It's foul what this money could do, cash corrupts the loyal.
The sound of the '90s, to me, is a combination of soul and street - it's a feeling.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The essence of the 1990s music is a blend of soulful melodies and raw street experiences, creating a unique emotional atmosphere.
Nas reflects on the defining sound of the 1990s, illustrating how it intertwines elements of soulful music with the authentic and often gritty narratives of street life. This combination not only characterizes the era's musical output but also evokes a deep emotional connection, capturing the complex feelings that music can evoke in listeners. It speaks to the idea that music is not just about sound, but also about the feelings and stories behind it.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a music appreciation class, one might reference this quote to discuss the cultural impact of the 1990s.
More from Nas
All quotes βIt's a thin line between paper and hate,_x000D_ _x000D_ Friends and snakes, nine millis and thirty-eights,_x000D_ _x000D_ Hell or the pearly gates...I was destined to come,_x000D_ _x000D_ Predicted, blame God, He blew breath in my lungs.
I pledge allegiance to the fair and balanced truth._x000D_ _x000D_ Not the biased truth,_x000D_ _x000D_ Not the liest truth,_x000D_ _x000D_ But the highest truth.
Every time I get in the studio, I feel like I wanna have some fun. My fun is not doing the easy work. My fun is doing what's me.
If you scared to take chances, you'll never have the answers...
I don't respect killers, I respect O.G. knowledge,_x000D_ _x000D_ Codes of the streets got new rules, but no guidance._x000D_ _x000D_ Lessons, detrimental to a young disciple;_x000D_ _x000D_ Folks, take care of your brothers, niggas do as I do._x000D_ _x000D_ Keep your enemies close, where they can see you._x000D_ _x000D_ It's not your enemy who get you, it's always your own people.
Similar quotes
Records were vitally important to the development of music and of all music cultures. With that being pushed by the wayside, I can't see an iPod uniting us. In fact it separates us, the streets are full of people bumping into lamp posts, listening to their own little universe, and there's no sharing in that.
Lenny Breau is one of the true geniuses of the guitar. I suppose he is a musician's musician. His knowledge of the instrument and the music is so vast, and I think that's what knocks people out about him. But he's such a tasty player too. I think if Chopin had played guitar, he would have sounded like Lenny Breau.
I'm well past the age where I'm acceptable. You get to a certain age and you are forbidden access. You're not going to get the kind of coverage that you would like in music magazines, you're not going to get played on radio and you're not going to get played on television. I have to survive on word of mouth.
I never listen to the radio to keep up with current trends.
I know what I've done for music, but don't call me a legend. Just call me Miles Davis.
There's no future without the past and anybody who doesn't really understand where jazz has come from has no right to try to direct where it's going.