Album Intro
Nas · I Am...
-Hey Nas, hey hey boy, you see what they done did to Jimmy and
Lee.
[Nas:] Mmmhmm. Damn, man.
-I can't take it man.
[Nas:] Sho' can't.
-You think this is gonna eva' change?
[Nas:] Man, damn this place, man! Damn these chains!
These damn
chitlins every damn night.
-This cotton.
[Nas:] Shit!
-I can't take it man.
[Nas:] Harriett done left the night befo'. It's time we
go.
Aint no place for black folk here. Man, promise land callin'
me man.
-It's callin' me too.
[Nas:] It's time we go.
-Yeah, I'm wichou!
[Nas:] Hey man, hey damn these chains, man.
Damn you master, you
ain't my master, man!
[Sounds of punching and bumping]
[Nas:] You aint nothin', you aint nothin.
-Hey Bandit, Bandit, get the dogs! Get the hounds, we gonna
have ourselves a hangin' tonight!
[Nas:] Nineteen-ninety-six!
Back up in this nigga.
The right way, though, you know?
-Double-tre son, you know aint nothin'
coincedental or accidental, son.
[Nas:] No doubt!
-You know how it's goin' down, man.
[Nas:] It was all written.
-No question, I'm sayin' man, I mean, how we playin' man,
you know what I'm sayin', they dealt us in, son.
They playin' with a fifty-four deck, you see with the
Jokers in and everything, you know what I'm saying?
[Nas:] Son, I'm playin' with the fifty-two.
-You wanna stress on how I used to play, that's how I play.
[Nas:] But, yo, they takin' us into this next millenium,
right now.
-I'm sayin' law, you know what I'm sayin' we gotta lay the law,
cause without law aint no order, you know what I'm sayin',
that's why these cats are slippin'
through, you know what I'm sayin? They got the rules missin',
though.
[Nas:] True.
-Yo, word up, though, you know what I mean?
[Nas:] Son, these niggas look faker than the new hundred
dollars, son.
-Yeah, you see that they look Monopoly money, right?
[Nas:] Word, with the big ass face on it.
-Yo, what I'm sayin', we see through all that, though
you know what I'm sayin?
[Nas:] No question.
-All eyes seein', son, you know we real.
[Nas:] Yo, no doubt. In the Qu'ran it says Nas, the men.
Nesa's the woman, know? It was written.
Album Intro
Nas's "Album Intro" serves as a pivotal opening track on the seminal 1994 album *I Am...*, setting the tone for a defining moment in East Coast hip-hop. Released during the height of the Golden Age, the recording showcases Nas's signature lyrical precision and introspective style, characteristic of his work on *Illmatic*. As a standalone piece, it functions as a sonic gateway, introducing listeners to the gritty, narrative-driven storytelling that became a hallmark of his discography. The track reflects the broader cultural and musical landscape of early 1990s New York rap, establishing a foundation upon which subsequent tracks like "N.Y. State of Mind" and "The World Is Yours" would build. It remains a critical song point for understanding the artistic vision and technical prowess that made *I Am...* an enduring classic.