In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
The light is there
Yeah yeah
You see I come from Mississippi
I was young and runnin' wild
Ended up in New York City
Where I had my first child
I named the boy Nasir
All the boys call him Nas
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive
Let's go
Hey-hey-hey-hey
Chuck Berry of these rap skits, styles I mastered
Many brothers snatched it up and tried to match it
But I'm still number one, everyday real
Speak what I want, I don't care what y'all feel
Cause I'm my own master, my Pop told me be your own boss
Keep integrity at every cost, and his home was Natchez Mississippi
Did it like Miles and Dizzy, now we gettin' busy
Bridging the gap, from the blues, to jazz, to rap
The history of music on this track
Born in the game, discovered my father's music
Like Prince searchin' through boxes of Purple Rain
But my Minneapolis was The Bridge, home of the Superkids
Some are well-known, some doin' bids
I mighta ended up on the wrong side of the tracks
If Pops wouldn't've pulled me back an said yo
See I come from Mississippi
I was young and runnin' wild (uh huh)
Ended up in New York City (New York)
Where I had my first child (that's me y'all)
I named the boy Nasir (yeah)
All the boys call him Nas (that's what's up)
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive
Greatest man alive (yeah, turn it up)
Gre-gre-gre-gre-greatest man alive
The blues came from gospel, gospel from blues
Slaves are harmonizin' them ahs and oohs
Old school, new school, know school rules
All these years I been voicin' my blues
I'm a artist from the start, Hip-Hop guided my heart
Graffiti on the wall, coulda ended in Spoffard, juvenile delinquent
But Pops gave me the right type'a tools to think with
Books to read, like X and stuff
Cause the schools said the kids had dyslexia
In art class I was a compulsive sketcher of
Teachers in my homeroom, I drew pix to mess them up
Cause none'a them would like my style
Read more books than the curriculum profile
Said, "Mr. Jones please come get your child
Cause he's writin' mad poems and his verses are wild"
I was born in Mississippi
I was young and runnin' wild
Moved to New York City
Where I had my first child
I named the boy Nasir
All the boys call him Nas
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive
Greatest man
The great-greatest man alive (tell 'em)
Hey-hey-hey my poppa was not a rollin' stone
He been around the world blowin' his horn, still he came home
Then he got grown, changed his name to Olu
Come on, tell 'em 'bout all the places you gone to
I been to Saudi Arabia, Mozambique (yeah)
Madagascar, Paris, Greece (uh huh)
But little Africa is where we live (yeah)
Better known as Queenbridge
Nas, Nas you don't stop
Olu Dara in the house, you don't stop
Muddy Waters' Howling Wolf you don't stop
From the Blues to Street Hop you don't stop
Tell 'em Pop
See I come from Mississippi (let 'em know)
I was young and runnin' wild (runnin' wild)
Ended up in New York City (yeah)
Where I had my first child (that's me)
I named the boy Nasir (yeah, Daddy)
All the boys call him Nas (luh ya, boy)
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive (you the greatest, Pop)
Greatest man alive (you the greatest, Pop)
Gre-gre-gre-gre-greatest man alive
Rest In Peace Ray Charles
Yeah yeah
You see I come from Mississippi
I was young and runnin' wild
Ended up in New York City
Where I had my first child
I named the boy Nasir
All the boys call him Nas
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive
Let's go
Hey-hey-hey-hey
Chuck Berry of these rap skits, styles I mastered
Many brothers snatched it up and tried to match it
But I'm still number one, everyday real
Speak what I want, I don't care what y'all feel
Cause I'm my own master, my Pop told me be your own boss
Keep integrity at every cost, and his home was Natchez Mississippi
Did it like Miles and Dizzy, now we gettin' busy
Bridging the gap, from the blues, to jazz, to rap
The history of music on this track
Born in the game, discovered my father's music
Like Prince searchin' through boxes of Purple Rain
But my Minneapolis was The Bridge, home of the Superkids
Some are well-known, some doin' bids
I mighta ended up on the wrong side of the tracks
If Pops wouldn't've pulled me back an said yo
See I come from Mississippi
I was young and runnin' wild (uh huh)
Ended up in New York City (New York)
Where I had my first child (that's me y'all)
I named the boy Nasir (yeah)
All the boys call him Nas (that's what's up)
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive
Greatest man alive (yeah, turn it up)
Gre-gre-gre-gre-greatest man alive
The blues came from gospel, gospel from blues
Slaves are harmonizin' them ahs and oohs
Old school, new school, know school rules
All these years I been voicin' my blues
I'm a artist from the start, Hip-Hop guided my heart
Graffiti on the wall, coulda ended in Spoffard, juvenile delinquent
But Pops gave me the right type'a tools to think with
Books to read, like X and stuff
Cause the schools said the kids had dyslexia
In art class I was a compulsive sketcher of
Teachers in my homeroom, I drew pix to mess them up
Cause none'a them would like my style
Read more books than the curriculum profile
Said, "Mr. Jones please come get your child
Cause he's writin' mad poems and his verses are wild"
I was born in Mississippi
I was young and runnin' wild
Moved to New York City
Where I had my first child
I named the boy Nasir
All the boys call him Nas
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive
Greatest man
The great-greatest man alive (tell 'em)
Hey-hey-hey my poppa was not a rollin' stone
He been around the world blowin' his horn, still he came home
Then he got grown, changed his name to Olu
Come on, tell 'em 'bout all the places you gone to
I been to Saudi Arabia, Mozambique (yeah)
Madagascar, Paris, Greece (uh huh)
But little Africa is where we live (yeah)
Better known as Queenbridge
Nas, Nas you don't stop
Olu Dara in the house, you don't stop
Muddy Waters' Howling Wolf you don't stop
From the Blues to Street Hop you don't stop
Tell 'em Pop
See I come from Mississippi (let 'em know)
I was young and runnin' wild (runnin' wild)
Ended up in New York City (yeah)
Where I had my first child (that's me)
I named the boy Nasir (yeah, Daddy)
All the boys call him Nas (luh ya, boy)
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive (you the greatest, Pop)
Greatest man alive (you the greatest, Pop)
Gre-gre-gre-gre-greatest man alive
Rest In Peace Ray Charles
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for a kid who through his teenage years mostly listened to chicago blues and hip hop, hearing someone like nas saying "muddy waters, howlin' wolf, you don't stop" is just like affirmation. like, YOU ARE RIGHT. thanks nas.