My Life Is Real

[Intro: Nas & Benny the Butcher] What a life "It's true that they underestimate you" My life is real "So I'm frontin' on 'em every chance I get to be honest" [Verse 1: Nas] Wavy hair, mystique, up in this bitch deep Chain with some sick feet, corner of 10th Street Scoop me in a MPV, I'm holdin' big heat Soloist vocalist, maestro, this fish grease Rest in peace, Polo, he see us, our wishes with G Just like Ra and E — me and Preem; this history Young ones, abuelas, Jesus candles, bodegas Hallways playing some Gang Starr. "Who is that?" They gon' say, "Nas" Look at us now, De La, Mobb, Rae, Ghost, and Rick Big up Big L, Prodigy, Trugoy, they live Martyrs, if you will, a 'Legend Has It...' cartel I'm on jets with giants, I'm Bill Parcells PTSD – Project Trauma Still Dwells Happiness gotta be in you, money can't help So, salute to the men that never hit the pen, black We got to the bread and still live to spend that What a life [Chorus: Nas] I'm a man, I'ma die about it Feel the pain, but I'm not gon' cry about it Tell the truth 'cause ain't no reason to lie about it (Invisible fingers playin' chords on my haunted piano) I'm a man, I'ma die about it Feel the pain, but I'm not gon' cry about it Tell the truth 'cause ain't no reason to lie about it (Invisible fingers playin' chords) [Verse 2: Nas] Already classic before you heard it, the spoiler was all my feature verses I lined it up kinda perfect and then I hurled it Rhymes in my mind's like pearls and oysters Boss of bosses, Morpheus on my bullshit The illest style right here 'til I got white hair Gettin' foul-type stares, we ahead light years We come out, the shift starts, so let the fifth spark Turn the light switch off, drive a block, switch cars Toss the face mask and gloves, damn, I just caught a buzz Pulled another hit on a beat – guess who the victim was? Guess who get reconfigured? The whole industry does Premier, you my nigga because we became the men our mothers prayed for Maybe even exceeded they expectations or maybe they always knew While tyin' up our baby shoes, what was waitin' that brewed In the souls of a chosen few This ain't just talk, it's true What a life [Chorus: Nas] I'm a man, I'ma die about it Feel the pain, but I'm not gon' cry about it Tell the truth 'cause ain't no reason to lie about it (Invisible fingers playin' chords on my haunted piano) I'm a man, I'ma die about it Feel the pain, but I'm not gon' cry about it Tell the truth 'cause ain't no reason to lie about it (Invisible fingers playin' chords) My life is real