Nas — Rise & Fall

[Intro] Uh, yeah turn it up, check it out [Verse 1] The transition from a young fool Broke, still on his neck, he hung jewels Live his life in the ghetto where guns rule It was cool, wasn't mad, I had to take cabs Made my first LP, afforded H-Class, my face gassed '94, sold-out in every record store Local hood rats who wouldn't speak Now I'm who they checkin' for Shown crazy love, ran up on stage with 80 thugs After the shows, my niggas robbed the bar and wrecked the clubs Happy, no hatin' More Henny, more blunts circulatin' My single in rotation on every radio station Eyes popped when I drove my first ride on the block Summertime, block parties, cookouts, I spent my knot Truly, niggas was fightin' over who was closest to me Happy with the new representative of QB To hit the top, first you have to gotta fall before you make it With for 4 minutes of your time, watch me demonstrate it [Hook: Slick Rick & Nas] This was the rise and fall of my fast life style (From Nasty to Nas to Nas to Escobar) (Mega popular center of attraction) I was the main event on the TV for a while This was the rise and fall of my fast life style (From Nasty to Nas to Nas to Escobar) (Mega popular center of attraction) I was the main event on the TV for a while [Verse 2] Cayman Islands in the winter Summer bus rides to Great Adventure I've brung New York back to real rap inventors New crib, diamond rings, killers on my team Infinitis for my girl for givin' birth to my queen 3 G's worth of chronic a week Promoters was mad I stopped doin' shows to spend time in the street Loot declined, eventually so did my shine Repo lookin' for my Lex, back then I wasn't buyin' You can guess niggas started sayin' "With all the success, why is your mom still in the projects?" I answered them vexed Fuck out my face, pistol in my car, full clip I read about Pablo Escobar and got on some shit So-called mans would plot on my chips, I was frontin' Niggas thought I was rich and got mad 'cause they was pumpin' My assumption; niggas want me pumped in the casket Kept the gun the same three-fifth a nigga got bagged with [Hook: Slick Rick & Nas] This was the rise and fall of my fast life style (From Nasty to Nas to Nas to Escobar) (Mega popular center of attraction) I was the main event on the TV for a while This was the rise and fall of my fast life style (From Nasty to Nas to Nas to Escobar) (Mega popular center of attraction) I was the main event on the TV for a while [Verse 3] Caught a case, now I'm home, starin' off into space Flashbacks of all the jewelry, cars crossin' my face Rappers I met, hoes on video cassette No management, no more good life and no respect Hearin' crowds roar, Cristal pourin' mixed drinks Haunted by the thoughts of second album sophomore jinx Where did I fail? Death threats, woke up in cold sweats Thinkin' about all these murders that know where I rest From hangin' with crazy cliques that's known to take shit Bracelets, and all that beef now I'm involved, was paperless My cars were auctioned off, now I catch rides with kidnap-niggas Who snatch babies up to get back figures Lessons from heaven, every night I slept with my weapon To guard my family, for a minute I forgot my profession Not from Columbia or Nicaragua Don't distribute coke from Antigua, that shipped out to Panama Pablo Escobar's bloody reign came to an end Far from my life; a kid who made his fame from a pen Hit the studio and change the game again Wrote down all the pain within, top of the charts, triple platinum Got the fake love back, money stacks, more plaques Had to see who I was just to know where I was at Saw both sides of the game, all the ups and downs This goes out to the future rap kings comin' up now [Hook: Slick Rick & Nas] This was the rise and fall of my fast life style (From Nasty to Nas to Nas to Escobar) (Mega popular center of attraction) I was the main event on the TV for a while This was the rise and fall of my fast life style (From Nasty to Nas to Nas to Escobar) (Mega popular center of attraction) I was the main event on the TV for a while