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..
Verbal Intercourse
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No tricks, no tricks y'all (ayy, yo, Rae)
Check it out y'all
It's the science (fly wonderful)
Yeah, y'all
Tony Starks and, um, Lex Diamonds
Tony Starks, my nigga Nas
Cream, my whole team is eatin' off this good shit
Good shit, nigga (I guess we celbratin')
Word to the wise
Keep your eyes open and your wallet in your front pocket
All types of shit, yo, son
These kids mad, teach 'em how to rhyme (yo, you know my story right?)
Yeah, baby (show those crabs how to rhyme)
RZA, Chef, the Ghost and Nas, nigga is the prophet
It's only like five percent out of a hundred
RZA, Chef, the Ghost and Nas, nigga is the prophet
Do it to 'em, baby
Yo, through the lights, cameras and action, glamour, glitters and gold
I unfold the scroll, plant seeds to stampede the globe
When I'm deceased, by then the beast arise like yeast
To conquer peace, leavin' savages to roam in the streets
Live on the run, police payin' me to give in my gun
Trick my wisdom with the system that imprisoned my son
Smoke a gold leaf, I hold heat, nonchalantly
I'm raunchy, the things I do is real, it never haunts me while
Funny style niggas roll in the pile
Rooster heads profile on a bus to Riker's Isle
Holdin' weed inside they pussy with they minds on the pretty things in life
Props is a true thug's wife
It's like a cycle, niggas come home, some'll go in
Do a bullet, come back, do the same shit again
From the womb to the tomb, presume the unpredictable
Guns salute life, rapidly, that's the ritual
Perhaps bullets bust niggas discuss mad money
True lies and white guys, we can see it through the eyes
Catch the most on tape, kilos disintegrate
Pyrex pots, we break, fiends lickin' plates
In the building niggas buildin', like little children, starin'
Them older niggas ain't carin'
Sirens circlin', fiends are lurkin' in your baggage
Oh, one's gone now, what? Smack him in his cabbage
In the woodwork, crack sales bubble like Woolworth's
In the projects, richest niggas rockin' all the real worth
Police questionin', rooftop cats invested in
Tradin' in they Lexuses, GS's, sendin' messages
Two and two makes four, Cristal's crazily pour
Gun wars, my crew feel 'em like swords
With the green leathers, hundred pound snakes and cakes
Fiends found in lakes, jealously Jakes we shake
What I strive for is what I live for
Infatuated by material things in this wild life of war
Like somewhere over the rainbow, I see a big pot of gold
Future stacks so I hold
Thousands of cracks bagged up inside the shoebox
Don't keep jack in my lab, don't wanna see 2Pac
Got two spots, a new lot, flooded with rocks
Shoot-outs makin' me hot, crooked cops Bad Tony and the ball drop
In denial, I'm bangin' niggas for slot time
Hurry up, duke, I'm next on line
And what the fuck is you lookin' at?
By the way young blood, hit me off with that Green Bay hat
Watch your back inside the hall, new niggas slide through
Like doors, yo, you're starin' in the mess hall
Your adrenaline runs, cigarette niggas be swindlin'
New jacks surrenderin', come home not rememberin'
Made bail with different size kicks on, a white dress shirt
Lookin' gay in the yard, and you got hurt
Flashbacks, of the day room, mop wringer style
Your faggot-ass got bashed tryna turn the dial
You told your boo you was wilin'
Once you heard Wu, out of the blue, your family's from Shaolin
High class cooks, throw on vests out of phone books
Infirmary niggas are screamin', "I got juxed"
Sharpened toothbrushes, one-ninety mixed with baby oil and shit
Your man's in the kitchen stashin' ice picks
Well I'ma end this with a big red cherry on top
Me, Nas and Rae got the best product on the block
Cream my whole team is eatin' off this good shit
(Word up, throw your hands up)
Good shit, nigga, next time don't overlook shit
(Cock back the MAC, say whatever your Hawaiin style)
Keep your eyes open and your wallet in the front pocket
(Exoticness, fly shit)
RZA, Chef, the Ghost and Nas, nigga is the prophet
(Floatin' on the 95 in the wind)
In Nas's song "Verbal Intercourse," he raps about the harsh realities of life in the streets, where violence and desperation are constant presences. The first verse starts with Nas describing the glitz and glamour of fame, but also marks his mission to inspire change before his inevitable death. He speaks of the "beast" that will rise when he's gone, leaving savages to roam. The next few lines talk about living on the run and navigating the system that has oppressed him.
The second verse focuses more specifically on drug dealing and its consequences. Nas describes the brutal nature of the drug trade and the violence that surrounds it. He also touches on the prison system and the cycle that many young men are caught in, going in and out of jail without significant change in their circumstances. Nas refers to the police officers as "crooked cops" and mentions specific law enforcement agents when talking about the danger he faces.
The final verse concludes with a dark, moody description of jail life. He speaks of violence and desperation surrounding him, and people struggling to survive any way they can. Nas's depictions are harsh and unflinching, highlighting the systemic and institutional injustices that exist. Overall, "Verbal Intercourse" is a commentary on the bleak realities of street life.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the lights cameras and action, glamour glitters and gold
In the midst of fame and fortune, I reveal my knowledge and intent to lead a revolution
I unfold the scroll, plant seeds to stampede the globe
I disseminate my message, aiming to impact and inspire the masses globally
When I'm deceased, by then the beast arise like yeast
After I pass away, the oppressive systems and destructive forces will thrive
To conquer peace leaving savages to roam in the streets
The victors will not achieve genuine peace but rather perpetuate chaos and violence, creating a lawless society
Live on the run, police paying me to give in my gun
I am constantly evading the law, with agents bribing me to surrender my weapon
Trick my wisdom with the system that imprisoned my son
The corrupt justice system abuses its power to manipulate and oppress me and my family
Smoke a gold leaf I hold heat, nonchalantly
I casually smoke luxurious marijuana and carry a gun for my own protection
I'm raunchy, the things I do is real it never haunts me
My gritty lifestyle may seem vulgar, but it is authentic and doesn't trouble me
While, funny style niggas roll in the pile
Meanwhile, fraudulent people an amass undeserved wealth
Rooster heads profile on a bus to Riker's Isle
Foolish individuals headed to prison at Riker's Island display their senseless bravado
Holding weed inside they pussy with they minds on the pretty things in life
These individuals prioritize riches and luxury possessions, even when in possession of illegal substances
Props is a true thug's wife
Reputation and respect are highly valued by a genuine gangster
It's like a cycle, niggas come home, some'll go in
The justice system, particularly for Black individuals, creates a cyclical pattern of incarceration and repeated offenses
Do a bullet, come back, do the same shit again
After serving time for one crime, some individuals return to their prior criminal activity and continue the same mistakes
From the womb to the tomb, presume the unpredictable
Life is always full of unknowns, from beginning to end
Guns salute life, rapidly, that's the ritual
Gun violence and death are pervasive issues in our society, treated as the norm
Perhaps bullets bust niggas discuss mad money
The violent culture surrounding wealth and drug trafficking is widely discussed among criminals
True lies and white guys, we can see it through the eyes
We recognize the facade of privilege and dishonesty, often led by white individuals
Catch the most on tape, kilos disintegrate
Most drug-related crimes are easily recorded and those drugs are ultimately consumed or destroyed
Pyrex pots, we break, fiends licking plates
We use glass cooking dishes for drug transportation and addicts often resort to desperate measures
In the building niggas building, like little children, staring
People inside the building, including gang members, are childishly gawking or admiring each other
Them older niggas ain't caring
The older gang members are not concerned with the immature behavior of their younger counterparts
Sirens circling fiends are lurking in your baggage
The constant presence of law enforcement and the possibility of drug possession haunts and stresses individuals
Oh, one's gone now, what, smack him in his cabbage
Once someone is killed or missing, someone else is willing to fill their place with violence
In the woodwork, crack sales bubble like Woolworth's
Drug sales occur everywhere, hidden from sight like the worked wood in furniture
In the projects, richest niggas rocking all the real worth
In low-income neighborhoods, few people control the wealth and influence the distribution of resources
Police questioning, rooftop cats invested in
The police interrogate individuals, while some criminals watch from above and plan their own illegal activity
Trading in they Lexuses, GS's, sending messages
Criminals trade luxury vehicles and send hidden messages to continue their enterprises
Two and two makes four, Cristal's crazily pour
Simple math dictates success and leads to excessive champagne drinking
Gun wars my crew feel 'em like swords
Our group experiences gun violence like a battle, engaging in metaphorical combat
With the green leathers, hundred pound snakes and cakes
I wear designer clothes and jewelry, as well as carry large amounts of drugs
Fiends found in lakes, jealously Jakes we shake
Addicts are found dead in bodies of water or other remote locations, while we avoid and escape law enforcement
What I strive for is what I live for
My ultimate goal is the focus of my life and actions
Infatuated by material things in this wild life of war
Despite the violence and danger, I am obsessed with accumulating lavish possessions
Like somewhere over the rainbow, I see a big pot of gold
I envision a wealthy, luxurious future for myself like a magical, idealized place
Future stacks so I hold
I save and hoard money for my future plans
Thousands of cracks bagged up inside the shoebox
I store numerous bags of drugs inside an inconspicuous shoebox
Don't keep jack in my lab, don't wanna see 2Pac
I don't keep any evidence or contraband in my place, fearing the fate of the deceased rapper Tupac
Got two spots, a new lot, flooded with rocks
I control two drug sale locations and recently acquired a new one with abundant supply
Shoot-outs making me hot, crooked cops Bad Tony and the ball drop
I am always on edge, fearing potential gun battles and corrupt law enforcement, including a specific officer named Bad Tony
In the 'nile, I'm banging niggas for slot time
In prison, I am fighting other inmates for time on shared facilities or equipment
Hurry up duke I'm next on line
I am impatiently waiting and eager to use the shared resources
And what the fuck is you looking at?
Why are you staring and minding my business?
By the way young blood, hit me off with that Green Bay hat
Can you give me that Green Bay hat by the way?
Watch your back inside the hall, new niggas slide through
Be cautious in the cafeteria, as new inmates may approach and pose a threat
Like doors yo, you're staring in the mess hall
Inmates stare at each other in the mess hall, like in a revolving door
Your adrenaline runs, cigarette niggas be swindling
You feel anxious and energized, while others steal your cigarettes
New jacks surrendering, come home not remembering
New inmates quickly submit to prison culture and may not remember their former lives after they are released
Made bail with different size kicks on, a white dress shirt
When you were released on bail, you wore mismatched shoes and dress clothing
Looking gay in the yard, and you got hurt
Other inmates assaulted and beat you up for appearing vulnerable or effeminate in the prison yard
Flashbacks, of the day room, mop wringer style
You recall memories of past prison experiences, particularly wringing out mops in a shared cleaning space
Your faggot ass got bashed trying to turn the dial
You were beaten for trying to change the television channel
You told your boo you was wiling
You bragged to your partner that you were acting reckless
Once you heard Wu, out of the blue, your family's from Shaolin
After listening to a Wu-Tang Clan album, you realized your family has roots in the New York City neighborhood Shaolin (Staten Island)
High class cooks, throw on vests out of phone books
Sophisticated drug manufacturers use phone books as material for bulletproof vests
Infirmary niggas are screaming, 'I got juxed!'
Patients in the infirmary unit are yelling that they were robbed or deceived
Sharpened toothbrushes, 190 mixed with baby oil and shit
Inmates sharpen toothbrushes for use as weapons and mix hot water and oil to throw at enemies
Your man's in the kitchen stashing ice picks
Your associate is hiding sharp devices in the kitchen for future use
Well I'ma end this with a big red cherry on top
I conclude my lyrics with a bold, definitive statement
Me, Nas and Rae got the best product on the block
My crew, including myself, Nas, and Raekwon, produce and distribute the most high-quality drugs in the neighborhood
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Corey Woods, David Porter, Robert F. Diggs, Ronnie Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thenotorious4305
Through the lights cameras and action, glamour glitters and gold
I unfold the scroll, plant seeds to stampede the globe
When I'm deceased, by then the beast arise like yeast
To conquer peace leaving savages to roam in the streets
Live on the run, police paying me to give in my gun
Trick my wisdom with the system that imprisoned my son
Smoke a gold leaf I hold heat, nonchalantly
I'm raunchy, the things I do is real it never haunts me
While, funny style niggas roll in the pile
Rooster heads profile on a bus to Riker's Isle
Holding weed inside they pussy with they minds on the pretty things in life
Props is a true thug's wife
It's like a cycle, niggas come home, some'll go in
Do a bullet, come back, do the same shit again
From the womb to the tomb, presume the unpredictable
Guns salute life, rapidly, that's the ritual
Perhaps bullets bust niggas discuss mad money
True lies and white guys, we can see it through the eyes
Catch the most on tape, kilos disintegrate
Pyrex pots, we break, fiends licking plates
In the building niggas building, like little children, staring
Them older niggas ain't caring
Sirens circling fiends are lurking in your baggage
Oh, one's gone now, what, smack him in his cabbage
In the woodwork, crack sales bubble like Woolworth's
In the projects, richest niggas rocking all the real worth
Police questioning, rooftop cats invested in
Trading in they Lexuses, GS's, sending messages
Two and two makes four, Cristal's crazily pour
Gun wars my crew feel 'em like swords
With the green leathers, hundred pound snakes and cakes
Fiends found in lakes, jealously Jakes we shake
What I strive for is what I live for
Infatuated by material things in this wild life of war
Like somewhere over the rainbow, I see a big pot of gold
Future stacks so I hold
Thousands of cracks bagged up inside the shoebox
Don't keep jack in my lab, don't wanna see 2Pac
Got two spots, a new lot, flooded with rocks
Shoot-outs making me hot, crooked cops Bad Tony and the ball drop
In the 'nile, I'm banging niggas for slot time
Hurry up duke I'm next on line
And what the fuck is you looking at?
By the way young blood, hit me off with that Green Bay hat
Watch your back inside the hall, new niggas slide through
Like doors yo, you're staring in the mess hall
Your adrenaline runs, cigarette niggas be swindling
New jacks surrendering, come home not remembering
Made bail with different size kicks on, a white dress shirt
Looking gay in the yard, and you got hurt
Flashbacks, of the day room, mop wringer style
Your faggot ass got bashed trying to turn the dial
You told your boo you was wiling
Once you heard Wu, out of the blue, your family's from Shaolin
High class cooks, throw on vests out of phone books
Infirmary niggas are screaming, "I got juxed!"
Sharpened toothbrushes, 190 mixed with baby oil and shit
Your man's in the kitchen stashing ice picks
Well I'ma end this with a big red cherry on top
Me, Nas and Rae got the best product on the block
@badarmasih9182
NaS verse should be dipped in gold, locked away and preserved in the Library of Congress for eternity. My favorite hip hop artist of all time. Untouchable with his lyrics, his knowledge and his teachings.
@lovememoremeticulous4378
Always was the Genius of Nas, he said things that were eternal, you couldn’t put a time on it, now in 2022 27 years later that verse is still holds up
@GTD9002
Bro that verse is already GOLD
So no need
For it to be dipped
In what its already is...
@ewolffman
put in on the record for voyager 3 for sure
@mikeahrstrom724
One of the most phenomenal verses ever... Nas did his thing 🔥🎶
@Jvive3o5
💯
@suffa07
I don’t regularly listen to hip hop music anymore, haven’t for years. I imagine I outgrew it. But I came across this song again today, and I can definitively express the same sentiment at 48 as I did at 25, 30, and 37, that Nas’s verse on this song is single handedly the most well constructed, effortlessly delivered, intelligently creative pieces of lyricism, song, poetry, or rap the world has ever heard.
I know that Nas has visited Universities and Colleges regarding his songs and his approach to writing. But, it’s amazing to me how a mind that can construct such lyrics as these, on par with writing greats like the Shakespeares, Steinbecks, Hemingways, and Faulkners, not have more notoriety or presence in the literature world.
Nas is truly “Half-Man, Half Amazing” with that pen...
@mibraliy
Very well said, and I totally agree. You have really framed it in the most eye opening manner for all to see. I've always made a similar argument about Nas' writing ability being on par with any great writer throughout history.
@benoplasm
CNN did a piece about nas and crowned him the greatest lyricist of all time, but I think it goes beyond that. Nas is on par with greats like Shakespeare.
@joeljoseph9017
@benoplasm 91_ 97 no mc was touching nas in his prime