Released: April 19, 2004
Songwriter: Nas
Producer: Nick “Fury” Loftin
[Intro:]
Take it to the bridge
To the motherfuckin' bridge
Queensbridge in the motherfucker
[Hook:] x3
It Ain't Hard to Tell
[Verse 1:]
The buddha monk's in your trunk, turn the bass up
Not stories by Aesop, place your loot up, parties I shoot up
Nas, I analyze, drop a jewel, inhale from the L
School a fool well, you feel it like Braille, it ain't hard to tell
I kick a skill like Shaquille holds a pill
Vocabulary spills I'm Ill plus Matic
I freak beats, slam it like Iron Sheik
Jam like a Tec with correct techniques
So analyze me, surprise me, but can't magnetize me
Scannin' while you're plannin' ways to sabotage me
I leave 'em froze like her-on in your nose
Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell
[Hook:] x3
[Verse 2:]
What's a beat if the rap don't click
I spit rhymes like I'm sick, dying loss in a pit
The only way I can escape is by vocals
Verbalize a strife
Stabbin' ears like a knife hood like
The Prophet of the gutter
Lyrics are silk mega butter
I flow never stutter
Clever poetic brothers on a mission
Dissin' all who perps the fraud
Scrams listen, (and) do what the experts record
Burn your pen and pads, mics you'll need not
Well I be packin' like a rasta in a weed spot
Hittin' your hearts like a hollow tip
Verbally illin' minds manipulated
My raps a nickel-plated
I illustrate it, X-rated, then move out
Nas the parlayer takes you on a new route
It's suicide poetry released from a cell
With immense clientele, I excel
It ain't hard to tell
[Hook:] x3
[Verse 3:]
Now, I'm blessed with the finesse to express like Shakespeare
The blocks "Cape Fear" drop metaphors when the breaks clears
My mic check is life or death, breathing a sniper's breath
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps
Deep like the Shining, sparkle like a diamond
Sneak a Uzi on the island in my army jacket lining
Hit the Earth like a comet – invasion!
Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazing
Cause in my physical, I can express through song
Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong
I drink Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell
From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell
[Hook:] x3
Take it to the bridge
To the motherfuckin' bridge
Queensbridge in the motherfucker
[Hook:] x3
It Ain't Hard to Tell
[Verse 1:]
The buddha monk's in your trunk, turn the bass up
Not stories by Aesop, place your loot up, parties I shoot up
Nas, I analyze, drop a jewel, inhale from the L
School a fool well, you feel it like Braille, it ain't hard to tell
I kick a skill like Shaquille holds a pill
Vocabulary spills I'm Ill plus Matic
I freak beats, slam it like Iron Sheik
Jam like a Tec with correct techniques
So analyze me, surprise me, but can't magnetize me
Scannin' while you're plannin' ways to sabotage me
I leave 'em froze like her-on in your nose
Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell
[Hook:] x3
[Verse 2:]
What's a beat if the rap don't click
I spit rhymes like I'm sick, dying loss in a pit
The only way I can escape is by vocals
Verbalize a strife
Stabbin' ears like a knife hood like
The Prophet of the gutter
Lyrics are silk mega butter
I flow never stutter
Clever poetic brothers on a mission
Dissin' all who perps the fraud
Scrams listen, (and) do what the experts record
Burn your pen and pads, mics you'll need not
Well I be packin' like a rasta in a weed spot
Hittin' your hearts like a hollow tip
Verbally illin' minds manipulated
My raps a nickel-plated
I illustrate it, X-rated, then move out
Nas the parlayer takes you on a new route
It's suicide poetry released from a cell
With immense clientele, I excel
It ain't hard to tell
[Hook:] x3
[Verse 3:]
Now, I'm blessed with the finesse to express like Shakespeare
The blocks "Cape Fear" drop metaphors when the breaks clears
My mic check is life or death, breathing a sniper's breath
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps
Deep like the Shining, sparkle like a diamond
Sneak a Uzi on the island in my army jacket lining
Hit the Earth like a comet – invasion!
Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazing
Cause in my physical, I can express through song
Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong
I drink Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell
From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell
[Hook:] x3
more tracks from the album
Illmatic 10th Anniversary Platinum Edition
- N.Y. State of Mind
- The World Is Yours (10th Anniversary Remix)
- Life’s a Bitch (10th Anniversary Remix)
- It Ain’t Hard to Tell (10th Anniversary Remix)
- Star Wars
- On the Real
- The Genesis
- One Time 4 Your Mind
- Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park)
- It Ain’t Hard to Tell
- Represent
- One Love
- Life’s a Bitch
- The World Is Yours
- Halftime
- One Love (10th Anniversary Remix)
From the album
Nas popular songs
- N.Y. State of Mind
- Ether
- Life’s a Bitch
- The World Is Yours
- The Message
- It Ain’t Hard to Tell
- One Love
- If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)
- Represent
- Nas Is Like
- Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park)
- Halftime
- One Mic
- Affirmative Action
- Daughters
- Cherry Wine
- I Can
- Made Nas Proud [Let Nas Down Remix]
- EPMD 2
- Hate Me Now
- The Don
- everything
- One Time 4 Your Mind
- Bye Baby