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..
nothin lasts forever
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But, yo if you got a plan, believe me you gon' get there
You gon' get everything you ever wanted baby
That's my word
Trust, my niggas come home from long bids
They check for me before they see their own kids
I open up accounts for 'em, we bounce tourin'
Cop Ferrari's with navigational screens
Guide us through your hood and any locality, head back to Queens
Piped out seats, Oakwood MB cord speakers
Bumpin' out old shit
That made me think of Old Easters '86 in a Le Tigre short sleeves
Lees, flip the cuffs up, gettin' fucked up
From Old E, Fresh Fest, niggas got hurt
100 niggas rush the door with Queensbridge tournament shirts
Back then, nobody wore a vest
Pull out razors, you had to put your hand skills to the test
Get your Pumas took, come home barefoot willin'
Look at the chain, I snatched with a medallion worth a thousand
Cops rushed the garden made it home smilin'
Half of the crew probably on the island
Project call play puff ball the hoop was made out of a hanger
Playin' corners stick the elevator never thought
Project life was promised nothin' but to die trife
For steppin' on the next man's Nikes, my motto look for tomorrow
Today is yesterday look at the hood now, I'm mad that it turned out that way
Gats spray these shorties is killers
The older G's taught us well, what's wild now is that they're smaller
And they look at me like I'm on the outside lookin' in
Like 'who's you' when I cruise through
I call shorty took him in watch your friends, get ends
Be clever, realize that today's the first day that begins forever
Everything will eventually come to an end
So try to savor the moment, 'cause time flies, don't it?
The beauty of life, you gotta make it last for the better
'Cause nothin' lasts forever you know
Everything will eventually come to an end
So try to savor the moment, 'cause time flies, don't it?
The beauty of life, you gotta make it last for the better
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
Nice cars, livin' like a star club hoppin'
Poppin' bottles at the bar love shoppin'
Gucci, Iceberg, coppin' two, three nice furs
One for your wife, one for your freak silver spurs
Rolls Royce too good to be true, houses worth 2.2
Pool parties beautiful view
You made it in life, Forbes Magazine style baggy jeans style
Pass the green while hoes wit' meanwhile
Asses, pretty mommies illest bodies pass glasses
Louis Roderra with Peach Schnapps you just relaxin'
Thinkin', "Damn, wish my niggas could afford this"
On the sand at your Malibu house holdin' a cordless
Talkin' to lawyers accountants investments
Money doubles, triples protected hard work you manifested
Worries of failure, when you buried with your familia
Keep your name prosperin' to the maximum
You should live, there's only one life that's the physical
Rich or poor in jail why the fuck should you be miserable
Things happen for reasons, the clock keeps tickin'
Love could have your heart beat skippin', thugs turn to religion
The bitch you love could start to hate you
The shit you use to do escape you
Things that make you laugh represent the past
Reminisce the block gamble gees on the floor
Niggas use to be the man, you don't see 'em no more
Your favorite restaurants and favorite stores, they tore 'em down
Turned 'em into shopping malls the hood is like a ghost town
Haunted by souls who thought that time stood still
Just live your life to the fullest, never look back, it's real
Everything will eventually come to an end
So try to savor the moment, 'cause time flies, don't it?
The beauty of life, you gotta make it last for the better
'Cause nothin' lasts forever you know
Everything will eventually come to an end
So try to savor the moment, 'cause time flies, don't it?
The beauty of life, you gotta make it last for the better
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
Ya know, ya know, nothin' lasts forever ya know
Let it go, let it go
The song "Nothing Lasts Forever" by NickT featuring BIG and 2Pac is a powerful testament to the transience of life and the importance of embracing each moment. The first verse of the song expresses the idea that even when life seems uncertain and success feels out of reach, having a plan and believing in oneself can lead to achieving one's goals. The second verse reflects on the past and the experiences that made the artists who they are today. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of early struggles in Queensbridge that were marked by violence and poverty.
The chorus emphasizes the idea that everything comes to an end eventually and we should make the most of the time we have. It encourages the listener to savor each moment and make life beautiful because, in the end, nothing lasts forever. The third verse is a reflection on success and how achieving it can offer material pleasures, but it is ultimately fleeting. The lyrics reflect the dangers of focusing too much on material possessions and the importance of valuing relationships and experiences.
In summary, "Nothing Lasts Forever" is a powerful reminder that life is short, and we should do our best to live it to the fullest while we can. The lyrics are reflective, poignant, and emotional, highlighting the struggles and triumphs that make up the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
A lot of times it seems like, you ain't gon' make it where you wanna be in life
It can be difficult to achieve your dreams and goals in life.
But, yo if you got a plan, believe me you gon' get there
With a well thought out plan, success is achievable.
You gon' get everything you ever wanted baby
Success brings with it the fulfillment of all your desires.
That's my word
I promise this is true.
Trust, my niggas come home from long bids
My close friends who have served time in prison trust and depend on me.
They check for me before they see their own kids
My friends prioritize their loyalty to me over even their own family.
I open up accounts for 'em, we bounce tourin'
I help my friends establish financial stability, and together we travel the world performing.
Major cities, arenas, headline with big time singers
We have become successful enough to perform in large venues with famous musicians.
Cop Ferrari's with navigational screens
We have even acquired expensive, luxury sports cars with advanced technology.
Guide us through your hood and any locality, head back to Queens
We confidently navigate through any neighborhood without fear, and always return to where we come from.
Piped out seats, Oakwood MB cord speakers
Our cars have been customized to have premium seats and high-quality sound systems.
Bumpin' out old shit, That made me think of Old Easters '86 in a Le Tigre short sleeves
We listen to classic songs that remind us of specific memories from our past, like an Easter in 1986 when we wore specific clothing.
From Old E, Fresh Fest, niggas got hurt
We remember specific events we attended where people got injured, like the Old E and Fresh Fest.
100 niggas rush the door with Queensbridge tournament shirts
We recall a time when 100 people forcefully entered a place wearing shirts that represented our neighborhood.
Back then, nobody wore a vest
During that time, people did not wear bulletproof vests as a protective measure.
Pull out razors, you had to put your hand skills to the test
Weapons like razors were used during fights, and physical fighting skills were important for survival.
Get your Pumas took, come home barefoot willin'
Shoes, like Pumas, were often stolen during fights, so people would have to return home without shoes.
Look at the chain, I snatched with a medallion worth a thousand
I remember a time when I stole a valuable chain with a medallion.
Cops rushed the garden made it home smilin'
Despite getting into altercations with police, we still made it home safe and happy.
Half of the crew probably on the island
Some of our friends are likely incarcerated on Rikers Island.
Project call play puff ball the hoop was made out of a hanger
We played games like puff ball with makeshift equipment, like a hanger.
Project life was promised nothin' but to die trife
Living in public housing was not an easy life, and often ended in tragedy.
For steppin' on the next man's Nikes, my motto look for tomorrow
Conflict over material possessions, like shoes, was common back then, but my motto was to always look forward to the future.
Today is yesterday look at the hood now, I'm mad that it turned out that way
Looking back at how our neighborhood has changed makes me upset about the current state.
Gats spray these shorties is killers
There are now young people in our community who are capable of committing violent crimes.
The older G's taught us well, what's wild now is that they're smaller
The older generation taught us how to survive in this environment, but it is now surprising to see how younger people are smaller in size but more dangerous.
And they look at me like I'm on the outside lookin' in
Despite being from this community, some people now view me as an outsider.
Like 'who's you' when I cruise through
When I come around now, people ask 'who are you?'
I call shorty took him in watch your friends, get ends
I try to help younger people, like 'shorties', by giving them opportunities to make money, but I also caution them to be mindful of their friends.
Be clever, realize that today's the first day that begins forever
My advice to young people is to be smart, and to understand that the choices they make today will impact their life forever.
Everything will eventually come to an end
All things, good or bad, have a finite life span.
So try to savor the moment, 'cause time flies, don't it?
Appreciate the present, because time passes quickly.
The beauty of life, you gotta make it last for the better
Make the most of the precious gift of life for yourself and those around you.
'Cause nothin' lasts forever you know
Remember that all things have an end.
Nice cars, livin' like a star club hoppin'
Enjoying the luxuries of wealth and fame, such as expensive cars and clubbing.
Gucci, Iceberg, coppin' two, three nice furs
Purchasing designer clothing, like Gucci and Iceberg, along with luxurious fur coats.
One for your wife, one for your freak silver spurs
Having one fur coat for your significant other, and another for a casual partner.
Rolls Royce too good to be true, houses worth 2.2
Owning a luxurious Rolls Royce car and expensive houses valued at 2.2 million dollars.
Pool parties beautiful view
Hosting parties in beautiful locations with pools and scenic views.
You made it in life, Forbes Magazine style baggy jeans style
Achieving financial success, being recognized in prestigious publications like Forbes Magazine, and still dressing in casual, baggy clothing.
Pass the green while hoes wit' meanwhile
Sharing marijuana with friends while simultaneously enjoying the company of women.
Louis Roderra with Peach Schnapps you just relaxin'
Enjoying leisurely moments with upscale drinks like Louis Roderra champagne and Peach Schnapps.
Thinkin', "Damn, wish my niggas could afford this"
Feeling grateful for financial success, but also wishing that friends who may be less fortunate could enjoy it too.
On the sand at your Malibu house holdin' a cordless
Relaxing at a beachfront house in Malibu while holding a cordless phone.
Talkin' to lawyers accountants investments
Discussing legal and financial matters with professionals to ensure successful investments.
Money doubles, triples protected hard work you manifested
Making wise investments for financial success and protecting the hard work that got you there.
Worries of failure, when you buried with your familia
Fear of losing financial success when you eventually pass away and leave behind your family.
Keep your name prosperin' to the maximum
Ensure that your reputation and legacy continue to thrive after you have gone.
You should live, there's only one life that's the physical
It is important to live life to the fullest because we only have one physical life.
Rich or poor in jail why the fuck should you be miserable
Regardless of financial status or imprisonment, there is no reason to live an unhappy life.
Things happen for reasons, the clock keeps tickin'
Believing everything happens for a reason, and that time keeps moving forward.
Love could have your heart beat skippin', thugs turn to religion
The emotions of love can cause your heart to skip a beat, and even those with violent histories can turn to faith.
The bitch you love could start to hate you
Even the person you love most can suddenly begin to hate you.
The shit you use to do escape you
Sometimes the things you did in the past to escape your problems do not work anymore.
Things that make you laugh represent the past
Nostalgic moments that make you laugh often represent memories from the past.
Reminisce the block gamble gees on the floor
Remembering times when you would gamble with your friends on the street and win money.
Niggas use to be the man, you don't see 'em no more
Reflecting on people from your past who were once successful and now are no longer seen around the neighborhood.
Your favorite restaurants and favorite stores, they tore 'em down
Places that were once your favorites, like restaurants and stores, have been torn down or closed.
Turned 'em into shopping malls the hood is like a ghost town
These places have often been replaced by shopping malls, leaving the neighborhood feeling deserted.
Haunted by souls who thought that time stood still
The spirit of past residents who assumed life in the neighborhood would never change still lingers.
Just live your life to the fullest, never look back, it's real
Advice to simply live life fully and not dwell on the past.
Ya know, ya know, nothin' lasts forever ya know
Repeating the idea that all things come to an end, no matter what.
Let it go, let it go
Let go of your attachment to things or situations that you cannot control.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Leshan Lewis, Nasir Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind