Lyrics & breakdown
Demo lines only. Select a line number to copy a stable deep link.
- 01
[Produced by Coldcut, remixing Eric B & Rakim]
- 13
But every church in the world can't save our children
14I stayed out late, you heard shots, thought it would be
15Your oldest son on the ground dead, but, fortunately
Block noteImagines the battle as physical destruction
TargetJay-Z
MeaningWhat it means: In “Your oldest son on the ground dead, but, fortunately,” Nas converts lyrical defeat into death, shooting, burial, or bodily harm directed at Jay-Z. Why it was said: The track is part of the Nas–Jay-Z feud, which moved from subliminal references to direct exchanges including “Takeover,” “Ether,” and “Super Ugly.” The violent image makes the response sound final: instead of proposing an endless exchange, the artist depicts Jay-Z as unable to return for another round.
ContextThe track is part of the Nas–Jay-Z feud, which moved from subliminal references to direct exchanges including “Takeover,” “Ether,” and “Super Ugly.”
- 41
I'd rather Sean John, bore me with your fake coke rhymes
42And those times that never took place, you liar
43"Un" was your first court case, you had no priors
Block noteUses legal trouble as a pressure point
TargetJay-Z
MeaningWhat it means: In “"Un" was your first court case, you had no priors,” Nas invokes a case, arrest, imprisonment, or legal vulnerability to define Jay-Z through consequences outside the recording booth. Why it was said: The track is part of the Nas–Jay-Z feud, which moved from subliminal references to direct exchanges including “Takeover,” “Ether,” and “Super Ugly.” The reference makes the attack feel verifiable and immediate, using a public consequence to challenge the control and invulnerability Jay-Z projects.
ContextThe track is part of the Nas–Jay-Z feud, which moved from subliminal references to direct exchanges including “Takeover,” “Ether,” and “Super Ugly.”
- 45
Have you surrounded, you and the faggots you down with
46While they riding Nas, tryna boost they career
47Corny as Cormega, all you Hip-Hop queers
Block noteReduces the target to a dismissive caricature
TargetJay-Z
MeaningWhat it means: In “Corny as Cormega, all you Hip-Hop queers,” Nas replaces Jay-Z's preferred identity with a degrading label intended to make the opponent look ridiculous or contemptible. Why it was said: The track is part of the Nas–Jay-Z feud, which moved from subliminal references to direct exchanges including “Takeover,” “Ether,” and “Super Ugly.” The label gives the audience a short, repeatable frame for the feud; repetition of that frame can shape how Jay-Z is remembered.
ContextThe track is part of the Nas–Jay-Z feud, which moved from subliminal references to direct exchanges including “Takeover,” “Ether,” and “Super Ugly.”