Family
Nas (and MF Doom) Lyrics


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[Mobb Deep]
Yo

Dunn you fam to me, and only family
That can get that close to me
Keep it type strong
Blowing green that's keeping us going
Allah Havoc getting right, on them 747

[Chorus]
Dunn you fam to me, and only family
That can get that close to me
Keep it type strong
Blowing green that's keeping us going
Unconditional love showing

Yo, yo, yo, yo
Forty decide, on the First side right

[Havoc]
Me and my Dunns come from the slums
You can't take the slums out my Dunns
And that's how it is, that's how we live
Sometimes I find myself wearing the same shit for days
Not caring, bout what they gon' think or say
I got that, "I don't give a fuck" in me, it's stuck in me
That's how I 'vantage over y'all niggas, y'all too pretty
We too gritty, like Sanford and Son (what)
Too grimy like Pigpen with jewels on
See we the top rap niggas, the Q-Dogs
You got a lot of nerve, putting out them songs
Knowing that my niggas come strong, so let's get it on
We just getting warm, Operation "Quiet Storm"
Silent wars or we silence the fours
Half P and I's got it in the smash for sure
Now it's movies and soundtracks
This is where your career stop at

[Nas]
Hey yo I drink to that
I'm like a dictionary, y'all rappers exam me
You ballet? They read your obituary, in front your family
You should idolize Nas in the flesh
Don't wait til I'm dead, to say I was the best, no doubt
We shot hoops with coat hangers, got loot with dope-slangers
Sold soap to strangers, joked with danger
Rob prostitutes, dodge cops in hot pursuit
Bought weight from rosters, travel hot routes
O.T. commute back and forth
Tell shorty get that package off
Fuck being trapped up North, being told where to eat and shit
Caught a case then I beat the shit
Thieves on the block flash badges, nylon jackets
Big white boys with guns yelling, "Freeze black kids!"
Got my niggas in the pen, eating octopus
Wishing they was on the blocks with us
To watch me and P do it (uh) put the heat to it (uh)
Put it out, first day, the whole street knew it
Bitches, hold they pussies and bop to the music
And think deep to it, now who the truest?

[Mobb Deep]
Yo

Dunn you fam to me, and only family
That can get that close to me
Keep it type strong
Blowing green that's keeping us going
Allah Havoc getting right, on them 747

[Chorus: x2]

Are you fam to me, and only fam to me
That can get that close to me
Keep it type strong

[Prodigy]
Dirty fingernails, reachin in my pocket pullin knots out
I daydream of better days, in different ways
Out this lifestyle we live, iced out with the big fifth
That's why the burnt leather lean to the left
Even though we gained cash on fish
I'm trapped on reason bein we ain't all rich
And I'ma be that same nigga for the door
And I'ma still walk the same path, we soon clash
We get stacks, you do the math
We pound niggas out, walk away and laugh
Fresh from out the lab, P and Nastradamus kid
Rap niggaz shit they drawers

[Nas]
Yo they probably did
I air condition y'all niggas, my prediction is you rewind this
Your highness, Q-Boro's finest
Click your Timbs three times, the wizard is Nas
Grant you a wish, you get rich while listening hard
To my thugs in the prison yard, bench-pressing 200 pounds and up
Feeling like you down on your luck
Raise up, I feel your pain, hit the law library
Appeal the game, all eyes on me
Restrained from, being looked at, as uncivilized
We epitomize thug song, y'all niggas get mad
Jealous rappers is puss, ain't got no style
No heart and no look, shook
Get stole on, my niggas move right in the moonlight
Y'all niggas get done, I pee on them son, they a small issue
We too official, blue steel pistols
Teflon vests, it's no contest we hit you

[Mobb Deep]
Dunn you fam to me, and only family
That can get that close to me
Keep it type strong
Blowing green that's keeping us going
Unconditional love showing

Yo, yo, yo, yo
Forty decide, Forty-First side right

Yeah you know what I'm sayin? Not for nothing baby
You know what I'm sayin want to give a shout out to my peoples
You know what I mean? Gamble, Ill Will
Killa Black, my brother
It's never gonna be another
Word up





Yeah, you know how we do things

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Family" by Nas and MF Doom celebrate the enduring bond and brotherhood that exists between friends who have grown up in the same deprived neighborhoods, shared the same struggles and survived the same challenges. The song is primarily about finding solace and companionship in the people that you know you can trust and those that have been there for you through thick and thin. The chorus, which is repeated throughout the song, reinforces the idea that true family are the people that are closest to you and always have your back.


The verses of the song delve deeper into the lives of the artists and the people around them. They describe the harsh realities of life on the streets, the sense of brotherhood and camaraderie that come with it, as well as the hardships and struggles that they have had to face. Nas, in particular, talks about his personal experiences with crime and how he and his friends used to go to extremes to make a living. He also pays tribute to his fellow rappers and friends who have been incarcerated and how he continues to hold them close in his heart.


The song Family is an excellent representation of Nas and MF Doom's approach to hip hop, which focuses on authenticity, storytelling and honesty. The artists do not shy away from talking about their struggles with crime and poverty, nor do they glorify it. Instead, they present it as a reality that they have lived. The song is an acknowledgement of the experiences that have shaped the artists and the friends around them.




Lyrics © Roba Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: TOMMY JOHNSON, JEROD MANKIN, MARTY MCCOY, SHAUN MCCOY, MIKE STEELE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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