Released: April 19, 1994
Songwriter: Large Professor Nas
Producer: Large Professor
[Produced by Large Professor]
[Intro: Nas + Grand Wizard]
Yeah, it's Illmatic
Yeah
Yeah, it's Illmatic
Yeah
Yeah, it's Illmatic
Haha, haha, check it
[Chorus 1: Grand Wizard + Nas]
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yeah, whatever
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yo, whatever
One time 4 your mind, one time
Aiyyo, Nas? Kick that fuckin' rhyme!
[Verse 1: Nas]
Check it out
When I'm chillin', I grab the buddha, get my crew to buy beers
And watch a flick, illin' and root for the villain, huh
Plus every morning, I go out and love it sort of chilly
Then I send a shorty from my block to the store for Phillies
After bein' blessed by the herb's essence
I'm back to my rest, ten minutes, some odd seconds
That's where I got the honey at, spends the night for sexin'
Keep lubrication, Lifestyle protection
Picking up my stereo's remote control quickly
Ron G's in the cassette deck, rockin' the shit, G
I try to stay mellow, rock, well, a cappella rhymes'll
Make me richer than a slipper made Cinderella, fella
Go get your crew, hops, I'm prepared to bomb troops
Y'all niggas was born, I shot my way out my mom dukes
When I was ten, I was a hip-hoppin' shorty wop
Known for rockin' microphones and twistin' off a 40 top
[Chorus 2: Grand Wizard + Nas]
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yeah, whatever
One time 4 your mind, one time
It sounds clever
Aiyyo, Nas? Fuck that, man, that shit was phat
But kick that for them gangstas, man, fuck all that!
Right, right
[Verse 2: Nas]
What up niggas, how y'all? It's Nasty, the villain
I'm still writin' rhymes, but besides that, I'm chillin'
I'm tryin' to get this money, God
You know the hard times, kid
Shit, cold, be starvin' make you wanna do crimes, kid
But I'ma lamp ‘cause a crime couldn't beat a rhyme
Niggas catchin' 3 to 9's, Muslims yellin' "Free the mind"
And I'm from Queensbridge, been to many places
As a kid, when I would say that outta town, niggas chased us
But now, I know the time, got a older mind
Plus control a 9, fine, see, now I represent mine
I'm new on the rap scene, brothers never heard of me
Yet I'm a menace, yo, police wanna murder me
Heini Dark drinker, represent the thinker
My pen rides the paper, it even has blinkers
Think I'll dim the lights, then inhale, it stimulates
Floatin' like I'm on the North 95 Interstate
Never plan to stop, when I write, my hand is hot
And expand the lot from the Wiz to Camelot
The parlayer, I'll make your heads bop, pah
I shine a light on perpetrators like a cop's car
From day to night, I play the mic and you'll thank God
I wreck shit so much, the microphone'll need a paint job
My brain is incarcerated
Live at any jam, I couldn't count all the parks I've raided
I hold a MAC-11, and attack a reverend
I contact eleven L's and max in heaven
[Chorus 3: Grand Wizard + Nas]
One time 4 your mind, one time
It sounds clever
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yeah, whatever
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yo, from '92 to '99
[Outro]
Yeah, that shit was crazy phat, pah
Know what I’m sayin'?
But check it, you got another verse for me
I want you to kick it, you know what I'm sayin'?
Kick that shit for the projects
[Intro: Nas + Grand Wizard]
Yeah, it's Illmatic
Yeah
Yeah, it's Illmatic
Yeah
Yeah, it's Illmatic
Haha, haha, check it
[Chorus 1: Grand Wizard + Nas]
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yeah, whatever
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yo, whatever
One time 4 your mind, one time
Aiyyo, Nas? Kick that fuckin' rhyme!
[Verse 1: Nas]
Check it out
When I'm chillin', I grab the buddha, get my crew to buy beers
And watch a flick, illin' and root for the villain, huh
Plus every morning, I go out and love it sort of chilly
Then I send a shorty from my block to the store for Phillies
After bein' blessed by the herb's essence
I'm back to my rest, ten minutes, some odd seconds
That's where I got the honey at, spends the night for sexin'
Keep lubrication, Lifestyle protection
Picking up my stereo's remote control quickly
Ron G's in the cassette deck, rockin' the shit, G
I try to stay mellow, rock, well, a cappella rhymes'll
Make me richer than a slipper made Cinderella, fella
Go get your crew, hops, I'm prepared to bomb troops
Y'all niggas was born, I shot my way out my mom dukes
When I was ten, I was a hip-hoppin' shorty wop
Known for rockin' microphones and twistin' off a 40 top
[Chorus 2: Grand Wizard + Nas]
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yeah, whatever
One time 4 your mind, one time
It sounds clever
Aiyyo, Nas? Fuck that, man, that shit was phat
But kick that for them gangstas, man, fuck all that!
Right, right
[Verse 2: Nas]
What up niggas, how y'all? It's Nasty, the villain
I'm still writin' rhymes, but besides that, I'm chillin'
I'm tryin' to get this money, God
You know the hard times, kid
Shit, cold, be starvin' make you wanna do crimes, kid
But I'ma lamp ‘cause a crime couldn't beat a rhyme
Niggas catchin' 3 to 9's, Muslims yellin' "Free the mind"
And I'm from Queensbridge, been to many places
As a kid, when I would say that outta town, niggas chased us
But now, I know the time, got a older mind
Plus control a 9, fine, see, now I represent mine
I'm new on the rap scene, brothers never heard of me
Yet I'm a menace, yo, police wanna murder me
Heini Dark drinker, represent the thinker
My pen rides the paper, it even has blinkers
Think I'll dim the lights, then inhale, it stimulates
Floatin' like I'm on the North 95 Interstate
Never plan to stop, when I write, my hand is hot
And expand the lot from the Wiz to Camelot
The parlayer, I'll make your heads bop, pah
I shine a light on perpetrators like a cop's car
From day to night, I play the mic and you'll thank God
I wreck shit so much, the microphone'll need a paint job
My brain is incarcerated
Live at any jam, I couldn't count all the parks I've raided
I hold a MAC-11, and attack a reverend
I contact eleven L's and max in heaven
[Chorus 3: Grand Wizard + Nas]
One time 4 your mind, one time
It sounds clever
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yeah, whatever
One time 4 your mind, one time
Yo, from '92 to '99
[Outro]
Yeah, that shit was crazy phat, pah
Know what I’m sayin'?
But check it, you got another verse for me
I want you to kick it, you know what I'm sayin'?
Kick that shit for the projects
more tracks from the album
Illmatic XX
- N.Y. State of Mind
- I’m a Villain
- It Ain’t Hard to Tell (Stink Mix)
- The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28, 1993
- One Love (One L Main Mix)
- Halftime (Butcher Remix)
- One Love (LG Main Mix)
- Life’s a Bitch (Arsenal Mix)
- It Ain’t Hard to Tell (The Laidback Remix)
- The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)
- The Genesis
- Halftime
- The World Is Yours
- Life’s a Bitch
- One Love
- Represent
- It Ain’t Hard to Tell
- Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park)
- One Time 4 Your Mind
- It Ain’t Hard To Tell (Remix)
From the albums
- It’s On! Part 2 (1994)
- Illmatic (1994)
- Illmatic 10th Anniversary Platinum Edition (2004)
- Illmatic XX (2014)
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