Ain't no back and forth, ain’t no left or right (21, 21) I got King's Disease but I move like a knight (21, 21) Rappers bandwagon tryna get some likes (21, 21) I do it for the fam', never for the hype (21, 21) When you turn to legend, no such thing as relevance (21, 21) They must’ve forgot that I'm a new rapper that got integrity (21, 21) All of the media and blogs, that's just a place I don't care to be (21, 21) Most of these niggas wouldn't say shit if they was ahead of me No back and forth, I did it back then, I do it right now I opened a lane for my era, I'm goated, they gavе me the crown GOAT with all the succеss, the negative press, I'm watchin' it pile They sayin’ that black music dyin’, I'm sayin’, they wipin' us out But look at me now, damn, y'all, look at me now Whatever I do is NY, I'm keepin’ it Queens 'cause that's my side I shook up the town, I shook up the city, I shook up the state I'm with 21 on my second run, this shit come with age It's a conversation, it's determination Your interpretation, I just shocked the nation Did my tour with The Wu', I came back and I set the pace They just ran in one of my cribs and took what? I replaced it Two caucasians up out of their faces Most of y'all assumed that they was black, it's exploitation (Black Caesar) They ain't know that I see everything, invested in Ring It's cool to be mainstream, I'd rather be timeless That's if we keepin' it P, 21 (21, 21) I'm on that same trajectory Bullet wounds and jail cells couldn't stop me, this my destiny Never controversial, I'm mad the fans expected less from me Nigga sneezed around me, wipe his nose, won't get no bless from me Fuck the jewelry, I rather buy land and invest successfully I got all type of stocks and bonds, Kehinde Wiley on my wall And I'ma pass it to my son If Savage like the capo that mean Escobar the don, one mic', one gun My net worth like eight figures, I'm workin' on gettin' me nine You know that I'm one of them niggas, I ain't doin' no cappin' or lyin' You rappers be chasin' the hype, I do it and I don't be tryin' I ain't goin' against no legend, nigga, I'm tryna be next in line They actin' like I just popped, I was platinum before I signed I went platinum without no features, I put platinum on your mind This Glock I got two-tone, and this bitch don't bust no rhyme They wanna see me fucked so they could deport me like I'm Shyne No back and forth, I did it back then, I do it right now They tellin' me that I'm the G-O-A-T, I been here for a while GOAT., love me today, hate me tomorrow, no switchin' my style 21, Yak', y'all get together, be big for the South But look at me now, damn, y'all, look at me now Whatever I do is New York, you hear that shit all in my vowels I shook up the town, I shook up the city, I shook up the state I'm one of them ones, on my second run, I'm on a new wave Two kings We're sendin' love to the whole culture 21, Esco, Mass Appeal, Slaughter Gang This shit too easy, king
Ain't no back and forth, ain’t no left or right (21, 21) I got King's Disease but I move like a knight (21, 21) Rappers bandwagon tryna get some likes (21, 21) I do it for the fam', never for the hype (21, 21) When you turn to legend, no such thing as relevance (21, 21) They must’ve forgot that I'm a new rapper that got integrity (21, 21) All of the media and blogs, that's just a place I don't care to be (21, 21) Most of these niggas wouldn't say shit if they was ahead of me No back and forth, I did it back then, I do it right now I opened a lane for my era, I'm goated, they gavе me the crown GOAT with all the succеss, the negative press, I'm watchin' it pile They sayin’ that black music dyin’, I'm sayin’, they wipin' us out But look at me now, damn, y'all, look at me now Whatever I do is NY, I'm keepin’ it Queens 'cause that's my side I shook up the town, I shook up the city, I shook up the state I'm with 21 on my second run, this shit come with age It's a conversation, it's determination Your interpretation, I just shocked the nation Did my tour with The Wu', I came back and I set the pace They just ran in one of my cribs and took what? I replaced it Two caucasians up out of their faces Most of y'all assumed that they was black, it's exploitation (Black Caesar) They ain't know that I see everything, invested in Ring It's cool to be mainstream, I'd rather be timeless That's if we keepin' it P, 21 (21, 21) I'm on that same trajectory Bullet wounds and jail cells couldn't stop me, this my destiny Never controversial, I'm mad the fans expected less from me Nigga sneezed around me, wipe his nose, won't get no bless from me Fuck the jewelry, I rather buy land and invest successfully I got all type of stocks and bonds, Kehinde Wiley on my wall And I'ma pass it to my son If Savage like the capo that mean Escobar the don, one mic', one gun My net worth like eight figures, I'm workin' on gettin' me nine You know that I'm one of them niggas, I ain't doin' no cappin' or lyin' You rappers be chasin' the hype, I do it and I don't be tryin' I ain't goin' against no legend, nigga, I'm tryna be next in line They actin' like I just popped, I was platinum before I signed I went platinum without no features, I put platinum on your mind This Glock I got two-tone, and this bitch don't bust no rhyme They wanna see me fucked so they could deport me like I'm Shyne No back and forth, I did it back then, I do it right now They tellin' me that I'm the G-O-A-T, I been here for a while GOAT., love me today, hate me tomorrow, no switchin' my style 21, Yak', y'all get together, be big for the South But look at me now, damn, y'all, look at me now Whatever I do is New York, you hear that shit all in my vowels I shook up the town, I shook up the city, I shook up the state I'm one of them ones, on my second run, I'm on a new wave Two kings We're sendin' love to the whole culture 21, Esco, Mass Appeal, Slaughter Gang This shit too easy, king
O verso final da música serviu de base para uma cena do filme "Coração Sangrando" (Belly), estrelado pelo próprio Nas e DMX.
A produção nasceu quando Large Professor levou Nas a Jamaica (Queens) para conhecer Q-Tip, que por aquela época armazenava todo o seu equipamento na caverna da avó de Phife Dawg.
Q-Tip pegou emprestado o sample da faixa "Smilin' Billy Suite Part II", originalmente de The Heath Brothers, para criar a base atmosférica da canção.
As letras narram o conteúdo de cartas que Nas escreveu para seus amigos encarcerados, relatando o que acontecia na vizinhabo durante o período de detenção deles.
A técnica narrativa de mudar de perspectiva ao longo dos versos é destacada como uma das inovações icônicas de Nas, sendo a última estrofe comparada ao estilo de "Children's Story", de Slick Rick.
Q-Tip não foi creditado como artista convidado oficial provavelmente porque só interpretou o refrão e sua fama ainda não era suficiente para justificar o destaque no marketing em 1994.
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