Released: November 23, 1999

Songwriter: Dame Grease Nas

Producer: Dame Grease

[Chorus]
Some of us have angels (the kingdom, the power)
Some of us have angels (the power, the glory)
Some of us have demons (greed, and lust)
Some of us have demons (lust, temptation)
Some of us have angels (the kingdom, the power)
Some of us have angels (the power, the glory)
Some of us have demons (greed, and lust)
Some of us have demons (lust, temptation)

[Verse 1]
Now this is you, dressed in all black, fatigue hat, ready for combat
A good nigga, you don't leave tracks
A hood nigga wantin' G-stacks, do what you gotta do to get that
You feel you need that, where the juxs at?
These are your niggas, creepin' they be leavin' niggas sleep witchu
Loc' style, quiet no smile, it's the official
Sometime they grimy, speakin' on they own people
They snake you if they have to, raised tattoos
Now these are your bitches, phonin' lonely homie chickens
All the homies stick 'em, you think you own 'em man, listen
She stab you in your sleep with a knife from out the kitchen
Put a root on you, next week they find you missin'
Dead in your Expedition in the forest, fell off the cliff and
Tumbled 'til you blew up, Feds told her and she threw up
Fake bitches, actresses, wicked witch practices
Two sides of us, negative and positive

[Chorus]
Some of us have angels (the kingdom, the power)
Some of us have angels (the power, the glory)
Some of us have demons (greed, and lust)
Some of us have demons (lust, temptation)
Some of us have angels (the kingdom, the power)
Some of us have angels (the power, the glory)
Some of us have demons (greed, and lust)
Some of us have demons (lust, temptation)

[Verse 2]
Now this is your mom, your good luck charm
Pushin you to do no wrong, prayin for you that you live long
Nobody kill my baby, but she know her baby crazy
In and out of jail, mom's screamin', "God take me!"
This is your pop, chip off the old block that made him
The man of the house, mom and pops separatin'
Spittin' image of a gangsta, the way pop walked
The way pop talked, got older and you thanked him now
This is your hood, poor folks drugs and robberies
Turnin' into the things moms wanted you not to be
Crime followin' the wrong dudes who have no values
Life's cheap as the dime in the minds of those around you
This is the test, the stress, the conflict the ups and downs of
Niggas around you make threats
They tell you keep it gangsta, no matter the predicament
Even though your decision won't help you benefit

[Chorus]
Some of us have angels (the kingdom, the power)
Some of us have angels (the power, the glory)
Some of us have demons (greed, and lust)
Some of us have demons (lust, temptation)
Some of us have angels (the kingdom, the power)
Some of us have angels (the power, the glory)
Some of us have demons (greed, and lust)
Some of us have demons (lust, temptation)

[Verse 3]
Now once again this is you, entertainin' your desires
Bitches, money and guns, aimin' and you fire
Everyday is grief, if it ain't beef, it's feedin' your seed
Tryin' to eat? You form material needs
The weed make your brain sizzle, a pistol make it cool off
By stickin' up niggas, make them take they jewels off
His reputation is, bigger than his whole life span
He never planned to fail, he just failed to plan
What does it take to realize, Satan's alive, he whispers
And any chance he get, he can take niggas
He comes in all shapes and sizes, his best disguise is
When he stand beside us, but God is inside us, within me
You are your worst enemy - my mom's words echo in my head
And if I let go I'm dead
He stepped at my door, the takes motivate my spirit
An out of body experience, so now I feel it
Lookin' at my blessings, the bullets - that missed me coulda hit me
Them court cases coulda put me in the penitentiary
I never hate, that's just wasted energy
The past is gone, the present's a gift, so what's the mystery?
The future - and time only reveals, what fear is
False expectations, appearin' real
We only human, love thy neighbor, so I was told
And I will 'til permanently, my eyes are closed

[Chorus]
Some of us have angels (the kingdom, the power)
Some of us have angels (the power, the glory)
Some of us have demons (greed, and lust)
Some of us have demons (lust, temptation)
Some of us have angels (the kingdom, the power)
Some of us have angels (the power, the glory)
Some of us have demons (greed, and lust)
Some of us have demons (lust, temptation)

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.