Nas - Blunt Ashes Lyrics

Yo, I wonder if Langston Hughes and Alex Haley
Got blazed before they told stories
Well, I'ma get blazed before I tell y'all stories
I saw on TV today, this man lost his son, his son died
So he had him cremated, took his ashes
And then made it into a diamond ring
Now he watch his son shine every day
I just thought about that
While I sit here ashing in this ashtray, yeah

The makin' of a mad band
The intricate stories of DeVante Swing
Ava Gardner, the crashin' of James Dean
Bobby Brown influenced by Rick James, it goes
Prince wanted Alexander O'Neal to be Morris Day or Jerome
But Alex was puttin' coke in his nose, nigga wildin'
Could be a myth but I swear that the source was close
Phyllis Hyman killed herself, it was crazy
Mommy was bad they say
Donny Hathaway free-fall from a balcony, he swings

As the blunt ash falls into the ashtray
I could see my whole life fly past me (did I?)
Did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy?
And will the money and fame ou last me?

The blunt's ash falls down in the ashtray
Will I see my whole life fly past me?
I'm askin' did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy? (Did I?)
Anything else you wanna know, just wanna ask me

Sam trusted Womack with his main lady
He tossin' in the grave, like, "This is how you repay me"?
A change gon' come, wish you didn't trust me so much
Marvin said, "No mountain's high enough," fly stuff
David Ruffin was punchin' Tammi Terrell, gave her concussions
While the Funk Brothers was layin' down the percussion
When Flo from the Surpremes died, Diana Ross cried
Many people said that she was laughin' inside (it's wild)

As the blunt ash falls into the ashtray
I could see my whole life fly past me (did I?)
Did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy?
And will the money and fame ou last me?

The blunt's ash falls down in the ashtray
Will I see my whole life fly past me?
I'm askin' did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy? (Did I?)
Anything else you wanna know, just wanna ask me

John F. Kennedy's, enemies dealt with treachery
It interests me, Judy Campbell in Gucci sandals
She's what a temptress be
The death of Ennis Cosby, what a mystery
Or the Chicagoan Harold Washington, someone is sabotaging them
Watch out for the traps
Larry Troutman killed his brother Roger Troutman
Then he killed himself, that's the end of Zapp
And I wouldn't change a thing, mistakes of the greats
This is what came from they pain
From their hurt we gain, an unfair exchange

(As the blunt ash falls into the ashtray)
I could smell old bogey cigars
Lauren Bacall's perfume smelling just as sweet
Me and my wife K
Flyin' in a drop-top like Ruby and Ottis Davis, baby
Nah I mean?
Yo, man, I get smoked out, and start thinkin' about
Hattie McDaniels got a Oscar for playin' Mammy in "Gone With The Wind"
And she didn't even get allowed, wasn't even allowed to go to the premier
Believe that?
Couldn't go to premier to her joint
Man
You know they were strong back then, man

Blunt ash fall in the ashtray
Uh, ah, let it past me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah