Let Nas Down

Let Nas Down - J. Cole

Lyrics by：Jermaine Cole/Elite/Fela Anikulapo Kuti

Composed by：Jermaine Cole/Elite/Fela Anikulapo Kuti

Freedom or jail, clips inserted

A baby's bein' born same time a man is murdered

The beginning and end, so far as rap goes

It's only natural, I explain my plateau

And also what defines my name

Yeah, long live the idols

May they never be your rivals

Pac was like Jesus

Nas wrote the Bible

Now what you're 'bout to

Hear's a tale of glory and sin

No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin

I used to print out Nas raps and tape 'em up on my wall

My n***as thought they was words

But it was pictures I saw

And since I wanted to draw

I used to read 'em in awe

Then he dropped Stillmatic

Rocked the cleanest Velour

Fast forward, who thought

That I would meet him on tour

I'm earnin' stripes now n***a

Got Adidas galore

Backstage I shook his hand

Let him know that he's the man

When he said he was a fan

It was to hard to understand

No time to soak up the moment though

Cause I was in a jam

Hov askin' where's the record

That the radio could play

And I was strikin' out for months

9th inning feeling fear

Jeter under pressure

Made the biggest hit of my career

But at first, that wasn't clear

N***as had no idea

Dion called me when it dropped

Sounded sad but sincere

Told me Nas heard

Your single and he hate that s**t

Said you the one, yo why you make that s**t

I can't believe I let Nas down

D**n, my heart sunk to my stomach

I can't believe I let Nas down

I got defensive on the phone

Resentment was in my tone, f**k it

Yeah, long live the idols

May they never be your rivals

Pac was like Jesus

Nas wrote the Bible

Now what you're 'bout to

Hear's a tale of glory and sin

No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin

I couldn't help but think

That maybe I had made a mistake

I mean, you made "You Owe Me" dog

I thought that you could relate

But while I shot up the charts

You mean tellin' me

That I was not up to par

When I followed my heart

Granted, my heart was tainted by my mind

I kept on sayin'

Where's the hits

You ain't got none

You know Jay would never

Put your album out without none

And dog, you know how come

Labels are archaic

Formulaic with their outcomes

They don't know

They just study the charts

Me, I study the shows

The fans, study their hearts

I had a feelin' I was killin'

And this music we were spillin' out

Would change lives forever

F**k the label, put it out

Friday Night Lights blew

That was classic number 2

Now it seemed as if

The Nas comparisons was comin' true

Still no release date from the label

Are they insane

Gooch told me play the game

To change the game but on the way

I let Nas down, I got noone to blame

I'm ashamed I let Nas down

But this is God's plan

You could never understand, f**k it

Yeah, long live the idols

May they never be your rivals

Pac was like Jesus

Nas wrote the Bible

Now what you're 'bout to

Hear's a tale of glory and sin

No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin

I always believed in the bigger picture

If I could get them n***as

To listen outside my core

Then I can open a door

Reintroduce 'em to honesty

Show 'em that they need more

The difference between

The pretenders and the Kendrick Lamars

And so, I took the fall like the son of the Lord

On the cross

Dyin' for that fake s**t you n***as bought

For the past decade

If I should pass please let this be my last essay

Therefore I write from the heart

Apologies to OG's for sacrificin' my art

But I'm here for a greater purpose

I knew right from the start

I'm just a man of the people

Not above but equal

And for the greater good

I walk amongst the evil

Don't cry mama

This the life I choose myself

Just pray along the way

That I don't lose myself

This is for the n***a

That said that hip-hop was dead

I went to Hell to resurrect it

How could you fail to respect it

Lettin' Nas down

I got the phone call

Quietly I mourned dog

I let Nas down

Yeah, and on this flight

May I never lose sight, f**k it

Yeah, long live the idols

May they never be your rivals

Pac was like Jesus

Nas wrote the Bible

Now what you're 'bout to

Hear's a tale of glory and sin

No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin