I Am...The Autobiography

[Scarface]
Yo Nas..
I don't think they wanna FUCK with this
Gangsta shit.. fo' sho'
("Danger.. danger..")

Check it out
It's on, and once again I bring niggaz the rough
Fuckin with us, that get you motherfuckers touched
Hit in the darkest alleys, where the super sports Rally
Beatin up the block, leavin these motherfuckers shot
They ain't ready for the Nakamici
I flip this shit like I'm Kamaneze
Now dey a motherfuckin see me
They try to breeze me, but I got niggaz in New York
comin kama-kize, sparkin this shit that keep me off the heezee
Jay-Hovah, he with my man came over
to scoop me, blowin dukey, in the black Range Rover
Nasir, tell these motherfuckers what we came for
Tell these niggaz why we here

[Nas]
Nuttin but the New York to Texas connection
Nuttin but some real shit, what y'all expected
Spaz out, some times dreamin, think I'm awoke
Harsh realities of life, hit me after I smoke
Money satisfy half of my mood, then there's a part of me
that's distant, quiet, the most dangerous side of me
I'm twisted like, Dr. Death, Kevorkian
Flip shit, white gun handle, made of porcelain
My, Houston niggaz, come through for niggaz
Scarface get a call and we shootin niggaz
Favor, for a favor, that's how we do business
Tryin to make future figures, we two of the illest, what?

Chorus: Nas

You wet who I want wetted, I'll wet who you want wetted
Any nigga can get it (a favor for a favor) * 3X *
I'll wet who you want wetted, you wet who I want wetted
Any nigga can get it

[Scarface]
You say you got a problem? Then tell a nigga where he at
So I can study his motions and peel his motherfuckin cap
Where his brother go to school at? Find out some more information
bout that bitch and hit a nigga right back
Cause when it come down to the come down;
I'ma pull the motherfuckin plug on him
Walk up to his face and then gone
Set a example, send these hoes a little message:
They need to be more careful who they mess with, don't even stress it
Leaded, I pull these capers all the time
With the ugliest AK, I blow his motherfuckin mind
Him and whoever standin by, I'll tell these niggaz, "Let's go"
And then we fin' to ride, and he fin' to die
He fin' to die, throwin up his own blood
With a slug in his motherfuckin mug
I do this outta love, cause your money ain't no good here
Just consider that as favor, until I need a favor

Chorus

[Nas]
A killer code, secret untold, how we bury beef with a rose
To his wake we send a wreath that explodes
Beneath us sleep with the Reaper, they sleep eyes closed
That's how real Brad Jordan keep it, to him I owe
Five fo-fo's ready, five masks, five machetes
Attack em like Freddie, then we toastin over spaghetti
I share withcha drama, you share with mine
That's how we killin two birds at the same time
Send my enemy's ear, I'll send your enemy's finger
with a pinkie ring, that's just a present my nigga
Either way the heat is grave, fuck with 'Face we bring war
Either, you feel these bullets or the Texas chainsaw
Not for popularity reasons, but for the love of the art
And you my heart, I leave casualties bleedin
Cause we keep it death for a death, life for a life
Murder for a murder, and I got you it's vice versa

Chorus

(A favor for a favor) * 3X *

[Nas]
Uhh
Yo, yo-yo, y'all
Whattup? Whattup
It's time man (Word, it's time?)
Straight up, it's time man
Aight, set that shit off
(Set it off then nigga, set it off)

Broken glass in the hallway, bloodstained floors
Neighbors, look at every bag you bring through your doors
Lock the top lock, momma shoulda cuffed me to the radiator
Why not? It might've saved later from my block
N.Y. cops, hookers crawlin off the stroll, coughin
stitches in they head, stinkin and I dread thinkin they be snitchin
But who else, could it be, shook at these, unmarked vans
Parked in the dark -- NARC's, where's your heart?
Hustlers starve; they bust a U-e I jog
to my building -- come out later wearin camouflage
See the sergeant and the captain -- strangle men
Niggaz gaspin for air; til they move no more and just stare
with dead eyes -- tired of riots, shit is quiet
Simple-minded fools infiltrate grimy crews
Overcrowded cribs, uncles home from bids, sister's pregnant
father's on drugs, moms is smokin, beds is piss-infested
Had eight partners growin up, eight turned to seven
Seven turned to six niggaz, got two in heaven
Six of us, holdin it, now it's five rollin thick
The sixth one's parole flipped; five niggaz, went to fo' quick
when he went O.T., college life, converted into gangbangin
Four niggaz still hangin, years passed and slang changin
Three of us now, fourth nigga ain't around
We all thought he was real -- he did the snake shit
Fake shit -- beat his ass down, yo his mouth
could've got us all wasted, what a fuckin clown
All I got left in the end is two of my best friends
And we all goin out, to the death for these ends, WHAT?

New York, New York ("New York state of mind" -> Rakim)
New York, New York ("New York state of mind" -> Rakim)
*repeat while Nas is talking*

You heard about it, you see about it
You read about it, it's in your papers
It's in your daily news ("Get money!")
New York chronicles, every day
The crime rate, the murder rate
The money rate, the paper chase, youknowhatImean?
New York state of mind baby, check it out

[Nas]
I'm at the, gamblin spot, my hands on a knot
New York Yankee cap cover my eyes, stand in one spot
I take a nigga dough, send him home, to a shoebox
You lost that nigga I put your dollar in the jukebox
Hear my favorite song, all these niggaz sing along
All the ciggarette smoke's cloggin my lungs, hoodrats flashin they tongue
Young thugs blastin they gun, we got reputations
Bitches and niggaz both on parole or probation
Shit is sick, niggaz got gats, army fatigues
I got my eyes glued on, whoever walk in the lead
Cause I ain't playin, niggaz'll run up in here and shoot up this shit
Stick yo' ass up, niggaz'll find the loot in your kicks
Bunch of triple-cross niggaz, just New York niggaz
Lift you off your feet when they was just talkin with you
Some of these dudes the Feds be on em, you knew em for years
Be the type when you walk in a pub, they offer you beers
That ain't gangsta, niggaz is up North with tatted tears
Your name's on the affadavit, you ratted kid
Faggot-ass niggaz that be scared to do they bids
Fuck you, we run you out of N.Y, you can't live
Got your quiet niggaz, that relocated down South
comin back to floss, then you got the jealous loudmouths
All of a sudden we got Crips and Bloods, D.T.'s
runnin round quick to split your mug, it's ea-sy to score
but it's hard to get the shit off
Niggaz fightin over hundred sales, jump in the car and drive off
When the fiend come around the block, happy as hell
Niggaz, mad cause they ain't get a piece of that sale
Cutthroat connivers, universal, ghetto survivors
Go to any hood that's live and make it liver
A lot of niggaz scheamin, some real, some niggaz frontin
But I'm a big dreamer, so watch me come up with somethin

New York, New York
New York, New York

[Nas]
See no evil.. fear no evil.. speak no evil.. hear no evil..
If you don't bring that shit around you
You ain't got nuttin to worry about (uh-huh)
Yeah (yeah, uh-huh)
Knah-sayin?

Yo, yo yo yo
Carolyn, from Maryland, she Lady Heroin
She elegant -- her apparel in the M-Class caravan
Ki's of dope, lovin cats to ski in her dope
She fuck killers in her condo, her Benz and her boat
Her iced throat, ass is curvy, 40 years old
She passin for 30, Gucci framed glasses from Purvy's
Madison Ave., shoppin when she not, coppin bricks of that shit
She hoppin on dicks, ridin Pony's who trick
At my man's wake, she said the eulogy
After that I usually, bumped into her shoppin for jewerly
Her bodyguard screwin me, I gave her my math
Ain't nothin new to me, blowin backs out, six-pack Stout's
Wide fat mouth, the evil look, with a bow-leg
Yo niggaz said, "Shorty's a pro, she blow heads
She push the fo' red, she know Feds, Feds know her"
A code red, maybe she's out to slay me, this bitch is crazy
She blew the celly up, meet me at the telly to fuck
She knew about, cats from way back, we smoke the haystack
She never cough once, blunts was her hobby
She said I knew her man probably, no doubt, not since he tried to rob me
I jetted though, sometimes you never know
He snorted all her work, now she need me, to do her dirty work

It's a small world ("It's a.. small world..")
Nigga you reap what you sew
What goes around, comes around
If you sleep you don't know
A very small world ("It's a.. small world..")
where beef could never end
At the time you least expect it
I'ma see you again
It's a small world ("It's a.. small world..")
You get away with it now
Soon enough it catches up to you
Someway, somehow
Yo it's a small world
Watch what you do.. ("It's a.. small world..")

Snook from Redhook was grimy, did five years, glad to be home
from Attica known, for keepin chrome calibers
Smooth like a Wallaby shoe, he's out to get it
Five years plannin to blow, soon as he hit the bri-dicks
Had a girl in Westside Queens, thought he was low
Played the crib for a month, and deaded his P.O.
Started robbin niggaz til he caught a whole kilo
He had a bunch of starvin niggaz he owe, he never paid though
Got large, sign on his door, "Don't knock hard"
Layin with his bitch, niggaz is rich, is what he told her
Played the block, holdin cracks inside the baby stroller
Here come his crazy soldier, six shots it's over
A year went past, Snook went flossin fast
His old man had crossed his ass, for the laws of this fast cash

It's a small world ("It's a.. small world..")
Nigga reap what you sew
What goes around, comes around
If you sleep you don't know
A very small world ("It's a.. small world..")
where beef could never end
At the time you least expect it
I'ma see you again nigga
It's a small world, no doubt ("It's a.. small world..")
You get away with it now
Soon enough it catches up to you
Someway, somehow
It's a small world
Watch what you do.. ("It's a.. small world..")

I seen death, seen thugs cry, it's bugged why
we let the slugs fly, enter your brain, through your skull
Another thug died, pitchin your soul, into that infinite
black hole, where many souls go cause of a fo'-fo' blast
Snook was one of em, so many more
Even that Fendi whore, got niggaz hit up yeah let that Henny pour
Carolyn, paid-up bitch, made bitch, stay rich
Heard her bodyguard took Snook to God
Carolyn when she needed him, he took the job
He was close to her, ever since she took him inside
When his moms died, dopefiend OD-ed, eighty-five
He went crazy, stuck up banks, to stay alive
He was live - do niggaz even know the things that he tried
Robbed armored trucks - incidents where po-lice died
He stayed in lower Eastside, peace God (peace God)
He starin at me hard
Two of his mans with him, I got to hit em
I'm reachin for my Roscoe, cocked it back on, and get my blast on
At the gas station, bunch of Arabs racin
out the way, as my Torah spray, jump in the whip
Hit the highway, you know how I say, the game that I play
It's real tendencies, when you feel your enemies
but can't figure out whose who, keep it true
Shit is cool now -- put the tools down? Never
Cause everyday is on, livin this life, out for this cheddar

It's a small world ("It's a.. small world..")
Nigga you reap what you sew
What goes around, comes around
If you sleep you won't know
A very small world ("It's a.. small world..")
where beef, never ends
At the time you least expect it
I'ma see you again
It's a small world ("It's a.. small world..")
You get away with it now
Soon enough it catches up to you
Someway, somehow
It's a small world
Watch what you do.. ("It's a.. small world..")

("I'm going to see you again..
Uh-huh.. I'm going to see you again.. nigga..
Uh-huh.. going to see you again nigga.. yeah..")

[Nas]
Uh..
Pacino life, G a roll, casino dice
at the Mirage, Vegas strip, neon lights
Gamblers, puffin cigars, couples and stars
Flashin cameras, dealers, shufflin cards
Spent the weekend, already miss New York and it's odd
cause I'm the first to say it got too many hustlers who rob
I never hang out, when we do we bust the four-five
cause shells comin back at us while we jump in the ride
Flyin, duckin, our bitches in the club cluckin
Tellin my wife who I was dancin with like I was fuckin
Flew back, Monday evening from the bottom where the sun was beamin
to the concrete jungle of cement
Limousine's from LaGuardia airport, sleepin
Told my dogs peace, kept in movin, I was beat when
got to my crib, where the hell my keys went?
Ringin the bell, heard a yell but wasn't sure
Dropped my luggage to the ground, put my ear to the door
Slow music, H-Town, no that's down low
My baby's, drop Mercedes is parked, I creep around yo
to the back, she must be inside and can't hear
Probably upstairs, in the mirror, doin her hair
I walked in through the back door entrance
Shocked it was unlocked, when I walked in, I smelled incense
chased by a weed aroma, empty Guinnesses
and lipstick marks on like three empty Coronas
A pair of blue jeans on the carpet; size 12 Timberlands
Somethin swingin on the ceilin fan, I stopped it
Swingin slower and slower..
On the last swing I saw it was a G-string and heard laughin
Thought about my nine-side Glock but somethin made me disregard it
Started my way up to where the noise and music was at
Froze, I couldn't react
Bedroom door opened a crack, seen wifey layin with some nigga
mumblin shit, he had one hand on her ass
and she was rubbin his dick, toastin wine glasses
Cherry scented candles was lit, couldn't handle the shit
Searchin for words I found none, without a sound
I left the house with a sick smile and took my gun
Now I'm out buggin, whylin, what I'm gon do?
Call my man Horse, meet me outside, I'm comin through

{Nas singing}
I thought you loved me
I thought you cared for me
I thought you needed me
Did you believe in me? * repeat 2X *

[Nas]
Got up with Horse, showed a look on my face was mad lost
I ain't know whether to cry or just, try to laugh it off
"Son you home early -- they wiped you out that quick?"
I said, "Nah," showed him the plastic with nine in the clip
Hopped in the whip, popped in the disc, pressed play
To the Grand Central, from the Van Wyck Expressway
I said, "Bet you'll never guess in a million years
what I just saw happenin -- and probably still is
Snuck in my crib - some nigga fuckin my wiz
I saw dem, they ain't see me, I ducked and I slid
I'ma grab shorty, I need you to grab the nigga for me"
Just when I thought I found love, she shitted on me
Shopped in Vegas, a present, for our engagement
20 G's on a ring I would have hit her today with
My surprise couldn't match the one she had for me
We pulled up, he was walkin out the house backwardly
Parked in the back of my house, they couldn't see us
Ran to the side of my house, cocked the heater
Walked to the front when I talked he had junk
Bitch tried to slam the door shut, got caught in Horse foot
Shot the Spanish kid in the rib, drug him in
Grabbed her face, say goodbye to your undercover friend
One between the eye, she's died, by mistake
Must've held the gat too tight, pointed at her face
Heard somebody knock -- Horse helped me hide the bodies
Heard si-rens, I guess we goin out we out like kamikazes
We surrounded, red lights flashin, who's inside?
Came out a bullhorn, I'm contemplatin suicide
Horse asked me for the Mac, he gave me dap, one love
Cocked the strap, then he ran out the back
Mad shots couldn't tell what was goin on
Sat on the floor near my dead girl, put her in my arms
Pulled her ring out my pocket I was savin
Put it on her ring finger cocked the glock, and started prayin
to Muhammad and Allah, the most beneficial
through you, all things are possible, I know you're listenin
I never meant for this to happen, I never dreamed
this'd be my fate, such a grotesque, murder scene
On that note, same time, the cops busted in
Kissed my lady, her blood on my lips, I said "Amen"
Put the nine to my head, pulled the hammer, held her close
Squeeze the toast, said to her, "Now unto God, we elope"

.. we elope ..

** cop says "stupid fucking niggers" as he walks in **

[Nas]
Uhh.. regulate nigga
Bravehearts nigga
Live for this
Some of y'all don't live at all
Get yours nigga
Get yours baby
Uhh, yo.. yo..

As the night close down on the Earth like gray dark rings
Light of cities in the nights, destination for Kings
with big dreams, like Castro, overthrew Bautista
from Cuba, and pointed nukes toward the U.S.
About to shoot us for revolution; that's how you gotta move
A lot of rules, some locked in solitude
Curse the day of they birth confused, who's to be praised?
The mighty dollar -- or almighty Allah
I'm like the farmer, plantin words, people are seeds
My truth is the soil; help you grow like trees
May the children come in all colors, change like leaves
but hold before you, one of those, prophetic MC's
with blunted flows, seven hundred souls in me
Each channelin, from past to present times, heaven shines
light on those, innocent to how the world grows
Some men become murderers, and some girls become hoes
And you accounted for, everything that you heard
Do not speak to fools; they scorn the wisdom of your words
My heart is wise, bloodshot eyes, the saga never dies
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners..

Yo we gotta be God's children, habitats in tall buildings
Rats crawl in filthy hallways, incinerators
Sinners who faithless, still there's hope, pray it's answered
Dreams turned real - what's a wicked nation?
One with blind men - not takin charge of the situation
Empty arguments and real conversations needed
The world'll need it, to hear it
Evil tries to weaken my spirit - it's chronic herb
This hurt come from the honest word
I now try hardest to serve my maker, what I learned
find it's way on the paper, so I could dictate it
Articulate it, luckily - I was put on one of the ships that made it
through strong currents and winds that left the others stranded
to sink in the Atlantic
Satan jigs the planet, not to get too religious, but
who decides when and if your life is finished?
If Christ is in this, for the sake of your name, oh Lord
may we break away from the chains abroad

Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners.. get up, wake up, rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners..

You wanna buy time? I'm the seller of minutes
I give you every second low-priced, if I so lies; the truth is
Time waits for none of you, in fact
he can't wait for the date to snatch the ground right from under you
Small visions of better life if cheddar was right
lurk in the mind, of young ones ahead of they time
Trapped in the slums, beggin for nuttin but takin
Headed for nuttin but the state pen, where they cousins be waitin
Judges is not relatin to pleas, guns bustin where the kids play
Richochet off lamp poles and leave damp holes
in bystanders, get cancelled, D.O.A.
Around the way where we from
Hope the future reduce the rate of those buried young
Life is every man's kingdom, a dyin man's past
and a newborn's, first time to be here at last
And shouldn't have to grow up fast, and suffer our pain
Hustlin harder than the generations here before he came
Goin through the same bullshit as our fathers
Readin history, but who's the authors?
For some the game is easy, for most of us the game is much harder
But never lose faith; through the years just get smarter
Ghetto prisoners.. ghetto prisoners..

Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners.. get up, wake up, rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise
Ghetto prisoners..

[Nas] + (Timbaland)
(What?) Ever been in love? (C'mon)
Yeah.. are you ready? (uhh) For somethin real?
(Say what?) Cause it can't be fake
This ain't no game (C'mon)
You gotta be wit me, for real (uh-huh)
cause it's real out here (uh-huh)
So make up your mind, cause I ain't got no time
Y'know? (C'mon)

[Nas]
I'm the most wanted baby fathe, save the drama
We toast when I wine and dine ya -- all you need is me
I won't stress you but bless you
Mentally and sexual, we both intellectual
Can't forget how I met you;
you thought I was a boxer -- Prince Nasim
but I'm the mobster -- Nas from Queens
And when I gotcha - you ridin with me
You keep askin, "When do you have time for me?"
I'm never free always on the move, bidness oriented
Lifestyle expensive, attract women
You wanna search my pockets, and act all wild
Say I hurt your heart - ask how could I smile?
Wanna call back all my numbers - star 6-9 me
Check my car for rubbers, but quit tryin
before you find what you lookin for and get to cryin
You always sayin what you gon' do if you catch me lyin

Chorus One: Aaliyah + (Timbaland) + [Nas]

You won't see me tonight [Yeah right] (Say what? Say what?)
You won't see me tomorrow [uh-huh] (uh-huh)
I'll be gone by daylight [Doubt that] (What?)
And you'll be so full of sorrow [Yeah right]
You'll go tell all your friends [That's right] (Say what?)
how you called and I follow [They know it]
But you won't see me tonight [You don't believe that]
No you won't see me tomorrow

[Nas]
Caramel kisses of Jezebel's sister
I feel no guilt when I twist ya
Turn the other cheek when I see the next freak witcha
You got your name on his lease, copy his key
That's your lil' spot where you rest your wig peice
Go 'head and live baby, I know you his lady
You page me, when you got the day free
but I be out with my peeps in them system jeeps
You wanna lay up in the sheets of presidential suites
like I'll massage you while you massage me, mami
But can you hang with a young man who's doin his thang?
Speak up, I wanna know if you can keep up
Timberland boots for girls, with the tree stump
Baggy sweatsuits, mystery what's underneath them
They for my eyes only, you call me when you lonely
but I like to make the baddest girls wait, I got G baby

Interlude: Nas and Aaliyah

['Yah] Call you on a Monday
(Nas) I'll call you back baby
['Yah] Call you on a Tuesday
(Nas) My cell is off baby
['Yah] Call you on a Wednesday
(Nas) I'm out of town baby
['Yah] You won't be back til Thursday
(Nas) I'll page you back baby
['Yah] Call you on a Monday
(Nas) I'll call you back baby
['Yah] Call you on a Tuesday
(Nas) I'm out of town baby
['Yah] Call you on a Wednesday
(Nas) My cell is off baby
['Yah] You won't be back til Thursday
(Nas) I'll call you back baby

Chorus Two: Aaliyah + (Timbaland)

You won't see me tonight (Say what?)
You won't see me tomorrow (Say what?)
I'll be gone by daylight
And you'll be so full of sorrow
You'll go tell all your friends (What what?)
how you called and I follow (Say what?)
But you won't see me tonight
No you won't see me tomorrow

[Nas]
Thinking of me you gettin the chills
Like a rush through your body when you think how it feels
Give me a call and my voice give you butterflies in your tummy
Tell your friends you in love with Nas not his money
And I'll prove I'm a man of my word - handed you furs
Iceberg - everything on this planet Earth a woman desires
You make a good wife to most men
I know I got you open; but -- you just my close friend
Get it baby?

Chorus Three: Aaliyah + (Timbaland) + [Nas]

You won't see me tonight (uh-huh)
You won't see me tomorrow (Say what?)
I'll be gone by daylight [Dayyyy-light]
And you'll be so full of sorrow [.. Word?]
You'll go tell all your friends [Tell your friends what?] (Say what?)
how you called and I follow [Uhh, uhh]
But you won't see me tonight [Not tonight baby]
No you won't see me tomorrow

[Nas] + (Aaliyah)
The God, The God, The God, Nasir (You won't see me tonight)
The Queen, The Queen, The Queen, Aaliyah (You won't see me tomorrow)
Nah nah (I'll be gone by daylight)
(And you'll be so full of sorrow)
Uhh uhh (You'll go tell all your friends)
Tell your friends (how you called and I followed)
How you followed me (But you won't see me tonight)
Not tonight baby (No you won't see me tomorrow)
C'mon, c'mon c'mon
Tomorrow, what?
Daylight, ghost

[Timbaland] + (Aaliyah)
Say what, say what? Yo (You won't see me tonight)
You won't see Timbaland tonight baby
Ohhh, or Nas Esco', check it
Let it ride
Let it ride