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..
World's An Addiction )
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Betrayal, life
In danger's face
Look what you're facing, gave your heart away
And all the remedies couldn't ease the pain
All the hurt and betrayal, need to get away
In a world so cold
Never thinking twice bout what the future holds
All the lies and the games not worth fighting for
The world is an addiction
Serving up a fix
The world is an addiction
It's way too much for me
Snitches and rapists in the street, crime to the fullest
Asking niggas if they got any extra nine bullets
They deny me that, they know the bullets they loan me
Be the same ones that probably had them lying flat stretched out
Letter T
It's better to dead a beef than let it breathe, then we don't succeed
Cause then you gotta murder dummies
Waste your time they allergic to money
I'm never squirmish to blood, we can thug
And get out of hand, what's the options?
Only conclusion is shooting bullets, poppin'
Hoodlums dropping, fear any day that the feds will come knocking
Was young and nervous, asking myself what's my purpose
In the back of a patty wagon, bracelets, aching me
Pigs ignoring, I'm asking what precinct they taking me
These cops can't relate to me, death to prison, empty vacancy
The world is an addiction
Serving up a fix
The world is an addiction
It's way too much for me
Thou shall not be selfish, real nigga commandments
Know a billionaire he has everything but a fam guess
How angry this man gets, had so many bad chicks in his bed
Strange sex, same sex, has addictions that are sadistic
Chain of events, habits, he puts cocaine on his prick and acts sick
Self-esteem needs boosting alcohol consumption
Nicotine fusion, some athletes juicing
Pastors quote biblical chapters, Psalms
All along he's into bestiality porn, and it's wrong
So I keep the Cali weed in the bong
And I'm strong, but the female anatomy got me sprung
And these women need shoes and baddest cars and condos
Fine clothes, and these fiends needs to get high, so they find dough
To mainline dope, and ya'll know
The world is an addiction
Serving up a fix
The world is an addiction
It's way too much for me
So many vices, habits, round of course, bad chicks
My response to any advice on what is the insidious of life
I'm just rebellious, not selfish
Guess we all share different definitions of what wealth is
I need the best things in life that's women, that's cars
Cigars, in Venice, bottle on ice, that's priceless
The other night, just in the emergency room
A patient said she needs to see a doctor soon
Doctor busy operating on a lady who's sedated
He can barely concentrate, cause he's newly separated
His estranged wife likes entertaining her acquaintance
In the house they were married in, mad people waiting
Some young some old, heads and stomachs aching
Filling out an application, cause they only medication
But the doctor need love or a quick vacation, calling up his travel agent
Same time, premeditating murdering his ex wife
Life, savage ain't it
Some need Xanax, just to maintain it
We all need faith cause the world keep changing
Let go of the illusion, start some restrainin'
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on
The song "Worlds An Addiction" by Nas ft. Anthony Hamilton is a powerful commentary on the vices and struggles of modern society, as well as the impact it has on individuals. The opening lines "Lies and the pain, Betrayal, life" set the tone for the rest of the song. Nas discusses the harsh realities of living in a world filled with crime, addiction, and betrayal. He speaks about how people give away their hearts, only to be hurt in the end, and how remedies can't ease the pain. Nas then talks about the coldness of the world and how it's not worth fighting for, with lies and games taking center stage.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the overall message, that the world is an addiction that serves up a fix, but is ultimately too much for anyone to handle. The verses that follow dive deeper into the various vices that people struggle with, such as drug addiction, sexual addiction, and even murder. The song highlights the importance of letting go of illusions and gaining control over our lives and vices.
Nas and Anthony Hamilton's powerful lyrics in "Worlds An Addiction" highlight the current state of society and the struggles faced by individuals every day. It encourages listeners to examine their own lives and the vices that they may struggle with, and to work towards finding balance and control.
Line by Line Meaning
Lies and the pain
Deceit and suffering
Betrayal, life
Life is filled with broken promises
In danger's face
Confronted with peril
Look what you're facing, gave your heart away
Facing the consequences of giving someone your trust and love
And all the remedies couldn't ease the pain
Despite efforts to heal, the pain remains
All the hurt and betrayal, need to get away
Escaping from the pain and betrayal is necessary
In a world so cold
Living in a harsh, unforgiving world
You gain your life just to lose your soul
Life can be meaningless if you sacrifice your values and morals for success
Never thinking twice bout what the future holds
Failing to plan for the future can lead to unexpected consequences
All the lies and the games not worth fighting for
Deceptive and manipulative actions are not worth the effort
The world is an addiction
The world can be all-consuming and addictive
Serving up a fix
Providing temporary relief from problems
Snitches and rapists in the street, crime to the fullest
A world full of criminals and danger
Asking niggas if they got any extra nine bullets
Asking for ammunition from strangers, risking your life
They deny me that, they know the bullets they loan me
Others won't risk their lives to help you
Be the same ones that probably had them lying flat stretched out
The bullets you borrow may have been used to harm others
It's better to dead a beef than let it breathe, then we don't succeed
It's better to end a conflict before it escalates and leads to failure
Cause then you gotta murder dummies
Continuing the feud can lead to extreme violence
Waste your time they allergic to money
Some people are a lost cause and not worth the effort
I'm never squirmish to blood, we can thug
Unafraid of violence, willing to engage in conflict
And get out of hand, what's the options?
Violence can spiral out of control, leading to limited options
Only conclusion is shooting bullets, poppin'
The only solution is to use violence
Hoodlums dropping, fear any day that the feds will come knocking
Engaging in violent activities puts you at risk of getting caught by law enforcement
Was young and nervous, asking myself what's my purpose
Feeling lost and unsure about life goals
In the back of a patty wagon, bracelets, aching me
Arrested and in police custody, feeling pain from handcuffs
Pigs ignoring, I'm asking what precinct they taking me
Police officers not acknowledging your questions or concerns
These cops can't relate to me, death to prison, empty vacancy
Feeling alone and disconnected from society, prison is a bleak future
Thou shall not be selfish, real nigga commandments
Guidelines for behavior, focused on not being self-centered
Know a billionaire he has everything but a fam guess
A wealthy person who is missing a family
How angry this man gets, had so many bad chicks in his bed
The wealthy person is angry despite having many sexual partners
Strange sex, same sex, has addictions that are sadistic
The wealthy person has a perverted and cruel sexual addiction
Chain of events, habits, he puts cocaine on his prick and acts sick
The wealthy person has a drug addiction that leads to unusual behavior
Self-esteem needs boosting alcohol consumption
Drinking alcohol to feel better about oneself
Nicotine fusion, some athletes juicing
Various addictions, including drug use to enhance athletic performance
Pastors quote biblical chapters, Psalms
Religious leaders preaching from religious texts
All along he's into bestiality porn, and it's wrong
The religious leader has a disturbing and immoral sexual addiction
So I keep the Cali weed in the bong
Smoking marijuana to cope with life
And I'm strong, but the female anatomy got me sprung
Despite being strong, the allure of women is irresistible
And these women need shoes and baddest cars and condos
Women desire material possessions like shoes, cars, and apartments
Fine clothes, and these fiends needs to get high, so they find dough
Drug addicts need money to purchase drugs, while women desire expensive clothing
To mainline dope, and ya'll know
Injecting drugs directly into the veins
So many vices, habits, round of course, bad chicks
Many negative habits and pursuits, including unhealthy relationships
My response to any advice on what is the insidious of life
Ignoring advice on what makes life sinister
I'm just rebellious, not selfish
Acting out of rebellion, not self-centeredness
Guess we all share different definitions of what wealth is
We have varying perspectives on what it means to be wealthy
I need the best things in life that's women, that's cars
Desiring the finest possessions, including women and cars
Cigars, in Venice, bottle on ice, that's priceless
Luxuries like smoking cigars and drinking expensive alcohol in Venice are worth anything
The other night, just in the emergency room
A recent trip to the emergency room
A patient said she needs to see a doctor soon
A person urgently in need of medical attention
Doctor busy operating on a lady who's sedated
The doctor is busy performing surgery on a sedated patient
He can barely concentrate, cause he's newly separated
The doctor's personal problems are affecting his work
His estranged wife likes entertaining her acquaintance
The doctor's wife is socializing with others while he struggles to focus on work
In the house they were married in, mad people waiting
A large group of people waiting in the home where the doctor and his wife were married
Some young some old, heads and stomachs aching
A diverse group of patients experiencing various health problems
Filling out an application, cause they only medication
Applying for medication is the only option for some patients
But the doctor need love or a quick vacation, calling up his travel agent
The doctor's personal needs and desires are a priority over his patients
Same time, premeditating murdering his ex wife
Distracted by his personal problems, the doctor is planning to kill his ex-wife
Life, savage ain't it
Life can be brutal and unforgiving
Some need Xanax, just to maintain it
Some people require medication to cope with life's challenges
We all need faith cause the world keep changing
Having faith is necessary in a constantly changing world
Let go of the illusion, start some restrainin'
Stop holding onto unrealistic expectations and start practicing self-discipline
Just hold on (just hold on)
Keep persevering
Just hold on (just hold on)
Don't give up
Just hold on (just hold on)
Keep pushing through difficult times
Just hold on (just hold on)
Stay strong
Just hold on (just hold on)
Persevere through adversity
Just hold on (just hold on)
Keep going
Just hold on (just hold on)
Don't give up hope
Just hold on
Persevere
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SALAAM REMI, ANTHONY HAMILTON, NASIR JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaelangelohayes9240
The last verse's power could be felt through your spirit. A true OG of lyrical rap.
@nathanmasi1931
Amen
@wnyymbl8632
Wow. Y'all were right
@Corazon806
The flow on that third verse was insane. Just when you think you know what nas is capable of, he goes and drops that bomb.
@nathansmith2686
Next level
@nuknuknuk111
Corazon this man is not to be underestimated
@thomasedmundson8157
lyrics too
@Don.M.
He left the planet on that one 🤯
@alexthegreat4542
classic... this whole album is classic.. he's very underrated still
@DonBienveRosario15
Alex The Great the real is ALWAYS underestimated