Released: November 23, 1999

Featuring: Bravehearts

Songwriter: Bravehearts Nas Dame Grease

Producer: Dame Grease

[Produced by Dame Grease]

[Intro: Nas]
Where my real niggas at
There's a lot of real niggas out there
There's a lot of real niggas everywhere
That's why you don't fuck with just anybody
A lot of niggas is just on the low, chillin'
Not botherin' nobody, until one muthafucka fuck with 'em
And then all hell break loose

[Chorus: Nas]
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga

[Verse 1: Grand Wizard]
Well known gangstas, entrust, that we bust
Your heart and soul lies with us, let's see
Boldly go where we once took a nigga before
Now the motherfucker beggin' for more
It's Thorazine
Standin' here shakin', hatin' the haters, they watchin' my paper
Realize, a 4-5 will open his eyes
Now what the fuck you think he saw before he drop?
Nigga standin' there just like a cop
Braveheart I'm screamin up the block
Now the soldier, cadet, general in fact
Don't let me get up and show y'all muthafuckas respect
Plans connect
The twinklin' diamonds upon my neck
More Jazz than Hornacek
I blast, leave your corner wet
Straight on top of ya
Spittin' like the Trench Coat Mafia
In a schoolyard, we make it hard
What's poppin' y'all?
We made our change; what's stoppin' y'all?
They spray y'all names Rest in Peace on the project wall

[Chorus: Nas]
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga

[Verse 2: Horse]
I wave gang signs at the youth, that's down for the cause
Sling them things 'til the very end, you better get yours
Time is runnin' out
Your streets is gettin' smaller as we speak
Giuliani turns these lights on so niggas can't creep
I miss the shit out of David Dinkins
Please free John Gotti
They kept the black man eatin', not killin' everybody
Drug wars is real
You have no friends in the outfield
Foul balls is death, umpires keep ice grills
There's no tomorrow, it's the bottom of the 9-9
Can't die a broke man with a bitch that's fine
My heart's full of braveness, so who the fuck will want to save this
Fallen angel from fallen, startin' chaos on this nation
Don't play us on your station if you pussy or you hatin'
You could find us in the hood, thuggin' and regulatin'
Don't play us on your station if you pussy or you hatin'
You could find us in the hood, thuggin' and regulatin'

[Chorus: Nas]
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga

[Verse 3: Jungle]
Yo, we here to eat food, my peoples be lethal
Shots in your body make you see-through
Quiet niggas become jail riot niggas
25 to life bid, never cry niggas
Floss when they up north
Chest gettin' bigger
Celebs on the V.I., respect that nigga
Reggy on the regular, chops it up, like a editor
Come through one man gang like The Predator
If your wake, I'll wet it up, Jungle set it up
The jackal rock you to sleep while I'm comin' at you
Air out your area, Queensbridge forever, what
Ill Will the label
Bravehearts, y'all scared of us

[Verse 4: Nas]
Yo, when those niggas ran, these niggas stayed
When those niggas switched up and bitched up afraid
These niggas clicked up and ripped up the gauge
Those niggas got jail and sick 'cause we paid
Don't even rep QB, you ain't got hood stripes
Looters come through catch you frontin' and it's goodnight
Know how much force this is
Jungle, Horse, and Wiz
Nothin' but horses, kid
We go to war for this

[Chorus: Nas]
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga
Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones who get killed
It's wild where we walk, kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga

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.