CHERRY WINE (FEAT. AMY WINEHOUSE)
By
NAS
***************
Where is he?
The man who was just like me
I heard he was hiding somewhere I can’t see
Where is he?
The man who was just like me
Heard he was hiding somewhere I can’t see
And I’m alone, and I realize that when I get home
I wanna go through my red and my cherry
Yes I’m alone, and I realize when I get home
I wanna go through my red and my cherry
I want some who like the champagne I like
My a-alike, someone to talk me off the bridge any day or night
She teach me how to live, she ain’t afraid of life
Not easily impressed with the rich and famous life
Cause she done been there and heard all the rumors before
She love or she ride out with me on my music tour
She like the herbs natural medicine, she cooking good
She tell me everything is cool and looking good
For real, the world so ill
Yeah I want a girl so real
Who not after material wealth, but get dough still
Or maybe an educator, a lady with etiquette
Who can be from out the hood, or even work for the president
As long as there’s no selfishness
Yes, as long as her love for the people is deep rooted and evident
You can be easily recruited, you’re heaven sent
Your smile, put me on ease
You’re the woman I need, but where is she
I hate when people write me hostile texts on the count of my lifestyle’s perception
Invade my personal life, out of the question, what are they expecting
I be tryna reply them, and they never suppose I get my quiet time in
They think forever I’m rolling in dough, swimming in a pool of cash
God, wouldn’t they know, or am I a fool or as
I’m well known, got people coming at me mad
I had a tell homes, I don’t keep a cell phone
My bad, I drag, off the l and try to silence it
The noise of my head, the curse of the talented
Strong communicator, vagabond, I gallivant around the equator
And that would get me off the radar
It’s so intense, I’m on my Lilo and Stitch
Pour my Pino Grigio with some lime what is this?
An immaculate version of me and my baby
With all respect cause you the only one that gets me
Yeah, yeah, let’s pour some cherry wine
Everything’s good, everything’s fine
Yeah, yeah we bring it every time
Yeah, pour a little cherry wine
Yeah, Hey yo Salaam, yea, I think they know the time
Everything’s good, everything’s fine
Yeah, pour a little cherry wine, yeah
Life is good, life is good, yeah
Life is good, no matter what
Life is good, life is good
Life if good, yeah
No matter what
Life is good
Man who was just like me
I heard he is hiding somewhere I can’t see
And I’m alone
And I realize that when I get home
When I wanna go to my red and my cherry
Yeah-oh-oh-ooooh
The man who was just like me
Cause I know he was hiding somewhere I can’t see
And I’m alone
And I realize when I get home
That I wanna go to my red and my cherry
(Life Is Good)
THE DON
***************
Super Cat
New York girls Dem A mad ova wi
Nas the Don
In a new york city
Yea.. yea
Smoking a escubano, guzzle my second bottle
Hope I don’t catch a homo (homicide)
Grossing our net
Simultaneously making me climb higher, heinous crimes behind me
Search but can’t find me
Fuck sadness
Had this been you havin’ this lavish
Habitual happiness at me you wouldn’t look backwards
You would have sex on condominium roof decks
So anyone move next
I’ll hit you with two techs
Rocking Roberto Cavalli no shirt on convertible Mazy
My Columbiana mommy ridin beside me
Every tat mean something, that’s my word on my body
I’ll have to lean something wit that Mossberg shotty
My niggas is ignant, put lead in yo pigment
Just cuz y’all was mad at all the years I was getting it
In 97 the six
98 the Bentley
Now it’s the Ghost Phantom
And ya’ll can’t stand ’em but…
Nas the Don
In a new york city
Army Jacket swag Army jacket green and black
Wit the square top pocket that snaps
Where the gas at?
Pass that, not you
You hold cracks in your ass crack
I never did that, my sock where my stash was at
Yo I used to listen to that red alert and rap attack
I fell in love with all that poetry I mastered that
Cuttin school with Preme team at phat cat was at
Future not crystal clear yet Baccarat
Now I’m the one that’s reppin Queens way beyond your wildest dreams
Bottles on bottles with sparklers surround my team
That long cash get the baddest bitches out they jeans
20 years in this game lookin 17
I don’t lean: no codeine, promethazine
I just blow green, pick which bitch to bless the king
Although he’s on to another chapter
Heavy D gave this beat to Salaam for me to rap to
Blaaaah…
Yeah yeah..
New York is like an Island a big Rikers Island
The cops be out wildin, all I hear is sirens
It’s all about surviving same old two step
Tryna stay alive when
They be out robbin, I been out rhyming
Since born knowledge like prophet Muhammad
Say the ink from a scholar
Worth more than the blood of a martyr
So I’mma
Keep it on til I see billion dollars
Keep your friends close and ya enemies closer
Love model chocha mommy pop it like she suppose to
Eyes red shot like I’m never sober
Big time smoker Indonesian doja
Minis me you can hold up before you get all wet up from my soldiers
Don shit
Under fire I remain on some calm shit
This for every ghetto and the hood
Nas the Don and Supercat the Don Dotta
Understood…
WORLD’S AN ADDICTION
***************
Lies and the pain
Betrayal, life
In danger’s face
Look what you’re facing, gave your heart away
And all the remedies couldn’t ease the pain
All the hurt and betrayal; need to get away
In a world so cold
You gain your life just to lose your soul
Never thinking twice ’bout what the future holds
All the lies and the games not worth fighting for
The world is an addiction, serving up a fix
The world is an addiction, way too much for me
Snitches and rapists in the street, crime to the fullest
Asking niggas if they got any extra nine bullets
They deny me that, they know the bullets they loan me
Be the same ones that probably had them lying flat stretched out
Letter T
It’s better to dead a beef than let it breathe, then we don’t succeed
Cause then you gotta murder dummies
Waste your time, they allergic to money
I’m never squeamish to blood, we can thug, and get out of hand,
What’s the options?
Only conclusion is shooting, bullets poppin’,
Hoodlums dropping, fear any day that the feds will come knocking
Was young and nervous, asking myself what’s my purpose,
In the back of a patty wagon, bracelets, aching me
Pigs ignoring, I’m asking what precinct they taking me
These cops can’t relate to me, death to prison, empty vacancy
The world is an addiction, serving up a fix
The world is an addiction, way too much for me
Thou shall not be selfish, real nigga commandments,
Know a billionaire he has everything but a fam,
Guess how angry this man gets, had so many bad chicks in his bed,
Strange sex, same sex, has addictions that are sadistic
Chain of events, habits, he puts cocaine on his prick and acts sick
Self-esteem needs boosting alcohol consumption
Nicotine fusion, some athletes juicing
Pastors quote biblical chapters, Psalms
All along he’s into bestiality porn,
And it’s wrong, so I keep the Cali weed in the bong
And I’m strong, but the female anatomy got me sprung
And these women need shoes and bags, cars and condos
Fine clothes, and these fiends needs to get high, so they find dough
To mainline dope, and ya’ll know
The world is an addiction, serving up a fix
The world is an addiction, way too much for me
So many vices, habits, mine of course, bad chicks
My response to any advice on what is the essentials of life
I’m just rebellious, not selfish,
Guess we all share different definitions of what wealth is
I need the best things in life that’s women, that’s cars
Cigars in Venice, bottle on ice, that’s priceless
The other night, just in the emergency room
A patient said she needs to see a doctor soon
Doctor busy operating on a lady who’s sedated
He can barely concentrate, cause he’s newly separated
His estranged wife likes entertaining her acquaintance
In the house they were married in, mad people waiting
Some young, some old, heads and stomachs aching
Filling out an application, cause they all need medication
But the doctor need love or a quick vacation, calling up his travel agent
Same time, premeditating murdering his ex wife
Life, savage ain’t it
Some need Xanax, just to maintain it
We all need faith cause the world keep changing
Let go of the illusion, start some restraining
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on (just hold on)
Just hold on
BYE BABY
***************
I guess you knew and blew a good thing, baby
Bye baby, I guess you know why I walked away
When we walked to the altar that was an awesome day
Did counselling, couldn’t force me to stay
Something happens when you say I do, we go astray
Why do we mess it up, we was friends we had it all
Reason you don’t trust men, that was your daddy fault
He in the grave, let it go, he no longer living
Said you caught him cheating with mom and other women
Fuck that gotta do with us
Here’s the keys to the newest truck
Birkin bags, we burnin’ cash, now baby do it up
No matter who you fuck, that was before me
Wanted you as my shawty since I saw you screamin’
“Hate you so much right now”
Should’ve saw the man in angry black women
Ashes of a demon, I’m leaving
I guess you knew and blew a good thing, baby (Bye baby)
You know I’m saying bye-bye (Bye-bye baby)
Cause I’m sayin’ bye-bye (Bye baby)
Cause I’m sayin’ bye-bye
I guess you knew and blew a good thing, baby
Bye baby, I guess you know why I had to leave
Seven months in your pregnancy, ’bout to have my seed
Let’s take it back some years, rewind it to the happy years
You and your Star Trak fam, I’m thinking you cats are weird
Same time, different year, I was diggin’ ya flow
Then I tatted you on my arm so niggas would know
I thought no one could stop us, matching gold watches
I was your Johnny Depp, you was my Janis Joplin
Yet, the cuter version, yet I knew you personally
Better than you knew yourself and I knew this for certain
Crib in the Dominican you got away from everybody
You screaming at the racist cops in Miami was probably
The highlight of my life, like “Hi yo look at my wife”
Gangsta, me and twenty cops ’bout to fight, crazy night
Bailed you out, next morning we got clean
Like it never happened and later we at that Heat game
Just another day in the life of two people in love
But it wasn’t enough, so baby guess what
Listen, could you imagine writing your deposition?
Divorce Lawyer telling you how this thing gonna be ending?
With you paying out the ass, and I’m talking half
Not some but half. No serious, half
Half of your soul, half of your heart you leaving behind
It’s either that or die, I wanted peace of mind
And all I seen was selfish cowards, under they breath
Saying “why did Nas trust her?”, but look at yourself, speak louder bruh
You live with your babymoms and scared to make an honest woman out of her
And make her your bride, fake bitch you ain’t even alive
At least I can say I tried plus enjoyed the ride
Plus we got our little boy, my little joy and pride
He got my nose, my grill, your colour, your eyes
Next go round I hope I pick the truest type and watch me do it all again
It’s a beautiful life, aight
Goodbye
BACK WHEN
***************
The ill reminisce and think about the fly days
Nothing like them 80s summer N.Y. days
Hop on the NB5 days
Mopeds, Pro Keds, city split five ways
How it all started, fifth floor apartment
A jigsaw puzzle aerial view of the projects
A kid saw struggle, buried a few of his partners
Now chill in resorts, enjoying massages
Check out the oracle bred from city housing
Nas, I’ll rise the deads by thousands
I remember seeing Shan chilling near his Audi
Hollis Ave, Run and them but I proudly
Put a poster up of Shan and Marley, that was art kid
You love to hear the story how it started
The bubbly I’m pouring wasn’t popped yet
Before there was a audience to watch us
I assure you, there was a process
“You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started”
How it all got started, yeah
“You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started”
How it, how it all got started
“You love to hear the story how it all, how it all got started”
Hear the story, started off
Started off, started off
How it all got started
“Back when, back when, back when, back when
Back when, back when, back when, back when”
To call them fake today is hate, real niggas extinct
Pac left me inside a rap world with niggas that wink
At other rappers, undercover niggas spit every way
Won’t be surprised if all their rides have federal plates
Let alone their wardrobes and Studio 4 flow
It was real when I appeared, it would’ve been some jaws broke
Nas, my real name, stage name, same thing
How could you let these lames claim king? I’m so ashamed, man
I light a L for Vernon, for niggas who would burn in Hell
For Vernon; 10th Street, 12th Street, Nightmare on Elm Street
Pimps creep, delve deep inside the editorials
Of the ghetto queens, kings, stories true
Who possesses the testicular fortitude
To blow away myths that’s a hindrance to all of you
You blame your own shortcomings on sex and race
The mafia, homosexuals and all the Jews
It’s hogwash point of views, stereotypical
Anti-Semitic like the foul words Gibson spewed
And it’s pathetic, I don’t get the credit I deserve
That’s why I hate doing interviews
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
I got the Donism in me, I’m here to enlighten
“You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started”
How it all got started, yeah
“You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started”
How it, how it all got started
“You love to hear the story how it all, how it all got started”
Hear the story, started off
Started off, started off
How it all got started
“Back when, back when, back when, back when
Back when, back when, back when, back when”
LOCO-MOTIVE
***************
42nd street terminal
Yo, yo, I live it and I speak it
My religion is reefer
Big money in most, an uninhibited freak to sleep with
My visions are realistic, nothing’s figurative
I can wish it into existence, God want this nigga to live
Blunt big as a dread, I get high and forget who bled
Who we stomp-kicked in the head and who we left for dead
Who are you niggas? Why argue niggas?
The truth is the truth, I really put my scars on niggas
They wait a lifetime, they tell they hoes, “Nas did this”
Pointin’ to they scars like, “Right here, baby, really Nas did this”
Like a badge of honor, not braggin’ I’m just honest
War stories we tell them, nothin’s realer than karma
Sip prohibition liquor, prohibition whiskey
Rap Jack Demsey, Matt Black Bentley, pimply
Shatterin’ your silence, pass around the chalice
Due to my Indian ancestry at the weed dispensery
Official kings and gents is who I mix and mingle with
Fuck your ice, I rock rubies, amethyst
I fuck your wife cause she a groupie, scandalous
This for my bad hood bitches, ghetto glamorous
Yo, what we talkin’ ’bout niggas?
What we talkin’ ’bout niggas?
This is Nas, what, Nas
What, Nasty, what, recollect,
At seventeen I made seventeen thousand livin’ in public housin’
Integrity in tact, reppin’ hard
They askin’ how he disappear and reappear back on top
Sayin’, “Nas must have naked pictures of God or somethin'”
To keep winnin’ is my way like Francis
As long as I’m breathin’, I’ll take chances
A soldier comin’ home, twenty years old with no legs
Sayin’ there’s no sense to cry and complain, just go ‘head
So much to write and say, yo I don’t know where to start
So I’ll begin with the basics and flow from the heart
I know you think my life is good cause my diamond piece
But my life been good since I started finding peace
I shouldn’t even be smilin’, I should be angry and depressed
I been rich longer than I been broke, I confess
I started out broke, got rich, lost paper then made it back
Like Trump bein’ up down up, play with cash
My nigga’s like a locomotive
Nas, we push it, mush ’em
Queensbridge to Bushwick
Harlem, Bronx, all that
You ain’t even supposed to be out here
You know where you at?
At night, New York, eat a slice too hot
Use my tongue to tear the skin hangin’ from the roof of my mouth
Shit was Falicimo, melted pot, city sweltering hot
Staggerin’ drunker than those cops that 2pac shot
I was a crook by the train with that iron thing, concealed
Reachin’, soon as I heard them iron wheels screechin’
When it came to a halt whoever walked off got caught
Toker man safe behind a locked door for sure
Minor theif shit, minor league shit, beastin’
Lookin’ for the young, but now we older chiefin’
In my truck, play The Greatest Adventures of Slick Rick
Buggin’ on how his imagination was so sick
It’s ghetto beef, sinister niggas snicker through yellow teeth
Alchohol agin’ my niggas faster than felonies
How dare I? Must be, somethin’ in the air that corrupts me
Look at my upkeep, owned and sublease
I’m here y’all
This for my trapped in the 90?s niggas
For my trapped in the 90?s niggas
Ha, for y’all niggas