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  1. Tracks
  2. NAS
  3. Stillmatic
  4. Destroy & Rebuild
Destroy & Rebuild by NAS

TRACK

NAS

Destroy & Rebuild

Release date: 5th October 2001

From Stillmatic
Track 9
5:24
Hip-Hop/RapMusicHardcore RapEast Coast Rap
Spotify Apple Music More on NAS

About This Track

Nas moves through Queensbridge with a narrator's precision, naming names and settling accounts. The track is a guided tour of the projects' internal politics: a former associate who signed to a major label and turned jealous, another who wanted to be him but couldn't manage it, a third who smiled through betrayal. He doesn't mythologise these figures or their failings. They are small, specific, and real. The hook insists on a paradox. The bridge is over, people say, but Nas refuses the eulogy. What's needed is destruction and rebuilding, a clearing away of the cowards and traders who weaken the hood from inside. It's a song about loyalty as a survival mechanism, about the weight of being watched and wanted by people who resent you, about the exhaustion of holding a place together when others are bent on its collapse.

"Destroy & Rebuild" is a track by NAS, from the album Stillmatic, released 5th October 2001. The track is 5:24 long. It's filed under Hip-Hop/Rap. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 2 articles about NAS.

About the Artist

NAS

NAS

Lyrics

Destroy & Rebuild

This is a journey into the worlds most largest
And notorious projects, Queensbridge
Listen while nas saves his hood from the most
Cowardest rappers
He held a mass appeal and a little boy smile
Depressed has a complex his mouth was foul
You need to stay around I feel like telling some stories
First there's this arrogent fuck, his names Cory
Hung around my mans Lake and Big Trevor
Trevors still locked up, Lake's getting his cheddar
Cory changed his name to arr, whatever
Cornchip, buckwheat lookalike, it's Mega
Right Mega was his name sorry about that
But it's so hard to put a cowards name in my rap
Always acting tough, a jokester be fronting
He got snuffed, he got shot in the thigh, he did nothing
But that's nas always looking out for breadrin
Cause when breadrin they return love they don't stress him
Cause gangstas do gangsta shit, real recognize real
Still laughing to the bank and shit
Back to Cor, got him a deal but his rhymes was whack
Def Jam now that he signed a contract
Now he got jealous and mad at my shine
Making silly tapes, I'm always on his mind
Nonsense, not to be obnoxious kid
Mega for the record you could suck my dick
Bitch you from around the way its sad what this do to me
But queensbridge, we gotta have unity
They say the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah this is a time we destroy and rebuild it
They say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah we the strongest hood but weak niggas kill it
So they say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah this is a time we destroy and rebuild it
They say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah we the strongest hood, but it's the cowards that kill it
Since we on the subject of traders and flunkies
Mega ain't the only faggot in my hood dummies
There's plenty that want to be me but cannot
It's like King Arthur and knight Sir Lance-a-lot
Lefty and Donnie Brasco, Gotti and Paul
Before I woulda told you Prodigy's my dog
Through the ups and downs, robberies and all
Though I always knew he wanted my downfall
He would say his little slick shit and act real funny
For what nigga you're butt and it got back to me
Asking a braveheart to get back your jewelry
You ain't from my hood, don't even rep q.b.
Nature moved to marcy
Man dick riding Nature, nothing else to say
Man Nature moved to Marcy
Back with ass niggas in fear
Fuck them niggas go head with the progam man proceed
Old lady pocketbook snatcher, car thief
Of course we ain't friends, you never stood on no blocks
Streets or corners with zombies, ghouls and gangstas
Cops, drug dealers with pools of blood anger
Just fills me when niggas let out of town to set shot
And get filthy rich, it's just not
No more morals, no loyalty, no more community
Queensbridge, we gotta have unity
They say the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah this is a time we destroy and rebuild it
They say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah we the strongest hood but weak niggas kill it
So they say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah this is a time we destroy and rebuild it
They say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah we the strongest hood but it's the cowards that kill it
I put the name on the map after Marly and Shan
Q.b. before the Roc had one jam
Before the Death Row and Bad Boy beef
Had streets locked with raw talent, I laugh at the weak
So this about cleaning up house, my own backyard
Famous home of rap stars well known be getting robbed
P how many times ain't you shamed that
Jungle was busting his gun to get your weak chain back
They don't respect you a checks due for me for your fame
Mega I hope you blow so I'm saying your name (mega, mega)
Hoes play your position cause you'll never be king
Even jigga want the crown, poor thing
I'm representing queensbridge U.S.A.
Where two sk's go off every day new flesh lay
All you little roaches and rats
Besides my man Ricky, Nas the true ruler is back
So haters say
The bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah this is a time we destroy and rebuild it
They say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah we the strongest hood but weak niggas kill it
So they say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah this is a time we destroy and rebuild it
They say, the bridge is over, the bridge is over
Nah we the strongest hood, but it's the cowards that kill it
The bridge is over my dick, bridge'll never be over
Long as I'm alive and breathing, braveheart to the graveyard
I'm the William Wallace of this shit
Ayo P, Prodigy I got love for you man, I love you man
You know what I'm saying, just get them unloyal niggas
From out your circle, you can't save everybody
Niggas invited you to the hood, rep it right my nigga
Be untouchable my nigga, so it be Mobb for life for real
And that's real, ayo Nature I can't hold your hand through this shit man
I'm not your father man, be your own man, stand on your own two
I believe in you, believe in yourself nigga or don't even rep this
Ayo Mega you want to be a gangsta? There's real gangsta
Shit going on in the streets man, yo niggas is in the grind
Where you be at man? Niggas be bucking
Why you never bucking, where you be at man?
All of a sudden you the motherfuckin Nino Brown of the fucking hood
It's disgusting man, stay out the magazines
Keep my name out your motherfucking mouth
There's no more room for jealousy, we destroying and rebuilding
That means the cowards get out and the real niggas stay
Niggas been hating me since I been nine, shining
With suede motherfucking balles on in silks
I'ma always be the young don, don't be like the niggas on the other side
Hating me cause I'm beautiful, real niggas in Queensbridge
Young niggas come up and get this money and move on baby
Q.b.

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Stillmatic

5:242001
Listen
Album
Stillmatic
Stillmatic
NAS
6th October 2001
Track number
9
Release year
2001
  1. 1Stillmatic (The Intro)
    2:11
  2. 2Ether
    4:38
  3. 3Got Ur Self A Gun
    3:49
  4. 4Smokin'
    3:48

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One Mic, One Gun
One Mic, One Gun
2022
Made You Look: God's Son (Live, 2002)
Made You Look: God's Son (Live, 2002)
2022
Magic
Magic
2021
It Was Written (Expanded Edition)
It Was Written (Expanded Edition)
2021

Explore

More tracks by NAS

  1. 3rd Childhood
  2. Bouquet (To The Ladies)
  3. Intro Commentary
  4. It's Time
  5. Junkie
  6. Living To Die
  7. My Story Your Story
  8. Nas speaks on AZ
  9. Nas speaks on Big L
  10. Nas speaks on De La Soul

Showing 10 of 20

If you like NAS

JAY-Z

JAY-Z

Mobb Deep

Mobb Deep

AZ

AZ

Big L

Big L

Raekwon

Raekwon

Gang Starr

Gang Starr

  • 5You're da Man
    3:26
  • 6Rewind
    2:14
  • 7One Mic
    4:29
  • 82nd Childhood
    3:51
  • 9Destroy & Rebuild
    5:24
  • 10The Flyest (feat. AZ)
    4:38
  • 11Rule (feat. Amerie)
    4:32
  • 12My Country (feat. Millennium Thug)
    5:13
  • 13What Goes Around (feat. Keon Bryce)
    5:00
  • 14Every Ghetto (feat. Blitz The Ambassador)
    3:29
  • —Every Ghetto
  • —My Country
  • —No Idea’s Original (Original Version)
  • —You’re Da Man
  • —What Goes Around
  • —Rule
  • —Braveheart Party
  • Credits

    Production & Engineering

    Writer
    Baby Paul, DJ Scott La Rock, KRS-One, Mike Risko, Nas
    Producer
    Baby Paul, Mike Risko
    Producer
    Baby Paul, Mike Risko
    Assistant Engineer
    Alex Dixon, Paul Gregory
    Instrumentation
    Baby Paul, Mike Risko
    Mastering Engineer
    Chris Gehringer
    Mixing Engineer
    Kevin Crouse
    Recording Engineer
    Kevin Crouse, Oswald Bowe
    READ MORE ABOUT NASREAD MORE ABOUT NASREAD MORE ABOUT NASREAD MORE ABOUT NAS
    READ MORE ABOUT NASREAD MORE ABOUT NASREAD MORE ABOUT NASREAD MORE ABOUT NAS
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