1996 Freestyle Lyrics

[Verse 1: Nas]

What up?
Escobar season begins
Repent your sins
Nine-Six
Trackmasters
Check it

Spark the lye with the eight-forty I fly
Pretty thug show no love its like when doves cry
Maybe I'm just too demanding, parked the Land
Mark Buchanan, fuck a job I'mma die scramblin
Digger gold, dig a bigger hole in ya soul
Que Pasa, Pablo's throne cabron
At the airport the Mobb picked me up in a truck
Jewelry chunky like fuck never scared to get stuck
So whats the deal Papi?
Heard the feds could've knocked me
Had the cuban posse all up in my room and lobby

Negotiating, my name holds weight, we motivatin'
Hustling, as if God was dancing with Satan
The Firm waitin', to get ajourned cause we facing
Double life, thuggin for life, you taste it
The white numbin ya toungue

I bought it from Dominicans
A suitcase of benjamins swung tight in his fingers
Had the Firm gun slingers, hit the lights, grab the white
Murder everything in site, and jet in the Bimmers
Now im home with the phone screaner
Resting the stones in a jewelry cleaner
Checkin my mail reading my supoena
To the witness standing, I got remanded
Livin on the 4th building and can't stand it
Gotta fight my case from the inside
Niggas telling, I felt it coming when my pockets started swelling
But thats the game for ya
Hid a stash to ya lawyers
Supreme court, Queens New York will bore ya'
Suited up, booted up, with the jail cut
Million dollar bail what?
Z put up the house and I was out

Word the Fuck Up
Time to get the shit on son
Tryna trap a nigga
Incarcerate me yo'
Check it tho, yo, yo

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About

Genius Annotation

Untitled freestyle Nas did in 1996, and appeared on a pre- “It was Written” mixtape.

The track is over 3 classic beats:

  1. Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz – Biz Markie

  2. Eric B is President – Eric B & Rakim

  3. Known To Be The Masta – EPMD

This was right at the crossroads between the “Illmatic” introspective cerebral style and the “It was Written” vivid mafioso. Nas was turning “Nas” to “Nas Escobar”. You can see with spanish slang dropped in the verse.

Nas seemingly buckled to pressure, and having been an innovator in rap style, joined the Mafioso bandwagon: Kool G Rap, Raekwon the Chef, AZ Sosa, Wu Gambinos, Jay Z Hovito etc. However, he executed this rap with unmatched precision.

Mobb Deep are name-checked in the lyrics. Portions of this verse appeared in their song Give It Up Fast.

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