Nas — America

[Intro: Nas & Flo Simpson] Yo, it's like waking up, from a bad dream (America) Just to figure out, you wasn't dreaming in the first place (no) [Verse 1: Nas] If all I saw was gangsters coming up as a youngster Pussy and money the only language I clung to Claim to, I mold myself up to become one Ain't ya happy I chose rap? I'm a monster Streets deceiving, can't believe my achievements Cultural strata, persona's that of a non-needer Cause I don't need nada 'cept for Prada beaver For cold winters, tattoos got my summer sleeveless To my G's on the flee from the coppers Stiff bodies on freeze in funeral parlors From the slums I come up, a phoenix caked up Trying to take what I'm eating came up A dismissive kid You lucky if you allowed to witness this Savvy, mild, wild hardly A man's man, who would've knew the beach houses and wild parties Jezebels and Stella McCartneys For years, all that, how can I not be dead? This old German said I was a thug with a knotty head Looked at my Benz and called that a Nazi sled With a face like he wonder where I got my bread Probably all these stones he see, from my shows overseas From crime to rhyme My story is I'm from the home of the thieves [Chorus: Nas, Flo Simpson & Both] America (Americaaaaaa), pay attention Wake up (Americaaaaaa), this is not what you think it is America (Americaaaaaa), pay attention This is not what you think it is [Verse 2: Nas] Blessed, the Lord is a G, he gotta be Who's the God of suckers and snitches? The economy Lipstick from Marilyn Monroe blew a death kiss to Fidel Castro He'd want me to spit this Only the strong survive, Nas bear witness The hypocrisy is all I can see White cop acquitted for murder, black cop, cop a plea That type of shit make me stop and think We in chronic need of a second look of the law books And the whole race dichotomy Too many rappers athletes and actors But not enough niggas in NASA Who give you the latest dances, trends and fashion? But when it comes to residuals, they look past us Woven into the fabric, they can't stand us Even in white tees, blue jeans and red bandanas [Chorus: Nas, Flo Simpson & Both] America (Americaaaaaa), pay attention Wake up (Americaaaaaa), this is not what you think it is America (Americaaaaaa), pay attention This is not what you think it is America (America, Americaaaaaa This is not what you think it is) [Verse 3: Nas] Assassinations, diplomatic relations Killed indigenous people built a new nation Involuntary labor, took a knife split a woman naval Took her premature baby, let her man see you rape her If I could travel to the 1700s I'd push a wheelbarrow full of dynamite through your covenant Love to sit on the Senate, and tell the whole government Y'all don't treat women fair, she read about herself in the Bible Believing she the reason sin is here You played her, with an apron like, "Bring me my dinner dear" She the 'nigga' here, ain't we in the free world? Death penalty in Texas kill young boys and girls Barbarity, I'm in the double-R casually Bugging how I made it out the hood, dazzle me How far are we really from third world savagery? When the empire fall, imagine how crazy that'll be [Chorus: Nas & Flo Simpson] America (Americaaaaaa, Americaaaaaa) America (Americaaaaaa This is not what you think it is) America (Americaaaaaa, ohh This is not what you think it is) [Outro: Nas] America