I Gave You Power

Nas

About I Gave You Power

"I Gave You Power" is a 1996 jazz fusion-styled song on Nas' second album It Was Written. It is considered a standout song, one of Nas' greatest hits, and a hip hop "classic". It follows "Street Dreams" gaplessly on It Was Written.


Year:
1996
3:52
453 
#8

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

Damn! Look how muh-fuckers use a nigga
Just use me for whatever the f*ck they want
I don't get to say shit
Just grab me, just do what the f*ck they want
Sell me, throw me away
Niggaz just don't give a f*ck about a nigga like me right?
Like I'm a f... I'm a gun, shit
It's like I'm a motherfuckin gun
I can't believe this shit...
Word up... (word up)

I seen some cold nights and bloody days
They grab and me bullets spray
They use me wrong so I sing this song 'til this day
My body is cold steel for real
I was made to kill, that's why they keep me concealed
Under car seats they sneak me in clubs
Been in the hands of mad thugs
They feed me when they load me with mad slugs
Seventeen precisely, one in my head
They call me Desert Eagle, semi-auto with lead
I'm seven inches four pounds, been through so many towns
Ohio to Little Rock to Canarsie, livin harshly
Beat up and battered, they pull me out
I watch as niggaz scattered, makin me kill
But what I feel it never mattered
When I'm empty I'm quiet, findin myself fiendin to be fired
A broken safety, niggaz place me in shelves
Under beds, so I beg for my next owner to be a thoroughbred
Keep me full up with hollow heads

How you like me now? I go blaow
It's that shit that moves crowds makin every ghetto foul
I might have took your first child
Scarred your life, crippled your style
I gave you power
I made you buck wild

How you like me now? I go blaow
It's that shit that moves crowds makin every ghetto foul
I might have took your first child
Scarred your life, crippled your style
I gave you power
I made you buck wild

Always I'm in some shit, my abdomen is the clip
The barrel is my dick, uncircumcised
Pull my skin back and cock me, I bust off when they unlock me
Results of what happens to niggaz shock me
I see niggaz bleedin runnin from me in fear, stunningly tears
Fall down the eyes of these so-called tough guys, for years
I've been used in robberies, givin niggaz heart to follow me
Placin peoples in graves, funerals made cause I was sprayed
I was laid in a shelf, with a grenade
Met a wrecked-up tech with numbers on his chest that say
Five-two-oh-nine-three-eight-five and zero
Had a serial defaced, hopin one day, police would place
Where he came from, a name or some sort of person to claim him
Tired of murderin, made him wanna be a plain gun
But yo I had some other plans, like the next time the beef is on
I make myself jam right in my owner's hand

How you like me now? I go blaow
It's that shit that moves crowds makin every ghetto foul
I might have took your first child
Scarred your life, crippled your style
I gave you power
I made you buck wild

How you like me now? I go blaow
It's that shit that moves crowds makin every ghetto foul
I might have took your first child
Scarred your life, crippled your style
I gave you power
I made you buck wild

Yo, weeks went by and I'm surprised
Still stuck in the shelf with all the things that an outlaw hides
Besides me it's bullets, two vests and then a nine
There's a grenade in a box, and that tech that kept cryin
Cause he ain't been cleaned in a year, he's rusty as clear
He's bout to fall to pieces, cause of his murder career
Yo, I can hear somebody comin in, open the shelf
His eyes bubblin, he said, "It was on"
I felt his palm troubled him shakin
Somebody stomped him out, his dome was achin
He placed me on his waist, the moment I've been waitin
My creation was for blacks to kill blacks
It's gats like me that accidentally, go off, makin niggaz memories
But this time, it's done intentionally
He walked me outside, saw this cat
Cocked me back, said, "Remember me?"
He pulled the trigger but I held on, it felt wrong
Knowing niggaz is waiting in hell for 'im
He squeezed harder, I didn't budge, sick of the blood
Sick of the thugs, sick of wrath of the, next man's grudge
What the other kid did was pull out, no doubt
A newer me in better shape, before he lit out, he lead the chase
My owner fell to the floor, his wig split so fast
I didn't know he was hit, it's over with
Heard mad niggaz screamin, niggaz runnin, cops is comin
Now I'm happy, until I felt somebody else grab me
Damn!

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Nas

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones ( /nɑːˈsɪər/; born September 14, 1973), better known mononymously as Nas ( /ˈnɑːz/), is an American rapper and actor. He is also the son of jazz musician Olu Dara. Nas has released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums since 1994, four of which topped the Billboard charts upon release and has sold over thirteen-million records in the United States alone. Nas was also part of the hip hop supergroup The Firm, which released one album under Dr. Dre's record label Aftermath. Aside from rapping, Nas is also an occasional actor and has appeared in feature films such as Hype Williams' directorial debut Belly, Ticker and In Too Deep and the television show Hawaii Five-0. more »

4 fans

Written by: NASIR JONES, CHRISTOPHER E MARTIN

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Composition
"I Gave You Power" is a song by American rapper Nas. It is notorious for its concept: Nas raps from the perspective of a gun, providing a unique narrative style within the world of Hip-Hop.
Album Appearance
The song was originally released on April 19, 1996, as part of Nas's second studio album, "It Was Written."
Song Length
"I Gave You Power" has a duration of 3 minutes and 52 seconds, showcasing the detailed narrative Nas sets up as the gun's persona.
Production Team
The song's production was handled by the famous DJ Premier. Premier's signature boom-bap style is prevalent throughout the track, providing a gritty, realistic feel that complements Nas's lyricism.
Social Commentary
Through its narrative, "I Gave You Power" carries a strong social message against gun violence. Nas gives voice to a weapon, describing the horror and destruction it causes in an attempt to dissuade listeners from glamorizing such tools of violence.
Influential Work
The concept of rapping from a gun's perspective was so influential that it inspired Tupac Shakur's "Me and My Girlfriend," in which Tupac raps from the viewpoint of a gun as well.
Critical Acclaim
Many critics and fans consider "I Gave You Power" to be among Nas's best work, praising its complex narrative and powerful message. Its thought-provoking lyrics and vivid imagery, coupled with its unique concept, have cemented its status as a classic within hip hop.
Album’s Commercial Success
While the song was not released as a single, it contributed to the overall success of the "It Was Written" album, making it Nas's best-selling release, with over 3 million copies sold in the United States alone.
Live Performances
Nas has performed "I Gave You Power" live on numerous occasions, often introducing the song with a statement about gun violence, highlighting his commitment to the message conveyed in the song.
Legacy
As of today, "I Gave You Power" remains one of the most innovative and powerful songs in Nas's discography and continues to be celebrated for its storytelling technique and potent social message.

Discuss the I Gave You Power Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "I Gave You Power Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/230208/Nas/I+Gave+You+Power>.

    Missing lyrics by Nas?

    Know any other songs by Nas? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    I Gave You Power

    4.2M
    44,177     0

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Which European synth-pop band released “Take On Me”?
    A Camouflage
    B Duran Duran
    C A-ha
    D Depeche Mode

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Nas tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!