Street Dreams by Nas Lyrics Meaning – The Anthem of Ambition and Urban Realism
Lyrics
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas push Bimmers and 300 E’s
A drug dealer’s destiny is reaching a ki
Everybody’s looking for something
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties on they knees for niggas with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?
Everybody’s looking for something
My man put me up for the share, one-fourth of a square
Headed for Delaware, with one change of gear
Nothing on my mind but the dime sack we blazed
With the glaze in my eye, that we find when we crave
Dollars and cents, a fugitive with two attempts
Jakes had no trace of the face, now they drew a print
Though I’m innocent ’til proven guilty
I’ma try to get filthy, purchase a club and start up realty
For real G, I’ma fulfill my dream
If I conceal my scheme, then precisely I’ll build my cream
The first trip without the clique
Sent the bitch with the quarter brick, this is it
Fresh face, NY plates got a crooked eye for the Jakes
I want it all, ArmorAll Benz and endless papes
God sake, what nigga got to do to make a half million
Without the FBI catching feelings?
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas push Bimmers and 300 E’s
A drug dealer’s destiny is reaching a ki
Everybody’s looking for something
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties on they knees for niggas with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?
Everybody’s looking for something
From Fat Cat to Pappy, niggas see the cat
Twenty-five to flat, push a thousand feet back
Holding gats wasn’t making me fat, snitches on my back
Living with moms, getting it on, flushing crack down the toilet
Two sips from bein alcoholic
Nine-hundred-ninety nine thou’ from being rich
But now, I’m all for it
My man saw it like Dionne Warwick
A wiser team for a wiser dream we could all score with
The cartel, Argentina coke with the nina
Up in the hotel, smoking on sessamina
Trina got the fishscale between her
The way the bitch shook her ass, yo, the dogs never seen her
She got me back living sweeter, fresh Caesar
Guess, David Robinson’s, Walle’ moccasins
Bitches blow me while hopping in the drop-top BM’
Word is bond, son, I had that bitch down on my shit like this
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas push Bimmers and 300 E’s
A drug dealer’s destiny is reaching a ki
Everybody’s looking for something
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties on they knees for niggas with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?
Everybody’s looking for something
Growing up project-struck, looking for luck, dreaming
Scoping the large niggas beaming, check what I’m seeing
Cars, ghetto stars pushing ill Europeans
G’ing, heard about them old timers OD’ing
Young, early 80’s, throwing rocks at the crazy lady
Worshipping every word them rope rocking niggas gave me
The street raised me up giving a fuck
I thought Jordan’s and a gold chain was living it up
I knew the dopes, the pushers, the addicts, everybody
Cut out of class just to smoke blunts and drink noddy
Ain’t that funny? Getting put on to crack money
With all the gunplay, painting the kettle black hungry
A case of beers in the staircase, I wasted years
Some niggas went for theirs, flipping coke as they career
But I’m a rebel stressing to pull out of the heat, no doubt
With Jeeps tinted out, spending, never holding out
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas push Bimmers and 300 E’s
A drug dealer’s destiny is reaching a ki
Everybody’s looking for something
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties on they knees for niggas with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?
Everybody’s looking for something
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas push Bimmers and 300 E’s
A drug dealer’s destiny is reaching a ki
Everybody’s looking for something
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties on they knees for niggas with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?
Everybody’s looking for something
Yeah, nigga, what?
Oh, shit
Queensbridge, boy, what? Yo, what?
Yo, they shot dunn, dawg
Yo, yo, lets get the hell outta here y’all, I don’t give a fuck-
Look, he on his back right now
We gotta get up outta here, son
Yo, come on run, yo
Watch out, man, yo watch out, watch out, nigga
Yo, yo hol’ up, hol’ up, hol’ up
Yo, I twisted that kid, right?
Hell yeah, dunn
Yo, why you-
Yo, yo, come on though
(Oh, shit)
Yo, we gotta got up outta here, yo
You think somebody peeped that?
Yo, hell yeah, I’m saying, yo, as long as we get rid o-
Get rid of the heat, yo
Fuck that
Get rid of the heat, yo
Come on, come on, I’m threw that shit, come on
We gotta bounce, yo
Let’s bounce
Nas’s ‘Street Dreams’ is more than just a song; it’s a raw, make-believe glimpse into the aspirations and day-to-day survival in urban jungles. Nas, known for his poetic prowess, laces the track with vivid imagery and nuanced storytelling that capture the essence of street life and its complex web of dreams and dangers.
The 1996 track from his critically acclaimed album ‘It Was Written’ samples the Eurythmics ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’ and carves a narrative of drug dealing as a means to an end. Below, we dissect the layers of ‘Street Dreams,’ peeling back the curtain on the song’s intricate portrayal of hustle, hope, and the heavyweight of consequences.
A Hustler’s Philosophy: Striving Beyond the Pavement
Nas paints a picture of the relentless pursuit of wealth and status within the confines of the streets. It’s an environment where BMWs and Mercedes aren’t just luxury items; they’re symbols of success and survival. ‘Street Dreams’ captures this pursuit with an honesty that doesn’t glorify the lifestyle but rather presents it as a fact of life for many.
The hunger for a ‘ki,’ slang for a kilogram of drugs, is both a literal and metaphorical goal. It signifies reaching an apex of economic success in a game where the rules are dictated by the street itself. Nas’s words are an ode to those who dream of transcending their reality, where a life of crime is not chosen but often seen as the only avenue towards achieving one’s dreams.
The Complex Layers of Ghetto Realities
‘Street Dreams’ delves into the multifaceted nature of the hood, where life is a series of calculated risks and relationships are currency. Nas illustrates this with reference to ‘Jakes,’ street parlance for police, and the constant paranoia that comes with evading capture. The drug game is a chess match, and Nas is the reluctant king maneuvering through it.
The dichotomy of innocence and guilt, the need to remain uncaught while ambitiously marching towards a prosperous future, crystallizes this delicate balance. Nas doesn’t shy away from the societal implications that come with the territory, acknowledging the ‘fugitive’ status that haunts even those who dare to dream.
Dreams Deferred: The Hidden Lamentation of Nas’s Narration
Beneath the gritty veneer of hustle lies a subdued sense of sorrow. ‘Street Dreams’ resonates as the story of those caught in the systemic cycle of poverty and crime. Nas, while embodying the role of the narrator, extends subtle sympathies to the ‘shorties’ and ‘niggas with big cheese,’ underscoring the desperation that grips his characters.
This hidden lament is a reminder of the lost potential, of dreams unfulfilled because of the circumstances that hold tight to the residents of these concrete landscapes. It’s the sad acceptance that while the dream is universal, the means to achieve it are not.
Cinematic Scenes: Visualizing Nas’s Narrative Tapestry
‘Street Dreams’ is rich with visual storytelling, constructing images that are cinematic in scope and intimate in detail. Nas’s lyricism invites listeners into scenes right out of a film, where ‘Trina got the fishscale between her’ sparks a vignette of drug-fueled encounters and illicit transactions blended seamlessly with moments of personal indulgence.
The evocative lyric ‘A case of beers in the staircase, I wasted years,’ serves as a haunting acknowledgment of time lost in a haze of quick fixes and fleeting highs. Each line contributes to the larger narrative that Nas meticulously weaves, serving both as a cautionary tale and a gritty celebration of street smarts.
Unforgettable Lines: The Echoes of Nas’s ‘Street Dreams’
Nas’s ‘Street Dreams’ is rife with memorable lines that have since embedded themselves in the lexicon of hip-hop culture. Phrases like ‘A drug dealer’s destiny is reaching a ki’ capture the raw essence of ambition within the urban experience. These lines echo the complex reality of those ensnared by the allure of easy money and the hard truth of its consequences.
Moreover, ‘Who am I to disagree?’ poses a rhetorical question that encapsulates the moral ambiguity pervasive throughout the song. It reflects a shared struggle that resonates with listeners, challenging them to consider their own perspectives on the pursuit of happiness and the cost it entails.
