Genius | Song Lyrics & Knowledge

Possible my favourite Nas line, although there’s a lot of competition. I love the way it captures the idea that life / reality is so complex no one has really got it figured out. Everyone’s moving with limited info, ultimately blind to the true nature of the forces and structures that motivate and influence us. I also love the way it flows from the preceding line about death into this existential vision of the seemingly infinite (but ultimately rational and hence definable) complexity of the true nature of reality, as well as human nature / behaviour, and the (at least seemingly) hopelessness of the human intellect ever being able to comprehend it. That the next line is about the mind turning to a criminal mindset also adds a moral dimension in that the deeply existential nature of the preceding lines implies a lack of any clearly objective sense of value and hence morality. If poetry is the art of compression this line is a beautiful example of it.

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9 years

Based on the video, Nas is pretty much saying that ignorance can allow a person to perceive life as being definitive. With the concept of life itself being so complex it’s nearly impossible and/or arrogant to be able to depict the purpose of life, hence the subjectivity in every person’s lifestyle/mentality. He goes onto say how religious people can comfortably admit to having a ‘defined’ lifestyle, but he really thinks it’s beyond that. In short, life is way too complicated to be interpreted or in this case defined, which is why he says BEYOND the walls of intelligence life is defined…

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7 years

Is there any way I can save this video? I feel like this vid speaks to me at a spiritual level.

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Vexzel

6 years

Humans have never understood the meaning of life. Over time, our intelligence made us question everything around us, including our purpose. Some people believe in God, others believe in something else. Either way, to question the meaning of our lives and why we’re even here is useless. It’s beyond intelligence, or perhaps intelligence is beyond the meaning of life.

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Sarmad

6 years

Also a wordplay, behind the walls of intallegence as a social class, in the ghetto, the life is written and you don’t have much of a choice

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Scannin' while you're plannin' ways to sabotage me Nas – It Ain't Hard to Tell (Stink Mix)

42,275

Artist

10 years

Means I’m watchin those who arr watching me. Those who wanna be me. The good one and the bad ones. I’m watchin and I’m steps ahead the whole time.

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I drink Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell Nas – It Ain't Hard to Tell (Stink Mix)

42,275

Artist

10 years

Means I live on the wild side without fear. So much that I would get up close enough to Medusa that I could give her weed shotguns thru the nose.

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10 years

Yo from the first time illmatic dropped i knew those lyrics were shotgun inhale and in hell, you da man nas

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106

10 years

‘Illmatic was released in January 1994 only one year after I was born and yet it has had such a huge influence on Hip Hop and me as a person as well as my musical style. From the moment I heard the gritty sounds of the trains passing in the Genesis, before Nas had even spoken a word I was captured in the New York State of Mind.’

Nas fanatic and rapper Raw is creating the ‘Doc/tape’ (Documentary Mixtape) as a tribute to the classic album Illmatic by Nas in 1994.

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117

10 years

Illmatic….. still bump that.

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100

10 years

CLASSIC! Illmatic is relevant no matter how many years pass. In a hundred years who knows, he could replace Shakespeare in schools

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101

11 years

Bump it in my head till im dead tho pimp # i am relevant

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But I don't sweat it, study long, study raw
My man Dion said Nas over-think the songs he writing
I'm not a wack performer standing near a corny hype man Nas – Back When

42,275

Artist

11 years

I write fast, but I always write too much, he’s always telling me “you already had it, you don’t have to overthink it! You don’t have to keep writing. It’s done.”

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155

11 years

“I rap for listeners, bluntheads, fly ladies and prisoners Henessey-holders and old-school niggas” Memory lane.

This was recently chosen as one of The 100 best opening lines in rap history.

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11 years

show love!

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155

11 years

The Classic album “Illmatic” turned 19 yesterday, actually i still remember the release like it was yesterday.

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siyabonga mtshali

11 years

i am yo nigga from south africa nigga yo shit is dope god bless you with dope as ya name nas,qb,escobar true livin legend of all times just halla back to ya nigga when you get this one love

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112

11 years

true that he’s hella dope fo reals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

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144

11 years

Lyrical genius and still staying true to the game. Nas shines for ever.

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Marvin Gorah

11 years

Yo Nas my man i’m ya nigga from Zimbabwe. i love ya shit so much, yknamean. ya keep me spirited n goin i really enjoy tha music. please keep doin dope work.

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614

11 years

That has a lot to do with being an analytical virgo; we overthink EVERYTHING and strive for perfection, something unattainable.

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joseph ollomy

11 years

I FEEL YOUR WAY OF WRITTING BROTHER, VOCAL RAPPING,AND THATS HIPHOP!

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Isaac Sello

10 years

Greatest MC of all time in my books, one love.

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112

10 years

Maximum respect for your pieces!

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SavantCole

10 years

Best rapper EVER! Whenever I hit the streets, I blast ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ off the pod and I feel like I’m back in the 90’s when hiphop was hiphop. Easily my Favorite hiphop song of all time. Your lyrical talent is incomparable. Truthfully my ipod only has Nas and the L.O.X. in it. I barely know who’s on mainstream radio nowadays. I’m from Massachusetts and recently moved to Jersey. I’m a videographer by trade and would be honored to work on a project with ‘Gross and repulsive’ #Respect

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