[Nas] Third grade, singin Star Spandled Banner Using proper manners, learned to handle anger Animal behavior Later on my block rockin wit my jocks on Eating Bon Ton cheese popcorn, hummin a KISS rock song Socks long to my knees Summer breeze runnin through the leaves Playin freeze tag, can I stay out, please dad? Can I hang wit my little gang out? Hearin shots rang out, heard my moms call my name out Come upstairs, run up stairs Take a bath, shit stained underwears Wipe yourself wit paper Bad little ass in my bed at 8:30 Wash my plate, ate dinner up late Gazing at the wall, prayin basketball Was my future for this young one Hooping in the sun, proud to be where I come from Later shootin guns fantasizing Fascinated by gold rope chains Looking back at my hood days but things ain't change [Chorus x2: all Nas samples] "Nasty-Nasty-Nasty Nas is a rebel to America" "Lyrical professor, keep ya under pressure" "It's like that, you know it's like that" "Nas-Nas'll catch wreck", "You got the mad fat fluid" [Nas] Bumpy Johnson style, old timers, crocodile shoes Pinky rings, bank robbers wit two's, boss of wild crews Slacks overlapsed, apple jack hats, quarter field coats Cadillacs wit white walls and chrome wheel spokes They was organizing, investing in a piece of the hood They had drugs, bettin numbers, police understood They played the Cotton Club, red carpet, hoes on they arm Plush minks, pimped out gangstas, civil rights wasn't won E'ry Christmas they was Santa Claus Nixon was the anti-christ Bitches ass was bigger than sniffin nose candy white Listenin to Malcom speak, talcum powder shaving cream Layin back, barber chair, straight razor clean Babies is born, big families started to blossom Mad people just applied for apartments and got em Used to be rules to this game of hustlers and dealers From tommy guns to mac 10's QB's new born killers (shit is changed) [Chorus x2] [Nas] Yo everytime I turn around, niggas shot, niggas stabbed Winter nights, pregnant girls strugglin to get a cab Fiends lurkin, D's searchin, pat pockets Kids quick to bed but they heads from gats poppin Queensbridge slingers hoppin out Benzes, don status Dope fiends got syringes, poppin out they arms sractchin I remember park jams Gazelles, perfect wave shell Adidas, smellin reefer way before purple haze Private stock bare, niggas wit ill walks like Mark Clare Hats tilted, wild niggas lickin shots in the air Me and Pop was there, through the years our names would switch Ain't nuttin changed but the names Nastradamus and Blizz What project is this? QB, Vernon and Tenth 12th Street, murderous pimps, hot as hell's heat What could you tell me, nigga's seen it all in this game When it's all said and done, just remember my name [Chorus x2]