"Mastermind" lyrics - NAS

NAS
"Mastermind"
(Nas)

[Intro:]
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh-uh...

[Chorus:]
(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 niggas got to get murdered
(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 guns started clappin'
Two of my dogs fell, two of my niggas ran
They was amateurs in beef with a grown 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, shots in your Jeep
And you ain't never know the plot was from me
It's from my masterminds

[Chorus:]
(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 niggas got to get murdered
(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 niggas 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 niggas could link
I knew, they kill hoes 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 niggas 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

[Chorus:]
(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 niggas got to get murdered
(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 niggas'll 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 nigga get burned, but it's what you did with it
Niggas who brilliant, came in and killed it
Made millions every three months, new jury
I'm low, smoking Blueberry with a ho
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

[Chorus:]
(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 niggas got to get murdered
(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