, but I am not seeking attention or claiming to be like Kyrie Irving
Tell me what's the cost don't call yourself a boss if u misguide the youth
Inform me of the consequences, don't refer to yourself as a leader if you are leading the youth astray
Fire in me sword of the sky in me so I can't hide the truth
A burning passion within me, like a sword forged from the heavens, compels me to speak and reveal the truth
I Know they don't wan' see me speak the real they just might hide the booth
I am aware that some people don't want to hear the truth from me, they may attempt to conceal the platform for my expression
We Straight from the south and risin' up they can't deny the boot
We originate from the southern region and we are elevating ourselves, no one can deny our influence
Imma let you jump straight through my mind and watch you sky dive
I will allow you to explore my thoughts and emotions and witness your exhilarating journey
We gon' forever be in our prime this for a lifetime
We will always be at our best, this will last a lifetime
Love my dad to death heart of the flex he be the life line
I deeply love and cherish my father, he is the core of my strength and support
Was scoping out the things we spoke now it's the right time
I was observing the discussions we had, and now it is the opportune moment to take action
cnd I say ohhh
And I express exclamation or excitement
I finally realize I'm enough
I have come to the realization that I am sufficient and worthy
I know that it takes some dedication
I am aware that achieving success requires commitment and determination
When you tryna' get to your destination
When you are striving to reach your intended goal or endpoint
This journey a make you grow cold
This journey will harden and toughen you
This hole in my heart finally closing
The emotional void within me is finally healing and filling up
I'm feeling down but rising up
Although I may be experiencing sadness or difficulties, I am still progressing and elevating myself
I held it down I'm going up
I remained resilient and persevered, now I am ascending and progressing
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@makaveli5858
This song brings back non existent memories of me hustling on the streets of nyc
@_KadenceMay
Your name and logo make this comment 100 times better
@tuvia6919
Same😂
@jameshermanson2141
You stole this from a comment on the music video cream
@ahmedalmansoori9208
James Hermanson why would you care thou
@makaveli5858
@@riteshbharti4291 Hysterical, spiritual lyrics like the holy Qu'Ran
@Jay-gq8oq
“I don’t know how to start this shit”
Spits one of the best verses in Hip-Hop History...
@charlesabesi3066
Thoughts of an assassin 😨
@dante666jt
Wicked
@clovrmay3104
🙌🙌🙌🙌🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀