Bridging The Gap Lyrics - Essential - Nas

(feat. Olu Dara) 

*Nas talking* 

"The light is there." 

[Intro: Olu Dara singing] 

See I come from Mississippi 

I was young and runnin' wild 

Ended up in New York City, where I had my first child 

I named the boy Nasir, all the boys call him Nas 

I told him as a youngster, he'll be the greatest man alive 

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[Verse 1: Nas] 

Let's go!... Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey -- 

Tribrary of these rap skits, styles I mastered 

Many brothers snatched it up and tried to match it 

But I'm still number one, everyday real 

Speak what I want, I don't care what y'all feel 

'Cause I'm my own master, my Pop told me be your own boss 

Keep integrity at every cost, and his home was Natchez Mississippi 

Did it like Miles and Dizzy, now we gettin' busy 

Bridging The Gap from the blues, to jazz, to rap 

The history of music on this track 

Born in the game, discovered my father's music 

Like Prince searchin' through boxes of Purple Rain 

But my Minneapolis was The Bridge, home of the Superkids 

Some are well-known, some doin' bids 

I mighta ended up on the wrong side of the tracks 

If Pops wouldn't've pulled me back an said yo 

[Olu Dara singing] 

Greatest man alive (Nas: Yeah, turn it up!) 

Gre-Gre-Gre-Gre-Greatest man alive! 

Photos 

[Verse 2: Nas] 

The blues came from gospel, gospel from blues 

Slaves are harmonizin' them ah's and ooh's 

Old school, new school, know school rules 

All these years I been voicin' my blues 

I'm a artist from the start, Hip-Hop guided my heart 

Graffiti on the wall, coulda ended in Spoffard, juvenile delinquent 

But Pops gave me the right type'a tools to think with 

Books to read, like X and stuff 

'Cause the schools said the kids had dyslexia 

In art class I was a compulsive sketcher of 

Teachers in my homeroom, I drew pix to mess them up 

'Cause none'a them would like my style 

Read more books than the curriculum profile 

Said, "Mr. Jones please come get your child 

'Cause he's writin' mad poems and his verses are wild" 

[Olu Dara singing] 

Greatest man - The great-greatest man alive 

[Verse 3: Nas] 

Hey-Hey-Hey -- My Poppa was not a Rollin' Stone 

He been around the world blowin' his horn, still he came home 

Then he got grown, changed his name to Olu 

Come on, tell 'em 'bout the places you gone to 

[Olu Dara singing] 

I been to Saudi Arabia, Mozambique 

Madagascar, Paris, Greece 

The Middle Africa is where we lived 

Better known as Queenbridge 

[Nas] 

Nas, Nas you don't stop 

Olu Dara in the house, you don't stop 

Muddy Waters' Howling Wolf you don't stop 

From the Blues to Street Hop you don't stop 

Tell 'em Pop 

[Outro: Olu Dara singing / Nas adlibbing] 

See I come from Mississippi (Let 'em know) 

I was young and runnin' wild (Runnin' wild) 

Ended up in New York City (Yeah!) 

Where I had my first child (That's me) 

I named the boy Nasir (Yeah, Daddy!) 

All the boys call him Nas (Luh ya, boy) 

I told him as a youngster 

He'll be the greatest man alive (You the greatest, Pop) 

Greatest man alive (You the greatest, Pop)Gre-Gre-Gre-Gre-Greatest man alive! 

Rest In Peace Ray Charles