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..
Your Mouth Got You Into It
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ass can’t get you out
Next time hold your tongue
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
Know when you don't want war with no one
When the live niggas after you
Where you gonna run you mouth got in it your
Ass can’t get you out
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
Know when you don't want it with no one
Live niggas now are after you
And here they come
This nigga thinkin that everybody puss til
He got his shit push lot of shit poppin
Got him all swiss cheesed up
He fell to his knees and
Wished he never released words
From outta his mouth bout the next man's Gs
Telling me that he was
Heavenly involved to rob
Any nigga who scared to murder who had cash
Didn't deserve the convertible cars
Sipping bourbon at bars
He feel if they ain't real
He should get stuck, him and his peoples
You must be sniffing that diesel
Cause if that nigga knew you was scheming
He would just leave you in pieces
Plus he's a friend of ours
We got our Benz's that power
Motor cars hung on the wire
Left summers puff party
Plus you don’t get enough really
Never meant laugh and threat
That they wouldn’t budge they play the
Your mouth got you in it your
Ass can’t get you out
Next time hold your tongue
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
Know when you don't want war with no one
When the live niggas after you
Where you gonna run
You mouth got you in it your
Ass can’t get you out
Next time hold your tounge
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
Know when you don't want war with no one
Live niggas now are after you
And here they come
These niggas live after death before
I got you we smoke the same weed
Same cars we drive
Knew two of these dudes got into
Murder shit just last year
I start fuck with them thinking
Make me lose my career
We still touch though it's just dough
I make some songs that on they
Dirty money just smell wrong
But I don't knock you because we
Come from the same upbringing
I came up slinging
The same way they came up slinging
One thing I learn though
Still judge niggas by it
Say alot about men who contend
But can't be quiet
The school from which I learn
Is the street of old
Fuck fools they talk to worm in six feet hole
Be telling niggas what I'm
Eatin, what I’m holding, it's sickening
Don't be conerned with what I'm eating
Cause what I eat you ain't shittin
These niggas that start beef
They talk like bitches
And I'm the type to give you
Yo, black stocking cap on my face pulled down
From behind
All you hear is the gun cock back sound
And now I put it in yo mouth
Fuck you were sayin? Suck on this you trip
Try to duck and imma spray ya
Your mouth got you in it your
Ass can’t get you out
Next time hold your tongue
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
Know when you don't want beef with no one
When the live niggas after you
Where you gonna run
You mouth got you in it your
Ass can’t get you out
Next time hold your tongue
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
Know when you don't want war with no one
Live niggas now are after you
And here they come
You make promises that you can
Keep full of deceit
Street face swallow pride talk
To you money shit
You wanna run with it talk about shit
You ain't’ get none of it
You whisper got bitch unless is for the real
Always tryin' to can’t remember I
Said fire on you
If run off ‘cause the things gotta
You ain’t get no wings but ends
How i’m going blow to you I expect to win
Your mouth got you in it your
Ass can’t get you out
Next time hold your tongue
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
Know when you don't want war with no one
When the niggas after you where you gonna run
You mouth got you in it your
Ass can’t get you out
Next time hold your tounge
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
Know when you don't want war with no one
Niggas now are after you and here they come
In "Your Mouth Got You Into It" by Nas, the lyrics convey a message about the consequences of speaking recklessly and getting involved in dangerous situations. The line "Your mouth got you in it, your ass can't get you out" highlights the idea that once you put yourself in a difficult position with your words, there may be no easy way to get out of it. It suggests that words have power and can lead to unintended consequences.
The lyrics also warn against engaging in unnecessary conflicts and emphasize the importance of choosing your battles wisely. Nas advises to "know when you don't want war with no one" to avoid negative repercussions. This serves as a reminder to think twice before engaging in confrontations, as they may result in dangerous situations and attract the attention of "live niggas" who are "after you."
The song also touches upon themes of loyalty and trust within friendships. Nas describes a situation where someone betrayed the trust of their friends, ultimately leading to dire consequences. The lyrics imply that loyalty and silence are key virtues, and those who can't keep their mouths shut might pay a high price. It suggests that open gossip and loose lips can lead to dangerous situations and potential loss of friendships.
Furthermore, the song speaks to the violent realities of the streets that Nas grew up in. The lyrics depict a world where actions have grave consequences, and individuals are forced to rely on self-defense and assert their dominance. Nas emphasizes the need for self-preservation and the willingness to protect oneself by highlighting the severity of consequences faced by those who "talk like bitches."
Overall, "Your Mouth Got You Into It" by Nas delivers a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of careless speech, unnecessary conflicts, and the importance of loyalty and silence in dangerous situations. It serves as a reminder to think before speaking and consider the consequences of one's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Your mouth got you in it your
Your inability to control your words has gotten you into trouble
Ass can’t get you out
You can't escape the consequences of your actions
Next time hold your tongue
Exercise restraint and think before speaking
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
If you had kept quiet, you wouldn't have had to resort to violence
Know when you don't want war with no one
Understand that engaging in conflict with others is not always wise
When the live niggas after you
When dangerous individuals are pursuing you
Where you gonna run you mouth got in it your
There will be nowhere for you to hide when your words have caused the situation
Ass can’t get you out
Your actions won't be able to save you
Next time hold your tongue
Exercise restraint and think before speaking
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
If you had kept quiet, you wouldn't have had to resort to violence
Know when you don't want it with no one
Understand that engaging in conflict with others is not always wise
Live niggas now are after you
Dangerous individuals are now pursuing you
And here they come
They are approaching and closing in on you
This nigga thinkin that everybody puss til
This individual believes that everyone is weak until
He got his shit push lot of shit poppin
He faces a significant challenge that disrupts his life
Got him all swiss cheesed up
He becomes riddled with bullet holes
He fell to his knees and
He collapses and kneels in defeat
Wished he never released words
He regrets speaking and causing trouble
From outta his mouth bout the next man's Gs
By talking about another person's wealth and reputation
Telling me that he was
Claiming to be
Heavenly involved to rob
Divinely connected to stealing from others
Any nigga who scared to murder who had cash
He targeted individuals who were afraid to kill and had money
Didn't deserve the convertible cars
He believed they didn't deserve luxury vehicles
Sipping bourbon at bars
Drinking bourbon in establishments
He feel if they ain't real
He thinks that if they are not authentic
He should get stuck, him and his peoples
He believes that he and his associates should confront them with violence
You must be sniffing that diesel
You must be using drugs or hallucinating
Cause if that nigga knew you was scheming
Because if the person realized you were planning
He would just leave you in pieces
He would abandon and harm you severely
Plus he's a friend of ours
Moreover, he is a mutual acquaintance
We got our Benz's that power
We possess powerful Benz vehicles
Motor cars hung on the wire
Luxury cars displayed or parked on the street
Left summers puff party
We left a party hosted by Puff Daddy during the summer
Plus you don’t get enough really
Additionally, you are not receiving adequate compensation or recognition
Never meant laugh and threat
I never intended it as a joke or a mere threat
That they wouldn’t budge they play the
They remain obstinate and continue with their actions
These niggas live after death before
These individuals continue to thrive despite facing danger
I got you we smoke the same weed
I understand you, we share the same experiences
Same cars we drive
We own and use the same type of vehicles
Knew two of these dudes got into
I knew that two of these guys were involved in
Murder shit just last year
Deadly activities recently
I start fuck with them thinking
I associate with them, believing that
Make me lose my career
It won't negatively impact my career
We still touch though it's just dough
We still communicate, but it's only about money
I make some songs that on they
I create songs that are centered around
Dirty money just smell wrong
Illegitimate money feels morally wrong
But I don't knock you because we
However, I don't criticize you because we
Come from the same upbringing
Have similar backgrounds
I came up slinging
I grew up selling illicit items
The same way they came up slinging
Similar to their upbringing as drug dealers
One thing I learn though
One lesson I have acquired
Still judge niggas by it
I still evaluate individuals based on
Say alot about men who contend
It reveals a lot about men who argue
But can't be quiet
Yet cannot remain silent
The school from which I learn
The source of my education
Is the street of old
Comes from the old ways of the streets
Fuck fools they talk to worm in six feet hole
Disregard foolish people who end up buried in a grave
Be telling niggas what I'm
Don't inform others about
Eatin, what I’m holding, it's sickening
What I'm consuming or what possessions I have, it's disgusting
Don't be conerned with what I'm eating
Don't worry about my personal affairs
Cause what I eat you ain't shittin
Because you are not involved in or profiting from my actions
These niggas that start beef
Those individuals who provoke conflicts
They talk like bitches
They speak in a cowardly manner
And I'm the type to give you
I am the kind of person who would deliver
Yo, black stocking cap on my face pulled down
Wearing a black cap with a mask covering my face
From behind
Approaching from the rear
All you hear is the gun cock back sound
The only sound you hear is the cocking of a gun
And now I put it in yo mouth
And now I am aiming it at your mouth
Fuck you were sayin? Suck on this you trip
Disregard your previous words, suck on this weapon
Try to duck and imma spray ya
If you try to evade, I will shoot at you
You make promises that you can
You make commitments that you cannot
Keep full of deceit
Which are full of lies and dishonesty
Street face swallow pride talk
In the streets, people suppress their pride and talk
To you money shit
To you about money-related matters
You wanna run with it talk about shit
You want to be associated with it and discuss matters
You ain't’ get none of it
You did not obtain any of it
You whisper got bitch unless is for the real
You only have a bold attitude when it's necessary
Always tryin' to can’t remember I
Always pretending to forget what
Said fire on you
I threatened to shoot at you
If run off ‘cause the things gotta
If you flee because the situation becomes dangerous
You ain’t get no wings but ends
You won't receive assistance or escape, only bad outcomes
How i’m going blow to you I expect to win
How am I supposed to harm you if I want to declare victory
Know when you don't want beef with no one
Understand when you should avoid conflicts with others
When the live niggas after you
When dangerous individuals are pursuing you
Where you gonna run
Where will you go to escape
You mouth got you in it your
Your inability to control your words has gotten you into trouble
Ass can’t get you out
You can't escape the consequences of your actions
Next time hold your tongue
Exercise restraint and think before speaking
You wouldn’t have to hold your gun
If you had kept quiet, you wouldn't have had to resort to violence
Know when you don't want war with no one
Understand that engaging in conflict with others is not always wise
Live niggas now are after you
Dangerous individuals are now pursuing you
And here they come
They are approaching and closing in on you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MicChecker88
This is what sets Nas apart from the Biggies, the Big Ls, the Jays, the Pacs or anyone you're gonna name. Nas' bars are powerful and send you on a journey through existentialism. AZ is one known for his deep existential thoughts and godbody knowledge as well, but Nas is a cut above because he can do that same thing whilst telling a profound and compelling story, while simultaneously wrapping and flipping dope styles around the beat all while being charismatic as hell. And this definitely is no knock at all on AZ, but his style is more monotone and lacks charisma or storyline, and don't really broach relevant topics. He's sort of relegated to staying within that godbody realm, because otherwise you'll get bored with him. Otherwise his bars are A1. Again, AZ is my mans, but I keep hearing butthurt Jay fans and fans claiming he quote "destroyed" him on Life's a Bitch. You go back and listen to that. There's a reason why heads quote Nas' verse and few remember AZ's like that. "Time is illmatic, keep static like wool-fabric, pack a 4matic to crack your whole cabbage!". Love is love.
@VANITYDJ
Listening to Nas rap is like watching a movie!!
@donovan6482
Greatest poet EVER !!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
@Papparazzi18
THIS IS WHAT I WANNA HEAR FROM NAS!! ILLMATIC FLOW.
@DrAbstracked
He still rockin that shit, I can't wait for a new album, his minute on the carter IV went harder than anything else on the whole damn album
@philunsworth6193
this shit goes in, nas killed this shit
@mackvelly8899
This sounds like a Dame Grease or L.E.S beat. Either way, this is 🔥🔥🔥💥💥
@Young-M
Its definently Dame Grease 🧨
@humblebragger500
Dame grease
@mackvelly8899
If anyone is looking for this song, it's on Nas' The Lost Album Vol 5: Tales From The Hood