Warning

New York

The sound

You about to hear

You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started

Got started (Start it off)

You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started

Got started (Ah, yeah)

You love to hear the story,  how it all got started

Got started (Start it off, start it off, start it off, start it off)

Back when

Yeah

Yeah

The ill reminisce and think about the fly days

Nothing like them 80s summer NY days

Hop on the MB5 days

Mopeds, PRO-Keds, city split five ways

How it all started, fifth floor apartment

A jigsaw puzzle, aerial view of the projects (Back when)

A kid saw struggle, buried a few of his partners

Now I chill in resorts, enjoyin' massages (Ah, yeah)

Check out the oracle, bred from city housing

Nas, I arise the dead by thousands

I remember seein' Shan chillin' near his Audi

Hollis had Run and them, but I proudly

Put a poster up of Shan and Marley, that was art, kid (For real)

You love to hear the story how it started (Back when)

The bubbly I'm pourin' wasn't popped yet

Before there was a audience to watch us

I assure you, there was a process, yeah

You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started

(How it all got started, yeah)

Start it off

You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started

(How it, how it all got started)

Ah, yeah

You love to hear the story, how it all got started

(Hear the story, how it all)

Start it off, start it off, start it off, start it off (Back when)

(How it all got started)

Back when (Back when)

Back when (Ah, yeah)

To call 'em fake today is hate, real **** extinct

Pac left me inside a rap world with **** that wink

At other rappers, undercover **** spit every way

Won't be surprised if all they rides have federal plates (Ah, yeah)

Let alone they wardrobes and Studio 4 flow

It was real when I appeared, it would've been some jaws broke

(Back when)

Nas, my real name, stage name, same thing

How could you let these lames claim king? I'm so ashamed, mane

(Ah, yeah)

I light a L for Vernon, for **** who would burn in hell for Vernon

10th Street, 12th Street, Nightmare of Elm Street

Pimps creep, delve deep inside the editorials

Of the ghetto queens, kings, stories true (Ah, yeah)

Who possesses the testicular fortitude

To blow away myths? That's a hinderance to all of you (Back when)

You blame your own shortcomings on sex and race

The mafia, homosexuals, and all the Jews (Ah, yeah)

It's hogwash point of views, stereotypical

Anti-Semitic like the foul words Gibson spewed

And it's pathetic, I don't get the credit I deserve

That's why I hate doin' interviews

But I don't sweat it, study long, study raw

My man Dion said Nas overthink the songs he writin' (Back when)

I'm not a wack performer standin' near no corny hype man

I got the donism in me, I'm here to enlighten

You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started (Yeah)

Got started (How it all got started, yeah)

Start it off

You love to hear the story, how it all, how it all got started

Got started (How it, how it all got started)

Ah, yeah

You love to hear the story, how it all got started (Hear the story)

Got started (How it all)

Start it off, start it off, start it off, start it off (Back when)

How it all got started

Back when (Back when)

Back when

Back when