Mastermind Songtext
von Nas

Uh, uh
Uh, uh
Uh, uh

(A mastermind) sees it coming before it comes
(A mastermind) before he go to war he counts his ones
(A mastermind) everything planned out perfect
In case y′all n- got to get aggressive

(A mastermind) sleeps at night real easy
(A mastermind) 'cause everything he does is by the book
(A mastermind) never do a thing irrational
Lives forever, these tales are classical

Velvet bow ties
Bulletproof′s in the tux, when I roll by
In a car similar to Osama's, in my diamonds
And my principal is to study drama

Look what happened in Manhattan
A couple of, years ago when g- started clappin'
Two of my dogs fell, two of my niggas ran
They was amateurs in beef with a grown man (man)


It taught me the lessons of how the strong stand
And how the weak end up in a coffin
Play it cool, that′s the old school rule, man
Keep your ears to the street, you′ll never lose, man

Make your enemies believe there's love there
′Cause in war, belief is all fair
Rock them to sleep, s- in your Jeep
And you ain't never know the plot was from me
It′s from my masterminds

(A mastermind) sees it coming before it comes
(A mastermind) before he go to war he counts his ones
(A mastermind) everything planned out perfect (uh)
In case y'all n- got to get aggressive

(A mastermind) sleeps at night real easy
(A mastermind) ′cause everything he does is by the book
(A mastermind) never do a thing irrational
Lives forever, these tales are classical

It ain't a game it's the life
Think it′s a game, you lame
And I′m nice on that black stone Merlot
Toast to my hero Nat Turner


Weather below zero, gave the keys to Kelis
Whispered in her earlobe, "Drive home"
'Cause she the wife and they the freaks
The underneath my girl caliber
They smiled at her and said, "Goodbye"
With n- who thug or die, they wild as us

My bodyguards in my Denali truck
Knowing that I′m surrounded by OGs
That I don't really get down with
They got a separate table for their freaks bought them drinks
So we could talk man-to-man so real n- could link

I knew, they kill h- too like Rae Carruth
They used to spray troops, now they managing groups
The main nigga Sonny had big money since ′82
Had two of my dogs whacked, nothing I could do

That was back when I had no crew, I switched that
Now I'm strong with n- who feel Sonny was wrong
My money′s long, his money is weak, he's losing sleep
Trying to feel me out, to see what it's gon′ be
But I′m a mastermind

(A mastermind) sees it coming before it comes
(A mastermind) before he go to war he counts his ones
(A mastermind) everything planned out perfect (uh)
In case y'all n- got to get aggressive

(A mastermind) sleeps at night real easy
(A mastermind) ′cause everything he does is by the book
(A mastermind) never do a thing irrational
Lives forever, these tales are classical

I live a clean life, I don't even steal cable
I speak for myself, my n- will slay you
Lucky us, this rap done worked out fine
Feds, check me out, it′s no dirt y'all find

This King of New York shit only last 15 minutes
Every n- get burned, but it′s what you did with it
N- who brilliant, came in and killed it
Made millions every three months, new jury

I'm low, smoking Blueberry with a h- that know a few scary individuals
It's eerie as she get into it squares, they into voodoo
She says a Hail Mary, then she said she knew who
Would come and try to kill you too

(A mastermind) sees it coming before it comes
(A mastermind) before he go to war he counts his ones
(A mastermind) everything planned out perfect (uh)
In case y′all n- got to get aggressive

(A mastermind) sleeps at night real easy
(A mastermind) ′cause everything he does is by the book
(A mastermind) never do a thing irrational
Lives forever, these tales are classical