Stillmatic (The Intro)
Nas · Stillmatic
that blood of a slave, boiling in my veins
that blood of a slave, heart of a king
turn my voice up
Ayo the brotha's Stillmatic
I crawled up outta my grave, wipin' the dirt
cleanin' my shirt, they thought I'd make another Illmatic/
But it's always foward I'm movin', never backwards stupid/
here's another classic, C-notes are fallin' from the sky/
by now the credits rollin' starrin' Nas executive poet/
produced-directed by the kid slash Escobar/
narration descibes the lives of lost tribes in the ghetto tryin' to suvive/
the feature opens wit this young black child/
fingers scratch, cigarette burns in the sofa/
turnin' the TV down while Mary Jane burns, 45's playin/
soft in the backround, food from C town, mornings was hashbrowns/
stepped over dope feens, walkin' out the door
all of us poor/ I learned the difference between the snitches
the real ones and who's soft and the murderous/
hungriest crews, people jumpin' from rooves, shotguns pumpin'
made it through my youth/ walk a very thin line
ages seven to nine/ that's the age I was on my album cover/
this is the rebirth, I know the streets thirst/
water like Moses, walkin' through the hot desert
searchin' to be free, this is my ending and my new beginning
Nostalgia, out in the mega places, it's like a glitch in the Matrix/
I seen it all and did it all, most of y'all pop for a minute,
spit a sentence then the game will get rid of y'all,
Y'all got there but y'all ain't get it all/
I want my style back, hate to cease ya plan, it's the rap repo man/
to them double up hustlas
bitter niggas who real, professionals stick up kids dreamin' for mils/
let my words guide you, get inside you
from Crypts to pyros this is survival/
Blood of a slave, heart of a king x4
Stillmatic (The Intro)
Released in 1994 on Nas's seminal album Stillmatic, this track serves as the album's opening statement, setting a tone of gritty realism and introspection that defines the East Coast hip-hop sound of the mid-90s. The recording features Nas's signature flow, blending raw lyricism with a sample from The Isley Brothers' 'Shout,' creating a sonic landscape that balances aggression with vulnerability. As a foundational piece of the artist's discography, the song exemplifies the narrative depth and social commentary that characterized Nas's work during the height of the golden age of hip-hop. It remains a pivotal moment in the artist's career, establishing themes of urban life and personal struggle that would recur throughout his subsequent catalog.

