Bridging the Gap

About Bridging the Gap

"Bridging the Gap", the second single from Nas' Street's Disciple, features his father, Olu Dara, and samples music from Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" composition. Olu Dara provides the hook of the song by talking about his path and how Nas was born. Nas and Olu Dara performed the song many times before the release of Street's Disciple, generating buzz as the release of the album drew near. The song is referenced in the title track of The Game's song "The Documentary", when he says, "Now I understand why Nas did a song with his pops". The song was featured in the film A Prophet, directed by Jacques Audiard. more »

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[Nas]
"The light is there."

[Olu Dara]
See I come from Mississippi
I was young and runnin' wild
Ended up in New York City, where I had my first child
I named the boy Nasir, all the boys call him Nas
I told him as a youngster, he'll be the greatest man alive

[Nas]
Let's go! Hey, hey, hey, hey 
Tribrary of these rap skits, styles I mastered
Many brothers snatched it up and tried to match it
But I'm still number one, everyday real
Speak what I want, I don't care what y'all feel
Cause I'm my own master, my Pop told me be your own boss
Keep integrity at every cost, and his home was Natchez Mississippi
Did it like Miles and Dizzy, now we gettin' busy
Bridging The Gap from the blues, to jazz, to rap
The history of music on this track
Born in the game, discovered my father's music 
Like Prince searchin' through boxes of Purple Rain
But my Minneapolis was The Bridge, home of the Super kids
Some are well-known, some doin' bids
I mighta ended up on the wrong side of the tracks
If Pops wouldn't've pulled me back an said yo

[Olu Dara]
Greatest man alive (Yeah, turn it up!)
Greatest man alive!

[Nas]
The blues came from gospel, gospel from blues
Slaves are harmonizin' them ah's and oh's
Old school, new school, know school rules
All these years I been voicin' my blues
I'm a artist from the start, Hip-Hop guided my heart
Graffiti on the wall, coulda ended in Spoffard, juvenile delinquent
But Pops gave me the right type'a tools to think with
Books to read, like X and stuff
Cause the schools said the kids had dyslexia
In art class I was a compulsive sketcher of
Teachers in my homeroom, I drew pix to mess them up
Cause none'a them would like my style
Read more books than the curriculum profile
Said, "Mr. Jones please come get your child
Cause he's writin' mad poems and his verses are wild"

[Olu Dara]
Greatest man? The great-greatest man alive

[Nas]
Hey, hey, hey, my Poppa was not a Rollin' Stone
He been around the world blowin' his horn, still he came home
Then he got grown, changed his name to Olu
Come on, tell 'em 'bout the places you gone to

[Olu Dara]
I been to Saudi Arabia, Mozambique
Madagascar, Paris, Greece
The Middle Africa is where we lived
Better known as Queenbridge

[Nas]
Nas, Nas you don't stop
Olu Dara in the house, you don't stop
Muddy Waters' Howling Wolf you don't stop
From the Blues to Street Hop you don't stop
Tell 'em Pop 

[Olu Dara (Nas)]
See I come from Mississippi (Let 'em know)
I was young and runnin' wild (Runnin' wild)
Ended up in New York City (Yeah!)
Where I had my first child (That's me)
I named the boy Nasir (Yeah, Daddy!)
All the boys call him Nas (Luh ya, boy)
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive (You the greatest, Pop)
Greatest man alive (You the greatest, Pop) Greatest man alive!
Rest In Peace Ray Charles

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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 »

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