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..
Tribes At War
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone deserve to earn and every child deserve to learn
(Tribal war--none of that)
Every man deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
(Tribal war--we not want no more)
Each and everyone deserve to earn and every child deserve to learn
(Tribal war--none of that)
'Cause every man deserve a turn like Babylon deserved to burn
Man, what happened to us? Geographically they moved us
From Africa--we was once happiness pursuers
Now we back stabbing, combative, and abusive
The African and Arab go at it--they most Muslim
We should be moving in unison; disputes should end
Bounty hunters in Grape Street get cool again
Substandard housing got the young running rampant
Wilding for a phantom he can style in
Mask on his face, grabbing his Ruger
Said, "nobody move, I'll shoot ya"; man, you're expiring
Catch twenty-five and he doesn't like the man inside
With black, white pride, and Mexican, survive the best he can
Strap a shank to his thigh
Why do we all collide? Why do the young die?
Extortion, murder, and burglary
Tattoos his chest; it says his enemies don't deserve to breathe
(Tribal war--we not want no more)
Everyone deserve to earn and every child deserve to learn
(Tribal war--none of that)
'Cause every man deserve a turn like Babylon deserved to burn
I drink poison; then I vomit diamonds
I gave you Mandela, black Dalai Lamas
I gave you music; you enthused in my kindness
So how dare you reduce me to Donny Imus?
Timeless in case we ain't never been acquainted
Flyness--we made it; it gets duplicated
Mindless violence--well, let me try to paint it
Here's the five steps in hopes to explain it
One: it's me and my nation against the world
Two: and me and my clan against the nation
Three: and me and my fam' against the clan
Four: then me and my brother with no hesitation
Go against the fam' until they cave in
Five: now who's left in this deadly equation?
That's right: it's me against my brother
Then we point a Kalashnikov and kill one another
(Tribal war--we not want no more)
Everyone deserve to earn and every child deserve to learn
(Tribal war--none of that)
Every man deserve a turn like Babylon deserve to burn
Honor war tribal--over colors
Over money, over land, and over oil, and over God, and over idols
And even lovers, over breakfast, over dinner, over socas
Over jungle, over rema, over okas
Over Brooklyn, over Queens, and over Rutgers
Over red and over blue and over chuckers
Over red and over blue and undercovers
Tribal trouble, the drive-bys double
'Cause the youth them not go war and go fight with knuckle
The two sides scuffle
Vietnam not go a war with no more kung-fu nunchacku
Missile and shuttle
And the queen of England and Uncle Sam them flex them muscle
The tribal hustle, blood diamond puddle, survival struggle
(Tribal war--we not want no more)
Everyone deserve to earn, every child deserve to learn
(Tribal war--none of that)
Each and everyone deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
(Tribal war--we not want no more)
Everyone deserve to earn and every child deserve to learn
(Tribal war--none of that)
'Cause every man deserve a turn like Babylon deserved to burn
The song "Tribes at War" by Nas and Damian Marley featuring K'naan is a commentary on the violent and destructive nature of tribal wars that take place all over the world. The lyrics suggest that these wars are fueled by greed, pride, and a lack of unity among different groups of people. The song starts off with the idea that everyone deserves to earn and learn, and every man has the right to his turn just like Babylon deserved to burn. However, as the song progresses, the lyrics delve into various reasons why tribal wars occur and why they continue.
The first verse talks about how Africans and Arabs are constantly at war with each other, even though they share a common religion in Islam. The song suggests that these disputes are unnecessary and should come to an end. The second verse talks about the violence and crime that plagues neighborhoods in the United States, and how young people are getting caught up in a cycle of hatred and revenge. The chorus repeats the idea that everyone deserves a chance to live and thrive, and tribal wars have no place in modern society.
The third verse talks about how tribal wars occur over issues such as colors, money, land, oil, and even lovers. The song suggests that the drive for power and control is what fuels these wars, and how they often result in nothing but bloodshed and destruction. The final chorus repeats the idea that every man deserves a turn, just like a flame deserves to burn. The song ends with a commentary on the struggle for survival in a world filled with tribal troubles, blood diamonds, and the flexing of military muscle.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyone deserve to earn and every child deserve to learn
Every person should have the opportunity to work and receive an education.
Every man deserve a turn like a flame deserve to burn
Everyone should have a chance to live life fully, just as flames have a natural right to burn.
'Cause every man deserve a turn like Babylon deserved to burn
Every person has a right to justice, just as Babylon eventually faced consequences for its actions.
Man, what happened to us? Geographically they moved us
The relocation of people has caused a disruption in the harmony and happiness they once possessed.
From Africa--we was once happiness pursuers
African people previously sought happiness and positivity, but something has changed.
Now we back stabbing, combative, and abusive
People have become hostile toward each other, exhibiting violent behavior.
The African and Arab go at it--they most Muslim
African and Arab communities clash, with religion as a prominent factor.
We should be moving in unison; disputes should end
Rather than fighting, people should work together to resolve conflicts and find common ground.
Bounty hunters in Grape Street get cool again
People who were enemies have now become friendly once more.
Substandard housing got the young running rampant
Poor living conditions have led young people to act out in dangerous ways.
Wilding for a phantom he can style in
Youth engage in reckless behavior to try to achieve a certain image or status.
Mask on his face, grabbing his Ruger
A young person wearing a mask and holding a gun suggests they are dangerous and potentially violent.
Said, "nobody move, I'll shoot ya"; man, you're expiring
Threatening violence against others only leads to a sense of fear and danger for all involved.
Catch twenty-five and he doesn't like the man inside
Being imprisoned, this person may be forced to confront the consequences of their actions and the person they've become.
With black, white pride, and Mexican, survive the best he can
People from different ethnic backgrounds all struggle to survive in their own ways.
Strap a shank to his thigh
Carrying a weapon on oneself can be a sign of danger or a way of protecting oneself in a dangerous environment.
Why do we all collide? Why do the young die?
The violence and conflict that people engage in is harmful and often results in death, particularly for young people.
Extortion, murder, and burglary
These crimes illustrate how harmful the violence and conflict can be and how it impacts everyone involved.
Tattoos his chest; it says his enemies don't deserve to breathe
Display of violent tattoos and statements suggest that this person has a strong desire to harm others.
I drink poison; then I vomit diamonds
Creating something valuable out of a negative situation or circumstance can be a sign of strength and resilience.
I gave you Mandela, black Dalai Lamas
People of color have gifted the world with incredible leaders and thinkers.
I gave you music; you enthused in my kindness
Music is a powerful expression of beauty and positivity.
So how dare you reduce me to Donny Imus?
Comparing someone to a known racist and provocateur is an insult and ignores their humanity.
Timeless in case we ain't never been acquainted
The appeal and power of music transcends person-to-person connections and brings people together beyond individual experiences.
Flyness--we made it; it gets duplicated
When people create something original or new, it is often copied and reproduced by others who admire it.
Mindless violence--well, let me try to paint it
Excessive and pointless violence can be difficult to understand or justify.
Here's the five steps in hopes to explain it
Breaking things down into smaller steps can help people understand and recognize what is happening in violent situations.
One: it's me and my nation against the world
People align themselves with their own group or community and see others as threats or enemies.
Two: and me and my clan against the nation
Within a larger group or community, subsets form and can regard themselves as more important or powerful than others.
Three: and me and my fam' against the clan
Even smaller subgroups can form within families and extended families, producing further division and conflict.
Four: then me and my brother with no hesitation
In some cases, even family members will turn on each other in moments of violence or conflict.
Go against the fam' until they cave in
Families may find themselves pitted against each other in violent situations, with one trying to defeat the other.
Five: now who's left in this deadly equation?
After all the fighting and conflict, it is unclear who will be left standing or what the true outcome will be.
That's right: it's me against my brother
The ultimate result of violent conflict is that people can turn against their own family and friends.
Then we point a Kalashnikov and kill one another
This final act of violence illustrates how even the closest relationships can be ruptured by the violence and chaos of tribal conflict.
Honor war tribal--over colors
Some people engage in tribal conflict based on something as arbitrary and superficial as color differences.
Over money, over land, and over oil, and over God, and over idols
Other motivations for tribal conflict can include access to resources, religious differences, and valuing different cultural beliefs.
And even lovers, over breakfast, over dinner, over socas
Even romantic relationships can be strained and potentially dangerous in tribal conflicts.
Over jungle, over rema, over okas
Race, culture, and geography can all become drivers of tribal conflict.
Over Brooklyn, over Queens, and over Rutgers
Location and turf can also fuel tribal conflict, with certain groups claiming territories and fighting to keep others out.
Over red and over blue and over chuckers
Political differences and alliances can also become a source of violent tribal conflict.
Over red and over blue and undercovers
Law enforcement and criminality can also drive tribal conflict, with members of different groups fighting against authority or against each other as part of illegal activities.
Tribal trouble, the drive-bys double
As tribal conflict continues and the violence escalates, greater harm is done to communities and individuals who once coexisted peacefully.
'Cause the youth them not go war and go fight with knuckle
Young people are often brought into violent conflicts and are forced to engage in violence without fully understanding the risks and consequences involved.
The two sides scuffle
The conflict is drawn out, with neither side gaining a clear upper hand.
Vietnam not go a war with no more kung-fu nunchacku
Modern warfare has evolved from physical combat to technologically advanced forms of violence, resulting in higher risks and greater long-term damage.
Missile and shuttle
The use of advanced weaponry in modern warfare can cause massive and potentially catastrophic destruction.
And the queen of England and Uncle Sam them flex them muscle
Leaders and governments around the world can flex their muscle in conflict situations, which only further fuels the violence and destruction.
The tribal hustle, blood diamond puddle, survival struggle
The ongoing violent conflict represents a struggle for survival, with enormous loss and destruction along the way.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEINAN WARSAME, SHIAH COORE, NASIR JONES, DAMIAN MARLEY, EARL ALEXANDER LOWE, COURTNEY DIEDRICK, PHILLIP WINTA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind