Classic Verse: Nas’ “New York State of Mind” (Video)

Nas' "Illmatic" remains the best debut album by a rapper in hip-hop history (yeah, I said it) and his opening verse on "New York State of Mind" was the verse that defined that album. A wide ranging verse that that helped redefine New York lyricism, every aspiring rapper needs to memorize "New York State of Mind". Just do it.



"Rappers I monkey flip em with the funky rhythm I be kickin
Musician, inflictin composition
of pain I'm like Scarface sniffin cocaine
Holdin a M-16, see with the pen I'm extreme, now
Bulletholes left in my peepholes
I'm suited up in street clothes
Hand me a nine and I'll defeat foes
Y'all know my steelo with or without the airplay
I keep some E&J, sittin bent up in the stairway
Or either on the corner bettin Grants with the celo champs
Laughin at baseheads, tryin to sell some broken amps
G-Packs get off quick, forever niggaz talk shit
Remeniscing about the last time the Task Force flipped
Niggaz be runnin through the block shootin
Time to start the revolution, catch a body head for Houston
Once they caught us off guard, the Mac-10 was in the grass and
I ran like a cheetah with thoughts of an assassin
Pick the Mac up, told brothers, "Back up," the Mac spit
Lead was hittin niggaz one ran, I made him backflip
Heard a few chicks scream my arm shook, couldn't look
Gave another squeeze heard it click yo, my shit is stuck
Try to cock it, it wouldn't shoot now I'm in danger
Finally pulled it back and saw three bullets caught up in the chamber
So now I'm jetting to the building lobby
and it was filled with children probably couldn't see as high as I be
(So whatchu sayin?) It's like the game ain't the same
Got younger niggaz pullin the triggers bringing fame to they name
and claim some corners, crews without guns are goners
In broad daylight, stickup kids, they run up on us
Fo'-fives and gauges, Macs in fact
Same niggaz'll catch a back to back, snatchin yo' cracks in black
There was a snitch on the block gettin niggaz knocked
So hold your stash until the coke price drop
I know this crackhead, who said she gotta smoke nice rock
And if it's good she'll bring ya customers in measuring pots, but yo
You gotta slide on a vacation
Inside information keeps large niggaz erasin and they wives basin
It drops deep as it does in my breath
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death
Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined
I think of crime when I'm in a New York state of mind."

Not only is this verse one of the most well written in hip-hop history, but Nas delivers it with an impeccable flow that weaves in and out of the old-school, boom bap beat. Mixed into the verse is a narrative section that's absolutely gripping, but in the midst of the rest of his lyricism it almost gets lose. Plus, it delivers at least two classic lines (as every classic song must), "I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death" and "I think of crime when I'm in a New York state of mind." It's odd to me that in all the talk of Jay's "Empire State of Mind" this song never seems to get brought up. How is that possible? Anyway, there's no way you can claim you're a hip-hop fan and not love this verse. No way.

Got a classic verse of your own? Email me at nathan(at)refinedhype.com.