Bridging The Gap lyrics

*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

[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!

[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