Nas - The Lost Tapes 2 Album Lyrics

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No Bad Energy

I'm oblivious to you skeptics
What you hear you ain't ever hear 'til I repped it
Iridescent heroes essence, please clear the exits
I chase demons outdoors, force 'em to hear the message, air 'em out
Heard some people discussing my whereabouts
Yeah, it's been a few sightings of me, a fair amount
Never seen much, but yet I'm never in the house
Move in style, wild, exciting when I do step out
Y'all been rhyming for years and Jungle made a hit
"Oochie Wally" ideas
Sold a million records
Had 'em embarrassed
Signed to Columbia
Blew a check, he was laughing
While y'all in the studio bragging about your past and
Thinking back on trips on Manhattan
Dad was rolling hotels like the plaza
Black bellhops holding
Rich people bags, tip their hats to old men coming out of cabs
Limousine holding doors for them
We all got a job to do, go for it

No bad energy please, no bad energy
(Just try to be the best you, man
That's all I can say, man)
No bad energy please, no bad energy
(Don't light over here, man
Put that away, man, put that away)
No bad energy please, no bad energy
(Tryna tell 'em, know what I'm saying?
Big Apple my Hennessy, please)
No bad energy please, no bad energy

To rappers who never sold crack, telling other people's lives
Never shot nobody but be shooting people in their rhymes
Never robbed nobody or re-upped with coke in they ride
I'm probably who they talking about when they're writing most of their lines
And I ain't notice it
Trapping was what was happening with bolder cliques
Around me I'm surrounded by the most devoted clique
We saw the smokers get rowdy for all the potentness
And still ain't know how sick it was in that ocean abyss
What doesn't come out in the wash comes out in the rinse
You suckers ain't had no say so
Whoever put you in the position to have a say so should be questioned theyself
I'm silk shirt, summer time sunny, sun chaser
Pretty girl tongue taster, southern girl luster
City girl love maker
The matinee watcher
The good weather on a Saturday afternoon shopper
Good gift copper
Still miss Big Poppa

No bad energy please, no bad energy
No bad energy please, no bad energy
No bad energy please, no bad energy
No bad energy please, no bad energy

---

Vernon Family

Yeah
Yeah

Literally rich, this Nas, sick
Still woulda hit a enemy with a TEC in nine-six
Exotic material on the neck and fly whips
I was fresh out the 'jects, decked out to death
Y'all witnessed it, I could fill you with real millionaire shit
Escargot, my car fresh from the dealership
Esco alias, my escrow grow daily
It's the freshest Air Max wearer, yes
Ejaculatory depression after sex
And that mean after I nut, don't touch me, no questions
Unless she's a restless spirit then I can heal it
Spend a lot of time together, I know her feelings
But you fightin' what the essence of a woman is
I respect you, my love's limitless
But what are you becoming?
You wanna be the man or the woman? Play your position
Mornin' or night I'm lickin' the pudding ain't I?
Since my days of St. Ides
Pullin' out box cutters to bang opps who ain't us
To Bentley Continentals, see the man I is
Hand-to-hand hustlers always claiming they ran The Brizz
The big homies don't approve that
Felt and Dirty Red fundin' RK but where was you at?
We all tried to move crack
Nowadays I'm just showing my age
The new goons hardly heard of these legendary names, it's strange
The Bridge rappers influenced me, son
But if I was in the Juice Crew, we woulda won
No disrespect 'less disrespect served to me
You a gangsta groupie, gassin' niggas to murder me, nigga?
Who I'm reppin'? 10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
And that's word to Yammy, yeah
Deep roots, I ain't have to fake it yet
Old solid tree branches ain't breakin' yet
A vet

Get rich project niggas
Billionaire mindset niggas
Know you know my set, niggas
10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
Get rich project niggas
Billionaire mindset niggas
Know you know my set, niggas
10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family

I got the je ne sais quoi, why bother
With girls who like to play keep-away with they toddlers?
She started with good intentions like a rich pastor
Bitch was bad, turned from good thing to disaster
Takes forever to build a rep, one second to lose it
She put her neck in a noose, snapped it
Hangin' on every word she heard come outta cougar mouth, super foul
Play your cards right, deuces wild, salute my pals
Fathers all around the board goin' through it
She got lobster appetites, lots of habits
Like frontin' when she need apartment deposits
Here's something, get you a starter
But pardon my pimpin', I don't sponsor
I don't by cars, I coach you to win, know what?
If you broke and your man don't teach you, get rid of him
Who I'm reppin'? 10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon, still
And that's word to Will, for real

Get rich project niggas
Billionaire mindset niggas
Know you know my set, niggas
10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family
Get rich project niggas
Billionaire mindset niggas
Know you know my set, niggas
10th Street, 12th Street, Vernon Family

Shout to Draws, Spanky, Black Ed, Hands
Shout to Shabazz, Wewop and Harvey
Rest in glory
TJ Killa Black, rest in glory
Shout to all the young legends we losin' too soon
Yeah

---

Jarreau of Rap (Skatt Attack)

[Nas & Al Jarreau]
Melody, harmony, melody
Melody, harmony, melody, steadily
Melody, harmony, melody
Melody, harmony, melody, steadily

[Nas]
Everybody's not gon' get you but keep going
I be cruising 40,000 feet like I'm a Boeing
Doubting me, they said I would have no longevity
Instead I'm steadily repping these fundamentals
I assemble these sentences
'Cause someone said that I've been unadventurous
I've been uninterested, learning life is what matters
Chill, I'm the humble bragger
I could son a rapper, every one of you rappers
Vámonos, I be running you rappers
Adios, I don't see none of you rappers
All of y'all under me rappers
I need to golf, need a day to relax
Get a massage, Al Jarreau on the track
Al Jarreau of rap, made the Mets hat
More famous than Strawberry, y'all know this already

[Nas]
Here's our symphony
A measure by measure, a pleasure of harmony, melody
Here's the memories
I used to play 40th and Vernon every yesterday

[Nas]
Had a lot of losses
It hurt a lot losing cats but it was worth it
I gave a lot, giving back still
I catch heat 'cause I'm black and I'm ill
And I'm real and made millions and they in they feelings
They can't hide it
I don't internalize it, I ignore it
I was taught to observe it
Not absorb it, so I don't absorb it

[Nas & Al Jarreau]
Melody
Married to harmony
One in the same

[Nas]
Taking over all
My reverie stumbling, tumbling, fumbling, fumbling
Taking over all
My reverie stumbling, stumbling, tumbling, fumbling

[Nas]
Evolution of a man and his music
The ill fill of harmonic symphonic acoustic
My Wikipedia just said it, I'm multimedia
When you rock O2 arena
You made it then it's crazy and now you gotta rock stadiums
I played it some where you tuck away and play the cut
Then they front
Then the shade come, they try to say that your day is done

[Nas & Al Jarreau]
Melody
Married to harmony
One in the same

[Al Jarreau]
Here's a melody, I used to play counterpoint every every yesterday
Here's a melody, I used to play counterpoint every every yesterday
Melody
Married to harmony
One in the same
Melody, memory, melody
Melody, memory, harmony, steadily
Melody, memory, melody
Melody, memory, harmony, steadily
Taking over all
My reverie stumbling, tumbling, fumbling, fumbling
Taking over all
My reverie stumbling, tumbling, fumbling, fumbling
Melody, memory, melody
Melody, memory, harmony, steadily
Melody, memory, melody
Melody, memory, harmony, steadily
Melody
Married to harmony
One in the same

---

Lost Freestyle

In our younger days we were so in love
And the thought of losing you was enough
Can't lose me

Who be the holy prophet, they watchin' with all his posture?
His Rothstein goggle game be the dopest, he gots to
Be from the '80s era
His tint is shade Carrera, Queens forever
Green pipe seats, clean Panamera
Amateur Hanna-Barbera characters know they envy
The illest Hennessy Black sipper with loaded semis
You pick of the week, voted-in rappers you go against me
You can't tantalize a call girl with just a roll of pennies
Can't bait a lion in ya trap without a tranquilizer
You enterin' a boxing ring with no trainer beside ya
My Panerai watch glows like Avatar
Caviar black diamonds, can you imagine, y'all?
Takin' from a rich man plate, kick in his door
'Cause his war with the bloodsuckers of the poor
The first shall be last, that's just universal law
Pop the cork, the Perrier-Jouët pours, like this

Uh
I tell a story of a prince life and all his glory
It's killin' me softly
Somber like the buildings at Fort Green
Hood monsters and niggas who walk mean
Hood niggas and they just came home and they grip they chrome
Can you hear me, is this thing on?
Test, one, two, gimme some feedback if y'all could feel it
For the home invasion dudes that be robbin' dealers
Picture me runnin' inside they crib, rollin' wit' ya
Mask on the face, tyin' up the sister
Lookin' for the bricks to get richer
Smackin' up the dude with the gun, take the jewels and the funds
A dirty game when you servin' 'caine
Got feds to watch, hoes to watch, checkpoints and roadblocks
Police barricades, batterrams
Doors off the hinges, wake up flinchin', who ratted, man?
Knew who it had to been, states, feds and housin' added in
Every department searchin' your apartment
Ramsackin' it, found four ratchets
DEA jack us, we gotta escape the madness
Haha, yeah, escape the madness
Yeah, through the eyes of Pablo
That's how I'm lookin' at you, as an obstacle and everything
It's all natural, I'm keepin' it pilin'
Keepin' heat with the silencers
Learnin' Greek and Italian, speak with kings while dinin'
Good with hyenas, meanin' it's hood when it's time for ridin'
Ties was suppliers for my days of the projects
Where I resided, a phenomenon
With the ambitions of a rider
Pretty amazon on my arm, nigga, I'm the flyest
The flyest, haha, yeah

Lemme hear that

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Tanasia

Tanasia, Tanasia
If you not from Queensbridge, then you must be from Asia
Never knew a love like this before, who said you was just a whore?
Where you walk, love, I kiss the floor

Truck jewels, big stacks, mustard boots
Construction on her feet, she eat duck confit
I shoot up the club whenever I hit it raw
If she have a baby by me, I'ma love her more
Brings food to the crib when I'm laying low
And she know how to roll weed, but don't smoke
Chinese massages, wifey, no side-chick
Go sight-seeing with the god
Playing cards with my dad, frying chicken for the mob
Simply Lemonade, raspberry for the wash, gosh
She know who tryin' to rock her to sleep to get to me
Give 'em the side eye when she see 'em in the street
Her brother locked up, he doin' ten up in the beast
He's short, he comin' home and she hyped for his release
Fly her to Hollywood, watch flicks from Nollywood
Like hydraulics, she ride the wood

Tanasia, Tanasia
If you're not from Queensbridge, then you must be from Asia
Never knew a love like this before, who said you was just a whore?
Where you walk, love, I kiss the floor
Tanasia, Tanasia
If you're not from Queensbridge, then you must be from Asia
Never knew a love like this before, who said you was just a whore?
Where you walk, love, I kiss the floor

She edu-ma-cated, she said she related to the Asian
Ethic persuasion, the sex is amazin'
Never bought her a Birkin, my night-time nurse
Maybe more like a surgeon, nice on the eyes, I put that work in
Back when she was on the same block that I would service
Said, "It's straight," we need a place up in Jamaica estates
And she was like, "Oh no" in a silky Kimono
Said the streets, the snakes, plus Governor Cuomo
Flashes out the window, people takin' my photo
She knew I wasn't gon' be no husband, not be a no-show
Leave her standin' at the altar, bro, I couldn't falter
Plus that Nigerian blood mixed in her culture
Body like she Evel Knievel, on the soul cycle
Lookin' like Janet, dance like Michael
She knew I wasn't cut from the cloth to be a Czar
Now she hit the town with the legal Escobar, she's my

Tanasia, Tanasia
If you're not from Queensbridge, then you must be from Asia
Never knew a love like this before, who said you was just a whore?
Where you walk, love, I kiss the floor
Tanasia, Tanasia
If you're not from Queensbridge, then you must be from Asia
Never knew a love like this before, who said you was just a whore?
Where you walk, love, I kiss the floor

We fresh outta the Met Gala, express power
Exude the essence of best-dressed for the next hour
Toast glasses, velvet ropes, no trespassin'
Hella smoke, our section has the best fashion
Picture us laughin', how ticklish the money has us
Like little kids, but the difference is we'd much rather
Be ghost, back in the crib, some avocado toast
Laid-back, we choose that over Amalfi Coast
Chillin', startin' to think about children
And bringin' 'em in the world with Kim Jung illin'
But since I'm feelin' what I'm feelin' and she feelin' what she feelin'
I'm willin', she's willin', we buildin'
Every man originated in Asia
One continent, Africa was a part of Asia
Here we are, in this Western Civilization
I believe that we was destined to make it

Tanasia, Tanasia
If you're not from Queensbridge, then you must be from Asia
Never knew a love like this before, who said you was just a whore?
Where you walk, love, I kiss the floor
Tanasia, Tanasia
If you're not from Queensbridge, then you must be from Asia
Never knew a love like this before, who said you was just a whore?
Where you walk, love, I kiss the floor

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Royalty

Whatever you do, young king, don't wind up dead (wind up dead)
Young queen, cross your legs (cross your legs)
Put a crown on your head and remove the chains
Even diamond chains are for slaves
Don't step foot in no penitentiary (penitentiary), oh
Don't taste the poison (poison)
No, don't you bail on your family (no), no-no-no-no-no, no
'Cause they don't know you're royalty
But they gon' know when they see us

A known fraud once fell on his own sword
Scrawny as a fiend, he'll tell on his own broad
His lady's crazy and it bugs me
Behind her best friend back, she call her best friend baby ugly
Less then a week ago
He's beatin' his dick to a freak he know
Talkin' dirty to him on speakerphone
Right before he clinked up, his girl creeped up
Swung a knife, hit his cheekbone, made a deep cut
He holdin' his face, he out the door
She yellin' out the window, "You can stay with that whore"
Hours went past, stitched up with the gauze
Gettin' drunk by the store, smokin' blunts with some more
Fraud ass niggas who like to front and big talk
Never swung at nobody, never let a gun spark
Big nine-seven Benz with the old body
Pulls up to the corner, out jumps his whole party

Whatever you do, young king, don't wind up dead (wind up dead)
Young queen, cross your legs (cross your legs)
Put a crown on your head and remove the chains
Even diamond chains are for slaves
Don't step foot in no penitentiary (penitentiary), oh
Don't taste the poison (poison)
No, don't you bail on your family (no), no-no-no-no-no, no
'Cause they don't know you're royalty (nigga)
But they gon' know when they see us (yo)

Football wives, basketball wives
Mistresses slash more tires with knives
They lookin' for a dollar
I'm lookin' for a JoAnne Chesimard to turn to a shotta
Spot a King of Diamonds, onyx, one bitch get it off the floor
Other chick out of her man's pockets
What kind of shows you be watchin'?
It shows, this is how we choose who we should rock with
I think about settlin' down again, have more seeds
Ten toes on the ground again, let hoes be
Nothin' like makin' love with somebody you love
Nothin' like comin' home to grub
Netflix, hugs with a wet kiss
The best shit, take my mind off of makin' records
I need that moral support
Give me a reason to spoil you more
Make 'em jealous of who we are

Whatever you do, young king, don't wind up dead (wind up dead)
Young queen, cross your legs (cross your legs)
Put a crown on your head and remove the chains
Even diamond chains are for slaves
Don't step foot in no penitentiary (penitentiary), oh
Don't taste the poison (poison)
No, don't you bail on your family (no), no-no-no-no-no, no
'Cause they don't know you're royalty
But they gon' know when they see us

Tryna get my niggas legitimate
Shit is ugly, my dudes strugglin', drug dealer shit
Silhouette of a murderer, thug nigga, fitted Mets cap
Drunk liquor bit, young black militant
Just hopin' I hit a lick, a criminal's wit
Intelligence, still a menace each Guinness I sip
Bring the kid ideas, the visions I get
How this dude rich? He snuck in with no citizenship
Motivation, so I get off my ass
I'm the star of the movie, lookin' for my supportin' cast
Read the Forbes pages, lookin' at G4s
Wish it could be more, pray I beat the court cases
Women with small waists, lonely, I ain't too far
Smoke weed, and count paper
I'm about paper and pussy and buyin' the bar
Fly ass niggas, y'all jealous of who we are

Whatever you do, young king, don't wind up dead (wind up dead)
Young queen, cross your legs (cross your legs)
Put a crown on your head and remove the chains
Even diamond chains are for slaves
Don't step foot in no penitentiary (penitentiary), oh
Don't taste the poison (poison)
No, don't you bail on your family (no), no-no-no-no-no, no
'Cause they don't know you're royalty
But they gon' know when they see us

---

Who Are You

[Intro]
The unauthorized copy. Dedication to my children, my child
Destiny Jones. To my niece and nephews, Suree, Malik, Jabari.
The world is yours. Acknowledgements: First off, I wanna
Thank God. And I wanna thank everybody for helping me out
With this. Couldn't do it without you. Chapter 1.

[Verse 1:]
January 28, 1968
Born into this world as William Griffin The Great
Chapter 1, Wyandanch Long Island
Scientific rhymin' invented a new sound when he met with

Eric Barrier from East Elmhurst
The melody they created was the first
Burst on the scene, 1986 with Clap To This
'87 dropped a classic disc

The facts is the tracklist was like four
The vocals, the beats -- according to Marley Marl
Recorded in my hometown Queensbridge
That's why it's so relative

This biography was unauthorized
I spit it how it was given to author Nas
William changed his name at sixteen to Rakim Allah
'Cause Clarence 13 next had New York on lock

Gods on every block, jams in every park
I remember hearin' Kurtis Blow saying
"It can't get better than this"
'Til Run DMC blew my brains to bits

From leather coats to shell toes to the Stan smiths, to Dapper Dan kicks
First million-dollar deal ever in rap, 18th Letter did that
From 4th & Broadway to Uni to MCA
We followed the leader to Harlem's Apollo Theatre

Supreme rapped and the 50 that don't rap
Forte Green, Queens, Long Island wolfpack
Paid In Full posse, hot they was on
And Ra had his firstborn

With the next line I'ma be easy
His wisdom's name is Fifi
EPMD put a record out, was dope
Tension spread, and I quote "Smack me and I smack you back"

Sounded like the answer to the "I Ain't No Joke" track
For a second it ain't look good
Little tension buzzin' from Wyndanch to Brentwood
Misunderstood, all forgot by sixteen when I met Freddie Foxx

Totin' burners, the whole coast's most concern was
How was Rakim's flow, made Christians convert with Islamic ways
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em was the third LP
A sophisticated mean one, before similar voices were King Son

A few others, but sooner or later, the game was Ra's kingdom
At sixteen, some was watchin' him, mesmorized
Respect, not jockin' him, was so amazin', besides
He came on the stage with lasers in his eyes
Walk with me now

[Nas talking]
"Unauthorized biography of Rakim. Epilogue: Mother was
A jazz singer. Nephew to R & B legend Ruth Brown
Discography: Paid In Full, Follow The Leader, Let
The Rhythm Hit 'Em, Don't Sweat The Technique. That's

The end of the group. Went off to solo.
Dropped the R, then the 18th Letter, and I think, somethin',
The Master. Was signed to Aftermath, scheduled to release
An album "Oh My God" with Dr. Dre. The album was

Dismantled because of creative differences. Thee end
To the new beginning. Yeah. Next book, KRS-One. Peace."

---

Adult Film

R-A-W
R-A-W

F*ck outta here, second guessin' our love
Dick Tracy, detective, inspectin' hoes need a hug
You need to detect this dick, get your ass out the club
Get a cookbook, you gossipin', watchin' hip-hop & love, uh

I don't mean to be brass, even a genius asks questions in class
Supposed to know a love that'll last
Her friends, they don't mess with rappers, correction
I'm Akhenaten, King Tut's predecessor
I fantasize, and no mind him, I'm slick with words
Tell your girlfriend I flip the birds
She don't know shit, I am your neighbor
Brother, homie, love, a friend to smoke with
I want us to take road trips, f*ck that low shit
I'm on some more 'everybody-should-know' shit
Or let's be real discreet
Everybody lies, not everybody Nas
So your friend might hate (ay)
When was the last time her and a man was straight? (ay)
Just chill, light bulbs dim (ay)
You are my adult film

Life begins right now
Life begins right now (My adult film)
Life begins right now (My adult film)
Life begins right now (R-A-W)
No matter what they say (You are, you are, my adult film)
Life begins right now (You my, you my, R-A-W)
Life begins right now
Life begins right now

F*ck outta here, second guessin' our love (hey)
Dick Tracy, detective, inspectin' hoes need a hug
You need to detect this dick, get your ass out the club (hey)
Then pick a good book, so we can both get our knowledge up, uh huh

Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
No matter what they say
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now

The end of your comfort zone is the start of your life
The end of your comfort zone is the start of your life
You start to get comfortable after you get it right
Yeah, you start to get comfortable after you get it right

Misogynistic monologue what we dialogue
Yeah, I'm mature from the chest, and higher North
But below the waist, I'm a dog
Your girl in heat like cayenne sauce
She so sweet, but she kinda lost
Like me, African name with a diamond cross
But you a strong, stand-tall soldier
They lean on you, expecting you not to fall over
Like you never feel pressure, like you made of steel
So I absorb your pain, I like to see you chill
Eight millimeter cinematic celluloid
I see us both, little girl, little boy
Explorin' the world, similar, virgins became experienced
We both like it in front of mirrors, and this shit start weighin' on me
Feel your good vibes layin' on me
When them light bulbs dim
Lemme watch you, my adult film

Life begins right now
Life begins right now (My adult film)
Life begins right now (My adult film)
Life begins right now (R-A-W)
No matter what they say (You are, you are, my adult film)
Life begins right now (You my, you my, R-A-W)
Life begins right now
Life begins right now

F*ck outta here second guessin' our love (Hey)
Dick Tracy, detective, inspectin' hoes need a hug
You need to detect this dick, get your ass out the club (Hey)
Then pick a good book, so we can both get our knowledge up, uh huh

Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
No matter what they say
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Life begins right now
Hey
Hey

---

War Against Love

Whassup African
Whassup African

Yo the Haiti, Barbados, Bahamas, Grenada
The war is against love, we under attack
Paris, Pyar, St. Thomas, Dior
The war is against love, who's busting back?
From New York to Botswana, London to Guyana
To every single African that's on the map
Yo, the Mexico, the Cuba, Iceland to Bermuda
The war is against love, we under attack

Scientists told us how the Mayans lived
How ways a landing strips for planes will land
Before the Wright brothers planned aerodynamics
Now I am chilling 20 karats like a savage
Not embarrassed
Buy what I'm copping while I'm shopping out in Paris
Parasites try to steal a coach (true)
While chem trails and satellites hover over
Feds is watching real niggas ask this is so (ask this is so)
Still the 5th is loaded (5th is loaded)
For these lawyers who be ripping soldiers off in court
They didn't get em all, they just take your money a lot
Have you sitting up north (facts)
Study the law (word)
Get your appeal (true)
Soon you back on the street the shit'd get real (facts)
They try to kill us off since the days of the brilliant Moors
May they ships pull up to the Sicilian shores
So I hustle more, ain't no justice for the poor
Got me feeling like middle fingers up, f*ck the law
Bust a Dutchie open, liquor pour

Chicago yo, you know Chicago y'all know
The war is against love, we under attack (yeah)
New Orleans, New Orleans to Queens
Yo the war is against love, who's busting back? (Me)
To Detroit (yeah), St. Louis (yeah yeah)
To every hood in all the 50 states on the map (map)
Chopper city, North and South Philly (Philly)
Feel me, the war is against love, we under attack

I went from, semi bummy nigga to money nigga (ha)
Bike nigga to car nigga
Christ nigga to Allah nigga (Alḥamdulillāh)
Then I evolved, nigga (yes)
No religions, my commandments are my standards (word)
A stand up man, no clowning, no snitching
Got a bid, I'm sitting down
Do the time, call it paying taxes
Living with my actions (word), corners to the grave
Yeah, I'm on that wave
Yeah, I fornicate with fly bitches, horny ways
Just the way I was taught though (uh)
Can't tell if this is reality or just another award show?
These women be lost, so beautiful, so smart (word)
But why can't we be heavenly? Don't think to use your heart (yo' heart)
'Cause we could be so great, pray it's not too late
Put pride aside, coincide, I bet we both be straight
Straight to the top, side to side, twin Rolls Royces
We made choices to be devoted (uh)
To go at those foes who come at us with upside down crosses

The war is against love, I ain't trusting that (trusting that, uh, uh)
The war is against love, who's busting back? (Me, me, me, uh)
To all the 50 states, all across the map (the whole world too)
USA, and beyond (and beyond)
The war is against love, how will you react, to that?

Yeah, tell you how I'm reacting
I'm strapped and ready, go all the way
The war is against peace
The war is against love
Yeah, know that

---

The Art of It

Fire spitter, I ain't never met a higher nigga
Me extinguished is like Queensbridge fiendless
Mansion, marble foyer
I can afford a closet in alphabet order
A life, Adidas under A, the B for beater, Bottega
British Knights sneaker, my C so ill
That man I get chills when I look at my Christian Dior's, they kill
D is for Dries Van Noten
Young niggas try to keep up with what I'm doing
D cups, tequila and blunts
Weed, women, and liquor
Depending on the day is a different mission
They not knowing, they wanna know what he got on
The QB Don went and got his Pete Rock on
Nas keep a fine bitch to roll his weed up on
My niggas in Mount Vernon keep it G'd up for him
Speaking of G, the Gat I'm good with it, hit your hood with it
.44s never could miss him, coming to see us
Glad to see you made it home to the hood, nigga
We blowing trees, tell me don't it feel good, nigga

Damn it feels good, it feels good don't it
La-la-la
Put that good shit in the air (yeah)
La-la-la
Niggas in the hood don't live forever (my G niggas)
As long as we here together (my QB niggas)
We gon' put that good shit in the air (yeah)
La-la-la

Another bullet manufactured, another man in his casket
F*ck maintaining, that's lame language
Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, I duck quick
Seen fire flashes, the type of fire that spit out a magnum
And I'm the type who runs to the drama looking for who's clapping
Night boo
What I eat him, he like food
Pulled out the barrel
4-5ths rip through bone marrow
Make his toes spiral the dirt
While his feet kick up rock, he's a sprinter
Police agenda, lock up niggas for three winters
When I attack I'm faceless like an iron mask
They get away quick traceless, lying back, liars pass
I breathe deep like Lamaze class
Live young, obtain wisdom, and die last
Stretched out or in a body bag, I ain't that
Live young, obtain wisdom, and die last

Damn it feels good, it feels good don't it
La-la-la
Put that good shit in the air (yeah)
La-la-la
Niggas in the hood don't live forever (my G niggas)
As long as we here together (my QB niggas)
We gon' put that good shit in the air (yeah)
La-la-la

Look I don't have that much time, candidly I'm in divorce
Rumors, DUIs, in and out of court
Different judges, assault charges hovers on your boy
Other niggas' wives lust to be under covers with your boy
Y'all don't want an angry Nas on your label
Y'all got plenty checks, CEO man
I'm only 36 but if it's p-point five on the table
I say with all respect my dude
Thank you, we had the best times but I'm about respect, I'm about the talent I possess
Never know, there could just be a time when I'm behind your desk then let you go
Could you imagine Nas the exec?
The artiste on the masters controlling your release
Probably they wanna wait 'til I'm deceased to honor me
So my product'll be a big commodity
Not bothered if my son and daughter eat off of me
Cautiously I write this next line honestly 'cause I'm a G, there's no beef
I used to open to making fifty G's
But now I spend that on a diamond to make her neck freeze
My larynx'll serenade the hood
I tell the cops my blood dirty, they say I'm all good
TMZ, they hoping when the marriage end I'ma turn to Larry Flynt
Nas is not the average gent, I'm on my classy shit
Here's one small percent of what y'all in store to get
More real nigga shit

Damn it feels good, it feels good don't it
La-la-la
Put that good shit in the air (yeah)
La-la-la
Niggas in the hood don't live forever (my G niggas)
As long as we together (my QB niggas)
We gon' put that good shit in the air (yeah)
La-la-la

---

Highly Favored

Patient, my fate is highly favored by the father, love to all
Rest in peace to Zah Noo the barber brought cases
Celebrate and take it back to thought
The real New York
Death to rapists and rats, the touch school to Brooklyn stories
The king is the life to lord and queens
All the stories of Puerto Rican righteous I heard things
Know some people who know some people
Getting money, broke people claim you owe some people
It's easy to explain anything to a real liver of life
Who lives where you live and see shit the same
Gotta watch who you joke or get checked
We easily mistake jokes for disrespect
Where I'm from, it's never over if
Somebody dies, somebody gon' ride
Years later, somebody sons double 4-5
You laid up in ICU, hoping you survive
Too many stories like this one

What's shaking?
My fate is highly favored by the father, peace to all (Peace to all, yeah)
Patience
My fate is highly favored by the father, peace to y'all (Peace to y'all, yeah)
What's shaking?
My fate is highly favored by the father, peace to all (Peace to all, yeah)
What's shaking?
What's shaking?

Uh, yeah
Somewhat caricatures, Amateur Boys
I'm like a classic pianist with a handful of swords
Bandages on, my finger still are managing chords
Like a live band, performing in a sand storm
Blind and still I hit the right keys
Swift as a life breeze dripping
In fear of God, scented in antique fragrance
Some nights Cree, flavors
I am motivation, I don't talk with the next man, I am never hating
This daily bread, holy bread
Alphabetical numerals, codes of red
What's more dense, gold or lead?
What's more expensive?
The OG said, no matter what it is, rent it
And never buy it, it's all temporary possessions
We don't own nothing on this Earth but our soul and that's the lesson
Project apartment parties, rest in peace to Marley
Try not to get booked by Officer Lavarti

What's shaking?
My fate is highly favored by the father, peace to all (Peace to all, yeah)
Patience
My fate is highly favored by the father, peace to y'all (Peace to y'all, yeah)
What's shaking?
My fate is highly favored by the father, peace to all (Peace to all, yeah)
What's shaking?
What's shaking?

---

Queens Wolf

At fourteen tried out for the ball team
Junior high, they denied me
I shot bricks that made the backboard scream
Fighting Italian rival gangs, they was sniffing glue
I was skipping school, smoking green, that was the shit to do
Stole somebody's team jacket at practice, slept through my classes
The borough Queens, so it's rep the Q to the casket
Average student, had illusions of the supernatural
Horror movie addict, werewolf fanatic and Dracul'
One night after school and train hopping and snatching jewels
I dozed at midnight, woke up a little after two
My hands shook violently
My eyes took red
My hair spun in waves
Bread was the only word I said
I heard voices in the night calling, them Benz' engine roaring
Heard that gin and champagne pouring and niggas balling
I put the 22 on my waist
The face in the moon had a mean look
I transformed to the Queens wolf

You could hear me growling through public housing
No telling, might wake up in Queens house or Rikers Island
A Queens wolf
Ladies wanna get beside him
If haters try busting the silver bullet inside him, they dying
You could hear me growling through public housing
No telling, might wake up in Queens house or Rikers Island
A Queens wolf
Ladies wanna get beside him
If haters try busting the silver bullet inside him, they dying

Waking up is a pleasure though last night I can't remember
Cash up on my dresser, where'd it come from? This is messed up
What kind of fatal drug am I taking? Who laced it?
Previous night memories who erased it? Wasn't even wasted
I do recall the nightfall, loner the stars around it
Then my man called, said what I did, the goons were talking 'bout it
Singing me praises, I lit the corners up
It sounded like Vietnam screaming out Q Vietnam the loudest
"Homie them dudes is scared you gon' spray 'em, word to Bing
They'll do anything, pay you real good to be on their team"
So that explains the money and the chains that's on my dresser drawer
That wasn't there a day before, I should press 'em all
But I be on some cool shit, my nigga, Q-U shit
Audemar watch, burner piece, switch, new whip
Stoli vodka, club soda with my new chick
Ah shit, teeth showing, snarling when the moon's lit

You could hear me growling through public housing
No telling, might wake up in Queens house or Rikers Island
A Queens wolf
Ladies wanna get beside him
If haters try busting the silver bullet inside him, they dying
You could hear me growling through public housing
No telling, might wake up in Queens house or Rikers Island
A Queens wolf
Ladies wanna get beside him
If haters try busting the silver bullet inside him, they dying

---

It Never Ends

Buckets like Gilligan
Still I peep reptilians in the Filligan
Blendin' in, my quintillion ton brain
Got me revealing men
Quintessential Queensbridge poet back to the grill again
Did songs with Chubb Rock to Chris Brown, switch styles
Yet to see any heavyweight make it to this round
This that pure champion sound, I wear the crizzown
Raw, one take, I don't even need a mixdown
Demure, not docile, volatile, I kick down
Amphibians, reptiles who make that hiss sound
They eyes change color, their pupils start to slit down
When I take cover, and I let off a fifth round

I got seven MAC-11s, about eight .38s
Nine 9s, ten MAC-10s, the shit never ends
Rest in peace to B.I., the shit never ends
B.I.G. shit
I got seven MAC-11s, about eight .38s
Nine 9s, ten MAC-10s, the shit never ends (Never ends, never ends)
The world's going crazy, this shit never ends (Never ends, never ends)

Stop waiting for the hood to 'preciate ya
Whoever gets love in the hood, he's a freak of nature
When I said I wasn't mainstream, lames scream
"What does he mean?
Who does he think he is?
His bank be hid, he hardly out
He still as hard as he was when he started out"
We count 'em out, we count 'em in
Amongst the real, never my crown in doubt
So around my house with my wiz, lessons I got from my friends
Do they love me for me or love me for them?

I got seven MAC-11s, about eight .38s
Nine 9s, ten MAC-10s, the shit never ends
The world's at war, the shit never ends
Everybody packin'
I got seven MAC-11s, about eight .38s
Nine 9s, ten MAC-10s, the shit never ends (Never ends, never ends)
It never ends, the shit never ends (Never ends, never ends)
What will it take to end?

Can't see me moving, I'm like the fastest
I'm a 3D movie, no need of glasses
They hate it before they hear it
Clear that my perseverance is somethin' they can't bear
It's become apparently clear
They fear me, I'm not dying or rather
Put my ears to the blaring cop siren
Am I here or in a hot dryer?
Didn't hear all that pop-soundin' fakespeare, pop rhymin'
Niggas should stop lyin'
Why in a whole year, you still in the same spot trying
To change, but you not risin'?
When will somebody real tell him he not Nas-in'
Cars, you just started drivin'
I've been ridin', been made it
You and your pretend stages
I did this since windbreakers (Windbreakers)

---

You Mean The World to Me

Where we met, I had to give her mad respect
She was with her man, he took a drag from her cigarette
He told her he'll be back, he jumped in the meter cab
Gestured to her cell to tell her where to meet him at
Now she was mad, and I was looking for my car
She had some plastic bags, coming from the supermarket
Cooking for his ass, how she gone get to the projects?
She ain't got no cash, and she strugglin' while walkin'
So I drive past, yo I say "I ain't no stalker wit yo big 'ole ass
Here's my help I'm tryna offer, I give you a lift"
Who woulda knew it turn to this, now we in the mix
Baby moved up in my crib and she left her ex
Damn I'm speedin'

Now girl, you mean the world to me

I'm a king, you're a queen
His and hers sinks and the diamond rings
You don't have to look back at him
Just get your bags packed and then
A new life soon begins
Like I told you when I'm in, I'm in
I'm a king, you're a queen
His and hers sinks and the diamond rings
You don't have to look back at him
Just get your bags packed and then
A new life soon begins
Like I told you when I'm in, I'm in
I'm a king, you're a queen
His and hers sinks and the diamond rings
You don't have to look back at him
Just get your bags packed and then
A new life soon begins
Like I told you when I'm in, I'm in

Baby girl had a son
He was three, yeah I took him in
Now she call him little me, I even look like him
Nah, I mean he look like me, a couple shades darker
She be calling him Blackie, that's 'cause his real father jet black
So she treat him like it's a setback
I don't respect that
Now his pops calling collect at the new crib on the new number
Now how he get that?
See, now I knew we was a mismatch
I'm laid back, you too used to getting pimp smacked
I see where I went wrong at
I just tried to bring out the queen in you
But when you make a girl leave her man
You never really know where she stand
How you know she really yours?
Somebody could do the same to you
(Same to you, same to you)

Oh oh

---

Queens Bridge Politics

Talking to this cutie on facetime
Trying to figure out if she gon' give me that face time
I don't wanna tour, I wanna chill with my son more
Teach him about Egypt and tranquility, critically analyze black lives and respectability
Why Prodigy mural get vandalized?, why Prodigy?
The project politics obviously
Demagogue democracy, in the fog I see the mob represented into the light
Back to the source where all energy comes
Ya enemy done
What's eternal?
A disease that needs a vaccination, plagues, black season
The industry ain't as friendly as it first seems
When you dream of drivin' your whip to ya house in Florida Keys
On behalf of me and Queens and all of the Gs
Bandana P will always stand as tall as the trees
First things first, this should be understood
QueensBridge, just ain't any other hood
It's music, legacy is incredibly high pedigree
I don't mean this disrespectfully alphabetically
If it's hard to swallow and the credits of B street singing this Bernard Fowler
He sang with the Rolling Stones, background for Bootsy Collins
Marley Marl's advanced raps sound perfect timing
The early 80's, we babies, Pebblee Poo dropped
The beat was crazy and Marly was changing hip-hop
Then Marly and Shanté caught a body, UTFO
She cold, "Roxanne's Revenge", she was 14 years old
Then came the Juice Crew and the who's whos
G Rap, Rakim and Kane, beats made in the QU
I was probably playing with .32s in the lobby
It's QueensBridge over everything and everybody
I wish the 'book never came out
And everything got straightened out
Before you left, I saw you, it was all love
Except we needed to build more and get things correct
Now I gotta accept it, cause there's honor in death
Wish you was here with us P


Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Shout out to Havoc, shout out to Pone
Shout out to Jungle
Shout out to Jeff
Shout out to Big Lord
The big dog (Lord)
Free Bar, Spark (Bar, Spark)
It's a lot going on
Free the kings
It's a lot going on man, it's heavy
Goodfellas man
Prodigy man
It's heavy man
We need to lighten it up
To all ya
My bros

---

Beautiful Life

Peace y'all, yeah
This one right here, goes to my most loyal, loyal, loyal ones
You for me and me for you
We see things alike
We live alike, in truth

The craziest things already happened, get me
Could tell you 'gon be laughing at me or you laughing with me?
My baby's mom made a book about me, she tried to out me
In Barnes & Nobles new release section she's confessin'
Now the streets guessin' the beefin' started over some woman
Couldn't be the furthest thing from the truth
Was she looking for fame, yo I hope she got it
Since then I been the object, gossip people tried to target
All women should bid
For keeping real fathers away from their kids
These rappers talkin' real shit I lived
How many been married, divorced, their ex lady wildin'
Hires a lawyer, judge awards 'em monthly eighty thousand
Stevie Wonder sent me word that he was in my corner
Blind but still sees the pain of a young performer
Used to be my rib thought it was 'til death do us
She married again and I'm wishin' all the best to her
Got me looking for my mother, all I see is suckers
She lookin' over me now sayin' don't trust 'em
Come on I'm livin', I don't need many to pray for me
Her bad, she wanna keep the kids away from their dad
Tell you lames something, spit some game
Planes carry me to Madrid, Spain, so why complain?
When you place blame, then you're defective
When you take blame, then you're respected
You gotta give me credit

Woah
Life is good, I must admit it
Woah
Ups and downs, we've all been through it
Woah
Ain't no other way to do it
Woah
Life is good, it's good, it's good

Uh
The craziest things just happened to me, get me
So now whatever happens next it probably won't affect me
How many people owe the feds, keep it real especially
If you an artist in this music game, the smartest ones get abused for their change
And my life is sex, super stardom, and stupid cash
So unpredictable not aware you could lose it fast
I signed my own checks, swore we paid the IRS
Somebody's stealin', I swear to God
Tsk, for now, I invest
To my incarcerated team who got life
It's not right but you still got your life
Rest in peace to Gil Scott from the kill or be killed blocks
Not from Philly but a nigga done hustled them hilltops
Commercial pop artists get all the accolades
I give a million cash away to be revered like Donny Hathaway
Probably not as half as paid as I should be
But I stay in some cars and stay in some pussy
It's a beautiful life

Woah
Life is good, I must admit it (Yeah)
Woah (Beautiful life)
Ups and downs, we've all been through it
Woah (Life's still good)
Ain't no other way to do it
Woah (Yeah, yeah)
Life is good, it's good, it's good

A thin line from this gangsta life and rap stuff
I can say I never been punked, robbed, or smacked up
Proud to say I never been chased, jumped, or backed up
Or extorted for my pay stubs
Lucky or blessed from what prayer does
'Cause hey, I was riding in caravans with AK's and gloves inside 'em
And if I should spare that man who violated my trust
I gave him a pass
My man called and I value his judgement
I let it ride and thought no more of it, it's over
So if it's my turn to be on the other side of the gun
I'm granted my four leaf clover, no one's leaving me colder
'Cause I chilled and let you breathe, yes
Let's go our own ways and let the beef digress
I done seen insanity close up, schizophrenia shows up in most us
My younger brother knows this
Not Jungle, got another brother in PA
Spazzed on' em, hurt me to put hands on 'em 'til this day
I gotta say I got some fam across the USA
Cackalack to Kansas but my mans around the way had contacts
They was Spanish coppin' grams and cooking 'ye
Willie, Bo, blowing haze, Mayo next door
Joe, Martin, Slade, I'm solo these days
It wasn't my fault
I never knew the time of death and maturity would sever my crew up in New York
Barely survived
Large, I thank you for teaching me not to pop my letter P's in the booth
How to control my vocals and spit poetically smooth
I could nail it, you knew
I was your brother 'til death
Back when you put me on to NiQuay from Lefrak
You was a dime, we was nobodies
Say what's up to Shameek, send my love to Yadi
I pray we all get old if I never again go gold and sell tickets
We could all still kick it
It's a beautiful life
Beautiful life, beautiful life

Rest in peace to my brother Talik
Gone too soon
God bless your soul brother
He was wild
Some things we just can't explain
Life
It's messed up how much time get wasted that you can't get back
With your kids at an early age
First steps, first words
I can't see 'em cause you mad
Don't put yourself before the babies
Don't say crazy things to hurt that man
You hurt him enough
The good times outweighed the bad
When it was good, it was great
But because I could see him now through the courts, you mad
Okay that's how it is out here
That's life huh
You see we can't be selfish out here
We gotta live, and let love
Let the light in
To the beautiful mothers of my kids
And all the mothers around the world
Night, destiny
Life is good