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N.Y. State Of Mind Lyrics

Artist: Nas
Album: Illmatic

Intro: Nas

Yeah yeah, aiyyo black it's time (word?)
(Word, it's time nigga?)
Yeah, it's time man (aight nigga, begin)
Yeah, straight out the fuckin dungeons of rap
Where fake niggaz don't make it back
I don't know how to start this shit, yo, now

Verse One: Nas

Rappers I monkey flip em with the funky rhythm I be kickin
Musician, inflictin composition
of pain I'm like Scarface sniffin cocaine
Holdin a M-16, see with the pen I'm extreme, now
Bulletholes 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, sittin bent up in the stairway
Or either on the corner bettin Grants with the celo champs
Laughin at baseheads, tryin to sell some broken amps
G-Packs get off quick, forever niggaz talk shit
Remeniscing about the last time the Task Force flipped
Niggaz be runnin 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 niggaz 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 shit 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 filled with children probably couldn't see as high as I be
(So whatchu sayin?) It's like the game ain't the same
Got younger niggaz pullin the triggers bringing fame to they name
and claim some corners, crews without guns are goners
In broad daylight, stickup kids, they run up on us
Fo'-fives and gauges, Macs in fact
Same niggaz'll catch a back to back, snatchin yo' cracks in black
There was a snitch on the block gettin niggaz knocked
So hold your stash until the coke price drop
I know this crackhead, who said she gotta smoke nice rock
And if it's good she'll bring ya customers in measuring pots, but yo
You gotta slide on a vacation
Inside information keeps large niggaz erasin and they 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

("New York state of mine" --> Rakim *repeat 4X*)

Verse Two: Nas

Be havin dreams that I'ma gangster -- drinkin Moets, holdin Tecs
Makin sure the cash came correct then I stepped
Investments in stocks, sewein up the blocks
to sell rocks, winnin gunfights with mega cops
But just a nigga, walking with his finger on the trigger
Make enough figures until my pockets get bigger
I ain't the type of brother made for you to start testin
Give me a Smith and Wessun I'll have niggaz undressin
Thinkin of cash flow, buddah and shelter
Whenever frustrated I'ma hijack Delta
In the P.J.'s, my blend tape plays, bullets are strays
Young bitches is grazed each block is like a maze
full of black rats trapped, plus the Island is packed
From what I hear in all the stories when my peoples come back, black
I'm livin where the nights is jet black
The fiends fight to get crack I just max, I dream I can sit back
and lamp like Capone, with drug scripts sewn
Or the legal luxury life, rings flooded with stones, homes
I got so many rhymes I don't think I'm too sane
Life is parallel to Hell but I must maintain
and be prosperous, though we live dangerous
cops could just arrest me, blamin us, we're held like hostages
It's only right that I was born to use mics
and the stuff that I write, is even tougher than dice
I'm takin rappers to a new plateau, through rap slow
My rhymin is a vitamin, Hell without a capsule
The smooth criminal on beat breaks
Never put me in your box if your shit eats tapes
The city never sleeps, full of villians and creeps
That's where I learned to do my hustle had to scuffle with freaks
I'ma addict for sneakers, twenties of buddah and bitches with beepers
In the streets I can greet ya, about blunts I teach ya
Inhale deep like the words of my breath
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death
I lay puzzle as I backtrack to earlier times
Nothing's equivalent, to the new york state of mind

("New York state of mind" --> Rakim *repeat 4X*)
("Nasty Nas" --> cut and scratched 8X)

Comments/Interpretations

by ben on 5/9/2008 11:23pm
nas is the SHIT!
by isaias on 7/9/2008 6:20pm
lyrical god
by nasty nas on 8/15/2008 11:15pm
word to your mother
by X-O-cist on 8/17/2008 3:51am
Still 2nd afta Jay-Z.
by wow on 8/22/2008 10:00pm
xocist. get real. jayz has tried to emulate nas' lyrical genius since day 1. hes definitely #2 but he always fell short of nas.
by Isaac on 9/24/2008 7:25pm
man Nas is crazy..these lyrics mean alot to me...
by Ra0neNYFeeNoM on 10/27/2008 4:53pm
Illest MC to eva bless a mic NObody in tha game could eva touch this nigga TRue fukin story
by darkness d.c squad on 10/28/2008 12:39pm
where can i begin with dis cat..lyrical wisdom nigga got toungue of pythons the way hes sick en spits poison.the lyric stays forever en rememba dis is illmatic..
by FFF on 11/3/2008 4:52pm
this shit is good real good
by jordi jwt on 11/5/2008 12:04pm
nas' album is the best hip hop album ever made no doubt
by brooklynPHD on 11/22/2008 11:35am
J is hot and knew how to market himself, but was never the lyricist that NAS was. This was Nas' renaissance
by neek on 11/24/2008 4:33pm
nas and hov are long gone...two words JOE BUDDEN.
by O on 11/27/2008 3:25pm
best rappers alive..Esco and Hov..
JOE BUDDEN??? u buggin
by nycballaboy on 12/4/2008 9:49pm
Joe Budden? Royce da 5'9 murdered him. Nas #1
by Mooks31 on 12/10/2008 10:55pm
Esco always brings tha fire.
by skeaf on 12/14/2008 2:33am
this is ill shit. aint noone as real as nas
by killablack on 12/23/2008 3:42pm
Nas is best rapper no question these lyrics are so serious
by Chaazaq on 12/23/2008 11:27pm
Still the Illest!
by big booty ho on 12/26/2008 7:49pm
yeah nas is the better lyricist but jigga flows like rakim and b.i.g. and is a business man
by paul on 12/28/2008 9:57am
nigga nas shits on jay z. shut your fuckin mouth. your stupid
by StreetballeR on 12/28/2008 2:10pm
NAS THE KING!
by Law on 1/7/2009 12:24pm
"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death"

Jay is good at making a spectacle, but Nas is still the king of lyrical poetry and potent sound. Jay is like the Dre to Nas' EZ. Those who talk about the street probably haven't been there in a while.
by nychustla718 on 1/7/2009 3:04pm
Jayz can't lyrically fuck wit nas. Nas #1
by Juan Castillo(El Bling) on 1/13/2009 11:22pm
dis shit iz sick u a fucken tight ass rapper fo' real and nice doin dat song when Obama won,real tight-Black President!
by Juan Castillo(El Bling) on 1/13/2009 11:24pm
50 cent a dumbass fo real he so stupid idk y he be all hatin on Nas fo.wut 50's problem yo? but u Nas u sick forget 50's ass he just jealous u better than him
by KingDick15 on 1/14/2009 3:25pm
In terms of lyrics and flow, Jay-z has nothing on Nas.
by Personwhoknowswhathestalkingabout on 1/25/2009 12:25pm
Illmatic wasnt the best album, but it is one of the best. We all have to remember NWA, Dr. Dre and Grandmaster Flash
by KBiG on 1/26/2009 7:41pm
yall gots 2 know dat Jay-z earned his respect...even if yall dnt lik the dude u gots 2 respect,,,bt NaS is on a whole notha level..blv dat..N.Y state of mind and it aint hard 2 tell r my fav nas rapz..BTW SOM1 NEEDZ 2 GUN DOWN 50 CENT...
by Wu-dani, REpresent the wu on 2/5/2009 10:07am
nas is bad boy !! hear the music and check the lyrics monkeys !!! fuck ya all generation of 50
by Lil' P2X on 2/15/2009 11:08am
Thissong rule.Nas is the one of the all rappers,who don't forget what rap is all about.
by NYUMBA RONALD on 2/16/2009 11:41am
Lyrically,no mc is gonna reach Nas'poetc spirit he's a genious.He killed em all on "it ain't had to tell","The message" n "New york state of mind"
by funkmster on 3/3/2009 3:29am
simply the greatest
by Rhys on 4/11/2009 11:46am
NAS GOT SHIT ON NO!.

my cock is 9 half ish inches i put in ma m8s tight arse and i suck and hand job
by Real Rap on 7/6/2009 4:49am
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death .
by Dante on 7/8/2009 11:18pm
aint it supposed to be "and the shit that i write is even tougher than dykes"?

i thought since u no a dyke is hard to bone, and usually masculine, that would make more sense.

Nas is #1, and illmatic is the greatest album of all time. period.
by Izzy on 8/12/2009 11:44am
It is.
That was an error.
This is my fave nas song. and illmatics the 2nd best album everrrrrrr
by jr305 on 8/17/2009 5:53pm
i love this song plus it aint hard to tell and the whole illmatic album 4sho dis nikuh is a warrior when it comes to the mic
by bigjermainethemc/myspace on 8/22/2009 11:24pm
Nas is the best fully active mc that we know of
by QuiseWebbVA757 on 8/24/2009 6:16pm
Nas the greatest of all time and the best rapper alive.......Like they say n NY...WORD UP
by soos23 on 8/25/2009 2:25am
nas is #2
tupac is #1
by K-VIV on 9/23/2009 2:53am
song for song the best hip-hop album of all time. Nas is 2nd to nobody in the game, and west coast rap is whack compared to the ART that comes out of the east coast.
by HipHopStandUp on 9/23/2009 11:45pm
Nas is #1 forever. No one can compare any other lyricist to Nas because like he said in Ether "name one rapper who i didn't influence".. peace to the gods, 5%.. BEST LYRICIST HIP HOP EVER GAVE BIRTH TO. BEST ALBUM EVER MADE... ILLMATIC
by WordIsBond on 9/23/2009 11:46pm
NASTY NAS.. Let the King live..
by DaMessenjah on 10/11/2009 9:16pm
Nas is a legend. Up there with Big Pun, Tupac, Biggie, Big L, Eminem, Wu Tang and all the other niggas i forgot
by rawkid30i on 10/14/2009 2:18pm
i like this track for one reason.he wasn't ready but when he started spitting it came out like flames.mayne,ain't no other mcee that can compare to nas in lyricism.even jayz does bow down.i like the rawness in this beat
by Rasta on 11/20/2009 10:53am
this is bull shit fuck you all
by Nemoism on 11/22/2009 2:46pm
True poetry!! Love this shit!
by Opapa on 3/12/2010 1:48pm
Fuck people who says jay-z is better than nas.. Just listen to this song, man.. Its beautiful..
by avoozl on 3/14/2010 1:35pm
.. wow.. W O W.. ahhhhh
by killah cass on 4/2/2010 11:36pm
Nas the best poet ever. This nigga can spit fire. A lyrical king in the presence
by S!D on 4/10/2010 11:57pm
Nas needs 2 get his popularity back
by unknownn! on 4/26/2010 2:40am
favOritee sOnqq !
by cash money on 5/6/2010 5:24pm
lil way better
by NaS is sick on 5/20/2010 11:56pm
1.Jay Z
2.2pac
3.biggie
4.Nas
5.Eminem
by j rock on 6/1/2010 4:11pm
Nas spits hot fire
by the poet nigga on 6/6/2010 10:31pm
alright some of y'all fools are ignorant and don't know what the Hell y'all are talking about #1 j.z doesn't have SHIT on Nas #2 neither does 2Pac he is just a over played cliche #3 the only other rapped that can come close to nas poeticly is Z-Ro i give you lil wayne had amazing lyrics but poetic wise lil wayne is SHIT and so is j.z, 2pac is an amazing poet but his lyrics are wack
by b-man on 6/20/2010 3:02am
1. Nas
2. Eminem
3. 2pac

For best content, lyrics, and rhyming, this is my list.
by Henry on 8/12/2010 11:26am
Nas kills it in every song.
by ilikecake on 10/13/2010 11:03am
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 niggaz 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 shit 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
by Mello dee kenyan on 2/24/2011 6:25am
Nas is lyk half man,half amazin...dopest emcee alive,fuck jay z,fuck 50 n lil fuckin wayn..
by nassss on 3/19/2011 1:00pm
nas is one of the best he deserves alot more respect then he gets hes alwys alwys been better than jigga fuck jigga fuck 50 and when nas is compared 2 wayne wayne is fucking garbage
by ces on 6/4/2011 8:42pm
nas is #1
by Natalie on 6/22/2011 7:11pm
Nas,greatest rapper alive.Unlike others,he is a fuckin legend
by SNEAKERBOOTSHU on 7/2/2011 2:08pm
NAS
by SNEAKERBOOTSHU on 7/2/2011 2:08pm
NAS
by Heaturna on 9/4/2011 7:54am
Nas beta dan j case closed,bt lets nt diss j 2 prov dat.
by Duwee on 9/23/2011 12:00pm
Wow,if you go over what this brother's saying, just amazin!
by Jin kazama on 10/16/2011 3:17am
Nas tells the story in ill lines..you can picture and even feel it..jigga should allow nas guide him like a father and son thang
by happytharow1@yahoo.com on 11/17/2011 8:14pm
Nas, you are the greatest ever man! If anyone can find a better lyrical and storytelling rap song, please holla at me!!!! This shit still brings chills in my spine when I read and hear these lyrics! Simply amazing, Nas! Simply Amazing, my brother! And....please guys, don't compare no other rapper with Nas! It is not fair!!! Sorry!
by Yo mama on 11/20/2011 10:36am
J cole's a young Nas
by Desmond on 12/7/2011 2:48pm
Nasty Nas this nikka is ill.
by DaddyLongStroke on 12/20/2011 12:28pm
Nasty Nas Is #1 It Aint Hard To Tell ;)
by the best on 1/12/2012 5:48pm
Best ever
by Rodney on 1/12/2012 7:50pm
Nas + dj premier = ill thang
by $till~ill on 2/7/2012 1:34pm
Man ya'll niggas dont noe shit if ur really asking whose better, HOW FUCKN HARD CAN IT B??? and OFCOURSE its NAS niggas
by el plaza on 3/26/2012 8:54am
now whose talking that j shit this nigga right here is a god he aint gat time to be arguing with mere mortals like dis big liped mf j shit
by Neither are the best. on 4/17/2012 4:50pm
Jigga's best album was reasonable doubt. Then he dumbed down the flow, but to say Nas is the best is an overstatement. You can't be the best emcee when you drop songs like "Hate me Now". Weak sauce. To the comment about if you talking about the streets then you haven't been there in a while. I don't think Jigga is all that but i saw a documentary of him in his hood walking the block. But also saw a interview with mega and yayo walking through QB and Nas' name doesn't ring right in the hood. So as emcees or products of the hood we need to be real when it comes to the path we take.
by ziggy on 5/9/2012 3:48pm
Nas kills it but he lies way too often have this much respect. Nas is not better than biggie smalls, tupac, or aesop rock lyrically or rythymically. He's also a tupac look-alike, its no couinscidence that he happened to get a two word tat across the belly just like "thug life" and he copied pac's ak47 tattoo. If he lived like a don he wouldn't have to exxagerate so fucking much. I love nas but i think he's a fraud, if someone was talking shit to me on a song that millions would hear, I would at least go beat their face in. Sounds like some bullshit
by Skarr on 5/10/2012 9:59am
Damn this nigguh is too sick, no one can compare to his rymes.. Best one to ever hold a mic
by naser on 1/29/2013 11:24am
I think of crime when I'm in a New York state of mind...so what u say?
by GOD'S SON on 4/23/2014 2:24am
ESCOBAR SEASON HAS RETURNED

#ILLMATICXX








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