Nas

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (born September 14, 1973); better known by his stage name Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is also the son of jazz musician Olu Dara. Nas has released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums since 1994, four of which topped the Billboard charts upon release and has sold over thirteen-million records in the United States alone. Nas was also part of the hip hop supergroup The Firm, which released one album under Dr. Dre‘s record label Aftermath.

Aside from rapping, Nas is also an occasional actor and has appeared in feature films such as  Belly, Ticker and In Too Deep and the television show Hawaii Five-0             →

•→http://genius.com/search?q=nas⇐

⇒interviewed⇐on his 40th birthday

«Read more, learn more, change the globe».
Beat from 0:01–0:10 – is from James Brown’s «The Boss» and also used by Nas in «Get Down».
Piano song: Für Elise by Beethoven.  Main beat from The Honeydrippers’ «Impeach the President».

[Kids]
I know I can (I know I can) 
Be what I wanna be (be what I wanna be) 
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I’ll be where I wanna be (I’ll be where I wanna be)

 

[Nas]
Be, B-Boys and girls, listen up 
You can be anything in the world, in God we trust
An architect, doctor, maybe an actress 
But nothing comes easy it takes much practice
Like, I met a woman who’s becoming a star
She was very beautiful, leaving people in awe
Singing songs, Lina Horn, but the younger version
Hung with the wrong person
Got her strung on that
Heroin, cocaine, sniffin up drugs all in her nose…
Coulda died, so young, now looks ugly and old
No fun cause now when she reaches for hugs people hold they breath
Cause she smells of corrosion and death 
Watch the company you keep and the crowd you bring
Cause they came to do drugs and you came to sing
So if you gonna be the best, I’ma tell you how,
Put your hands in the air, and take a vow

 

[Chorus – 2x   (Nas & Kids)]
I know I can    (I know I can) 
Be what I wanna be    (be what I wanna be) 
If I work hard at it    (If I work hard at it)
I’ll be where I wanna be    (I’ll be where I wanna be)

 

[Nas]
Be, B-Boys and girls, listen again
This is for grown looking girls who’s only ten
The ones who watch videos and do what they see
As cute as can be, up in the club with fake ID
Careful, ‘fore you meet a man with HIV
You can host the TV like Oprah Winfrey 
Whatever you decide, be careful, some men be
Rapists, so act your age, don’t pretend to be 
Older than you are, give yourself time to grow
You thinking he can give you wealth, but so
Young boys, you can use a lot of help, you know
You thinkin life’s all about smokin weed and ice
You don’t wanna be my age and can’t read and write
Begging different women for a place to sleep at night
Smart boys turn to men and do whatever they wish
If you believe you can achieve, then say it like this

[Chorus]

[Nas]
Be, be, ‘fore we came to this country 
We were kings and queens, never porch monkeys
There was empires in Africa called Kush 
Timbuktu, where every race came to get books
To learn from black teachers who taught Greeks and Romans
Asian Arabs and gave them gold when 
Gold was converted to money it all changed 
Money then became empowerment for Europeans
The Persian military invaded 
They heard about the gold, the teachings, and everything sacred
Africa was almost robbed naked
Slavery was money, so they began making slave ships 
Egypt was the place that Alexander the Great went 
He was so shocked at the mountains with black faces
Shot up they nose to impose what basically 
Still goes on today, you see? 
If the truth is told, the youth can grow 
Then learn to survive until they gain control
Nobody says you have to be gangstas, hoes
Read more learn more, change the globe
Ghetto children, do your thing
Hold your head up, little man, you’re a king
Young Princess when you get your wedding ring
Your man is saying «She’s my queen»

[Chorus]

Save the music y’all, save the music y’all …
Save the music

∞  w/ Amy Winehouse  ↓  ‘Cherry Wine’

[Amy Winehouse]
Where is he? The man who was just like me
I heard he was hiding somewhere I can’t see
Where is he? The man who was just like me
Heard he was hiding somewhere I can’t see
And I’m alone, and I realize that when I get home
I wanna go through my red and my cherry
Yes I’m alone, and I realize when I get home
I wanna go through my red and my cherry

[Verse 1: Nas]
I want some who like the champagne I like
My a-alike, someone to talk me off the bridge any day or night
She teach me how to live, she ain’t afraid of life
Not easily impressed with the rich and famous life
Cause she done been there and heard all the rumors before
She love or she ride out with me on my music tour
She like the herbs natural medicine, she cooking good
She tell me everything is cool and looking good
For real, the world so ill
Yeah I want a girl so real
Who not after material wealth, but get dough still
Or maybe an educator, a lady with etiquette
Who can be from out the hood, or even work for the president
As long as there’s no selfishness
Yes, as long as her love for the people is deep rooted and evident
You can be easily recruited, you’re heaven sent
Your smile, put me on ease
You’re the woman I need, but where is she

[Amy Winehouse – Chorus]

[Verse 2: Nas]
I hate when people write me hostile texts on the count of my lifestyle’s perception
Invade my personal life, out of the question, what are they expecting
I be tryna reply them, and they never suppose I get my quiet time in
They think forever I’m rolling in dough, swimming in a pool of cash
God, wouldn’t they know, or am I a fool or as
I’m well known, got people coming at me mad
I had a tell homes, I don’t keep a cell phone
My bad, I drag, off the l and try to silence it
The noise of my head, the curse of the talented
Strong communicator, vagabond, I gallivant around the equator
And that would get me off the radar
It’s so intense, I’m on my Lilo and Stitch
Pour my Pino Grigio with some lime what is this?
An immaculate version of me and my baby
With all respect cause you the only one that gets me

[Amy Winehouse: Chorus]

[Nas – Bridge:]
Yeah, yeah, let’s pour some cherry wine
Everything’s good, everything’s fine
Yeah, yeah we bring it every time
Yeah, pour a little cherry wine
Yeah, Hey yo Salaam, yea, I think they know the time
Everything’s good, everything’s fine
Yeah, pour a little cherry wine, yeah
Life is good, life is good, yeah
Life is good, no matter what
Life is good, life is good
Life if good, yeah
No matter what
Life is good

[Amy Winehouse: Chorus]

[Amy Winehouse]
Man who was just like me
I heard he is hiding somewhere I can’t see
And I’m alone
And I realize that when I get home
When I wanna go to my red and my cherry
Yeah-oh-oh-ooooh
The man who was just like me
Cause I know he was hiding somewhere I can’t see
And I’m alone
And I realize when I get home
That I wanna go to my red and my cherry

(Life Is Good)

♣  NaS  +  Rakim +  KRS One  +  Kanye West  ↓ ‘ Classic’.

 

Rakim: 
Is y’all ready for Twenty-0-7, it’s now another drought
Anybody’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

 

Classic, better than I’ve ever been  –  Timeless,
I’m everywhere you never been and better than I ever been
Classic,   Better than I’v ever been

 

¤  Nas Biography_Life and Career of the Rapper  ⇓

If he ruled the world and everything in it, sky’s the limit. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the life and career of Nas.

•  Growing Up

Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones was born September 14th, 1973, in Brooklyn, New York. Coming from a musical father, his music was profoundly impacted by the Queensbridge housing project where he grew up.

•  Musical Beginnings

He began recording music as a teen and joined forces with MC Serch from rap group 3rd Bass in 1992. The MC became his manager and helped the aspiring rapper land a record deal with Columbia Records. Released under the alias Nasty Nas, his first single, “Halftime,” was featured on the “Zebrahead” soundtrack that same year and impressed critics with its flow and rhymes.

•  Debut

Nas’ first album Illmatic was released in 1994. Despite a top twenty debut on the charts, the disc performed poorly at the registers. However, critics raved about its gritty lyrical content and Nas’ unique story-telling talents. It was awarded a coveted Five Mic rating from hip hop magazine The Source and produced five singles.

• Number One Sophomore Effort

Nas released It Was Written in 1996. While the album topped the Billboard 200 upon its debut and was a commercial success with over three million copies sold worldwide, critics were less than impressed with its more radio-friendly sound. Regardless, it spawned two huge hits: “Street Dreams” and “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That).”

• The Firm

During this time, Nas formed the super group The Firm with Foxy Brown, AZ and Nature. Unfortunately, their time together was short-lived and they only released one poorly received album in 1997. The next year, the rapper co-wrote and acted in the urban drama, “Belly.”

• “I Am…” and “Nastradamus”

Nas released two albums in 1999. The first, I Am…, went straight to number one. It also sold almost half a million copies in its first week and yielded the number two single, “Hate Me Now.” The second record, Nastradamus, didn’t fare as well as its predecessor: it premiered at number seven on the charts and only sold about half the numbers of I Am… during release week.

• Hip Hop Rivalry with Jay-Z

In the early 2000s, Nas’ notorious rivalry with fellow rapper Jay-Z came to light as the two publicly traded shots through their music. For instance, Nas’ 2001 album Stillmatic contained the scathing diss tracks “Ether” and “Got Urself a Gun.” That commercially successful disc reached the Billboard top five and sold over two million copies. In addition, he won over critics once again, including The Source, which deemed it a classic album worthy of Five Mics.

• “God’s Son”

Nas released God’s Son in 2002. The top twenty album was hailed by critics and contained the popular track, “Made You Look,” and the top twenty single, “I Can.”

• Double Disc

Next came the 2004 double disc set Street’s Disciple, which premiered at the fifth position of the Billboard 200. It was also Nas’ seventh album in a row to be certified platinum.

• Def Jam

Nas and Jay-Z eventually settled their differences mid-decade, and this allowed Nas to sign with Def Jam Recordings while Jay-Z was president in 2006. His first album as part of the Def Jam family was Hip Hop Is Dead, which topped the Billboard 200 chart and earned a Grammy nod.

• “Untitled”

Despite controversy surrounding his inclusion on the bill, he performed at a Virginia Tech concert in the aftermath of the school shooting the next year. He then came out with 2008’s Untitled, which became the rapper’s fourth number one debut. The politically-themed effort was fairly well-received but did not feature any high-charting singles.

• Reggae with Damian Marley

Nas then added reggae music to his hip hop sounds via his collaboration with Damian Marley, Distant Relatives. The 2010 effort reached number five on the charts and proceeds from its sale went to help build schools in Africa.

• “Life is Good”

He set 2012 as the year he’d release his tenth album, Life is Good, which featured numerous collaborations and singles.

• Hip Hop Legacy

Nas’s lyrical prowess has always separated him from the average MC as his words paint pictures in the minds of his audience. He is truly hip hop at its finest: gritty, tough, smooth, real and not afraid to speak his mind. Nas may hold Five Mics, but he only needs one.

¤  Olu Dara   ⇓