[talking]
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, Nas, uh, yo, yo
Life, they wonder, can they take me under?
Nah, never that, nah, yo, yo
I come from the housin tenement buildings
Unlimited killings, menaces marked for death
Better known as the projects where junkies and rock heads dwell
Though I owe to it my success
With survival of the fittest, everyday is a chal'
I would think I'm a part of U.S.A. and be proud
Confronted with racism, started to feel foreign
Like, the darker you are the realer your problems
I reached for the stars but I just kept slippin
On this life mission, never know what's next
Ancient kings from Egypt, up to Julius Cezar
Had a piece of the globe, every continent
Yo, there's Asia, Africa, Europe, France, Japan
Pakistan, America, Afghanstan
Yo, there's Protestants, Jews, Blacks, Arabics
Call a truce, world peace, stop actin like savages
No war, we should take time and think
The bombs and tanks makes mankind extinct
But since the beginning of time it's been men with arms fightin
Lost lives in the Towers and Pentagon, why then?
Must it go on, we must stop the killin
Tell me why we die, we all God's children
[Chorus - Female singing, Nas in background]
World is hating, that's forever (uh, c'mon)
It's time that we stand together (yeah, for the world)
Everybody wants to rule the world (what, what, what, what, what, c'mon)
World (peace), world (peace), world (peace), world
Yo, there's brothers on the block, posted up like they own it
That's they corner, from New York to California
Got blocks locked down
Like, "dog you safe whenever you with me, see this is my town"
So the youngsters, grows in ghettos, goes to prison
At an early age, already know it's against him
So in order for him to survive, one day he must
Open up his eyes to the set backs and rise
'Cause, everybody wants a shot, in this land of opportunity
Look at what this country's got
There shouldn't be nobody homeless
How can the president fix other problems when he ain't fixed home yet
The earth wasn't made for one man to rule alone
To all colors increases, to home it belongs
I want land, mansions, banks and gold
The diamonds in Africa, oil in my control
The world's natural resources, all its residuals
But then comes foes, I have to gaurd it with missels
And I become the most wanted
But is it worth hearin a million people problems and followed by Secret Service
I guess, attempts at my life with loaded barrels
So move over Colin Powell or just throw in the towel, yo
[Chorus]
Y'all know that's my style, to hit you at the right time
No other compares to what Nas write down
Tell you my dreams, show you my pain is yours
You could get what you love, be a chain in cause
You alive right now
There's so many that's dead or locked up inside the beast, I'm a hot light now
It's whatever man think of manifest to the real
The plan is to wake up 'cause time reveals
All this hate can't forever last
All my ghetto heroes in Heaven, it's like you right here and never passed
You just transcend, I know I'm gon' see you again
Hopin I reach the world leaders and win
Ain't nothin without struggle, listen up, it's critical
We used to fear arms, now the weapons are chemical
In Hip-Hop, the weapons are lyrical
To be the best you challenge the best, then the blessings are spiritual
Top of the world for the kid and unless
Poppin any rapper's head off his shoulders no contest
I know the Most High hear me, so fly you can't near me
You scared of a mirror, my theory is that - knowledge is power
To every projects and every street corner, we gotta get ours now
[Chorus]
[talking]
Yo, niggas ain't forget shit, know what I'm sayin?
Niggas ain't forget nothin
Men, women and children killed by the police and shit
Niggas ain't gon' forget that, you know what I mean?
Yo, what this war just show me is like, whatever you want out of life
Whatever you feel is rightfully yours, go out and take it
Even if that means blood and death
You know, that's what I was raised up on, that's what this country's about
This is what my country is, and my country's a muthafucka
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, Nas, uh, yo, yo
Life, they wonder, can they take me under?
Nah, never that, nah, yo, yo
Unlimited killings, menaces marked for death
Better known as the projects where junkies and rock heads dwell
Though I owe to it my success
With survival of the fittest, everyday is a chal'
I would think I'm a part of U.S.A. and be proud
Confronted with racism, started to feel foreign
Like, the darker you are the realer your problems
I reached for the stars but I just kept slippin
On this life mission, never know what's next
Ancient kings from Egypt, up to Julius Cezar
Had a piece of the globe, every continent
Yo, there's Asia, Africa, Europe, France, Japan
Pakistan, America, Afghanstan
Yo, there's Protestants, Jews, Blacks, Arabics
Call a truce, world peace, stop actin like savages
No war, we should take time and think
The bombs and tanks makes mankind extinct
But since the beginning of time it's been men with arms fightin
Lost lives in the Towers and Pentagon, why then?
Must it go on, we must stop the killin
Tell me why we die, we all God's children
World is hating, that's forever (uh, c'mon)
It's time that we stand together (yeah, for the world)
Everybody wants to rule the world (what, what, what, what, what, c'mon)
World (peace), world (peace), world (peace), world
That's they corner, from New York to California
Got blocks locked down
Like, "dog you safe whenever you with me, see this is my town"
So the youngsters, grows in ghettos, goes to prison
At an early age, already know it's against him
So in order for him to survive, one day he must
Open up his eyes to the set backs and rise
'Cause, everybody wants a shot, in this land of opportunity
Look at what this country's got
There shouldn't be nobody homeless
How can the president fix other problems when he ain't fixed home yet
The earth wasn't made for one man to rule alone
To all colors increases, to home it belongs
I want land, mansions, banks and gold
The diamonds in Africa, oil in my control
The world's natural resources, all its residuals
But then comes foes, I have to gaurd it with missels
And I become the most wanted
But is it worth hearin a million people problems and followed by Secret Service
I guess, attempts at my life with loaded barrels
So move over Colin Powell or just throw in the towel, yo
No other compares to what Nas write down
Tell you my dreams, show you my pain is yours
You could get what you love, be a chain in cause
You alive right now
There's so many that's dead or locked up inside the beast, I'm a hot light now
It's whatever man think of manifest to the real
The plan is to wake up 'cause time reveals
All this hate can't forever last
All my ghetto heroes in Heaven, it's like you right here and never passed
You just transcend, I know I'm gon' see you again
Hopin I reach the world leaders and win
Ain't nothin without struggle, listen up, it's critical
We used to fear arms, now the weapons are chemical
In Hip-Hop, the weapons are lyrical
To be the best you challenge the best, then the blessings are spiritual
Top of the world for the kid and unless
Poppin any rapper's head off his shoulders no contest
I know the Most High hear me, so fly you can't near me
You scared of a mirror, my theory is that - knowledge is power
To every projects and every street corner, we gotta get ours now
Yo, niggas ain't forget shit, know what I'm sayin?
Niggas ain't forget nothin
Men, women and children killed by the police and shit
Niggas ain't gon' forget that, you know what I mean?
Yo, what this war just show me is like, whatever you want out of life
Whatever you feel is rightfully yours, go out and take it
Even if that means blood and death
You know, that's what I was raised up on, that's what this country's about
This is what my country is, and my country's a muthafucka
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Yeah, he's not saying America's a bad place. He's criticizing people who have power, and America is a strong element in that subject. Now the song My Country, THAT'S a harsh song and I could really see with that one how he has some serious beef with stuff here.
He did a good job of flowing and expressing thoughts in this song, but the best part of the song is the Tears For Fears sample. Whoever thought of that made an awesome pick for a beat (and chorus).
I'm not sure what level of education you guys reached, but to claim that he's dissing America in this song is absurd. Listen to the lyrics, he's questioning why he should go to war and have more killings when we saw how bad war can be with 9/11. I don't see how that's dissing America. If anything he's questioning the people in power not insulting the country. And, a until you're black, you have no right to speak on what blacks should do. God, shut up.
this song is a bunch of hogwash. how can anyone say this stuff about the best country in the world? if u want a place without homelessness, try a country full of commies. In America, it's our choices that lead to our position in society. If you don't like where you are you have the opportunity to change it. Stop complaining and move on.
ydnrab85, man, Nas is not complaining about America, hes expressing himself, and doing a damn good job of it. All hes saying is look at all the violence that this world lives in. This fucking world thrives on it, its like a fucking pastime. There are countrys that are fighting for something they forgot about a long time ago, and America steps in and trys to be the mediator when we have our own damn problems to worry about. everyones fighting and for what??
ya man hogwash? he's just expressing what he feels and aint dissin america man.
he must have wrote this song just after 9-11, because this album came out 12-18-01...the towers and petagon where hit in sept. 01...anyways he's one of the few rappers that deliver positive messages, understanding, itelligent lyrics, awareness.... and on and on and on....
not sayin america is bad place? he sure as hell is, and hes fuckin right, ydnrab85, go to a fuckin young republicans meeting and stop listenin to Nas cuz you sure as hell don't uderstand what hes sayin, this whole album is a large criticism for the US, I'm sure where you come from doing things like going to college is real easy, but those dumb, sling-blade niggers from the ghetto are too stupid to pull themselves out of the ghetto right? they just want to have babies, smoke crack, that they bought with their welfare checks, you're an idiot, you obviously don't live on your own cuz if you did you'd understand how fuckin hard it is, im from the middle class and its still really fuckin hard to get by, this country has been using terror and violating human rights both abroad and at home just to keep the social order the same, you're a fuckin idiot, do yourself and the next you want to criticize Nas's lyrics save yourself some time and just go donate to the some Republican campaign
There shouldn't even be arguments about this song: WAKE UP and see what is going on with your country and the world in general. It is the few that controls the rest of the population and every 6th man in Europe lives below powerty line nad it is damn near if not worse in the US. WAKE UP!!! stop watching MTV and listen to the mainstreemm media as they are the only source. Research, any possible way! Here is a hint : Noam Chomsky, Jim mars, Alex Jones...