[Produced by DJ Premier]

[Intro]
(Nas is; Nas is; Nas is; Nas is; Nas is; Nas is; Nas is;
Nas is like; Nas is like; Nas is like)
Umm, Premo, Nas
Yeah, yeah, yo
(Nas is; Nas is; Nas is; Nas is; Nas is; Nas is; Nas is;
Nas is like)

[Verse 1]
Freedom or jail, clips inserted, a baby's bein' born
Same time a man is murdered — the beginnin' and end
As far as rap go, it's only natural I explain
My plateau and also what defines my name
First it was Nasty, but times have changed
Ask me now, I'm the artist, but hardcore, my sign's for pain
I spent time in the game, kept my mind on fame
Saw fiends shoot up and do lines of cocaine
Saw my close friends shot, flatline, am I sane?
That depends, carry MAC-10's to practice my aim
On rooftops, tape CD covers to trees
Line the barrel up with your weak picture then squeeze
Street scriptures for lost souls in the crossroads
To the corner thugs hustlin' for cars that cost dough
To the big dogs livin' large, takin' it light
Pushin' big toys, gettin' nice, enjoyin' your life
It's what you make it, suicide, few try to take it
Belt tied around they neck in jail cells naked
Heaven and Hell, rap legend, presence is felt
And of course, N-A-S are the letters that spell... (Nas, Nas, Nas)
[Chorus]
Nas is like... life or death; I'm a rebel
My poetry's deep, I never fell
Nas is like... half-man, half-amazin' (Uh)
No doubt!
Nas is like... life or death; I'm a rebel (Uh, uh)
My poetry's deep, I never fell
Nas is like... half-man, half-amazin' (Uh)
No doubt! (Uh)

[Verse 2]
(Nas is like...) Earth, Wind & Fire, rims and tires
Bulletproof glass, inside is the realest driver
Planets in orbit, line 'em up with the stars
Tarot cards, you can see the pharaoh Nas
(Nas is like...) Iron Mike, messiah type
Before the Christ, After the Death, the last one left
Let my cash invest in stock
Came a long way from blastin' TEC's on blocks
Went from Seiko to Rolex, ownin' acres
From the projects with no chips, to large cake dough
Dimes givin' fellatio, siete zeros
Bet my 9 spit for the pesos
But what's it all worth? Can't take it with you under this earth
Rich men died and tried, but none of it worked
They just rob your grave, I'd rather be alive and paid
Before my number's called, history's made
Some'll fall, but I rise — thug or die
Makin' choices that determine my future under the sky
To rob, steal or kill, I'm wonderin' why
It's a dirty game, is any man worthy of fame?
Much success to you, even if you wish me the opposite
Sooner or later, we'll all see who the prophet is
[Chorus]
Nas is like... life or death; I'm a rebel
My poetry's deep, I never fell
Nas is like... half-man, half-amazin' (C'mon)
No doubt!
Nas is like... life or death; I'm a rebel
My poetry's deep, I never fell
Nas is like... half-man, half-amazin'
No doubt! (Uh)

[Verse 3]
(Nas is like...) Sex to a nympho, but nothin' sweet
I'm like beef, bustin' heat through your windows
I'm like a street sweeper, green leaf breather
Like Greeks in Egypt, learnin' somethin' deep from they teachers
I'm like crime, like your 9, your man you would die for
Always got you, I’m like Pac, dude you would cry for
I'm like a whole lot of loot, I'm like crisp money
Corporate accounts from a rich company
I'm like ecstasy for ladies
I'm like all races combined in one man, like the '99 Summer Jam
Bulletproof Hummer man
I'm like bein' locked down around new faces, and none of 'em fam
I'm the feelin' of a millionaire spendin' a hundred grand
I'm a poor man's dream, a thug poet
Live it and I write down, and I watch it blow up
Y'all know what I'm like, y'all play it in ya system every night, now
[Chorus]
Nas is like... life or death; I'm a rebel
My poetry's deep, I never fell
Nas is like... half-man, half-amazin'
No doubt!
Nas is like... life or death; I'm a rebel
My poetry's deep, I never fell
Nas is like... half-man, half-amazin'
No doubt! (Uh)
Nas is like