Lyrics:

(feat. Olu Dara)

*Nas talking*
The light is there.

[Intro: Olu Dara singing]
See I come from Mississippi
I was young and runnin wild
Ended up in New York City, where I had my first child
I named the boy Nasir, all the boys call him Nas
I told him as a youngster, hell be the greatest man alive

[Verse 1: Nas]
Lets go!... Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey --
Tribrary of these rap skits, styles I mastered
Many brothers snatched it up and tried to match it
But Im still number one, everyday real
Speak what I want, I dont care what yall feel
Cause Im my own master, my Pop told me be your own boss
Keep integrity at every cost, and his home was Natchez Mississippi
Did it like Miles and Dizzy, now we gettin busy
Bridging The Gap from the blues, to jazz, to rap
The history of music on this track
Born in the game, discovered my fathers music
Like Prince searchin through boxes of Purple Rain
But my Minneapolis was The Bridge, home of the Superkids
Some are well-known, some doin bids
I mighta ended up on the wrong side of the tracks
If Pops wouldntve pulled me back an said yo
[Olu Dara singing]
Greatest man alive (Nas: Yeah, turn it up!)
Gre-Gre-Gre-Gre-Greatest man alive!

[Verse 2: Nas]
The blues came from gospel, gospel from blues
Slaves are harmonizin them ahs and oohs
Old school, new school, know school rules
All these years I been voicin my blues
Im a artist from the start, Hip-Hop guided my heart
Graffiti on the wall, coulda ended in Spoffard, juvenile delinquent
But Pops gave me the right typea tools to think with
Books to read, like X and stuff
Cause the schools said the kids had dyslexia
In art class I was a compulsive sketcher of
Teachers in my homeroom, I drew pix to mess them up
Cause nonea them would like my style
Read more books than the curriculum profile
Said, Mr. Jones please come get your child
Cause hes writin mad poems and his verses are wild
[Olu Dara singing]
Greatest man The great-greatest man alive

[Verse 3: Nas]
Hey-Hey-Hey -- My Poppa was not a Rollin Stone
He been around the world blowin his horn, still he came home
Then he got grown, changed his name to Olu
Come on, tell em bout the places you gone to
[Olu Dara singing]
I been to Saudi Arabia, Mozambique
Madagascar, Paris, Greece
The Middle Africa is where we lived
Better known as Queenbridge
[Nas]
Nas, Nas you dont stop
Olu Dara in the house, you dont stop
Muddy Waters Howling Wolf you dont stop
From the Blues to Street Hop you dont stop
Tell em Pop

[Outro: Olu Dara singing / Nas adlibbing]
See I come from Mississippi (Let em know)
I was young and runnin wild (Runnin wild)
Ended up in New York City (Yeah!)
Where I had my first child (Thats me)
I named the boy Nasir (Yeah, Daddy!)
All the boys call him Nas (Luh ya, boy)
I told him as a youngster
Hell be the greatest man alive (You the greatest, Pop)
Greatest man alive (You the greatest, Pop)Gre-Gre-Gre-Gre-Greatest man alive!
Rest In Peace Ray Charles