N.Y. State Of Mind by Nas Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Complexity of Urban Reality
Lyrics
Ayo, Black, it’s time
Word, word, it’s time, man
It’s time, man
Aight, man, begin
Yeah, straight out the fuckin’ dungeons of rap
Where fake niggas don’t make it back
I don’t know how to start this shit, yo, now
Rappers I monkey flip ’em with the funky rhythm I be kickin’
Musician, inflictin’ composition, of pain
I’m like Scarface sniffin’ cocaine
Holdin’ a M16, see with the pen I’m extreme
Now, bullet holes left in my peepholes
I’m suited up in street clothes
Hand me a nine and I’ll defeat foes
Y’all know my steelo with or without the airplay
I keep some E&J, sittin’ bent up in the stairway
Or either on the corner bettin’ Grants with the cee-lo champs
Laughin’ at base-heads, tryna sell some broken amps
G-packs get off quick, forever niggas talk shit
Reminiscin’ about the last time the task force flipped
Niggas be runnin’ through the block shootin’
Time to start the revolution, catch a body head for Houston
Once they caught us off guard, the MAC-10 was in the grass, and
I ran like a cheetah, with thoughts of an assassin
Picked the MAC up, told brothers, “Back up,” the MAC spit
Lead was hittin’ niggas, one ran, I made him back flip
Heard a few chicks scream, my arm shook, couldn’t look
Gave another squeeze, heard it click, “Yo, my shit is stuck”
Try to cock it, it wouldn’t shoot, now I’m in danger
Finally pulled it back, and saw three bullets caught up in the chamber
So, now I’m jettin’ to the buildin’ lobby
And it was full with children, probably couldn’t see as high as I be
(So what you sayin’?) It’s like the game ain’t the same
Got younger niggas pullin’ the triggers bringin’ fame to they name
And claim some corners, crews without guns are goners
In broad daylight, stickup kids, they run up on us
.45’s and gauges, MAC’s in fact
Same niggas’ll catch a back to back, snatchin’ your cracks in black
There was a snitch on the block gettin’ niggas knocked
So hold your stash ’til the coke price drop
I know this crackhead, who said she gotta smoke nice rock
And if it’s good, she’ll bring ya customers and measuring pots, but yo
You gotta slide on a vacation
Inside information keeps large niggas erasin’ and they wives basin’
It drops deep as it does in my breath
I never sleep, ’cause sleep is the cousin of death
Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined
I think of crime, when I’m in a New York state of mind
New York state of mind
New York state of mind
New York state of mind
New York state of mind
Be havin’ dreams that I’m a gangsta, drinkin’ Moëts, holdin’ TEC’s
Makin’ sure the cash came correct, then I stepped
Investments in stocks, sewin’ up the blocks to sell rocks
Winnin’ gunfights with mega cops
But just a nigga, walkin’ with his finger on the trigger
Make enough figures until my pockets get bigger
I ain’t the type of brother made for you to start testin’
Give me a Smith & Wesson, I’ll have niggas undressin’
Thinkin’ of cash flow, Buddha and shelter
Whenever frustrated, I’ma hijack Delta
In the PJ’s, my blend tape plays, bullets are strays
Young bitches is grazed, each block is like a maze
Full of black rats trapped, plus the Island is packed
From what I hear in all the stories when my peoples come back, black
I’m livin’ where the nights is jet black
The fiends fight to get crack, I just max, I dream I can sit back
And lamp like Capone, with drug scripts sewn
Or the legal luxury life, rings flooded with stones, homes
I got so many rhymes I don’t think I’m too sane
Life is parallel to Hell but I must maintain
And be prosperous, though we live dangerous
Cops could just arrest me, blamin’ us, we’re held like hostages
It’s only right that I was born to use mics
And the stuff that I write, is even tougher than dykes
I’m takin’ rappers to a new plateau, through rap slow
My rhymin’ is a vitamin, Hell without a capsule
The smooth criminal on beat breaks
Never put me in your box if your shit eats tapes
The city never sleeps, full of villians and creeps
That’s where I learned to do my hustle had to scuffle with freaks
I’ma addict for sneakers, twenties of Buddha and bitches with beepers
In the streets I can greet ya, about blunts I teach ya
Inhale deep like the words of my breath
I never sleep, ’cause sleep is the cousin of death
I lay puzzled as I backtrack to earlier times
Nothing’s equivalent, to the New York state of mind
New York state of mind
New York state of mind
New York state of mind
New York state of mind
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
When Nas released ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ from his iconic debut album, ‘Illmatic,’ in 1994, he wasn’t just dropping a track; he was painting a visceral portrait of urban life in New York City. With a raw and vivid narrative, Nas’ lyrics transcend the traditional boundaries of hip-hop storytelling to reveal the harsh truths and the resilience that define the city at its core.
Breaking down the thick layers of this masterpiece reveals not only Nas’s lyrical prowess but also provides a critical glimpse into the lived experiences of those entrenched in the lifestyle of the streets. With a tone that’s simultaneously observational and deeply personal, ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ pulls no punches in delivering its powerful message.
The Gritty Realism of Street Life
Nas doesn’t sugarcoat the reality he witnesses daily. From the onset, the track throws us into ‘the dungeons of rap’ — a metaphor for the underbelly of the city. The ‘dungeons’ are a place of no return for the ‘fake,’ depicting survival of the fittest in its rawest form.
Violence, drugs, and poverty interweave to create the vivid tapestry that is Nas’s narrative. The environment he describes is one not known to the faint-hearted: it’s a daily struggle for existence where the only successful currencies are street-smarts and an ever-present vigilance.
A Gaze into the Abyss: The Song’s Hidden Meaning
Delving deeper, ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ is more than an inner-city journal; it’s an existential commentary. Nas likens sleep to ‘the cousin of death,’ a proverbial line that echoes the need for constant awareness. The ‘abyss’ isn’t just the physical landscape of urban blight but also the mental space one occupies within it.
The ceaseless mention of the ‘state of mind’ drives home the point that beyond the physical dangers, it’s the psychological impact – the anxiety, paranoia, and pressure – that gnaws incessantly at the soul of those caught in the system. Nas’s introspection is a profound piece of social commentary on the perpetual mental toll of living in such an environment.
Mastery of Lyrical Architecture
Each line in ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ is crafted with the precision and depth of a master wordsmith. Nas builds complex rhyming structures that are more than just aesthetically pleasing; they’re vehicles for storytelling loaded with double entendres and vivid imagery.
His rhymes paint pictures, create moods, and suggest narratives all at the same time. Nas’s ability to layer meanings within his words turns the act of listening into an active deciphering process, pulling you deeper into the heart of the story he tells.
Soundscapes that Color the Concrete Jungle
The genius of ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ doesn’t solely lie in its lyrics; the production plays an equally vital role. The jazz-inflected beat, the haunting piano loop, and the atmospheric scratches contribute to a soundscape that perfectly complements the urgent, stark, and unyielding narrative.
Every element in the production accentuates the emotional gravity of Nas’s words. It demands that the listener not just hear the track but experience it. The soundscape acts as the auditory canvas upon which Nas lays his poetic depictions, allowing every listener to traverse the streets of New York through his eyes.
Memorable Lines: The Microcosms Within
Amidst the dense narrative, certain lines hit with the force of a gut punch. One moment Nas is ‘like Scarface sniffin’ cocaine,’ and in the next breath, he’s a surreal visionary ‘beyond the walls of intelligence.’ Yet, it’s in the subtler reflections where Nas truly shines, offering unique and personal insights into his world and mindset.
Perhaps most provocative are the moments where Nas ventures into social critique, exposing the underlying structures that perpetuate the cycles of violence and poverty – pinpointing the snitches, the crooked cops, and the systemic traps laid for those in the urban sprawls. These storied lines are not just lyrics; they are windows into the intricate and tangled realities that define life in the N.Y. state of mind.
