N.Y. State of Mind-Nas

After his debut album "Illmatic," Nas was proclaimed one of the most promising young hip hop artists in the game. The song "New York State of Mind" is a reverent account of life on the block. Growing up in anything but humble upbringings, this bird flipping, aspiring rapper from Queens changed the game of hip hop forever. After dropping out of high school early on, NASir Jones pledged his life to the streets, seeing what kind of luck it'd bring him. After witnessing his best friend "Ill Will" die outside Queensbridge housing project, the same building they grew up in, Nas realized it was time to find a way out of the everyday struggle. Produced by the one and only DJ Premier and combined with the progressive poeticism that encompasses Nas, "N.Y. State of Mind" is a masterpiece. It is a vivid story that depicts the mentality of inner city youth with lines like "It's like the game ain't the same, got younger niggaz pullin' the trigger, and bringing fame to they name." Nas illustrates the desire for most kids, growing up where he did, to devote their life to the dog eat dog world of gang life. Nas might not be the baddest gangsta in Queens, but when it comes to spitting he can go head to head with the best of them. So without further adieu, lets take a listen as to why Nasty Nas is considered the King of Queens.

Standout Lines:
Inhale deep like the words in my breath,
I never sleep, cuz sleep is the cousin of death,
I lay puzzled as I backtrack to earlier times,
Nothing's equivalent, to the New York state of mind


Diaz