Nas Will Rock - Unreleased - Nas

Beat gives you that nostalgia, lace that with Nas' vocals and you
are taken right back into Queensbridge.

            Finding unreleased Nas material has got to be one of the best things ever, so much of it is pure gold. Whether considering it off a mixtape, such as the Illmatic demo; can someone say "classic!"; or anything that wasn't included on an official album. Well after continued work a few weeks ago I came across this. The beat is glorious, and the rap is simply amazing. Nas kills it to bring that old school vibe, as I am certain this was produced around the Illmatic era. With an impeccable flow and some of the dopest knowledge dropped, don't knock this, cause Nas rock well!
            From the very first bar you can tell Nas is going to kill this one. This is a very conscious track that brings a lot of life to perhaps otherwise dead ideas. With incredible imagery of the projects and his daily living laced right in with these philosophies, I found myself fascinated. I'll cover this verse by verse with so much to speak of. In the first verse he speaks of survival and he contemplates the purpose of life.
Also note I will be transcribing the lyrics for you! Couldn't find 'em anywhere else so I figured I might as well put them up.

Low profile, rap style slick as new now

give the crew pounds every time we cover new ground

still survivin' but there's a few down back in the essence

I'm askin' questions on the phone with jail adolescence 

Quiet confessions, the system is applying the pressure

My mind is guessin', is livin' and dyin' a lesson?

But not to be up large with the mirage of cars

Take me off track from what the gods focus on hard

Laid up smokin' cigars motionin' maids 

to bring me toast and eggs kosher 

ice chokers and words to smoke it

Always the culture lives in ultra madness

Devoted coach-bag bitch 

both the average nigga hopes to get mad rich

but what's the purpose? only the gods can watch the earth twist

I'm physically trapped down on the surface, where all the crack lurches

snakes and serpents, foul jakes that search us

clowns with 4 pounds this ain't a circus.

Man what a mouthful. Ha told you there would be some sick shit spit. Nas brings us many instances of imagery that immerse into his world, which is why he is such an amazing rapper, well one reasons. Well from those lines you see other reasons, such as his incredible wordplay. And perhaps my favorite? His thought provoking ideas that he spits with such ease, speaking of his situation here on Earth. He asks himself what is the purpose? Nas feels trapped physically, in need of transcending, to get away from such foolishness. Such as the mirage of cars, that doesn't phase him, but tricks others such as the addicts, and other clowns. 

           

Black clouds over the hood I'm on the corner with the thugs

Late night under the moon they assume i'm slingin' drugs

Cause I'm hooded up thought a G at night wasn't good enough

Pushed ones luck yo they had a brother put in cuffs

Luckily made it out of court comfortably 

Judge said I need a job ain't nothin' comin' free could've got a 1 in 3

I try to school these shorties under me but they can't see

from life to death so know we back to where we never left

The ghetto  it's a damn shame knowin' it's a man game

Shorty thinkin' it's time to make your plans change

All that run around tryin' to chase must've been a year

Been there, it's goin' nowhere Pops told me knuckle up no fair

I wished so many killings could be prevented

Whatever happens it was written meaning God made it

But during life you put your heart in it

Even though it seems we bein' targeted 

Let that brother R hit it

Nas brings up more points, more stories, and rich imagery to us on the 2nd verse. We are introduced to a dark opening, men under the moon in the streets of New York City. Then after some misinterpretation from the others, Nas gets in a mix up, and goes to court. Comin' out free, as the Judge suggests he gets a job, but Nas claims there is nothing out there for him. Then he speaks of the struggle many people face when in the Ghetto, time fly's by success hasn't been reached, so we try and reach new ideas to emancipate us, economically of course. Nas reflects on "shorty's" hopes of trying something new, but it never happened and Olu Dara; his father; told him to take life as it is. Of course, as a young person myself, this is very much a reality to me, just with different circumstances. As a teenager I wanna remain optimistic as I enter the real world, and leave my adolescence behind. And it sucks when you have to face the reality of a situation even if it goes against your positive mindset.  Next, Nas reflects on tragedies of death, but as I mentioned, he accepts it for what they are because he assumes God had it happen. And whatever the matter we should just strive through it and eventually prevail...

I'll be adding more to this post. Discussing the next verse, and the production of course. Enjoy the track for now! A download link should be included in the future.