[Intro: Nas]
Yea, niggaz want to talk about this rap shit
Niggaz want to talk about this money
About these cars, these homes, these labels
Clothes, sneakers, big money shit
Now everybody tryin` to get rich
Now get rich niggaz, fuck it
[Verse 1: Nas]
Some rap pioneers, be them crackheads
When they speak, you see missin` teeth
Silver chain with a silver piece
Niggaz your grandfather`s age
They pants still hangin` down they legs talkin` about they ain`t paid
And they hate you, `cause they say, you ain`t pay dues
And ..... was stealin` and robbin` them
I feel it`s a problem we gotta resolve
Hip-Hop been dead, we the reason it died
Wasn`t Sylvia`s fault or because MC`s skills are lost
It`s because we can`t see ourselves as the boss
Deep-rooted through slavery, self-hatred
The Jewish stick together, friends in high places
We on some low level shit
We don`t want niggaz to ever win
See, everybody got a label
Everybody`s a rapper but few flow fatal
It`s fucked up, it all started from two turntables
[Hook: Nas]
When they crown you - and you rise up to your position
(Carry On Tradition)
When they knight you - then you go to fight, go to war, don`t petition
(Carry On Tradition) - (Carry On Tradition)
Carry on, ca-carry on, (Carry On Tradition)
(Carry On Tradition), when you rep what we rep
Then (Carry On Tradition)
[Verse 2: Nas]
Now some of these new rappers got their caps flipped backwards
Wit their fingers intertwined in some gang-sign madness
I got an exam, let`s see if y`all pass it
Let`s see who can quote a Daddy Kane line the fastest
Some of you new rappers, I don`t understand your code
You have your man shoot you, like in that Sopranos episode
Do anythin` to get in the game, mixtapes, you spit hate
Against bosses; hungry fucks are moraless
You should be tossed in a pit full of unfortunate vocalists
Niggaz, I coulda wrote your shit; I had off-time, was bored wit this
I coulda made my double-LP, just by samplin` different parts of Nautilus
Still came five on the charts with zero audience
The lane was open and y`all was droppin` that garbage shit
Y`all got awards for your bricks - it got good to ya
You started tellin` them bigger dogs to call it quits?! WHAT?
[Hook: Nas]
When they crown you - and you rise up to your position
(Carry On Tradition)
When they knight you - then you go to fight, go to war, don`t petition
(Carry On Tradition) - (Carry On Tradition)
Carry on, ca-carry on, (Carry On Tradition)
(Carry On Tradition), when you rep what we rep
Then (Carry On Tradition)
[Verse 3: Nas]
Now niggaz got the studio poppin`, it`s mad clearer
Engineers got his earplugs and still hear us
The live-in-the-park sound, versus the studio state of art sound
We on the charts now; from British Walkers and Argyles
Look at us rap stars now, wit our black cars now
Fortune 500 listed, brunches, sip Cipriani`s
Sippin`, blunted, with rich white guys around me
Thick white girls around me, Chinese lined up
Because I`m what?, every dime lust
We used to be a ghetto secret; can`t make my mind up
If I want that or the whole world to peep it
Now (Carry On Tradition)
Fuck a bum wack rapper makin` his career out of dissin`
Peace to the strugglin` artists and dead one`s gone, we miss `em
I promise I (Carry On Tradition)
[Hook: Nas]
When they crown you - and you rise up to your position
(Carry On Tradition)
When they knight you - then you go to fight, go to war, don`t petition
(Carry On Tradition) - (Carry On Tradition)
Carry on, ca-carry on, (Carry On Tradition)
(Carry On Tradition), when you rep what we rep
Then (Carry On Tradition) Send " Carry On Tradition" Ringtone to your Cell