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 Won
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(What?) Ever been in love? (C'mon)
Yeah, are you ready? (uh) For something real?
(Say what?) Cause it can't be fake
This ain't no game (C'mon)
You gotta be wit me, for real (uh-huh)
Cause it's real out here (uh-huh)
So make up your mind, cause I ain't got no time
[Nas]
I'm the most wanted baby father, save the drama
We toast when I wine and dine ya, all you need is me
I won't stress you but bless you
Mentally and sexual, we both intellectual
Can't forget how I met you;
You thought I was a boxer, Prince Nasim
But I'm the mobster, Nas from Queens
And when I gotcha, you riding with me
You keep asking, "When do you have time for me?"
I'm never free always on the move, bidness oriented
Lifestyle expensive, attract women
You wanna search my pockets, and act all wild
Say I hurt your hear, ask how could I smile?
Wanna call back all my numbers, star 6-9 me
Check my car for rubbers, but quit trying
Before you find what you looking for and get to crying
You always saying what you gon' do if you catch me lying
[Aaliyah (Timbaland) {Nas}]
You won't see me tonight {Yeah right} (Say what? Say what?)
You won't see me tomorrow {uh-huh} (uh-huh)
I'll be gone by daylight {Doubt that} (What?)
And you'll be so full of sorrow {Yeah right}
You'll go tell all your friends {That's right} (Say what?)
How you called and I follow {They know it}
But you won't see me tonight {You don't believe that}
No you won't see me tomorrow
[Nas]
Caramel kisses of Jezebel's sister
I feel no guilt when I twist ya
Turn the other cheek when I see the next freak with ya
You got your name on his lease, copy his key
That's your lil' spot where you rest your wig peice
Go 'head and live baby, I know you his lady
You page me, when you got the day free
But I be out with my peeps in them system jeeps
You wanna lay up in the sheets of presidential suites
Like I'll massage you while you massage me, mami
But can you hang with a young man who's doing his thing?
Speak up, I wanna know if you can keep up
Timberland boots for girls, with the tree stump
Baggy sweatsuits, mystery what's underneath them
They for my eyes only, you call me when you lonely
But I like to make the baddest girls wait, I got G baby
[Nas (Aaliyah)]
(Call you on a Monday)
[Nas] I'll call you back baby
(Call you on a Tuesday)
[Nas] My cell is off baby
(Call you on a Wednesday)
[Nas] I'm out of town baby
(You won't be back til Thursday)
[Nas] I'll page you back baby
(Call you on a Monday)
[Nas] I'll call you back baby
(Call you on a Tuesday
[Nas] I'm out of town baby
(Call you on a Wednesday)
[Nas] My cell is off baby
(You won't be back til Thursday)
[Nas] I'll call you back baby
[Aaliyah (Timbaland)]
You won't see me tonight (Say what?)
You won't see me tomorrow (Say what?)
I'll be gone by daylight
And you'll be so full of sorrow
You'll go tell all your friends (What what?)
How you called and I follow (Say what?)
But you won't see me tonight
No you won't see me tomorrow
[Nas]
Thinking of me you gettin the chills
Like a rush through your body when you think how it feels
Give me a call and my voice give you butterflies in your tummy
Tell your friends you in love with Nas not his money
And I'll prove I'm a man of my word - handed you furs
Iceberg - everything on this planet Earth a woman desires
You make a good wife to most men
I know I got you open; but, you just my close friend
Get it baby?
[Aaliyah (Timbaland) {Nas}]
You won't see me tonight (uh-huh)
You won't see me tomorrow (Say what?)
I'll be gone by daylight {Daylight}
And you'll be so full of sorrow {Word?}
You'll go tell all your friends {Tell your friends what?} (Say what?)
How you called and I follow {Uh, uh}
But you won't see me tonight {Not tonight baby}
No you won't see me tomorrow
[Nas (Aaliyah)]
The God, The God, The God, Nasir (You won't see me tonight)
The Queen, The Queen, The Queen, Aaliyah (You won't see me tomorrow)
Nah nah (I'll be gone by daylight)
(And you'll be so full of sorrow)
Uhh uhh (You'll go tell all your friends)
Tell your friends (how you called and I followed)
How you followed me (But you won't see me tonight)
Not tonight baby (No you won't see me tomorrow)
C'mon, c'mon c'mon
Tomorrow, what?
Daylight, ghost
[Timbaland (Aaliyah)]
Say what, say what? Yo (You won't see me tonight)
You won't see Timbaland tonight baby
Oh, or Nas Esco', check it
Let it ride
Let it ride
The song I Won't See You Tonight is a collaboration between Nas and Aaliyah with Timbaland on the production. The song is about two lovers who are constantly in flux, with Nas trying to convince his partner to accept the reality of their situation. Nas begins the song by asking if the listener has ever been in love, and if they are ready for something real. He then goes on to explain that he is a busy man and that the relationship has to be real because it can't be fake. Nas reveals that he and his partner have an intellectual and sexual connection and that he won't stress her, but instead bless her.
As the song continues, Nas sweet talks his partner, telling her that he won't hurt her, and that he can provide anything she desires. He also openly acknowledges that he sees other women since he's always on the move with business-oriented activities. The chorus features Aaliyah singing about how she won't see Nas tonight or tomorrow and that she'll be gone by daylight, indicating that she wants to break things off. The song ends with Nas reaffirming that Aaliyah is just a close friend and that she won't see him tonight or tomorrow.
Overall, the song is about the difficulties of navigating a relationship when both parties have different priorities and lifestyles. It touches on themes of commitment, trust, and the fragility of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever been in love? (C'mon)
Nas asks if the person has ever been in love, inviting them to join the conversation.
Yeah, are you ready? (uh) For something real?
Nas asks if they're ready for a real, genuine relationship.
(Say what?) Cause it can't be fake
Nas states that the relationship can't be fake as admissible.
This ain't no game (C'mon)
Nas implies that the relationship is serious and not a game.
You gotta be wit me, for real (uh-huh)
Nas insists that the person has to be with him truly.
Cause it's real out here (uh-huh)
Nas justifies that this is because the world is a conflicting place.
So make up your mind, cause I ain't got no time
Nas urges the person to make up their mind quickly, or he won't wait for them.
I'm the most wanted baby father, save the drama
Nas asserts himself as a desirable man and says he doesn't need the drama.
We toast when I wine and dine ya, all you need is me
Nas states he will treat the person well and that they only need him
You won't see me tonight {Yeah right} (Say what? Say what?)
Aaliyah says that Nas won't be with the person tonight, even if they doubt it.
You won't see me tomorrow {uh-huh} (uh-huh)
Aaliyah says Nas won't be with the person tomorrow either, agreeing with Nas's previous statement.
I won't stress you but bless you
Nas asserts that he won't stress the person but bless them only.
Mentally and sexual, we both intellectual
Nas states that he and the person are both smart and sexual.
Can't forget how I met you;
Nas does not forget how he met the person.
You thought I was a boxer, Prince Nasim
Nas recalls that the person first mistook him for a boxer named Prince Nasim.
But I'm the mobster, Nas from Queens
Nas corrects the person by claiming that he is a gangster from Queens.
And when I gotcha, you riding with me
Nas indicates that once he has the person's attention, they are his partner in crime.
Thinking of me you getting the chills
Nas knows the person gets excited just thinking about him.
Like a rush through your body when you think how it feels
Nas hypothesizes that the person gets a thrilling sensation from fantasizing about their potential relationship.
Give me a call and my voice give you butterflies in your tummy
Nas suggests that the person is attracted to him and gets excited when hearing his voice.
You got your name on his lease, copy his key
Nas suspects that the person is living with another man.
That's your lil' spot where you rest your wig piece
Nas implies that the person is living with another man and has made a home with him.
Go 'head and live baby, I know you his lady
Nas gives the person permission to live with someone else as he acknowledges that they are his partner.
You page me, when you got the day free
Nas knows that the person calls him when they are free.
Lifestyle expensive, attract women
Nas recognizes that his rich lifestyle attracts women.
You wanna search my pockets, and act all wild
Nas gets irritated that the person wants to search through his pockets in a fit of jealousy.
Say I hurt your heart, ask how could I smile?
Nas reveals the person's jealousy, stating how they would question his actions even if he were happy.
Wanna call back all my numbers, star 6-9 me
Nas admits that the person is tracing his phone calls by checking his call logs and redialing using the *69 function.
Check my car for rubbers, but quit trying
Nas suggests that the person checks his car for evidence of infidelity and stops doing so.
Before you find what you looking for and get to crying
Nas warns the person that they might find something in his car that would make them upset.
You always saying what you gon' do if you catch me lying
Nas accuses the person of frequently threatening him with consequences if she ever catches him cheating.
But can you hang with a young man who's doing his thing?
Nas questions if the person is willing to be with him while he pursues his goals.
Speak up, I wanna know if you can keep up
Nas wants the person to admit if she can keep up with his busy schedule.
Timberland boots for girls, with the tree stump
Nas mentions the style of Timberland boots worn by women in New York at the time.
Baggy sweatsuits, mystery what's underneath them
Nas describes the popular clothing trend of loose-fitting sweatpants and sweatshirts.
They for my eyes only, you call me when you lonely
Nas says that some women's secrets are for him alone and that when the person is in need, they call him.
But I like to make the baddest girls wait, I got G baby
Nas expresses he likes to make women chase him but that he is already in a committed relationship.
(Call you on a Monday)
Nas promises to call the person back on a Monday.
(Call you on a Tuesday)
Nas says his phone will be off if the person calls him on a Tuesday.
(Call you on a Wednesday)
Nas says he will be out of town if the person calls him on a Wednesday
(You won't be back til Thursday)
Nas estimates the time he will be gone and promises to page the person back.
The God, The God, The God, Nasir
The Queen, The Queen, The Queen, Aaliyah
Nas and Aaliyah mentioned their titles in the music industry.
You won't see Timbaland tonight baby
Oh, or Nas Esco', check it
Timbaland and Nas joke that the person will not see either of them tonight.
Let it ride
Timbaland and Aaliyah sing the outro, encouraging everyone to hear and enjoy the music.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TIMOTHY MOSLEY, NASIR JONES, MISSY ELLIOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@peepallgame
I'll call you back baby
(Call you on a Tuesday)
[Nas] My cell is off baby
(Call you on a Wednesday)
[Nas] I'm out of town baby
(You won't be back til Thursday)
[Nas] I'll page you back baby
(Call you on a Monday)
[Nas] I'll call you back baby
(Call you on a Tuesday
[Nas] I'm out of town baby
(Call you on a Wednesday)
[Nas] My cell is off baby
(You won't be back til Thursday)
[Nas] I'll call you back baby
You won't see me tonight (Say what?)
You won't see me tomorrow (Say what?)
I'll be gone by daylight
And you'll be so full of sorrow
You'll go tell all your friends (What what?)
How you called and I follow (Say what?)
But you won't see me tonight
No you won't see me tomorrow
@atlnikka
This should been a single on his album Aaliyah vocals in this song is everything 😍 she is sorely missed ❤️
@bikimbrown1545
Exactly... Alot of people still don't know this song exist. I think i didn't even hear this until 5 years after the album came out. He should hsve used this song to sell this album.
@jessicaacosta1410
Still rocking 2021 I don't care love is hell ov a drug fuck that. Love knows no barriers. Novak ground checks on love. Love is hopeless love is joy love is sorrow. But love conquers all. My Queen sleep in peace. I love you. Aaliyah was Queen and will always be the Queen!! b
@whoishec7615
It was a single
@yvesluc8234
I think it was
@romaretaylor9953
@@whoishec7615 it wasn’t, there was no video
@eugene188
Nas, Aaliyah, Timbaland on one track. this is so classic.
@GettingFancyWithTammiConnor
pullup188
@michaelbull8173
I remember this song when it first came it was late 90s early 2000 s shame it got no play but an underrated collaboration
@aubasanchez1566
Could tell it was a timba production straight away