Nas - The Rise and Fall (Appreciation)

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@Ziggiy

Do you know how much of this is real and how much of this is just storytelling? And I'm assuming this covers the period between Illmatic and I Am... (the album that sold triple platinum and got Nas the respect back)?


I always thought this song was for the scrapped Death Of Escobar album. So assuming that then yes it would cover his career up until roughly 2000. Its funny because even though I am sold very well its not certified triple platinum its certified Double Platinum so he’s combining the sales of both I am and Nastradamus but Nastradamus didn’t top the charts it debuted at number 7.
 
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@Ziggiy

Do you know how much of this is real and how much of this is just storytelling? And I'm assuming this covers the period between Illmatic and I Am... (the album that sold triple platinum and got Nas the respect back)?

Thought the period was more between IWW & I Am. Assumed it was mostly fiction as I didn't think he was arrested in that time frame. Could be uninformed though.
 

Mike the Executioner

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Thought the period was more between IWW & I Am. Assumed it was mostly fiction as I didn't think he was arrested in that time frame. Could be uninformed though.

He actually was arrested on a gun charge (which he mentioned on "Watch Dem nikkas"). I think Carmen and his mother bailed him out, and the Source Awards was coming up, but at that time, he was broke and needed a loan to buy an outfit for the show. Him losing to Biggie at the awards played a part in hiring Steve Stoute and making It Was Written.
 

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He actually was arrested on a gun charge (which he mentioned on "Watch Dem nikkas"). I think Carmen and his mother bailed him out, and the Source Awards was coming up, but at that time, he was broke and needed a loan to buy an outfit for the show. Him losing to Biggie at the awards played a part in hiring Steve Stoute and making It Was Written.
Just listened to WTN, did really hear any reference to him getting jammed up. What did I miss?
 

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Just listened to WTN, did really hear any reference to him getting jammed up. What did I miss?

[Verse 2: Nas, Foxy Brown]
Now how can I perfect this? (Uhh, what?)
Living reckless, die for my necklace
Crime infected, driving a Lexus with a death wish
Jetting, checking my message on the speaker
Bopping to "Mona Lisa", brown reefer, ten G's, gun and my Visa
CD cranking, doing 90 on the Franklin D. Roosevelt
No seat belt, drinking and thinking

Nas is referencing it here. He was driving a Lexus and got caught with no license and a fully loaded gun without the serial number.
 
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Thought the period was more between IWW & I Am. Assumed it was mostly fiction as I didn't think he was arrested in that time frame. Could be uninformed though.


@Mike the Executioner already said it but Nas was arrested on a gun charge. There’s actually an article out there about it, the cops pulled him over, found the gun, and Nas told the cops he needed it for protection because rappers like Queen Latifah were getting robbed


An up-and-coming rapper who said he was concerned about being carjacked was nabbed last night on gun charges after leaving a Queens housing project with a loaded .

357, police said. Nasir Jones known as Nas was driving his $80,000 gold Lexus on 21st St. in Astoria when plainclothes cops acting on a tip stopped his car and searched him, two passengers and his car. The gun was found in the glove compartment, the serial number removed, police said. Jones was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, defacing a gun and driving without a license. "I carry because of what happened to Queen Latifah," cops said Jones told them, referring to the July 16 attack in which Latifah's bodyguard, Sean Moon, was shot and her BMW stolen in Harlem. "He was very nice to us," said 114th Precinct anti-crime Police Officer John Pagnotta, one of the arresting officers. "He told us his rap lyrics are positive and all. But he was driving without a license and with a loaded gun.

357 Magnum Charter Arm was fully loaded with aluminum-jacketed hollow-point bullets. (sheesh) Jones, whose debut compact disc, "Illmatic," sold more than 400,000 copies and debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard charts last year, was visiting family in the Queensbridge Houses before his arrest. The projects are featured heavily in his lyrics, which are peppered with graphic depictions of life filled with violence, drugs and poverty.


Bill O’Reilly tried to use the fact that Nas had gotten arrested to get him kicked off a benefit concert for Virginia Tech students who had recently been victims of a school shooter




Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band hand picked Nas to perform and the students rallied in support of Nas and Nas performed.

Nas talks about it on Sly Fox

 
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The Dust King

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Do you know how much of this is real and how much of this is just storytelling? And I'm assuming this covers the period between Illmatic and I Am... (the album that sold triple platinum and got Nas the respect back)?

the song is 100% autobiographical

it covers pre illmatic to post IWW

the triple plat lp is IWW
 

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I always thought this song was for the scrapped Death Of Escobar album. So assuming that then yes it would cover his career up until roughly 2000. Its funny because even though I am sold very well its not certified triple platinum its certified Double Platinum so he’s combining the sales of both I am and Nastradamus but Nastradamus didn’t top the charts it debuted at number 7.

the song is from Death Of Escobar album and the song isnt about I Am

the song is about IWW and Escobar

the triple platinum LP he references is IWW
 

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[Verse 2: Nas, Foxy Brown]
Now how can I perfect this? (Uhh, what?)
Living reckless, die for my necklace
Crime infected, driving a Lexus with a death wish
Jetting, checking my message on the speaker
Bopping to "Mona Lisa", brown reefer, ten G's, gun and my Visa
CD cranking, doing 90 on the Franklin D. Roosevelt
No seat belt, drinking and thinking

Nas is referencing it here. He was driving a Lexus and got caught with no license and a fully loaded gun without the serial number.
@Cool DOC @Trace @Ziggiy

these lyrics are not a reference to nas arrest
 

The Dust King

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Nas himself said it was based on a true story when they did the oral history of It Was Written. Seems like too much of a coincidence, but I could be wrong. :yeshrug:

i didnt say the lyrics werent true. i said they arent about his arrest

these lyrics are just very descriptive and paint exactly the picture portrayed;

drunk driving, speeding, dirty, blastin ricky and chock full of pride and ego

i have no doubt these are autobiographical lyrics as well but he was arrested in Queens hence this is not about that
 

Mike the Executioner

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i didnt say the lyrics werent true. i said they arent about his arrest

these lyrics are just very descriptive and paint exactly the picture portrayed;

drunk driving, speeding, dirty, blastin ricky and chock full of pride and ego

i have no doubt these are autobiographical lyrics as well but he was arrested in Queens hence this is not about that

I think there was some confusion. I know the lyrics weren't about his arrest specifically, but they were inspired by the arrest. That's why I said he was making a reference to it because it happened around the time he was working on It Was Written.
 
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