Surviving The Times - Nas

I was young, I was surviving the times
Waiting for my moment, I was destined to shine
Little Ray had an NSX, I was hoping I'm next
Wanting bracelets, never had a rope on my neck
Unless I was holding Taiyeh chain--Rest In Peace
Even though that night you flipped on us
You warned us If you came back and we still on the corners,
We goners, moving on to...
Move your arm in your watch To another time on the block
'Cause this 40 Side Where they say Shorty rhyme
Tragedy he used to come through all the time
I'm talking Juice Crew, not what the word define
He had a sister named Erin, for sure was fine
That was my first crush; I bought my first mic
I wrote my first verse, I was about nine
I was about mine, fantasize house-buying
Met Paul, he wore some big glasses
Him and Melquan took me where G Rap lived
I was happy, just getting some answers
I ain't even know what a record advance was
I'm seeing hoes sex in the studio bathroom
With rap dudes, thinking wow she moved me
Same girl then, right now's a groupie
Back then, she was like the star in the movie
Large jewelry and expensive Gucci
Next stop, Paid In Full posse recruits me
Knew they were some millionaires, their ropes were dookie
Eric B man looking like touch-it-he-shoot-me
You see, every time Ra didn't show
I get to record demos at attempts to blow
I wonder could they tell, how did they know
Sixteen years later, here I go

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]

I'm with Akinyele in the street, trying to get us a deal
G Rap tried to get us to sign to Cold Chill
But Fly Ty didn't have the contract we wanted
Clark Kent just signed Das, he didn't want us
Russell said I sounded like G, the nigga fronted
Reef and Matty C offered me a little money
Shit a little funny, feel a little laughter
Rebel of Hip-Hop coming through a white rapper
My boy MC Serch nevertheless
Took me to Columbia, back then CBS
Chris Schwartz, RuffHouse, he was the best man
Now bugging because the label had just dropped Def Jam
Could you picture Russell needing a check, man
But he smart, he plotted a plan for Polygram
Life is ill, again life's a movie
Then, the roster's: Cypress Hill, Nas, and Fugees
Before I sold records, no promotion
The rap world like, what's all this commotion
Went plat', mad bottles I'm toasting
20/20 hindsight, but how did they know then

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]

Invincible, lyrical, miracle man, huh
But back to the matter at hand
'Cause ten years ago we all strived to be twenty-five
Some cats didn't make it alive
Dated some stars but respect their privacy
Copped mad cars, laying back in the driver's seat
Held myself down, just steering the wheel
Here I am, completed my whole record deal

Cookin Soul - Nas, Big L, G Unit, Little Brother

Don't Hate Me Now - Nas

Escobar season has returned...

Its been a long time
been a long time comin'
Looks like the death of me now
But you know, there's no turning back now.
This is what makes me.
This is what I am.

Chorus:

You can hate me now (QB)
But I won't stop now (Real Niggas)
Cause I can't stop now (Bravehearts)
You can hate me now (C'mon)
But I won't stop now
Cause I can't stop now
You can hate me now
You can hate me nooow

Do it now, Do It now, do it now

Verse 1:

Don't hate me, hate the money I see, clothes that I buy
Ice that I wear, clothes that I try
Close your eyes, picture me rollin,
sixes, money foldin
Bitches honeys that swollen
the riches, nas get in ya
most critically acclaimed pulitzer prize winner
best storyteller thug narrator my style's greater
model dater, big threat to a lot of you haters
commentators bring aside try watchin my paper
almost a decade quite impressive
most of the best is in the essence
for this rap shit that I stand for
expanding more to the big screen
bill gates dreams
but it seems youd rather see me in jail
with state dreams
want me off the scene fast
but good things last
like your favorite m.c. still makin' some mean cash
first rapper to bring a platinum plaque
back to the projects
but you still wanna hate, be my guest
I suggest

Do it now

Chorus

Do it now, I told you do it now

Verse 2:

You wanna hate me then hate me
what can I do?
but keep gettin money
funny I was just like you
I had to hustle hard never give up
until I made it
now y'all sayin that's a clever nigga
nothing to play with
hate on me, I blew but I'm the same ol G
People warn me, when you're on top there's envy

took my niggas out the hood but you doubt on us
sayin' we left the hood
but can't get it out of us
My bad, should I step out my shoes
give 'em to you?
here's my car and my house
you can live in that too
criticize when I flow for the streets
hate my dress code
Gucci this, Fendi that
what you expect hoe
nickname esco
took this game to its threshold
best flow I bet the whole U.S. know
try to make it like you the realest
but who the illest?
think we all know the answer to that
cause niggas feel this right

Do it now

Chorus

Verse 3:

Its a thin line between paper and hate
friends and snakes, nine millis and thirty-eights
Hell or the pearly gates
I was destined to come
predicted, blame God, he blew breath in my lungs
second to none, wicked turn wives to widows
shoot through satin pillows, the desolate one
took a little time to claim my spot
chairman of the board until this game stop
and I side with the Lord
ride for the cause
while driving, niggas shot out my doors
plottin, I'm sure to catch me
with they glocks to my jaw
try stickin me up but I
but I flipped on these ducks
Instead of me
ambulances were picking them up niggas fear what they don't understand
hate what they can't conquer
guess its just a theory of man
became a monster, atop of the world
never fallin
I'm as real as they come
from day one, forever ballin
c'mon

Chorus (x2)
(Do it now, do it now)
(do it now, do it now)
(c'mon)
(Hate me now, hate me now)
(C'mon niggas, c'mon niggas)
(do it now, get the shit over with)
(it ain't gonna ever stop niggas)

Shakedown (Remix) - Nas feat. Akon & Ali Vegas

[Nas (Akon)]
Shakedown (Uh-oh-oh); Akon, Nas, here we go New York
(Uh-oh-oh) Here we go world, here we go y'all
(Uh-oh-oh, 'Cause it's a shakedown, uh-oh-oh)

[Ali Vegas]
The streets'll do whatever just to see me fail
Mama'll do whatever to keep free from jail
So she tellin' me to get my CDL
But papi said he got some things that we could sell
To turn the corner and to see VVS's
He said you liked girls to get beneath their dresses
You gon' need them SS's, VVS's, BBS's
Here go the keys to the Lexus (Uh-oh-oh)
Now I'm the center of attention like Kareem and them
My squad run around the borough like we Prem' and them
My gang with big truck, wifey's we beamin' them
Let's Esco, that tag team from Queens again
This is Shakedown, here go the breakdown
The big boys are back; 'lil niggaz get off the playground
I got up with the homey A now
The kid babies 'bout to make the Earth quake now

[Chorus: Akon (Nas)]
Uh-oh-oh, we back now
A bunch of gangsters strapped so make a way now
When they come wavin' them gats you know the lay down (Lay it down)
And give 'em all you got, 'cause it's a shakedown (Shakedown)
Uh-oh-oh, (New York to H-Town)
We back now (Here we go y'all)
A bunch of gangsters strapped so make a way now
When they come wavin' them gats you know the lay down
(Uh-oh, Nas and Akon, uh-oh, Nas and Akon)
And give 'em all you got, 'cause it's a shakedown
Uh-oh-oh, (Here we go)

[Nas]
My man was smart
Robbed the bank, buried the cash
Did ten years, came home and bought him a Jag
Other side of town, stick-up kids ride around
Young niggaz not prepared this time around
Walk in the jewelry store yellin', "Get on the floor"
Snatched the sales lady up, hit her with the bulldog
Grabbin' the ice, the heist went fast as the Vice
Had rushed in, bussin', could you imagine this life?
The streets come alive and laugh at your sorrows
Leavin' your soul hollow
That you fill it back up liquor bottles
Black Messiah had the jux, 20 ki's uncooked
Easy to push, some Japanese dealers were crooks
They leave niggaz eyes cut out; what it means to us
He seen too much, but we don't give a fuck
Black truck pull up to the door
Infa-green night vision lens we can see through the war
"Get on the floor"

[Chorus: Akon]
We back now
A bunch of gangsters strapped so make a way now
When they come wavin' them gats you know the lay down
And give 'em all you got, 'cause it's a shakedown
Uh-oh-oh
Do I make myself clear, uh-oh-oh

Nas feat. Will I Am - Hip Hop Is Dead

[Intro: Will.I.Am (Nas)]
Hip hop
Hip hop (Ugh!)
Is dead (Had to flip this track again, y'all!)
Hip-hip hop
Hip hop (Ugh!)
Is dead
Hip-hip hop (Ugh!)
Hip-hip hop...is dead (NYC! Dirty South!)
Hip-hip hop (West Coast!)
Hip hop (Midwest!)
Hip hop (Let's go!)

[Chorus: Nas]
If hip hop should die before I wake
I'll put an extended clip and body 'em all day!
Roll to every station, wreck the DJ!
Roll to every station, wreck the DJ!
If hip hop should die before I wake
I'll load an extended clip and body 'em all day!
Roll to every station, wreck the DJ!
Roll to every station, wreck the DJ!

[Will.I.Am:]
Hip hop just died this mornin'
And she's dead, she's dead

[Verse 1: Nas]
Yeah, people smoke, chill, party, and die in the same corner
Get cash, live fast, body their man's mama
Quick fast, trigger fingers, on the llama
Revenge in their eyes, Hennessy and the ganja
Word to the wise with villain state of minds
Grindin', hittin' Brazilian dimes from behind
Grindin', hittin' Brazilian dimes from behind
(Grindin', hittin' Brazilian dimes from behind)
Whenever, if ever, I roll up, it's sown up
Any ghetto will tell ya', Nas helped grow us up
My face once graced promotional Sony trucks
Hundred million and billin', I helped blow 'em up
Gave my man my right, I could have went left
So like my girl Foxy, the kid went Def/deaf
So people, who's your top ten?
Is it MC Shan? Is it MC Ren?

[Chorus]

[Bridge: Will.I.Am]
Hip hop just died this mornin'
And she's dead, she's dead

[Verse 2: Nas]
The bigger the cap, the bigger the peelin'
Come through, something ill, missin' the ceilin'
What influenced my raps? Stick-ups and killings
Kidnappings, project buildings, drug dealings
Criticize that, why is that?
'Cuz Nas rap is compared to legitimized crap
'Cuz we love to talk on nasty chickens
Most intellectuals will only half listen
So you can't blame jazz musicians
Or David Stern with his NBA fashion issues
Oh, I they like me, in my white tee
You can't ice me � we here for life, B!
On my second marriage, hip hop's my first wifey
And for that, we not takin' it lightly
If hip hop should die, we die together
Bodies in the morgue lie together
All together now!

[Chorus]

[Bridge: Will.I.Am]
Hip hop just died this mornin'
Hip hop just died this mornin'
Hip hop just died this mornin'
And she's dead, she's dead

[Beats stops]

[Crowd chants "Hip hop!" before and during all of Verse 3]

[Verse 3: Nas]
Everybody sound the same, commercialize the game
Reminiscin' when it wasn't all business
It forgot where it started
So we all gather here for the dearly departed
Hip-hopper since a toddler
One homeboy became a man, then a mobster
If it dies, let me get my last swig of Vodka
R.I.P., we'll donate your lungs to a rasta!
[Beats starts up again]
Went from turntables to MP3's
From "Beat Street" to commercials on Mickey D's
From gold cables to Jacobs
From plain facials to Botox and face lifts
I'm lookin' over my shoulder
It's about eighty people from my hood that showed up
And they came to show love
Sold out concert and the doors are closed shut

Kanye West feat. Nas, KRS-One and Rakim - Classic

[Kanye West:]
Can’t buy this, superflyness, like a shyness, your highness
It’s performin’, look how long the line is
That’s what happens when you make shit that’s timeless
That’s what happens these rappers is the pioneers
What do it take to be a legend like Nas is?
That’s so novice, I’m so polished, I got a right to be a little bit snobbish
I did a little bit of college, semesters it took 2 like Rob Base
To let me figure out this wasn’t my place, the beat slowed til’ you listened to my pace
Cuz I be killin’ shit, but that’s evident, and y’all feelin’ it, but I expected it
If it’s classic it’s gonna last forever than I’m everywhere you never been and better than I ever been

[Nas:]
Perseverance, see the fake hustler rapper to them it hurts to hear this
O you went platinum – yeah that’s nice, now let me see you do the same thing twice
New times, 4 times, then been a couple of more times, please your amateur night is show time
It’s one life to live so live it the best you can, the world could use one less man
Not enough air, not enough car factories to manufacture new vehicles sedans and vans
When they do make the whip you like ya chips ain’t right, by the time you could afford it the car ain’t important
In the streets silent, it’s just I and - cops keep firin’ in my environment
Leavin’ your slum when they drive home far from the hood brothers they eager to jump on
I like to be the wall that they post up on, I like to see them fall, guilty for doing wrong
I’m classic like the Air Ones, the Hustler shoe, that’s what I’m accustomed to

[KRS One:]
How many y’all got criminal minded you you you y’all don’t be blinded
Me I got no jewels on my neck, why – I don’t need ‘em I got your respect
KRS 1 20 years I rock I do it for JMJ and Scott LaRock – this hip hop
And we’s a nation, don’t you want to hear more KRS on your radio station?
Instead of broadcasting how we smokin’ trees, on the radio we need to hear more local MC’s
Where you at? Come on where you at? This is the difference between MC’ing and rap
Rappers spit rhymes that are mostly illegal, MC’s spit rhymes to uplift they people
Peace, love, unity, and Havin’ fun, these are the lyrics of KRS One

[Rakim:]
Is y’all ready for Twenty-0-7, it’s now another drought
Everyone’s a killer, wow we buggin out
Since 86 showin the crowd what I’m about
And they still want to know when the album comin’ out
Ask the teenagers, O’Gs and Ask the kids
What they definition of Classic is
Timeless, cause age don’t count in the booth
And your flow stays submerged in the fountain of youth
And no doubt the truth I’m off the meters
Everybody co-signing even non-believers
I came in the door, became one of y’alls leaders
In the fresh pair of Air Force One sneakers
Uptown we call ‘em uppies when they on divas
Prolly worn when KRS One teaches
Nas, made you look, before the haters
I bet you Kan had ‘em on when he walked with Jesus
This is classic

Blindfold me - Kelis feat. Nas

[Chorus:]
When he want it he blindfolds me
Then I get sexy on him, get sexy on him, like
[Repeat 2x]

Told him what I like
When he heat it up at night
Made him stand behind my door and watch me (uh uh uh)
And I couldn't believe the type
He was saying all the right,
Whispers gettin' mami right, I was (uh uh uh)
So I had to get the ice
Homie wanna fly the kite
Had to show him what a pro I was (uh uh uh)
I was headed for the light
He refused to take a bite
Till I put my blindfolders on
I'm saying something like

[Bridge:]
You just taking it all, what's gon' be left for me
I told you get it, but you're taking it all from me

[Chorus:]
When he want it he blindfolds me
Then I get sexy on him, get sexy on him, like
[Repeat 4x]

Hold up
Let me take this off
Just to see where I can catch my breath at all.
Hold up
You got a pretty strong team
Got somethin on the bench that Kelis ain't seen
Hold up
Why you treat me like that
Bout the 3rd or 4th time you ain't had to do that
Hold up
Won't you let me cheat once
And I promise you won't never make me keep this on

[Bridge:]
You just taking it all, what's gon' be left for me
I told you get it, but you're taking it all from me

[Chorus:]
When he want it he blindfolds me
Then I get sexy on him, get sexy on him, like
[Repeat 4x]

[Nas:]
The last thing you get
Is a blindfold and a cigarette
You willing to bet
Like an ocean cruise
Mami, I'm so addictive
How long I('ve) been stroking you gives you motion sickness
Grant your wishes
I leave you four senses
Smelling, feeling, tasting, and hearing
One minute I'm gone
Next I'm reappearing
The bed is the bentley
I'm doing the steering
I got your eyes in the veil
With your hands all over my tattoos
Like your reading the braile
Like my wine
With a spicy aftertaste
Though you fine
I like to cover up half your face
If you blind and can't see
What I'm bout to do
The suspense so intense won't allow you to move
Gonna surprise you
Like Hugh Grant in 8 and a half weeks
Kelis and Nasty

[Bridge:]
You just taking it all, what's gon' be left for me
I told you get it, but you're taking it all from me

[Chorus:]
When he want it he blindfolds me
Then I get sexy on him, get sexy on him, like
[Repeat 8x]