Nas - Once a Man, Twice a Child lyrics

If you lucky, you get old
Old timer told me (yeah)
"You ain't gon' be able to fuck the same
Drink the same, hang out the same"
I'm like, "Damn!" (Once a man, twice a child)
You get what I'm saying? (yeah)
It's like, I wanna be
Running around forever like, you know?
Once a man, twice a child (yeah)
It's like a baby again

Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun
Nintendo Duck Hunt, I ducked police
I had to run meanwhile, when you get old
You might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope but I love my new girl
So when I'ma slow down this
Merry go round called life?


I was a youngster with a fever
Moms brought cold ice

And I was young, scared, she ain't care
She made me fight
Fifty-two sweep you haymaker right
When I get old
I hope that I can stay this fly
Once a man, twice a child
From mama's boy to preschool to
College to now employed
Now you on, got your first crib
She's having your firstborn
Went from buying the finer
Toys with your boys
To buying toys for your boy
It's crazy how fast he's growing for sure
Grandpops, he told me ‘bout his days of old
One day I'll be him on the porch
Sippin' on something cold
And it stuck with my soul
I been divided at the road
Hot headed as a youngster, confronted
I might unload
Now listen, knowledge I received as a seed
As a G that would feed my personal frequency
Transcends through all, travel through walls
My ministry we ain't know
We was livin' hazardous
Savages, first niggas in New
York with Bentleys
Tyson, Kedar, Puff, Stoute and then me
Before Many Men was out we went
On tour and took 50
Live while you got the strength to
Health you should tend to
Look all of ain't gon' get old
I hope this message hit you for real

Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun
Nintendo Duck Hunt, I ducked police
I had to run meanwhile, when you get old
You might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope but I love my new girl
So when I'ma slow down this
Merry go round called life?
I was a youngster with a fever
Moms brought cold ice

I'm tryna expand the pineal gland
The world ain't our home
Just temporary please understand
You die tomorrow then you born again
So life is deathless
Respect and balance, human dignity
That's the perspective
Aimé Leon Dore New Balance when I'm steppin'
Time is precious one day I might need my
Diaper changed inside a convalescent
The soul is different than the flesh is
Life is teachin' me more
Wisdom and ignorance is kin, to have peace
You need war
By the time you see the stars in the skies
They already burnt out
Same way these dudes be shinin'
But been burnt out but we don't change
As we get stuck in our ways
We just act like we agree so
We can end the exchange
What's meant for you is sent to you
But you could be the problem
It's not always them my dude
Was she crazy before you met her
Or you made her crazy?
Possibly she gon' be a nurse when
You back to a baby once a man, twice a child

Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun
Nintendo Duck Hunt, I ducked police
I had to run meanwhile, when you get old
You might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope but I love my new girl
So when I'ma slow down this
Merry go round called life?
I was a youngster with a fever
Moms brought cold ice

And in the streets I had agility
Was quick to strike
My fear's not seeing it coming
Got too rich for that sight
So take advantage of your
Youth before you elderly
'Cause today is the youngest that
You will ever be