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..
hate me
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been a long time, been a long time comin'
Looks like the death of me now
But you know, there's no turning back now
This is what makes me, this is what I am
You can hate me now,(Q.B.) but I won't stop now (real niggas)
Cause I can't stop now, (Bravehearts) you can hate me now (c'mon)
You can hate me now, you can hate me now
Don't hate me, hate the money I see, clothes that I buy
Ice that I wear, clothes that I try, close your eyes
Picture me rollin', sixes, money foldin'
Bitches, honeys that swollen to riches, Nas get in ya
Most critically acclaimed Pulitzer Prize winner
Best storyteller, thug narrator, my style's greater
Model dater, big threat to a lot of you haters
Commentators ringside try watchin' my paper
Almost a decade, quite impressive
Most of the best is in the essence
For this rap shit that I stand for
Expandin' more to the big screen, Bill Gates dreams
But it seems you'd rather see me in jail with state greens
Want me off the scene fast, but good things last
Like your favorite MC still makin' some mean cash
First rapper to bring a platinum plaque back to the projects
But you still wanna hate, be my guest, I suggest
You can hate me now,(Q.B.) but I won't stop now (real niggas)
Cause I can't stop now, (Bravehearts) you can hate me now (c'mon)
But I won't stop now, cause I can't stop now
You can hate me now, you can hate me now
You wanna hate me then hate me, what can I do
But keep gettin' money, funny I was just like you
I had to hustle hard, never give up, until I made it
Now y'all sayin' "that's a clever nigga, nothin' to play with"
Hate on me, I blew but I'm the same O.G
People warn me, when you're on top, there's envy
Took my niggas out the hood, but you doubt on us
Sayin' we left the hood but can't get it out of us
My bad, should I step out my shoes, give 'em to you?
Here's my cars and my house, you can live in that too
Criticize when I flow for the streets, hate my dress code
Gucci this, Fendi that, what you expect, ho?
Nickname Esco, took this game to its threshold
Best flow, I bet the whole U.S. know
Try to make it like you the realest, but who the illest?
Think we all know the answer to that, cause niggas feel this right
You can hate me now,(Q.B.) but I won't stop now (real niggas)
Cause I can't stop now, (Bravehearts) you can hate me now (c'mon)
But I won't stop now, cause I can't stop now
You can hate me now, you can hate me now
It's a thin line between paper and hate
Friends and snakes, nine millis and thirty-eights
Hell or the pearly gates, I was destined to come
Predicted, blame God, he blew breath in my lungs
Second to none, wicked turn wives to widows
Shoot through satin pillows, the desolate one
Took a little time to claim my spot
Chairman of the board until this game stop, and I side with the Lord
Ride for the cause while drivin' niggas shot at my doors
Plottin' I'm sure to catch me with they Glocks to my jaws
Tried stickin' me up but I flipped on these ducks
Instead of me, ambulances were picking them up
Niggas fear what they don't understand, hate what they can't conquer
Guess it's just the theory of man
Became a monster, on top of the world, never fallin'
I'm as real as they come from day one, forever ballin'
C'mon
You can hate me now,(Q.B.) but I won't stop now (real niggas)
Cause I can't stop now, (Bravehearts) you can hate me now (c'mon)
But I won't stop now, cause I can't stop now
You can hate me now, you can hate me now
Nas's song "Hate Me Now" is a reflection of the rapper's journey through the music industry and the hate and criticism he has faced throughout his career. The opening lines set the tone for the song, as Nas declares that "Escobar Season has returned" and acknowledges that he has faced challenges that could lead to his demise. However, he asserts that there is no turning back and that his experiences have shaped him into the person he is.
The chorus of the song is a defiant statement against his critics, as Nas proclaims that he won't stop despite the hate directed towards him. He acknowledges that people may hate him for his wealth and success, but he refuses to let that stop him from pursuing his dreams and goals. Nas also confronts his critics directly, challenging them to hate him if they must, but acknowledging that he will continue on his path regardless of their opinion.
Throughout the song, Nas reflects on his career and how far he has come. He acknowledges that he has faced criticism for his dress code and his material possessions, but he argues that these things are a reflection of his success and hard work. He also touches on the theme of envy and how some people may try to bring others down when they see them succeeding.
Overall, "Hate Me Now" is a powerful statement of confidence and defiance from Nas. It speaks to the challenges faced by many successful people and the need to keep pushing forward despite the hate and criticism that can come with success.
Line by Line Meaning
Escobar Season has returned
Nas, also known as Escobar, is back on the music scene
It's been a long time, been a long time comin'
It has been a while since Nas has released new music
Looks like the death of me now
People are trying to bring Nas down and end his career
But you know, there's no turning back now
Nas is not giving up, he is committed to his music career
This is what makes me, this is what I am
Nas believes that his music is an integral part of his identity
You can hate me now,(Q.B.) but I won't stop now (real niggas)
Even if people hate him, Nas will continue making music
Cause I can't stop now, (Bravehearts) you can hate me now (c'mon)
Nas is determined to keep going despite the negativity
Don't hate me, hate the money I see, clothes that I buy
Nas suggests that some people hate him because of his wealth and material possessions
Ice that I wear, clothes that I try, close your eyes
Nas thinks that people are jealous of his expensive jewelry and designer clothes
Picture me rollin', sixes, money foldin'
Nas imagines himself cruising around in his luxury cars and having lots of cash
Bitches, honeys that swollen to riches, Nas get in ya
People are attracted to Nas because of his wealth and success
Most critically acclaimed Pulitzer Prize winner
Nas is a highly respected rapper and has won various awards
Best storyteller, thug narrator, my style's greater
Nas considers himself a talented rapper with a unique style
Model dater, big threat to a lot of you haters
Nas is popular with women and some people are intimidated by him
Commentators ringside try watchin' my paper
People are always trying to keep tabs on Nas's money and success
Almost a decade, quite impressive
Nas has been in the music industry for almost 10 years and has achieved a lot
Most of the best is in the essence
Nas believes that his artistic talent is an essential part of his being
For this rap shit that I stand for
Nas is committed to rap music and what it represents
Expandin' more to the big screen, Bill Gates dreams
Nas has aspirations beyond music, such as acting and entrepreneurship
But it seems you'd rather see me in jail with state greens
Some people want Nas to fail and go to prison
Want me off the scene fast, but good things last
Despite the haters, Nas is determined to stay in the music industry for the long term
Like your favorite MC still makin' some mean cash
Nas is successful and making a lot of money
First rapper to bring a platinum plaque back to the projects
Nas has achieved commercial success and brought it back to his hometown
But you still wanna hate, be my guest, I suggest
Nas doesn't care if people hate him, he encourages them to do so
You wanna hate me then hate me, what can I do
Nas is not trying to change people's opinions about him
But keep gettin' money, funny I was just like you
Nas used to struggle financially before becoming successful
I had to hustle hard, never give up, until I made it
Nas worked hard to achieve his success
Now y'all sayin' "that's a clever nigga, nothin' to play with"
People now recognize Nas's talents and abilities
Hate on me, I blew but I'm the same O.G
Despite his success, Nas hasn't changed as a person
People warn me, when you're on top, there's envy
Nas has been warned about the jealousy that comes with success
Took my niggas out the hood, but you doubt on us
Nas has helped his friends leave their tough neighborhood, but some people doubt their success
Sayin' we left the hood but can't get it out of us
Regardless of their success, Nas and his friends are still connected to their roots
My bad, should I step out my shoes, give 'em to you?
Nas sarcastically asks if he should give away his wealth and success to his haters
Here's my cars and my house, you can live in that too
Nas suggests that his haters can have his material possessions if they want
Criticize when I flow for the streets, hate my dress code
Nas's critics dislike his style of music and fashion sense
Gucci this, Fendi that, what you expect, ho?
Nas sarcastically questions why his critics are surprised by his expensive taste in fashion
Nickname Esco, took this game to its threshold
Nas's nickname is Esco, and he has pushed the boundaries of rap music
Best flow, I bet the whole U.S. know
Nas believes that he has the best flow in the rap game and that everyone knows it
Try to make it like you the realest, but who the illest?
Some people pretend to be authentic, but Nas believes he is the real deal
Think we all know the answer to that, cause niggas feel this right
Nas thinks that people know he is the best because they can feel the authenticity in his music
It's a thin line between paper and hate
Nas recognizes that wealth can often lead to jealousy and hate
Friends and snakes, nine millis and thirty-eights
Nas knows that in his line of work, people are not always what they seem
Hell or the pearly gates, I was destined to come
Nas believes that he was born to be successful and make great music
Predicted, blame God, he blew breath in my lungs
Nas believes that God gave him the talent and ability to be successful
Second to none, wicked turn wives to widows
Nas is a talented rapper and his words have the power to affect people's lives
Shoot through satin pillows, the desolate one
Nas has become a powerful and respected figure in the rap game
Took a little time to claim my spot
Nas worked hard to become successful and establish himself as a top rapper
Chairman of the board until this game stop, and I side with the Lord
Nas sees himself as a leader in the rap game, and he has faith in God
Ride for the cause while drivin' niggas shot at my doors
Nas is committed to his music and his community, even though there are dangers involved
Plottin' I'm sure to catch me with they Glocks to my jaws
Nas is aware that there are people who want to do him harm
Tried stickin' me up but I flipped on these ducks
Nas has been able to defend himself against attackers
Instead of me, ambulances were picking them up
Nas has been able to defend himself successfully against his attackers
Niggas fear what they don't understand, hate what they can't conquer
Nas believes that people are often afraid of what they don't know or can't control
Guess it's just the theory of man
Nas thinks that this is just human nature
Became a monster, on top of the world, never fallin'
Nas has achieved a lot of success and considers himself unstoppable
I'm as real as they come from day one, forever ballin'
Nas believes that he has always been an authentic and genuine artist
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Anthony Moody, Gavin Marchand, Jean Claude Olivier, Nasir Jones, Samuel J. Barnes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-bn9es1vo6e
22 years later, if you're watching this, you're a legend.
@chrisbee9643
nah.. .you just got taste. ;) Its not if we get new material on this level of these era. :)
@prophetofhope8828
I'm a legend!!!
@samanthamcsherry6776
I'm just 16
@stevedail5948
Legend
@draganblazevski7271
Yeah and see you after 22 more sure I hope so, best regards from Macedonia
@maniversus
'People fear what they don't understand.. hate what they can't conquer, guess it's just a theory of man' - Nas. The best ever touched mic.
@ramadanslim3500
Inferior man, not theory of man.
@maniversus
@@ramadanslim3500 maybe you should listen again
@duncankomu8088
@@maniversus he's right,check the lyrics he says inferior man