Nas - N.Y. State of Mind
Why? If you consider "Genesis" to be the intro to the album, this song is his first real chance to take hip-hop by storm and by god did he do it. He cemented his reputation and exceeded the expectations set for him with what is arguably the greatest hip-hop album of all time (Illmatic).
[Verse 1]
Rappers, I monkey flip 'em with the funky rhythm I be kickin'
Musician, inflictin' composition of pain
I'm like Scarface sniffin' cocaine
Holding an M16, see with the pen I'm extreme, now
Bullet holes left in my peepholes
I'm suited up in street clothes, hand me a nine and I'll defeat foes
Y'all know my steelo with or without the airplay
I keep some E&J, sitting bent up in the stairway
Or either on the corner betting Grants with the cee-lo champs
Laughing at baseheads tryna sell some broken amps
G-packs get off quick, forever niggas talk ****
Reminiscing about the last time the Task Force flipped
Niggas be running through the block shootin'
Time to start the revolution, catch a body, head for Houston
Once they caught us off-guard, the Mac-10 was in the grass and
I ran like a cheetah with thoughts of an assassin
Pick the Mac up, told brothers, "Back up," the Mac spit
Lead was hittin' niggas, one ran – I made him backflip
Heard a few chicks scream, my arm shook, couldn't look
Gave another squeeze, heard it click, "Yo, my **** is stuck"
Try to cock it, it wouldn't shoot, now I'm in danger
Finally pulled it back and saw three bullets caught up in the chamber
So now I'm jetting to the building lobby
And it was full of children probably couldn't see as high as I be
(So what you sayin'?) It's like the game ain't the same
Got younger niggas pulling the triggers bringing fame to their name
And claim some corners, crews without guns are goners
In broad daylight, stickup kids – they run up on us
45's and gauges, Macs, in fact
Same niggas will catch you back-to-back, snatching your cracks in black
There was a snitch on the block getting niggas knocked
So hold your stash 'til the coke price drop
I know this crackhead who said she's got to smoke nice rock
And if it's good, she'll bring you customers in measuring pots
But yo, you gotta slide on a vacation, inside information
Keeps large niggas erasin' and their wives basin'
It drops deep as it does in my breath
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death
Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined
I think of crime when I'm in a New York state of mind
|