Halftime
dj j. period Lyrics

Check me out y'all, Nasty Nas in your area
Introducing himself as Nasty Nas, he is about to make a big impact in the area

Before a blunt, I take out my fronts Then I start to front, matter of fact, I be on a manhunt
He removes his fake teeth before smoking weed, and then shows off and searches for someone to challenge him

You couldn't catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer That's like Malcolm X catching the Jungle Fever
He always has marijuana with him and not having it would be as uncommon as Malcolm X enjoying jungle music

King poetic, too much flavor, I'm major Atlanta and braver, I pull a number like a pager
He is the king of poetry and has a unique style that makes him stand out. He is bold and confident, pulling out women's numbers with ease

Cause I'm am ace when I face the bass 40 side is the place that is giving me grace
He is a master when it comes to rapping on a bass-heavy beat and his hometown is what inspires him

Now wait, another dose and you might be dead And I'm a Nike head, I wear chains that excite the feds
He warns that taking too much of his music can be dangerous, and he loves Nike shoes and flashy jewelry that attracts attention from the police

And ain't' a damn thing gonna change I'm a perform a strange show the mic wonder was born the game?
He's not going to change for anyone, and he will continue to put on a unique performance that showcases his skills. He wonders if he was born to be a master of the microphone

Nas, why did you do it You know you got the mad fat fluid when you rhyme, it's halftime
Someone asks Nas why he's so good at rapping, and they acknowledge that he's incredible and it's only halftime

It's halftime
Referring to the halfway mark of a game, he's saying that he's just getting started and he's already dominating

It's like that, you know it's like that I got at him, now you never get the mic back
He's saying that he's just getting started and he's already dominating. Once he starts rapping, there's no getting the microphone back from him

When I attack, there ain't an army that could strike back So I react never calmly on a hype track
He's so good at rapping that no one could ever challenge him. He reacts passionately when rapping on a track

I'm max like cassettes, I flex like sex In your stereo sets, Nas will catch wreck
He's referring to his domination in the music industry, comparing himself to the popularity of cassettes and the excitement of sex. He'll damage anyone on their own stereo sets

I drop jewels, wear jewels to never run it Wit more kicks than a baby in a mother's stomach
He drops knowledge and wears expensive jewelry without ever showing off. He has more shoes than an unborn baby would ever need

Nasty Nas has to rise, kid, surprise This is exercise til the microphone dies
He's saying that he has to continue rising to the top and surprising people with his skills. He views rapping as an exercise and will continue until he can no longer perform

Back in '83, I was an MC sparking But I was too scared to grab the mic's in the park and
He's reminiscing on his past, admitting that he was once afraid to perform in front of people

Kick my little raps 'cause I thought niggas wouldn't understand And now in every jam I'm the fucking man
He used to think that his raps were too small for people to appreciate, but now he's the center of attention in every performance

I hate a rhyme biter's rhyme Stay tuned, Nas, soon the real rap comes at halftime
He's against copying other people's words and styles. He promises that the true art of rapping will be revealed in the second half of his career

I got it going on, even flip 'em on this song Every afternoon, I kick half the tune
He's boasting about how he's doing great and he'll even show off on this track. He practices his craft every day

And in the darkness, I'm heartless like when the narcs hit Word to Marcus Garvey or heartless Sparkton
He's saying that when things are at their worst, he's still hard and unaffected. He references famous activists Marcus Garvey and Heartless Sparkton to emphasize this

'cause when I blast the herb, that's my word I be slaying them fast, doing this, that in the third
He's saying that when he smokes weed, he performs better than ever before. His rhymes come quickly and easily

But chill, past the entree and let's lay I bag bitches up at John Jay and hit a matinee
He wants to relax, eat some food, and relax with some women before watching a movie

Putting hits on 5-0 Cause when it's my time to go, I wait for God wit the fo-fo
He's saying that he's not afraid of going to jail or death, and he's willing to stand up to the police. When he dies, he'll meet God with his gun in hand

And biters can't come near And yo, go to hell to the foul cop who shot Garcia
He's saying that people who copy his style can never be as good as him. He also sends a message to a cop for shooting someone

I won't plant seeds, don't need an extra mouth I can't feed That's extra Phillie change, more cash for that weed
He doesn't want to have children because he can't afford to feed them. He'd rather spend the money on his weed

This goes out to Manhattan, the island of Staten Brooklyn, Queens is living fat and The Boogie Down, enough props, enough clout I'll will, rest in peace, yo, I'm out
He's giving a shout-out to different areas of New York City and acknowledging their success. He ends the track by saying goodbye

It's still halftime
He's reminding us that he's just getting started and there's more to come