Songwriter: Nas

[Verse One:]
Yo, the Lord is my shepard
The sword is my weapon
Reward is a blessin', that comes from the struggle
Shoes been scuffled, blood's been shed, another Mother loses a son
Cause where I'm from the young chooses a gun
Before they choose an education
But once dead their ain't no awakenin'
So like once said, life ain't for fakin
Yo, you wit' me when I say duct tape 'em?
Fuck waitin'
Got the truck outside, Benz jeep for navigation
Everything in position, they'd rather be fuckin' wit' Satan
When I aim I ain't missin', master of assasination'
I heard he call himself Esco, drive a Lexo
Rocks his hat sideways, showin' off his waves with a chipped tooth
Is this the truth?
This is what we do, sip a brew
Wait around his crib until it turns around two AM
As soon as he walks in the door we slay 'em
You guys got fat while I was away, so start payin'

[Hook:]
Okay, you wanna play rough?!
(gun shots) (scratching - a thug changes, and love changes)
Okay yo, we could play rough!

[Verse 2:]
Okay now, drive up to my crib, am I high enough?
Who these niggas tryin' to hide in their truck
I ain't order cable, why in the fuck these niggas
Ducked in they seat? are they lookin' for me?
But I ain't do shit, could it be that niggas thought
I slept like B.I.G. and Pac did
May they rest in peace, but while I'm alive I pop shit
P-11 Glock spits 17 shot clips
Put these niggas in boxes, where they Moms and Pops is
Pull the strap from under the seat
Back up in the street
Watch these niggas thats tryin' to watch me, I carefully creep
Take off my shoes, barefoot nigga poppin' my heat
Empty every shell in their direction
Its you, I should've guessed it!
Same niggas that I was connected wit', I know sent you
Now I'm'a take you off here, you dont know what you got into

[Hook:]

[Verse 3:]
Walked in his house, smackin' him up, "what you talkin' about?" he said
Shut-up nigga! knocked him in his head with chrome
Never thought I'd be in his home
With his wife taped up for my niggas to bone
Fuckin' with me, you should've known
I'll have 'em write "stupid nigga" on your tombstone
What money can do, get you hit for less than a G
For threatenin' me
I'm'a do it myself, take you to Hell, this ones for free
Killin' you niggas with nothin'
Left him dead, engine runnin'
You the only I'm makin' sure that gets whats comin'
Look at your Woman, anal ripped out, its your fault
They gang banged your bitch out in your face and you saw it
But before I let you have it I'm searchin' your crib
For pictures of relatives, addresses to where they live
Shit like that, incase a nigga wanna strike back
I'll be right up in his ass to blow 'em out with the Mac
Niggas treat you like Fam, and you on it like that?
Now you gotta lay flat, gettin' eatin' by rats
Gettin' even's never wrong, its only right to react
Eye for an eye, cause the sweetest part is payback
Somebody kncokin', who dat?
"a cop man", let him in
And give that mothafucka one under the chin
Can't believe this nigga down with the Feds!
The copped screamed out your government before he dropped dead
Dont explain, I put the pound on his head
Blew 'em! before that I can't remember the last time I said......
Okay, so we gonna play rough!

[Hook:]

Nas

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, known to one and all as Nas, is one of hip-hop’s best-known, most mercurial, and lyrically blessed figures ever to touch the microphone. Since his heart-stopping debut turn on Main Source’s “Live at the Barbeque,” Nas has delivered countless beautifully structured, thought-provoking, keenly observed verses.

Growing up in Queens, NY, Nas never really performed in big crowds—he kept to himself. Nas used a different type of vernacular that others didn’t understand, which helped him to stand out from other rappers from his era.

With every ensuing album, Nas always reminds fans that he’s still the same Queensbridge MC who crafted one of the greatest albums of all time, and arguably the bible of Hip-Hop, Illmatic.