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..
Where Y
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where them gangsters at?
Where them dumbs at?
Where where them gangsters at?
Where them dumbs at?
Where them gangsters at?
Where them dumbs at?
Where them dumbs at?
Where them gangsters at?
Where them dumbs at?
Where where them gangsters at?
Where them dumbs at?
Where them dumbs at?
Where them dumbs at?
Where where them dumbs at?
Where where them dumbs at?
[Nas]
I slow dance with the Devil
Snow setting in the bezzle
Mo' sipping, phantom bumping Aaron Neville
Polo black scented, eyes squinted
Air Force One's, with my own patent in it
Fresher than a star, glowing up in the galaxy
Pagan holidays, are way far from my reality
Far through Evisu jeans, lethal green
Oliver peoples shades when I creep through Queens
With no AKs, I'm the ambassador
Robin Hood in the Aston Mart.
Lotta blood gonna splash in war
Task force homicide, federalies gonna arrest
But y'all ain't never seen nothing
Not a word not a hint, on the kid from the Project Bench
That went Sony-BMG, to that new conglomerate
Island Def Jam, guess how many dollars was spent
To get the best man, yall niggaz ain't silencing shit
Ya bench been wanna police the dick
The big Benz, Imma model ya chick
Was that posing, cash froze her
Cats stroke her, once I smash it's over
Cold like ice, more chains than slaves
Dangerous ways, Poltergeist change the channel
Roll the dice, I bring change when I gamble
I could sell sand to a Arab, hot and my gun handle
[Chorus]
[Nas]
The ill whip pusher, my spit wet ya
If you stand close to the woofer
Betcha get sprayed by my lecture
Any club with ladies or dimes, I'm a regular
Give it up smooth, I ain't beggin ya
Intelligent brainiac, brains maniac
Back of the Maybach, taste that, don't waste that
Eat with my elbows top of the table
Street etiquette with speech impediments
And s'til see presidents, no matter who paid
'Cause you ain't take the last dollar made
Long as they keep printing it, there's chances of getting it
Money's my bitch, and we stay intimate
Ask about Nashwan, could ask about Jung
Ask about Bravehearts, and ask where I'm from
Q Boro, specifically The Bridge
Don't ask no more question, ya know what it is
[Chorus]
[Nas]
Whether chrome sparking or loan sharking
Busting rachets or numbers rackets or drug traffic
My funds are wrapped up, no concerns who has what
Financer, skull doo wrapped up
Mob life, prizefights, plasma tvs or first floor
Diversified all my circle
Amid the most sickest groom the proof swiftness
Numero uno, annuit coeptis
That's the language of our Latin ancestors
On the back of a dollar, the plan and the message
In the Rolls Royce like the King of Nigeria
My criteria, smoke cigars
Change rap like Jimi Hendrix changed Rock And Roll
With a broke guitar, diamonds flashing
Almost put a million cash in, in my mommy casket
Seen more green than St. Patrick-trick
[Chorus]
In the song Where Y'all At by Nas, the chorus repeats the question, "Where them gangsters at? Where them dumbs at?" The verses present the rapper's perspective on his life, including imagery like "slow danc[ing] with the Devil," being "fresher than a star, glowing up in the galaxy," and "roll[ing] the dice" while gambling. Nas raps about his successful music career, including being signed to Sony-BMG and Island Def Jam. He also touches on his experience of growing up in Queensbridge ("QBoro"). Throughout the song, Nas's lyrics focus on wealth, power, and a dangerous lifestyle.
The chorus of the song is intriguing because it is repeated many times throughout the song but never directly answered by Nas in any of the verses. Instead, he raps about his own life, experiences, and wealth. However, the chorus can be interpreted as a challenge to gangsters and dummies (people who are not wise or smart) to step up and show themselves. The repetition of the chorus adds a sense of urgency to the song, as if Nas is waiting for someone to answer the question.
The verses reveal Nas's status as a successful rapper and businessman, with a strong sense of confidence and pride in his accomplishments. He raps about his ability to sell anything, even "sand to a Arab," and his connections to powerful people in the music industry. Nas also makes references to his past life growing up in Queensbridge, highlighting his experiences with violence and crime.
Overall, Nas's song Where Y'all At is a boastful anthem that showcases the rapper's success and confidence. The chorus, however, raises questions about who Nas is challenging and why, making the song a complex and intriguing track.
Line by Line Meaning
Where them gangsters at?
Nas is wondering where the gangsters are located.
Where them dumbs at?
Nas is questioning where the unintelligent people are.
I slow dance with the Devil
Nas associates himself with the devil and enjoys doing immoral or evil things.
Snow setting in the bezzle
Nas's jewelry is iced out with diamonds.
Mo' sipping, phantom bumping Aaron Neville
Nas is drinking and listening to the music of Aaron Neville in his Phantom car.
Polo black scented, eyes squinted
Nas is wearing Polo Black cologne and squinting his eyes.
Air Force One's, with my own patent in it
Nas is wearing Air Force One sneakers with a custom patent design.
Fresher than a star, glowing up in the galaxy
Nas feels fresh and stylish like a glowing star in the galaxy.
Pagan holidays, are way far from my reality
Nas does not celebrate pagan holidays as they do not align with his beliefs.
Far through Evisu jeans, lethal green
Nas is wearing Evisu jeans in a deadly green color.
Oliver peoples shades when I creep through Queens
Nas is wearing Oliver Peoples sunglasses while driving through Queens.
With no AKs, I'm the ambassador
Nas does not need to carry AKs as he is the diplomatic representative of his community.
Robin Hood in the Aston Mart
Nas is like Robin Hood stealing from the rich and driving an Aston Martin car.
Lotta blood gonna splash in war
Nas predicts a lot of bloodshed in a potential war situation.
Task force homicide, federalies gonna arrest
Nas expects to be pursued by police and law enforcement agencies.
But y'all ain't never seen nothing
Despite their efforts, the authorities have never caught Nas.
Not a word not a hint, on the kid from the Project Bench
No information or evidence has ever been found about Nas's criminal past from his early years.
That went Sony-BMG, to that new conglomerate
Nas transitioned from being signed to Sony-BMG, to signing with a new business conglomerate.
Island Def Jam, guess how many dollars was spent
Nas signed to Island Def Jam for a large sum of money.
To get the best man, yall niggaz ain't silencing shit
Nas is the best and most talented rapper, and his haters are unable to silence him.
Ya bench been wanna police the dick
People have been trying to censor and control Nas's music.
The big Benz, Imma model ya chick
Nas drives a big Benz and can attract other people's partners.
Was that posing, cash froze her
Nas questions whether his partner's interest in him is genuine or motivated by his wealth.
Cats stroke her, once I smash it's over
Other men might try to flirt with Nas's partner, but once he has been intimate with her, it is over for them.
Cold like ice, more chains than slaves
Nas is cold and ruthless, with more jewelry chains than the number of slaves in history.
Dangerous ways, Poltergeist change the channel
Nas's lifestyle is full of danger and paranormal activity, as represented by the Poltergeist movie.
Roll the dice, I bring change when I gamble
Nas is a risky gambler who can make a significant impact and change outcomes.
I could sell sand to a Arab, hot and my gun handle
Nas is so persuasive, he could sell something as useless as sand to an Arab, even with a hot gun in his hand.
The ill whip pusher, my spit wet ya
Nas is a confident and skilled driver who can make you wet with his lyrical skills.
If you stand close to the woofer
Nas's music is so powerful and bass-heavy that it will make you wet if you stand close to the singer.
Betcha get sprayed by my lecture
Nas's words are so potent they will have a physical effect on you, as if being sprayed.
Any club with ladies or dimes, I'm a regular
Nas frequents clubs with attractive women and is a regular guest there.
Give it up smooth, I ain't beggin ya
Nas can get what he wants smoothly and confidently without begging anyone.
Intelligent brainiac, brains maniac
Nas is intelligent and a genius in his field, but sometimes he overthinks things or becomes obsessed with certain ideas.
Back of the Maybach, taste that, don't waste that
Nas enjoys luxury and has no intention of wasting his time or resources.
Eat with my elbows top of the table
Nas has mastered dining etiquette and eats comfortably at the table with his elbows on the table.
Street etiquette with speech impediments
Nas knows how to behave in the streets and communicate effectively despite any speech impediments he may have.
And s'til see presidents, no matter who paid
Nas will still have the same level of respect, power, and wealth, regardless of who funded or supported him.
'Cause you ain't take the last dollar made
Nas still has money and power remaining, and no one could take it away from him.
Long as they keep printing it, there's chances of getting it
As long as money continues to be printed, there is still a chance to obtain it and grow one's wealth.
Money's my bitch, and we stay intimate
Nas has a personal, intimate relationship with money and values it highly.
Ask about Nashwan, could ask about Jung
People can ask about Nas's real name or his involvement with the hip-hop group, the Jungle Brothers.
Ask about Bravehearts, and ask where I'm from
People could inquire about Nas's childhood friends, the Bravehearts, or his hometown in Queens, New York.
Q Boro, specifically The Bridge
Nas is from Queens, New York, and more specifically, the Bridge housing projects.
Don't ask no more question, ya know what it is
Nas has answered enough questions about himself, and people should know who he is by now.
Whether chrome sparking or loan sharking
Nas is engaged in both dangerous criminal activities like using guns or loan sharking as sources of income.
Busting rachets or numbers rackets or drug traffic
Nas is also involved in activities such as selling drugs or running illegal gambling operations.
My funds are wrapped up, no concerns who has what
Nas has secured his finances and is not worried about whose hands his money is in.
Financer, skull doo wrapped up
Nas is a financier, and his head is wrapped up in a skullcap.
Mob life, prizefights, plasma tvs or first floor
Nas is involved in the gangster or mob life and enjoys activities such as watching prizefights, owning a plasma TV, or living on the first floor of a building.
Diversified all my circle
Nas has diversified his friendships or business connections.
Amid the most sickest groom the proof swiftness
Nas is among the most talented or skilled people, and his proof is his swiftness or agility.
Numero uno, annuit coeptis
Nas is number one, and his success is ordained or favored by God.
That's the language of our Latin ancestors
Annuit Coeptis is a Latin phrase on the back of a dollar bill and is part of Nas's ancestors' language and culture.
On the back of a dollar, the plan and the message
Annuit Coeptis is a part of a bigger plan or message on the back of a dollar bill.
In the Rolls Royce like the King of Nigeria
Nas is driving a Rolls Royce, feeling like the king of Nigeria or royalty.
My criteria, smoke cigars
Nas's criterion or preference is to smoke cigars.
Change rap like Jimi Hendrix changed Rock And Roll
Nas has the power and influence to change the rap game, just like Jimi Hendrix changed rock and roll music.
With a broke guitar, diamonds flashing
Nas can create something powerful and valuable even with minimal resources, as represented by the diamonds on his jewelry.
Almost put a million cash in, in my mommy casket
Nas almost put a million dollars in cash inside his mother's casket as a sign of honoring her legacy.
Seen more green than St. Patrick-trick
Nas has earned or seen more money than one typically associates with the holiday of St. Patrick's Day.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: NASIR JONES, SALAAM REMI, RICHARD RUDOLPH, CHARLES STEPNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mahmoud Alshehadeh
Heard you got your master's, did college up
Never looked back, now that's what's happening
And it's good to see you made it out the hood
With a degree, a true man with passion
Now you could enter the so-called
"White Man's Society" and go right past them
Looking in the Wall Street Journal for your face
But it's always absent
There he go, that's him eating flan and ambrosia
Watch on his arm, golden, laughin'
Try to get his attention
But he's flinching, guess my grimy clothes threw him off, so I mention
We were neighbors some time ago
He was kinda cold, in this restaurant
Full of his kind and more
He sighed, tried to look surprised, I know
His side of the city where he resides, so
I had to go
I heard him laugh hard at some sad black jokes
Hate so-called "intellectuals"
No balls, he suggests we vote
He stand all proud, speaking to correct his folks
He want to lecture folks
'Cause he professional and he suggest that we don't sell dope
And I guess it's true, but who the fuck are you?
Who are you, tryna tell me who I am?
Tryna tell me who I am?
Who are you, tryna tell me what I'm not?
Tryna tell me what I'm not
Who are you, tryna tell me who I am?
Tryna box me in, tryna find who I am
I'm Idi Amin, Marcus Garvey, H. Rap Brown
I'm Muhammad Ali, I'm Reginald Lewis
George Washington Carver, I'm Nas with incredible music
Let's do it, thinking of a master plan
Sipping on disaster, smoking on gangster
Watching niggas argue, chillin' on my barstool
With my Hell Up in Harlem hat in hand
With a girl named Pat, she more than a waitress
To order your drink with
She divorced a banker and bought the bar
She got an automobile, she gives an order to kill
You get caught and robbed
We could see your walk is off, you could lose your rhythm
When you outta the gutter for a while
You easily go to soft from hard
Now we all about hustlers, number runners
Hoes and sharks and we all know the code of the block
And you talking some gibberish, anti-nigga shit
'Cause you marched back with Rosa Parks
Brother don't start, go build your Noah's Ark
You could float to the end of the world
And pretend what you not, but I know what you are
While I roll in my car, and I'm spending my knot
While our enemies plot, you ain't out of the shot
Matter of fact, you're an easier target
And I respect everything you accomplished
But I hope I never get old and talk that nonsense
So who the fuck are you?
Who are you, tryna tell me who I am?
Tryna tell me who I am?
Who are you, tryna tell me what I'm not?
Tryna tell me what I'm not
Who are you, tryna tell me who I am?
Tryna box me in, tryna find who I am
She Queen of Nzinga
Winnie Mandela, Ida B. Wells
Why can't you tell?
Why can't you tell?
bobby lee
Damn I been listening to Nas since I was 15...he's def a part of my childhood..thank u nas 🙏
Dave Chitate
I've fallen in love with this joint here, it connects with my soul
The Greener Side of Hip Hop
Agreed!! This is my favorite track. ✌
Myriam Td
Same ! my fav !
Lawrence Roland
Me too brother.
J D
Me third 🙏
tassap93
It does 💓
Lebogang Kgarebe
this Track is truly a MASTER PIECE of not letting people define you.
Che Lo
Man the vibe is the album is speaking to me on a spiritual level
2KILLAVILLE
Who you telling!..especially No Bad Energy for me !