Success
Nas Jay Z Lyrics
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What are you gonna to do now?
How are you gonna kill it?
You're gonna become unsuccessful?
Frank, you can be successful and have enemies, uh
Be unsuccessful too, and you can have friends
I got these niggas, Breezy, don't worry 'bout it
I used to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less
What do I think of success
It sucks, too much stress
I guess I blew up quick, 'cause friends I grew up with
See me as a premie but I'm not and my nuts big
I don't know what the fuss is
My cribs illustrious
My rep is impeccable
I'm not to be fucked with, with
Shit, let that bitch breath
I'm way to important to be talking 'bout extorting
Asking me for a portion is like asking for a coffin
Broad day light I off your on switch
You're not too bright, goodnight, long kiss
Bye, bye, my reply, blah, blah
Blast burner, then pass burner to Ty-Ty
Finish my breakfast, why?
I got an appetite for destruction and you're a small fry
Now where was I?
Let that bitch breathe
I used to give a shit, now I don't give a shit more
Truth be told, I had more fun when I was piss poor
I'm pissed off
This what success all about?
A bunch of niggas acting like bitches with big mouths
All this stress, all I got is this big house
Couple cars, I don't bring half them shits out
All of this Ace of Spade I drank just to piss out
I mean, I like the taste, could've saved myself 6 hours
How many times can I go to Mr. Chow's, Tao's, Nobu?
Hold up, lemme move my bowels
I'll shit on y'all niggas, OG tell these boys
(Y'all ain't about to shit on my nigga)
I got watches I ain't seen in months
Apartment at the Trump, I only slept in once
Niggas said Hova was over, such dummies
Even If I fell I'll land on a bunch of money
Y'all ain't got nothing for me
Nas, let that bitch breathe
Success, McLaren, women staring
My villain appearance
Sacred blood of a king and my vein ain't spilling
Ghetto Othello, Sugar Hill Romello
Camaro driven, I climax from paper
Then ask, "Why is life worth living?"
Is it to hunt for the shit that you want?
To receives great, but I lust giving
The best jewelers wanna make my things
I make Jacob shit on Lorraine just to make me a chain
Niggas mentioned the One Love
Came home to paper in hand
Ain't gotta brag about the Feds, young man
Old cribs I sold, y'all drive by like monuments
Google Earth Nas, I got flats in other continents
Worst enemies wanna be my best friends
Best friends wanna be enemies like that's whats in
But I don't give a fuck, walk inside the lion's den
Take everybody's chips, 'bout to cash them in
Up your catalog, dawg, mine's worth too much
Like Mike Jacks ATV pub, Mottola can't touch
Let this bitch breathe
Let this bitch breathe
In the song "Success," Nas and Jay Z discuss the burden of success and the pressure that comes with it. The lyrics suggest that even though being successful comes with enemies and stress, it is still better than being unsuccessful and having friends. Jay Z's verse is particularly candid as he reflects on the downsides of success, including the constant attention and pressure from others. He even admits to feeling disillusioned with success, saying, "What do I think of success? It sucks, too much stress."
Despite the bleak outlook on success, the chorus repeats the phrase "let that bitch breathe," a metaphor for allowing success the space to thrive and reach its full potential. The lyrics also touch on themes of loyalty and power, with Jay Z claiming he has the upper hand in his relationships and can control the situation.
Overall, "Success" is a powerful commentary on the struggle for success and the pitfalls that come with it. The song is a reminder that even though success may seem glamorous from the outside, it often comes at a cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Your success took a shot at you
Your own success is causing you problems
What are you gonna to do now?
What actions will you take to overcome the problems caused by your success?
How are you gonna kill it?
How will you overcome the problems caused by your success?
You're gonna become unsuccessful?
Are you willing to give up your success to avoid the problems that come with it?
Frank, you can be successful and have enemies, uh
Being successful doesn't necessarily mean that you have the support of everyone around you
Be unsuccessful too, and you can have friends
Having less success can sometimes lead to more genuine relationships
I got these niggas, Breezy, don't worry 'bout it
I have control over my enemies and their actions
Let that bitch breath
Allow things to happen naturally and without interference
I used to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less
I used to care about things that don't matter anymore
What do I think of success
My perception of success
It sucks, too much stress
Success can often come with excessive and unwanted stress
I guess I blew up quick, 'cause friends I grew up with
My rapid success caused some friends to view me differently
See me as a premie but I'm not and my nuts big
My friends see me as less mature than I actually am
I don't know what the fuss is
I don't understand why people are making such a big deal about my success
My cribs illustrious
My homes are impressive
My rep is impeccable
My reputation is flawless
I'm not to be fucked with, with
I am not to be underestimated or taken lightly
Shit, let that bitch breath
Allow things to happen naturally and without interference
I'm way to important to be talking 'bout extorting
I am too busy and successful to be involved in illegal activities
Asking me for a portion is like asking for a coffin
Requesting a share of my success is equivalent to asking for death
Broad day light I off your on switch
I can take out my enemies in broad daylight
You're not too bright, goodnight, long kiss
My enemies are not very smart and are easily defeated
Bye, bye, my reply, blah, blah
I am uninterested in engaging in further conversation with my enemies
Blast burner, then pass burner to Ty-Ty
I will use my gun to neutralize my enemies and then pass it to my associate Ty-Ty
Finish my breakfast, why?
I have more important things to do than worry about my enemies
I got an appetite for destruction and you're a small fry
I crave success and will stop at nothing to achieve it, whereas my enemies are minor obstacles
Now where was I?
What was I doing? What was my point?
I used to give a shit, now I don't give a shit more
I cared about things that don't matter, now I don't care even more
Truth be told, I had more fun when I was piss poor
I enjoyed life more before I became successful
I'm pissed off
I am angry and frustrated
This what success all about?
Is this really what success is supposed to feel like?
A bunch of niggas acting like bitches with big mouths
People are acting like drama queens and making a big deal out of nothing
All this stress, all I got is this big house
Despite my success, all I have to show for it is a big house and a lot of stress
Couple cars, I don't bring half them shits out
I have multiple cars but don't even use half of them
All of this Ace of Spade I drank just to piss out
I consumed a lot of expensive alcohol just to excrete it later
I mean, I like the taste, could've saved myself 6 hours
I enjoyed the alcohol, but it wasn't worth the time and money spent on it
How many times can I go to Mr. Chow's, Tao's, Nobu?
How many times can I eat at expensive restaurants before it becomes pointless?
Hold up, lemme move my bowels
Wait a moment, I need to use the restroom
I'll shit on y'all niggas, OG tell these boys
I will defeat my enemies and emerge victorious
(Y'all ain't about to shit on my nigga)
My friends and associates are loyal to me and will defend me against my enemies
I got watches I ain't seen in months
I have so many possessions that some go unnoticed for long periods of time
Apartment at the Trump, I only slept in once
I have an apartment in a Trump building that I hardly use
Niggas said Hova was over, such dummies
People underestimated me and thought I was past my prime, but they were wrong
Even If I fell I'll land on a bunch of money
Even if I were to fail, I would still have a lot of money and resources
Y'all ain't got nothing for me
My enemies are insignificant and pose no threat to me
Success, McLaren, women staring
My success has brought me expensive cars and the attention of women
My villain appearance
My public persona is that of a villain or anti-hero
Sacred blood of a king and my vein ain't spilling
I come from a royal lineage but have not spilled any blood in battle
Ghetto Othello, Sugar Hill Romello
I am a combination of literary characters Othello and Romeo, from two different neighborhoods
Camaro driven, I climax from paper
I find excitement and satisfaction in accumulating wealth
Then ask, 'Why is life worth living?'
Despite my success, I still struggle with existential questions about the purpose of life
Is it to hunt for the shit that you want?
Is the purpose of life to relentlessly pursue what we desire?
To receives great, but I lust giving
While I enjoy receiving, I find greater satisfaction in giving to others
The best jewelers wanna make my things
Even the most prestigious jewelers want to create items for me
I make Jacob shit on Lorraine just to make me a chain
I have the power and influence to make well-known jewelers compete for my business
Niggas mentioned the One Love
People talk about my successful song 'One Love'
Came home to paper in hand
I profited greatly from my success
Ain't gotta brag about the Feds, young man
I don't need to boast about my connections with the FBI or other powerful entities, as most people already know
Old cribs I sold, y'all drive by like monuments
The homes I used to live in are now viewed as historic landmarks or monuments to my success.
Google Earth Nas, I got flats in other continents
I have homes in different countries that can be seen on Google Earth
Worst enemies wanna be my best friends
Even my enemies secretly want to be close to me and enjoy the benefits of my success
Best friends wanna be enemies like that's whats in
My closest associates sometimes become jealous and resentful of my success
But I don't give a fuck, walk inside the lion's den
I am fearless and willing to confront my enemies head-on, even in dangerous situations
Take everybody's chips, 'bout to cash them in
I am about to collect all of my winnings and cash in on my success
Up your catalog, dawg, mine's worth too much
My collection of songs and other works is so valuable that I am challenging others to increase their own value
Like Mike Jacks ATV pub, Mottola can't touch
Referencing Michael Jackson's ownership of ATV Music Publishing, making it clear that even powerful music executives like Mottola cannot surpass my success
Let this bitch breathe
Allow things to happen naturally and without interference
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Nasir Jones, Larry Ellis, Shawn C. Carter, Ernest Dion Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind