Define My Name Lyrics
"What defines my name"
"What defines my name" (Nas)
"N-A-S"
"What defines my name" (Nas)
"N-A-S"
"What defines my name"
[Verse 1: Nas]
Name existed forever, means "victory helper"
Whole name means "protector"
Shorten it by two letters, without the I-R at the end
The reincarnated Gil Scott livin' in the bottle again
The World Cup in Moscow with a blonde who's a ten
Vape pen when I speak, it's likе a lottery win
Quote my total, multi-mogul
So fly, I could walk in any spot, evеry box be soakin'
From a time when weed was stronger, today's streets are calmer
They used to kill for shades, sneaks and bombers
Uh, my name existed forever
Before Christians came in America, even better
When click sounds of they mouths was language for humans
With stick figures in caves, my name's written fluent
Nasty like way before even Rome had a sewage
For fifty-thousand years ago if I could choose this origin
Since there's nothin' to gain by assumin'
I'ma say the definition of my name — the truest
I shocked 'em like real bullets in prop guns
Creep with baddies in sequin dresses who high-strung
Fresh off the jet, you can see my vision where I've come
How much time y'all got? Yo, Preem, let's drop somethin'
"What defines my name"
"What defines my name" (Nas)
"N-A-S"
"What defines my name" (Nas)
"N-A-S"
"What defines my name"
[Verse 2: Nas]
DNA of King James, kin of Saint Michael
Polygamous-minded, seven wives on ridiculous timin'
They always share the same title, that be the whiskey talk
That's foul like a stop-and-frisk, New York
At twenty, I said I'd better quit by thirty
Then by thirty, I thought by forty rapping is corny
How wrong was I?
Never would have thought at fifty, new songs by Nas would be hard and live
I leave 'em scared like when they hear their name called, but ain't nobody there
The definition of my name probably started where
I rode the E train, fingers covered in ink stains
Writin' was like an escape, excitedly leave the beat flamed
It was Ra, Kane, Kool G and Kris
Few names like Cool James, 'Face, Cube and Rick
That was musically sick, successful and unnatural
I throw they songs in a cyanide capsule
The truth is poison to any fraud
Demigod rockin' suits and shoes, goin' against any odds
How could you hate me? I survived the '80s
The D's, the trauma, embalming fluid in laced weed
Inhale fumes from a stove we'll cook up
The show's booked up, I chose to take the world over, look up
"What defines my name"
"What defines my name" (Nas)
"N-A-S"
"What defines my name" (Nas)
"N-A-S"
"What defines my name"
[Outro: DJ Premier & Nas]
Ayo, thirty years later, Illmatic was dropped
Yeah— man, what the fuck am I doing? Hahahaha
Ayy, yo, Preem, chill
I got the rhymes, you got the beats (Aight)
Thirty years later, we back in the streets, we back in the lab
Aight then, let's go Nas!
It's time, it's album time, yeah
It's time?
It's time, Black, it's time
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-pow!
Premier album still gon' happen
About
On the day of the 30th anniversary of Illmatic, Nas returns with his iconic sidekick producer DJ Premier for a new single that hints at a long-awaited upcoming collaborative album.
“Define My Name” is Nas' first release of 2024, following his legendary six-albums-in-three-years run with Hit-Boy from 2020-2023. The song’s title comes from a line in the Preemo-produced 1999 track “Nas is Like”, where Nas raps:
Freedom or jail, clips inserted, a baby’s bein' born
Same time a man is murdered — the beginnin' and end
As far as rap go, it’s only natural I explain
My plateau and also what defines my name
DJ Premier has produced many of Nas' most beloved songs over the years, including three on Illmatic: “N.Y. State of Mind”, “Memory Lane (Sittin' in Da Park)‘”, and “Represent”.
On the track, the duo does what they do best: Premier lays down an upbeat, jazzy boom-bap beat with his signature record scratches, while Nas’ crisp and intricate rhymes and lyrics create a nostalgic atmosphere.
This song serves as a buzz single for their upcoming album, due to be released at the end of 2024. The album has been rumored for over a decade, and it seems that hardcore Hip-Hop fans will finally get their wish.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
