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..
YKTV
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I didn't mean to say all that
I should've opened with a reading of the scripture
From the Book of Popoff
(Hit-boy)
Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)
Yktv, got the top off (top off)
Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)
YKTV
God's Son, they call me Son, ain't no sonnin' me
Ran a hundred M's, bitch, I'm running things
Paper power pussy that should come in threes
What you think I owe you somethin' girl for fuckin' me?
Imagine Lil Uzi on a Preemo beat
Imagine N-A-S on a Migo beat
Hip-hop culture, Henny on coasters
Watching hundred inch screens see who sittin' with Oprah
Black Phantoms women comin' in tandems
Bags are Lanvin she prayin' she don't get abandoned
Bag big from layin' these ad-libs
My photo the Jordan logo for this rap shit
Oculus VR, that's how I see shit
I can't let you drive the boat if you get seasick
Draped in all red, she thought I was Whoopty
Four AM, still goin', I'm not even whoozy
Let your friends catch a ride, whip only got two seats
Slip and slide through Miami, she got on a two-piece
I'm on her body, she a homebody
Hope them killers don't catch no bodies
Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)
Yktv, got the top off (top off)
Private estate, I'm a mob boss (mob boss)
Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)
You wanted to talk, ain't no talkin' it out, huh
Put it in your mouth, fuck you talkin' about?
Every time they play this song, she like, "This is my shit"
But I really wanna know, do you love me or not?
So say my name and when you say it, baby, call me Artist
Don't be afraid to ride my wave, ma, it's a tsunami
And when I wasn't gettin' paid, them bitches wasn't on me
And you can tell I got my weight up, just look at the car key
A bunch of Givenchy, look, I pop off, huh
I copped the Avenny, my top off, huh
They not really A Boogie, they just knockoffs, huh
Big rock in these chains but it's not yours, huh
Been jackin' Esco' bars like he Pablo, huh
Put my tip inside her walls like she was hollow, huh
My niggas innocent behind the walls like they Ralo, huh
And every time they pop off, I pop out
Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)
Yktv, got the top off (top off)
Private estate, I'm a mob boss (mob boss)
Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)
Hey there, I'm Peter Popoff
And it's about to pop off
4Hunnid
Hunnid deep in a club I'm a mob boss (yeah)
Big Blood drip, you know it's hot sauce (ooh)
Family crib, got my side bitch in a high loft
Girls goin' wild, bitch take your top off (bitch)
Show no love bitch, I'm in love with Saint Laurent (Saint Laurent)
The Louis Vuitton ain't dropped yet but I got it on (got it on)
I just made yo' favorite singer come out her thong (come out her thong)
I just ran the money play with Scooter Braun (Scooter Braun)
Drop a car note on yo' head, act stupid wit' it
Bitch, bitch, my jewels ain't rented, the coupes ain't rented
Bitch play them cards with no limit, stars in the ceilin'
Bitch I want all of the money, I'm harvestin' millions
I just put my name on the pack, now we trappin' and dealin'
Niggas, niggas say that they game but I'm actually in it (yeah, yeah)
I'm Tom Brady in the field, I make all the decisions (yeah)
Your video got shot up and I greenlit it (yeah)
Every time I pop out, it pop off (4Hunnid) (pop off)
Yktv, got the top off (top off)
Private estate, I'm a mob boss (mob boss)
Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)
YKTV
You know the vibes, QB to Southside
Northside, Far Rock, LeFrak, Brooklyn
Bronx, Harlem, Staten Island we outside
Highbridge to Compton, yeah
The hook of the song "YKTV" by Nas featuring A Boogie Wit da Hoodie and YG goes, "Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)/YKTV, got the top off (top off)/Private estate, I'm a mob boss (mob boss)/Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)/YKTV." Here, the artists are claiming their status as bosses in their respective fields, stating that every time they make an appearance, they make an impact. Nas calls himself the "God's Son" and talks about his success in the rap game, while A Boogie Wit da Hoodie asserts his dominance with lines such as "Hunnid deep in a club, I'm a mob boss." YG also chimes in, bringing his signature West Coast flavor to the track.
In the second verse, Nas references other big names in hip hop and imagines what they would sound like on different beats. He also name-drops luxury brands such as Lanvin and Givenchy, and describes living the high life, watching TV on a hundred-inch screen and driving a red car through Miami with a woman. A Boogie Wit da Hoodie talks about his success and how he's earned his wealth, mentioning being broke before and having fake friends. YG's verse is similar in theme, as he boasts about his achievements and wealth.
Overall, "YKTV" is a song about achieving success and making waves in the industry. The artists assert their dominance, showing off their wealth and the benefits of their hard work.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, yeah, I'm sorry
I apologize for what I said or did
I didn't mean to say all that
I did not intend to say everything that I said
I should've opened with a reading of the scripture From the Book of Popoff
I should have started with a spiritual message from the Book of Popoff
Every time I pop out, it pop off (pop off)
Every time I make an appearance, things get wild
Yktv, got the top off (top off)
You know the vibe, I'm driving with the car roof down
Private estate, I'm a mob boss (mob boss)
I'm in control of a private property and I'm the boss of a criminal organization
YKTV
You know the vibe
God's Son, they call me Son, ain't no sonnin' me
I'm Nas, aka God's Son, and no one can question or challenge my authority
Ran a hundred M's, bitch, I'm running things
I made a hundred million dollars and now I'm in charge
Paper power pussy that should come in threes
Money, influence, and sex are a powerful combination
What you think I owe you somethin' girl for fuckin' me?
I don't owe you anything just because we had sex
Imagine Lil Uzi on a Preemo beat
Try to picture Lil Uzi rapping over a beat produced by DJ Premier
Imagine N-A-S on a Migo beat
Imagine Nas rapping over a beat produced by the Migos
Hip-hop culture, Henny on coasters
I represent hip-hop culture and I drink Henny using coasters
Watching hundred inch screens see who sittin' with Oprah
I'm watching TV on a huge screen trying to see who is featured on Oprah's show
Black Phantoms women comin' in tandems
I own a couple of black Rolls Royce Phantoms and I have women coming in pairs
Bags are Lanvin she prayin' she don't get abandoned
The bags are from Lanvin and the woman is hoping that I won't abandon her
Bag big from layin' these ad-libs
I earned a lot of money from recording ad-libs
My photo the Jordan logo for this rap shit
My picture is like the Jordan logo for the rap game
Oculus VR, that's how I see shit
I use Oculus VR to experience things virtually
I can't let you drive the boat if you get seasick
I can't let you take control if you can't handle it
Draped in all red, she thought I was Whoopty
I'm wearing all red and she mistook me for the rapper Whoopty
Four AM, still goin', I'm not even whoozy
It's four in the morning and I'm still going strong, not even dizzy
Let your friends catch a ride, whip only got two seats
Your friends can come along but my car only has two seats
Slip and slide through Miami, she got on a two-piece
We're driving around Miami and she's wearing a two-piece swimsuit
I'm on her body, she a homebody
I'm physically close to her but she's typically a homebody
Hope them killers don't catch no bodies
I hope my associates don't get involved in any homicides
You wanted to talk, ain't no talkin' it out, huh
You asked to have a conversation but it can't be resolved through talking
Put it in your mouth, fuck you talkin' about?
Stop talking and start performing oral sex on me
Every time they play this song, she like, "This is my shit"
When this song plays, the woman likes it and claims it as her own
But I really wanna know, do you love me or not?
I'm questioning whether the woman truly loves me
So say my name and when you say it, baby, call me Artist
Address me by name and refer to me as an artist
Don't be afraid to ride my wave, ma, it's a tsunami
Don't hesitate to follow my lead, it's a huge wave that will sweep you off your feet
And when I wasn't gettin' paid, them bitches wasn't on me
When I didn't have money, the women weren't interested in me
And you can tell I got my weight up, just look at the car key
You can see that I'm now wealthy by looking at the key to my car
A bunch of Givenchy, look, I pop off, huh
I'm wearing a lot of Givenchy, and I have a tendency to cause chaos
I copped the Avenny, my top off, huh
I bought the new Bentley Flying Spur and I'm driving with the roof down
They not really A Boogie, they just knockoffs, huh
Other rappers may try to imitate A Boogie but they are just copies
Big rock in these chains but it's not yours, huh
I'm wearing expensive jewelry but you can't have it
Been jackin' Esco' bars like he Pablo, huh
I've been stealing Nas' bars and rhymes like I'm Pablo Escobar
Put my tip inside her walls like she was hollow, huh
I penetrated her with my penis like she was empty inside
My niggas innocent behind the walls like they Ralo, huh
My friends are wrongly imprisoned like the rapper Ralo
And every time they pop off, I pop out
Whenever there's a commotion, I make my presence known
Hey there, I'm Peter Popoff
A reference to televangelist Peter Popoff
And it's about to pop off
And things are about to get wild
Hunnid deep in a club I'm a mob boss (yeah)
I have a hundred people with me in the club and I'm in charge
Big Blood drip, you know it's hot sauce (ooh)
I'm dripping with red clothing and accessories, it's hot like hot sauce
Family crib, got my side bitch in a high loft
I have a mistress in a fancy apartment in the family's property
Girls goin' wild, bitch take your top off (bitch)
The women are getting wild and one should take her shirt off
Show no love bitch, I'm in love with Saint Laurent (Saint Laurent)
I don't show love, my only love is the Saint Laurent brand
The Louis Vuitton ain't dropped yet but I got it on (got it on)
My Louis Vuitton clothing line isn't released yet but I'm already wearing it
I just made yo' favorite singer come out her thong (come out her thong)
I just had sex with your favorite singer and she removed her underwear
I just ran the money play with Scooter Braun (Scooter Braun)
I just made a successful business deal with music executive Scooter Braun
Drop a car note on yo' head, act stupid wit' it
I'm spending money recklessly and disrespectfully
Bitch, bitch, my jewels ain't rented, the coupes ain't rented
My jewelry and cars are actually owned, not rented
Bitch play them cards with no limit, stars in the ceilin'
The woman is willing to take risks and the ceiling of the car is adorned with stars
Bitch I want all of the money, I'm harvestin' millions
I want to make and collect a lot of money
I just put my name on the pack, now we trappin' and dealin'
I associated my name with a product and now we're doing business
Niggas, niggas say that they game but I'm actually in it (yeah, yeah)
Other rappers claim to be in the game, but I'm actually involved
I'm Tom Brady in the field, I make all the decisions (yeah)
I'm like football player Tom Brady, making all the important decisions
Your video got shot up and I greenlit it (yeah)
I gave the approval for your music video to be shot
Every time I pop out, it pop off (4Hunnid) (pop off)
Whenever I make an appearance, things get wild (referring to YG's fashion brand 4Hunnid)
You know the vibes, QB to Southside Northside, Far Rock, LeFrak, Brooklyn Bronx, Harlem, Staten Island we outside Highbridge to Compton, yeah
I'm representing every area of New York City along with Compton and urging people to come together
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O CAPASSO, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Artist Dubose, Chauncey Hollis Jr., Dustin James Corbett, Keenon Jackson, Nasir Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jaboody Dubs
IT'S POPPIN OFF 🔥🔥🔥
crxwn
Yooooooo!!!! Justin I can’t stop bumpin’ thisss!!!🔥🔥🔥
PakMan Memes
Huge Congrats!!! Stay Blessed!
305Spartin
💙
Christian Lee Le Breton
Hes to fucking good 🔥🔥🔥
packandstack33
Good shit Justin! You guys are killing it.
Travis Venble
Who else bumping everything on this album
RWalk
Album of the year......AGAIN
lala land
100%
JB
Yup.... Nas adapts to the times... And these tracks are timeless...