"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
T.I. (rapping for Dre):
Yeah, yeah, no roof, live life topless, can't nobody stop this
It's The D-R, in charge of savin' artists at the E.R.
Bring 'em back to life, beats like CPR
Made the west side worldwide, no PR
Gangsta rap god, I'm the end all, be all
California love, from the bloods to the c-dogs
The Compton monster make you want to cut your MP off
The greatest in the game, haters should be ashamed of not acknowledging the reign of the west coast king
Brought chronic to the scene, folded pills in the lean
Now the game full of puppets, look at me, no strings
Again and again, I've shown, you've seen me
Piss on niggas egos, ruin they self esteem
Sky the limit, no roof, I can do what you dream
Done it all 'fore you ever did a thing, nah-mean?
Tees and black jeans, no bling just bang
Officially deranged, clinically insane
Look Eazy, ain't a damn thing changed, I promise
Still live like we did back on Straight Outta Compton
Taught niggas how to have some attitudes on some hood shit
Showed 'em what to smoke when they were blazin' that bullshit
That why you smell the drug aroma when my record play
Not a blemish on my image, decorated resume
A legendary legacy, all that I was you'll never be, fuck is y'all tellin' me?
Forever on top, face it you'll never be better than the Doc, ask Pac
Again I say it's never gonna stop
Face it, you'll never be greater than the Doc, ask Pac
Chorus:
Guns blaze when I shine, make a wish quick, I'm the star and I'm the shootin' kind
Front page all the time, you boys think sick, but I ain't got no roof on mine
I drink topless, I live topless, like my girl is the game with her titties out
I drink topless, I live topless, sky's the limit, I'm paid to run this city now
Nas:
Your skin's your traveling bag of your existence
Your's is shabby and scabbed while mine's glistening
Vivid on my skin how many continents I've visited
You could journey with me to different places by listening
Shittin' on em, your brother got it covered
We can slug it, knuckle it, however you want I love it
A hustler's wit, the grit, the grind, my genetic code make-up: murderer by design
On Mayan calendar time, when night meets day
I'm in the light grey bugatti like a high speed chase
Adrenaline like joggin' or jumpin' rope in place
Muhammad Ali hobbies, no pilates, tryin' to keep the ocean by me
Hit a rich man's wife, see what these hoes can buy me
Lookin' forward but it's nice to see the road behind me
Hotel's a 7-star, begettes glowin'
Keep your learjet dog, the private jet goin' topless
Chorus:
Guns blaze when I shine, make a wish quick, I'm the star and I'm the shootin' kind
Front page all the time, you boys think sick, but I ain't got no roof on mine
I drink topless, I live topless, like my girl is the game with her titties out
I drink topless, I live topless, sky's the limit, I'm paid to run this city now
Yeah, yeah, no roof, live life topless, can't nobody stop this
It's The D-R, in charge of savin' artists at the E.R.
Bring 'em back to life, beats like CPR
Made the west side worldwide, no PR
Gangsta rap god, I'm the end all, be all
California love, from the bloods to the c-dogs
The Compton monster make you want to cut your MP off
The greatest in the game, haters should be ashamed of not acknowledging the reign of the west coast king
Brought chronic to the scene, folded pills in the lean
Now the game full of puppets, look at me, no strings
Again and again, I've shown, you've seen me
Piss on niggas egos, ruin they self esteem
Sky the limit, no roof, I can do what you dream
Done it all 'fore you ever did a thing, nah-mean?
Tees and black jeans, no bling just bang
Officially deranged, clinically insane
Look Eazy, ain't a damn thing changed, I promise
Still live like we did back on Straight Outta Compton
Taught niggas how to have some attitudes on some hood shit
Showed 'em what to smoke when they were blazin' that bullshit
That why you smell the drug aroma when my record play
Not a blemish on my image, decorated resume
A legendary legacy, all that I was you'll never be, fuck is y'all tellin' me?
Forever on top, face it you'll never be better than the Doc, ask Pac
Again I say it's never gonna stop
Face it, you'll never be greater than the Doc, ask Pac
Chorus:
Guns blaze when I shine, make a wish quick, I'm the star and I'm the shootin' kind
Front page all the time, you boys think sick, but I ain't got no roof on mine
I drink topless, I live topless, like my girl is the game with her titties out
I drink topless, I live topless, sky's the limit, I'm paid to run this city now
Nas:
Your skin's your traveling bag of your existence
Your's is shabby and scabbed while mine's glistening
Vivid on my skin how many continents I've visited
You could journey with me to different places by listening
Shittin' on em, your brother got it covered
We can slug it, knuckle it, however you want I love it
A hustler's wit, the grit, the grind, my genetic code make-up: murderer by design
On Mayan calendar time, when night meets day
I'm in the light grey bugatti like a high speed chase
Adrenaline like joggin' or jumpin' rope in place
Muhammad Ali hobbies, no pilates, tryin' to keep the ocean by me
Hit a rich man's wife, see what these hoes can buy me
Lookin' forward but it's nice to see the road behind me
Hotel's a 7-star, begettes glowin'
Keep your learjet dog, the private jet goin' topless
Chorus:
Guns blaze when I shine, make a wish quick, I'm the star and I'm the shootin' kind
Front page all the time, you boys think sick, but I ain't got no roof on mine
I drink topless, I live topless, like my girl is the game with her titties out
I drink topless, I live topless, sky's the limit, I'm paid to run this city now
Lyrics submitted by thetruth3475
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