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..
live from the bridge
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Professional part two
Puttin' it down for you fake ass DJ's and shit like that
Straight outta Q.B. all the way around the fuckin' world
Q.B. Braveheart nigga...
[Verse 1]
Was classified as the bastard who died
rumors say I came back alive with an axe
and attacked niggas actin' like Nas
my passion is to capitalize
come through my hood you get jacked for your ride
catch you from the passengers side
my words turn the sea red
like the eyes of a weed head
ya'll peep my led then hide like Easter eggs
I ride 'till the beef is dead, caskets dropped
your soul go further up than astronauts
I talk it and live it
ya'll weak dudes should offer forgiveness
'cause frontin' like you ill gets yourself torchered by killers
in Newyork I'm the realest
predicted by fortune tellers
sick with the talkin' methods
AK's, Berettas
my whole team is Steelers like Jerome Bettis
rammin' niggas like St. Louis, we dough getters
and ya'll niggas is losers, nothin' fuckin' with us
nothin' but Bravehearts gon' hustle wit' us
Ugh!
[Verse 2]
When ya'll niggas fall
and start makin' 800 collect call commercials like Arsenio Hall
I'm on times square on New Years with Dick Clark droppin' the ball
with Kool and the Gang, doin' my thing
princess cut chains
I bend bitches like bike frames
my tight game will make Hilary leave Bill quick as lightning
I'll have her wearin' tight jeans
givin' nice brains in a white Range
pullin' up to club life, turned her to a thug life dame
I'm sayin', you rollin' with Nastradamus
we flowin' to St. Thomas
jewelry box full of stones so I can change diamonds
matchin' masterpieces on black sandy beaches
even the paparazzi tries to peep us
disguised with dark shades and fake beards
a lucky photographer noticed Tyra Banks here
but I showed the tabloids bogus passports
I told 'em back off before I flip like Castor Troy.
[Verse 3]
Live from the Bridge, cliques stay high from the iz'
wear the most popular shit, niggas knockin' my shit
Denali's, fat designed rims, 2000 S Benz
watchin' ESPN with two dime lesbians
I hit it of course, I did it to floss
the last Don, doin' hits like Pepe and Cross
Esco, cash long, niggas think I'm Blacula
'cause I'm in a castle with a bitch cold waxin' her
I leave my teeth marks in hoes, scoop 'em like a spatula
pass 'em to my peoples and party like a Bachelor
'till I meet a gangsta bitch, give her banks to hit
in return all she wants to do is drink the dick
Fuck street clothes, we thug it out in Tuxedos
stomp niggas with hard bottoms in casinos
a Hundred Bravehearts vest' up, nigga reload
we keep low, Hundred Thousand bank ceelo
In Nas's song "Live from the Bridge," the rapper asserts his dominance and position as one of the realest in the rap industry. In the first verse, he talks about coming back from the dead and attacking those who act like him. He then goes on to describe his passion for making a profit and his willingness to do whatever it takes to make that happen, even if it means jacking someone for their ride. Nas's lyrics are violent and assertive, describing how his team is filled with "steelers like Jerome Bettis" who will "ram n*ggas like St. Louis."
In the second verse, Nas describes his lavish lifestyle, including hanging out in Times Square on New Year's Eve with Dick Clark, wearing princess cut chains, and bending b*tches like bike frames. He talks about being a ladies' man, having a jewelry box full of stones, and changing diamonds. He brags about his wealth and connections, mentioning a party with two dime lesbians and how he can scoop them up to take home to his people. In the final verse, Nas goes back to talking about his toughness and warns that he and his hundred bravehearts will always keep low and ready to reload.
"Live from the Bridge" was featured on DJ Clue's album The Professional 2, and it is one of the many tracks in which Nas takes a confrontational approach to his words, making sure that he leaves no room for doubt about his status as one of the most respected and feared rappers. Nas's lyrics are aggressive and confrontational, much like his other songs at the time, but they also showcase his skills as a storyteller and rapper. The song has become one of Nas's most enduring tunes, and its powerful lyrics continue to resonate with fans to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, this is Nas with my Man DJ Clue
Nas introducing himself and his partner, DJ Clue.
Puttin' it down for you fake ass DJ's and shit like that
Nas telling the listener that the song is directed towards fake DJ's.
Straight outta Q.B. all the way around the fuckin' world
Nas mentioning he's a rapper from Queensbridge who has an audience worldwide.
Black Frank Sinatra on yo' ass, Q.B. Braveheart nigga...
Nas calling himself the Black Frank Sinatra and a Braveheart rapper from Queensbridge.
Was classified as the bastard who died
Nas was previously rumored to be dead.
rumors say I came back alive with an axe
There are rumors that Nas came back to life with an axe.
and attacked niggas actin' like Nas
Nas attacked people who acted like him.
my passion is to capitalize
Nas is motivated by making money.
come through my hood you get jacked for your ride
If you pass through Nas's neighborhood, he may steal your car.
catch you from the passengers side
Nas may steal your car from the passenger's side.
my words turn the sea red
Nas's lyrics are powerful and impactful.
like the eyes of a weed head
The color of Nas's lyrics, like the eyes of a stoner, is red.
ya'll peep my led then hide like Easter eggs
People who hear Nas's lyrics hide like Easter eggs.
I ride 'till the beef is dead, caskets dropped
Nas will continue to seek revenge until his enemies are dead and buried.
your soul go further up than astronauts
Your soul goes higher than astronauts after death.
I talk it and live it
Nas not only talks about his lifestyle but also lives it.
ya'll weak dudes should offer forgiveness
People who are weak should apologize.
'cause frontin' like you ill gets yourself torchered by killers
People who act tough will be tortured by killers.
in New York I'm the realest
Nas is one of the most authentic and genuine rappers from New York.
predicted by fortune tellers
Fortune tellers predicted Nas's success.
sick with the talkin' methods
Nas is skilled at using words to express himself.
AK's, Berettas
Nas and his team use weapons like AK's and Berettas.
my whole team is Steelers like Jerome Bettis
Nas and his team are like the Pittsburgh Steelers, a reference to Jerome Bettis.
rammin' niggas like St. Louis, we dough getters
Nas and his team make money and dominate like the St. Louis Rams in football.
and ya'll niggas is losers, nothin' fuckin' with us
Everyone else is a loser compared to Nas and his team.
nothin' but Bravehearts gon' hustle wit' us
Only people from Queensbridge (Bravehearts) can keep up with Nas and his team.
When ya'll niggas fall
When Nas's enemies fall.
and start makin' 800 collect call commercials like Arsenio Hall
Nas's enemies become irrelevant, like Arsenio Hall in 800 collect call commercials.
I'm on times square on New Years with Dick Clark droppin' the ball
Nas is famous enough to be on New Year's Eve in Times Square with Dick Clark.
with Kool and the Gang, doin' my thing
Nas enjoys a good time with musicians like Kool and the Gang.
princess cut chains
Nas wears expensive, diamond chains.
I bend bitches like bike frames
Nas can get women to do what he wants.
my tight game will make Hilary leave Bill quick as lightning
Nas is charming enough to make Hilary Clinton leave Bill Clinton if he wanted to.
I'll have her wearin' tight jeans
Nas dresses women in tight jeans.
givin' nice brains in a white Range
Women who date Nas give head in his white Range Rover.
pullin' up to club life, turned her to a thug life dame
Nas attracts women to the thug life culture while arriving at the club.
I'm sayin', you rollin' with Nastradamus
Nas refers to himself as Nastradamus, predicting that he's going to be a huge star.
we flowin' to St. Thomas
Nas and his team relax in St. Thomas island.
jewelry box full of stones so I can change diamonds
Nas has a box full of diamonds to change and wear whenever he wants.
matchin' masterpieces on black sandy beaches
Nas wears matching clothes on black sandy beaches.
even the paparazzi tries to peep us
Even paparazzi tries to follow Nas and his team.
disguised with dark shades and fake beards
To avoid paparazzi's attention, Nas and his team wear dark shades and fake beards.
a lucky photographer noticed Tyra Banks here
A paparazzi recognized Tyra Banks with Nas and his team.
but I showed the tabloids bogus passports
Nas fooled the tabloids by showing them fake passports.
I told 'em back off before I flip like Castor Troy.
Nas warns the paparazzi to back off before he acts like Castor Troy from the movie Face/Off.
Live from the Bridge, cliques stay high from the iz'
Nas raps live from Queensbridge while everyone remains high.
wear the most popular shit, niggas knockin' my shit
Nas wears popular clothing and some people copy him.
Denali's, fat designed rims, 2000 S Benz
Nas and his friends drive expensive cars like a Denali, a Mercedes-Benz 2000S with fat rims.
watchin' ESPN with two dime lesbians
Nas watches ESPN with beautiful women.
I hit it of course, I did it to floss
Nas had sex with the beautiful women to show off.
the last Don, doin' hits like Pepe and Cross
Nas is a Don and makes big hits like Pepe and Cross do in sports.
Esco, cash long, niggas think I'm Blacula
Nas also goes by Esco and has a lot of money, like the fictional vampire Blacula.
'cause I'm in a castle with a bitch cold waxin' her
Nas stayed in a castle with a woman who was waxing herself.
I leave my teeth marks in hoes, scoop 'em like a spatula
Nas marks his territory and takes women like he would take food with a spatula.
pass 'em to my peoples and party like a Bachelor
Nas gives the women he took to his friends and they party like a bachelor party.
'till I meet a gangsta bitch, give her banks to hit
Nas will continue enjoying women until he meets a woman who enjoys the thug life culture.
in return all she wants to do is drink the dick
The gangsta woman will return Nas's favor by performing oral sex.
Fuck street clothes, we thug it out in Tuxedos
Nas and his team are classy even when being tough.
stomp niggas with hard bottoms in casinos
Nas and his team defeat their enemies even in casinos.
a Hundred Bravehearts vest' up, nigga reload
Nas's team of Bravehearts put on their vests and are ready to fight.
we keep low, Hundred Thousand bank ceelo
Nas and his team keep a low profile while making a lot of money.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Broma 16, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEN IFILL, NASIR JONES, ERNESTO SHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind