No Games Ayo Keyz X Unquantized Reddit4/25/2021
That said, listening to it now it seems to convey a (fake) modesty.
![]() State of Mind is one of my favourites, because that one painted a picture of the City like nobody else. I worked on that first album all my life, up until I was twenty, when it came out. I was a very young cat talking about it like a Vietnam veteran, talking like Ive been through it all. Interview with Rolling Stone (2007) The opening lines has this older man looking back, comparing the current scene with the past: Its like the game aint the sameGot younger nias pullin the trigger, bringin fame to their name The second verse is more introspective, with Nas describing his artistry and compulsion to write: I got so many rhymes, I dont think Im too saneLife is parallel to Hell, but I must maintain Such splitting allows for a change in delivery (the second verse is more fluid, especially when Nas opens up about his lyricism, in the lines above and when he compares himself to a smooth criminal). This doubling is particularly interesting, and found elsewhere in hip-hop lyricism. Other genres use personae and multiple perspectives, but in hip-hop theres often a meta aspect linked to the MC drawing attention to the act of writing itself. Nas puts forward a persona commenting on others at the start, to return to this writing of the character at the end: I lay puzzles as I backtrack to earlier timesNothings equivalent to a New York state of mind. References to writing exist in other genres: writing letters to former lovers, or receiving letters, for example, but hip-hop adds another dimension. Writing itself is a core theme, linked to ideas of reputationstatus (killing off the competition etc) and survival. None of this is abstract, at least not with my preferred MCs who allow for depth to come through not only on an intellectual level - via references, as Nas does here name-checking Scarface the film character, the rapper maybe - and making space for an emotional charge. You sense it here, Nass lyricism is not an exercise, a chance to show off, its an extension of his self and how he feels. Key to this is the intimate nature of hip-hop; the fact that rap is a spoken art, all the while playing with notions of authenticity and truth. I understand the emphasis on analysing the line-by-line brilliance that consumes so many fans and critics alike. It makes sense, as a measure of the MCs skill, as a way of consolidating community bonds. See here the Genius breakdown of N.Y. State of Mind, and impressive commentary on the following lines: Inhale deep like the words of my breath I never sleepcause sleep is the cousin of death Heres the take of one commentator: A truly classic rap line evoking ghetto drug dealers one eye open sense of paranoia; perhaps inspired by the Talmud (which tells us sleep is 160th of death ) or the Iliad (where Hypnos and Thanatos i.e., sleep and death are described as brothers) This lines 1st degree meaning is evident: sleep is a deathlike, inert state of consciousness At the 2nd degree, sleeping is slang for being inattentive or negligent; a drug dealer who is robbed for lack of vigilance is said to be caught sleeping Nas never sleeps i.e., hes never caught sleeping because being an easy target could lead him to getting shot to death. And, to top it all off, whats New York Citys nickname And another: Sleep is the cousin of death is also a Congolese proverb. In this video DJ Premier describes the recording process 20 people in the booth alongside Nas, asking him to pass the Henny and weed, and explains how the famous false start came about n,url:,width:854,height:480,providerName:YouTube,thumbnailUrl:,resolvedBy:youtube data-block-type32 idblock-yui31721155179677565312583 data-provider-nameYouTube This awkward opening reflects Nass youthshyness (DJ Premier refers to the way Nas used to hide his face when recording a verse). It also enacts a key aspect of his craft as MC, the way he draws attention to his rhymes as process, as if he is bringing his verses into being as he raps them. Countless MCs boast about their greatness, Nas does this too here, but what is distinctive is the way he allows for what seems to be a spontaneous element, as if hes making it up then and there just like a freestyle. ![]() And yet, as DJ Premier explains this wasnt made up, it was the real thing, Nas was freestyling and responding to a friend.
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