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  1. Tracks
  2. Nas
  3. God's Son
  4. Mastermind
Mastermind by Nas

TRACK

Nas

Mastermind

Release date: 13th December 2002

From God's SonTrack 104:08
PopMusicRockHip-Hop/Rap
Spotify Apple Music More on Nas

About This Track

Nas builds 'Mastermind' around a single idea: the criminal strategist who plans meticulously, sleeps soundly, and leaves no trace. The track's chorus repeats the archetype like a mantra, each iteration adding weight to the portrait of calculated control. The production sits sparse and measured, letting the voice occupy the centre. The verses shift between abstraction and memoir. Nas sketches the mastermind's philosophy in broad strokes, then grounds it in lived experience: watching friends fall in street conflict, learning the lessons of survival, understanding that deception and patience outlast aggression. He moves between the tactical (keeping enemies believing in false friendship) and the personal (bodyguards, separate tables, the weight of knowing people capable of violence). The song doesn't celebrate this world so much as document its logic, the cold arithmetic of staying alive in it.

"Mastermind" is a track by Nas, from the album God's Son, released 13th December 2002. The track is 4:08 long. It's filed under Pop. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 1 article about Nas.

About the Artist

Nas

Nas

Lyrics

Mastermind

Uh uh, uh uh, uh uh
A Mastermind
Sees it coming before it comes
A Mastermind
Before he go to war he counts his one
A Mastermind
Everything planned out perfect
In case y'all niggaz got to get murdered
A Mastermind
Sleeps at night, real easy
A Mastermind
'Cause everything he does is by the book
A Mastermind
Never do a thing irrational
Lives forever, these tales are classical
Velvet bow ties, bulletproofs in the tux, when I roll by
In the car similar to a saunas, in my diamonds
And my principal is to study drama
Look what happened in Manhattan
A couple of years ago, when guns started clappin'
Two of my dogs fell, two of my niggaz ran
They was armatures in beef with a grown man
It taught me the lessons of how the strong stand
And how the weak, end up in a coffin
Play cool, that's the old school rule, man
Keep your ears to the street, y'all never lose man
Make your enemies believe there's love there
'Cause in war, belief is all fair
Rock them to sleep, shots in your jeep
And you ain't never know the plot was from me
It's from my Masterminds
A Mastermind
Sees it coming before it comes
A Mastermind
Before he go to war he counts his one
A Mastermind
Everything planned out perfect
In case y'all niggaz got to get murdered
A Mastermind
Sleeps at night, real easy
A Mastermind
'Cause everything he does is by the book
A Mastermind
Never do a thing irrational
Lives forever, these tales are classical
It ain't a game it's the life
Think it's a game, you layin'
And I'm nice on that black stone merlo
Toast to my hero Nat Turner
Whether below zero, gave the keys to Kelis
Whispered in her earlobe, drive on
'Cause she the wife and they the freaks
The underneath my girl caliber
They smiled at her and said, "Goodbye"
With niggaz who thug or die, they wild as us
My bodyguards are my Denali trucks
Knownin' that I'm surrounded by OG's
That I don't really get down with
They got a separate table for their freaks bought them drinks
So we could talk man-to-man so real niggaz could link
I knew, they kill hos too like Rae Carruth
They used to spray troops, now they managing groups
The main nigga Sunny had big money since '82
Had two of my dogs whacked, nothing I could do
That was back when I had no crew, I switch that
Now I'm strong with niggaz who felt Sunny was wrong
My money's long his money is weak, he's losing sleep
Trying to feel me out, to see what it's gonna be
But I'm a Mastermind
A Mastermind
Sees it coming before it comes
A Mastermind
Before he go to war he counts his one
A Mastermind
Everything planned out perfect
In case y'all niggaz got to get murdered
A Mastermind
Sleeps at night, real easy
A Mastermind
'Cause everything he does is by the book
A Mastermind
Never do a thing irrational
Lives forever, these tales are classical
I live a clean life, I don't even steal cable
I speak for myself, my niggaz will slay you
Lucky us, this rap done worked out fine
FED's, check me out, it's no dirt y'all find
This King of New York shit only last 15 minutes
Every nigga get burned, but it's what you did with it
Niggas who brilliant, came in and killed it
Made millions ever three months, new jury
I'm low, smoking blueberry, with a ho
Who know a few scary individuals
Eerie as she gets into it
Squares they into voodoo
She says a Hail Mary and
She says she knew who
Would come and try to kill you too
A Mastermind
Sees it coming before it comes
A Mastermind
Before he go to war he counts his one
A Mastermind
Everything planned out perfect
In case y'all niggaz got to get murdered
A Mastermind
Sleeps at night, real easy
A Mastermind
'Cause everything he does is by the book
A Mastermind
Never do a thing irrational
Lives forever, these tales are classical

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From God's Son

4:082002
Listen
Album
God's Son
God's Son
Nas
13th December 2002
Track number
10
Release year
2002
  1. 1Get Down
    4:04
  2. 2The Cross
    3:48
  3. 3Made You Look
    3:23
  4. 4Last Real N***a Alive
    5:05

More from Nas

Albums & EPs

Magic 3
Magic 3
2023
Magic 2
Magic 2
2023
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. 1-800-Nas&HitMagic 3
    4:37
  2. 10 Shots (50 Cent diss)
  3. 3rd Childhood
  4. Believe
  5. Bouquet (To The Ladies)
  6. Crabs In A Barrel
  7. Define My Name
  8. Down For You
  9. GiT Ready
  10. H To The OMO

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  • 5Zone Out (feat. Bravehearts)
    3:49
  • 6Hey Nas
    4:05
  • 7I Can
    4:14
  • 8Book of Rhymes
    3:54
  • 9Thugz Mansion (N.Y.) [feat. 2Pac & J. Phoenix]
    4:07
  • 10Mastermind
    4:08
  • 11Warrior Song (feat. Alicia Keys)
    4:42
  • 12Revolutionary Warfare
    3:29
  • 13Dance
    3:34
  • 14Heaven
    4:41
  • —I Can
    4:14
  • —Get Down
    4:04
  • —Last Real Nigga Alive
    5:05
  • —Made You Look
    3:23
  • —Revolutionary Warfare (feat. Lake)
    3:29
  • —Book Of Rhymes
    3:54
  • Credits

    Production & Engineering

    Writer
    Nas, The Alchemist
    Producer
    The Alchemist
    Mastering Engineer
    Chris Gehringer
    Mixing Engineer
    Kevin Crouse
    Recording Engineer
    Kevin Crouse
    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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