A                       F#m
Freedom or jail, clips inserted, a baby's being born
      G#m                                     C#m
Same time a man is murdered—the beginning and end
           A                             F#m
As far as rap go, it's only natural I explain
     G#m                               C#m
My plateau, and also, what defines my name
              A                       F#m
First it was Nasty, but times have changed
                    G#m                                   C#m
Ask me now, I'm the artist, but hardcore, my sign is for pain
        A                         F#m
I spent time in the game, kept my mind on fame
       G#m                             C#m
Saw fiends shoot up and do lines of cocaine
        A                     F#m
Saw my close friends shot, flatline, am I sane?
        G#m                      C#m
That depends, carry MAC-10's to practice my aim
    A                           F#m
On rooftops, tape CD covers to trees
           G#m                                  C#m
Line the barrel up with your weak picture then squeeze
            A                             F#m
Street scriptures for lost souls, in the crossroads
        G#m                                      C#m
To the corner thugs hustling for cars that cost dough
        A                       F#m
To the big dogs living large, taking in light
        G#m                                    E
Pushing big toys, getting nice, enjoying your life
               A                            F#m
It's what you make it, suicide, few try to take it
      G#m                                    C#m
Belt tied around their neck in jail cells naked
A                                F#m
Heaven and Hell, rap legend, presence is felt
N.C.
And of course N-A-S are the letters that spell - NAS, NAS

[Scratched Hook]
A
"Nas is like" "life or death"
F#m
"I'm a rebel"
G#m                          E
"My poetry's deep, I never fell"
A
"Nas is like" "Nas is like"
F#m
"Half man half amazing"
G#m  C#m
"No doubt"

[Verse 2]
A                                   F#m
"Nas is like…" Earth, Wind & Fire, rims and tires
G#m                                C#m
Bulletproof glass, inside is the realest driver
A                 F#m                   G#m
Planets in orbit, line 'em up with the stars
C#m
Tarot cards, you can see the pharaoh Nas
A               F#m        G#m
"Nas is like…" Iron Mike, messiah type
E
Before the Christ, after the death
               A                  F#m
The last one left, let my cash invest in stock
        G#m                    C#m
Came a long way from blastin' TEC's on blocks
 A                           F#m
Went from Seiko to Rolex, owning acres
           G#m                       E
From the projects with no chips, to large cake dough
A                       F#m
Dimes giving fellatio, siete zeros
G#m                     C#m
Bet my 9 spit for the pesos, but what's it all worth?
A                        F#m
Can't take it with you under this earth
 G#m                         C#m
Rich men died and tried, but none of it worked
      A                        F#m
They just rob your grave, I'd rather be alive and paid
G#m                           C#m
Before my number's called, history's made
A                          F#m
Some'll fall, but I rise, thug or die
           G#m                                    E
Making choices that determine my future under the sky
A                          F#m
To rob, steal or kill, I'm wondering why
        G#m                      E
It's a dirty game, is any man worthy of fame?
    A                             F#m
Much success to you, even if you wish me the opposite
 G#m                                    E
Sooner or later we'll all see who the prophet is

[Scratched Hook]
A
"Nas is like" "life or death"
F#m
"I'm a rebel"
G#m                          E
"My poetry's deep, I never fell"
A
"Nas is like" "Nas is like"
F#m
"Half man half amazing"
G#m  C#m
"No doubt"

[Verse 3]
A                       F#m
"Nas is like…" Sex to a nympho, but nothing sweet
G#m                            E
I'm like beef, bustin' heat through your windows
A                           F#m
I'm like a street sweeper, green leaf breather
        G#m
Like Greeks in Egypt
                   E
Learning something deep from they teachers
          A                        F#m
I'm like crime, like your 9, your man you would die for
 G#m                     C#m
Always got you, I’m like Pac dude you would cry for
A                                       F#m
I'm like a whole lot of loot, I'm like crisp money
G#m                             E
Corporate accounts from a rich company
             A                            F#m
I'm like ecstasy for ladies, I'm like all races
            G#m                           E
Combined in one man; like the '99 Summer Jam
         A
Bulletproof Hummer man
F#m              G#m
I'm like being locked down around new faces
                 E
And none of 'em fam
           A                       F#m
I'm the feeling of a millionaire spending a hundred grand
       G#m                 E
I'm a poor man's dream, a thug poet
     A                         F#m
Live it and I write down and I watch it blow up
       G#m
Y'all know what I'm like
N.C.
Y'all play it your system every night, now…

[Scratched Hook]
A
"Nas is like" "life or death"
F#m
"I'm a rebel"
G#m                          E
"My poetry's deep, I never fell"
A
"Nas is like" "Nas is like"
F#m
"Half man half amazing"
G#m  C#m
"No doubt"