A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie on Nas’ “I Can” | VERSES

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I mostly would listen to Nas verses.

He not known for being a hood guy but,

that song is OD catchy.

(I Can by Nas)

♪ I know I can, be what I wanna be ♪

♪ If I work hard at it ♪

My dad used to play it over and over in the car.

I learned every word to that song when I was a kid.

And the way he was giving us the message,

it was like we wasn't even kids but he talkin' to us,

he like tokin' us on some grown men shit like yo.

♪ I know I can, be what I wanna be ♪

♪ Be what I wanna be if I work hard at it ♪

You seen all them kids in the video too,

it also caught my attention 'cause I'm like damn,

one of those kids coulda been me.

No lie, they were singing his song

in the background with him, and they was like

damn, that's fire right there.

30, 40 kids, you got kids on the piano.

it was just from your love.

That's prolly his hood and I know it's all love too.

♪ B B-boys and girls listen again ♪

♪ This is for grown-looking girls who's only 10 ♪

♪ The ones who watch ♪

Videos and do what they see, as cute as can be,

up in the club with fake ID.

♪ Careful, 'fore you meet a man with HIV ♪

♪ You can host the TV like Oprah Winfrey ♪

Whatever you decide, be careful, some men be

♪ Rapists, so act your age, don't pretend to be ♪

♪ Older than you are ♪

He tellin' the girls about having fake ID,

goin in the club, tryin' to act like they grown.

But at the end of the day for me,

these niggas out here, they ain't right,

you could end up gettin' AIDS.

Fuckin' round with these niggas,

go back to your parents, like damn,

this is what you out here doin', shit like that.

♪ So, young boys you can use a lot of help you ♪

Know, you thinking life's all about smoking weed and ice.

♪ You don't wanna be my age and can't read and write ♪

♪ Beggin' different women for a place to sleep at night ♪

I feel like that was my favorite part of the song

'cause it's like,

I seen this, I was there.

There's nothing here for you.

There's nothing here for you in the streets.

You go in the supermarket everyday,

you gonna cook your food, take care of ya kids,

but at the end of the day,

your kids is goin outside and riskin' they life,

'cause anything could happen at any time.

For me, walk out the door.

I remember one time I was walking out my building,

I was walk in my building matter fact,

and next thing you know, bullet went right past my head.

Two times, it went right past my head.

I'm looking at smoke.

I don't even know niggas are shootin'

'cause I'm so surprised.

So, I run in my building and everything, come to find out

it wasn't nothin' to do with me, some lady got shot.

So it was like damn, anything could happen,

literally at any time.

♪ Smart boys turn to men and do whatever they wish ♪

♪ If you believe you can achieve ♪

♪ Then say it like this ♪

I feel like I need to talk to the youth more in my songs.

Right now, I'm just tryin' to make, a lot of songs

that I like, and catchy songs.

But it's more I can do with my music,

I could really give a message to these kids

that's different, that no other rappers would produce.

Besides going to do these lil' school trips,

and givin' em school supplies and everything.

Puttin' messages in my songs and everything

that I really gotta start doin' more.

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