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..
You Can't Stop Us Now
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Made Gucci the shit, Louie too, suits and ties
Player trophies, pray to Goldie
Picture wax museums full of Black Panths and triple OGs
Aunt Jemina hoes, historic horse shit
Girls from long time ago, stagecoach with the horse, kid
Witchdoctors, good ol' pickpockets
Sip moonshine, so-called coons, shines, and darkies
To Wrigley Fields, forgotten men who did get killed
Crispus Attucks, the first blasted
Peace to the rich lady purse snatcher shot in the back
I know your hunger kid, I know they hung your dad
Burnt ya mama crib, I know that hurt you bad
Minstrel shows, from gold to shackles and back to gold
We act like we home, matter fact, we are home
Bad attitudes, octoroon skin tones
Slave food turned to soul food, collards to neck bones
Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag
Bet she had a nigga with her to help her old ass
As James Baldwin says
"You can only be destroyed by believing
That you really are what the white world considers (ohh)
A nigga"
No matter how hard you try
You can't stop us now (oh, no matter)
No matter how, hard you try
You can't stop us now
Can't be stopped (no)
Yo, on Dateline, the other night they showed hate crimes
Gave a blood time 'cause he fought with his canine
Bestiality, humane society
Go to China, see how they dine, see what they eat
Better yet, ask PETA, whoever, which animal makes suede?
If not for suede, would you have survived the Dark Ages?
Cannibal ways of the ancient Caucasians
Stare you like you're steak tartar, pinot noir
David Star on the chain of Sammy Davis
He helped pave the way for Southern crankers and them Harlem shakers
Now we gettin' our papers, they try to censor the words
And stop our money comin' but you can't escape us haters (ohh)
No matter how hard you try
You can't stop us now (oh, no matter)
No matter how hard you try
You can't stop us now (no)
You can't stop us now
In "You Can't Stop Us Now," Nas and Eban Thomas reflect on the enduring resilience of black Americans --how they have persisted through centuries of oppression and systemic racism. The opening lines of the song juxtapose Willie Lynch (the 18th-century slave owner who developed a brutal system of controlling slaves) and Willie Hutch (the soul singer whose music inspired the black power movement), thereby drawing a connection between the traumatic origins of slavery and the cultural and political strength that black Americans have built in the face of it.
The song seeks to provide a historical overview of the African American experience in the US, drawing on several cultural references and historical events, both positive and negative. For instance, it acknowledges the exploitation of black women through the Aunt Jemima stereotype and highlights the heroic actions of figures such as Crispus Attucks (the first person to die in the American Revolution), while also paying tribute to contemporary figures like Sammy Davis Jr. and the Southern Crankers. The chorus, which repeats the line "No matter how hard you try, you can't stop us now," serves as a pointed message of defiance to those seeking to limit black progress.
Line by Line Meaning
From Willie Lynch to Willie Hutch, right on, we Superfly
We've come a long way from Willie Lynch's tactics of controlling African slaves to Willie Hutch's smooth soul music, and we're still moving forward with confidence and style (just like Superfly).
Made Gucci the shit, Louie too, suits and ties
We turned high-end fashion brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton into symbols of status and success, reflecting a more refined sense of style with suits and ties.
Player trophies, pray to Goldie
We idolize famous players and gold chains, which are symbols of wealth and success in our culture.
Picture wax museums full of Black Panths and triple OGs
Imagine wax museums filled with the icons of black power and organized crime, representing the real history of our community.
Aunt Jemima hoes, historic horse shit
The caricatured representation of black women as Aunt Jemima and the historical oppression of slavery and Jim Crow are shameful aspects of our past.
Girls from long time ago, stagecoach with the horse, kid
Women from the past traveling by stagecoach with horses is a nostalgic image of a simpler time, but also a reminder of the limitations that they faced.
Witchdoctors, good ol' pickpockets
The legacy of African spiritual practices like witchcraft and the stereotype of black people as thieves are other stigmatized aspects of black culture.
Sip moonshine, so-called coons, shines, and darkies
Drinking moonshine and being called derogatory names like coon, shine, and darkie are painful reminders of the racist attitudes we've faced.
I love y'all, pyramids to cotton fields
I love my people, from the ancient pyramids of Egypt to the dark history of cotton fields in the Americas.
To Wrigley Fields, forgotten men who did get killed
Even in more recent history, there have been many forgotten black men who were killed or abused, like Emmett Till or the victims of police shootings.
Crispus Attucks, the first blasted
Crispus Attucks, the first casualty of the American Revolution, is a symbol of black patriotism and sacrifice.
Peace to the rich lady purse snatcher shot in the back
Even notorious criminals like a rich lady purse snatcher deserve to be remembered with some respect after they are killed.
I know your hunger kid, I know they hung your dad
I understand the pain of oppression and violence, like the hunger of poverty and the lynching of family members.
Burnt ya mama crib, I know that hurt you bad
The trauma of losing your childhood home, like if it was burned down or taken by greed, is a deep, painful wound.
Minstrel shows, from gold to shackles and back to gold
The racist minstrel shows that ridiculed black people and the cycles of poverty and wealth are reminders of the struggle for equality in America.
We act like we home, matter fact, we are home
Even though we've faced so much discrimination and marginalization, we still act like we belong here in America, because it is our true home, too.
Bad attitudes, octoroon skin tones
The stereotypes of black people as having bad attitudes and the colorist beliefs that value lighter skin tones are two more factors that contribute to our struggle.
Slave food turned to soul food, collards to neck bones
Even the humble, nourishing foods of slavery have been transformed into the flavorful, comforting soul food that is beloved in our community today.
Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag
Betsy Ross, a famous seamstress, is credited with sewing the very first American flag.
Bet she had a nigga with her to help her old ass
It's likely that Betsy Ross relied on a black person's labor to help create the first American flag, though this contribution has been erased from history.
As James Baldwin says
Quoting the famous writer, James Baldwin, who discusses the psychological impact of racism on black people.
"You can only be destroyed by believing
Believing in the racist attitudes of the white world is ultimately what destroys black people from within.
That you really are what the white world considers (ohh)
When black people internalize the stereotypes and dehumanizing labels of the white world, it perpetuates their own oppression and self-hatred.
No matter how hard you try
Attempts to marginalize or stop us from rising will always fail.
You can't stop us now (oh, no matter)
No matter how much effort is put into limiting or oppressing us, we will always be unstoppable.
Can't be stopped (no)
There is nothing that can truly hold us back or keep us down.
Yo, on Dateline, the other night they showed hate crimes
Watching a news program like Dateline that covers hate crimes is a reminder of the ongoing violence and discrimination against black people.
Gave a blood time 'cause he fought with his canine
Even defending yourself or your dog from racist attacks can get you arrested and punished with excessive force.
Bestiality, humane society
Comparing egregious acts of animal cruelty with the ironically-named group, Humane Society, who advocate for animal rights.
Go to China, see how they dine, see what they eat
Expanding our horizons by trying new foods and exploring other cultures can be a way of appreciating diversity and learning from others.
Better yet, ask PETA, whoever, which animal makes suede?
Asking organizations that work to protect animals, like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), what kinds of practices and materials are used in the fashion industry.
If not for suede, would you have survived the Dark Ages?
Reflecting on the importance of clothing and other durable, protective materials for human survival in harsh environments, like during the Dark Ages.
Cannibal ways of the ancient Caucasians
Referring to the ancient practice of cannibalism, which was not unique to any race or culture, but often attributed to the white/European ancestors.
Stare you like you're steak tartar, pinot noir
Creating a decadent, culinary image by comparing the way people stare at you to the elegant pairings of steak tartar and fine wine.
David Star on the chain of Sammy Davis
Sammy Davis Jr., a black Jewish entertainer and member of the Rat Pack, wore a necklace with a Star of David in his act, showing his pride in his religious identity.
He helped pave the way for Southern crankers and them Harlem shakers
Sammy Davis Jr. was an influential figure in popularizing dance and music trends like Southern cranking and Harlem shaking in the mid-1900s.
Now we gettin' our papers, they try to censor the words
As black people gain more economic and social power, there are still attempts to hinder our expression and progress by censoring our language and ideas.
And stop our money comin' but you can't escape us haters (ohh)
Even though there are people trying to stop our financial success and prosperity, they can't avoid facing the reality of our existence, culture, and impact.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Nasir Jones, Salaam Remi, Barrett Strong, Norman J. Whitfield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vernon P
I love this song... No, fuck that, I love this album... Nas is forever...
Shinobi_RX7
@Brian Masta Killa & Cappadonna were the 9th-10th.
Nas has bee around Wu Tang since 94-95. Raekwon talk about Nas a lot, him and Ghostface considered him being part of the Wu. Redman came in the picture a bit later thru Method Man. But Nas has been around Wu Tang before.
No wonder they have their joined tour right now, NY State of Mind 2022. Wu Tang & Nas.
I was a the Toronto show on sept 4 !!!! It was freaking great.
Brian
Sean Rochford Hey, True Wu-Tang fans know Nas is one of the rumored "10th" official members of Wu..... As Raekwon himself once confirmed. But now Redman is in that spot, so I guess Nas is the 11th? It was obviously a fan service type confirmed rumor, but I like to think Nas is one of those official affiliates of Wu since he was featured on one of the earlier solo albums, back when they didn't fuck with anyone outside the group... Regardless, if Wu-Tang is forever, then Nas is forever as well.
Sean Rochford
Wu is forever brother
Ronnel Parham
Heavily heavily SLEPT on album. This is in my top 3 nas albums
Rolanda Hines
Facts!
Reggie Moore
Last year in Spain with a coach who like to scream of his players…..this album got me through the season
Aaron 88
Not top three its by far his best and it's not close
D wolf 144,000 ONOP
Facts!!!
Joel Joseph
@DyoungOG3 I am to me is not a classic untitled is a classic distance relatives classic