Nas - Poppa Was a Playa lyrics

To my nigga brought me in this world
Ha, that's right, nigga

My ol' dad important to
The family structure, provider, a God
My moms a queen
That universal team civilized us
My pops maybe was late, but always came home
My moms would put us to bed
And she would wait on
Soon as he walked in the door, she barking
I turned down the Johnny Carson
Jumped out the bed, we grabbed both his legs
Me and my brother
Not knowing the pain he gave my mother
Night after night, fighting
Yelling at each other
My poppa played the street all day
Mama was either home or at work
While we playing inside the hall way
She sacrifices all she got to feed us


When she was alone she cried by the phone
Peeping out the window, heated
But still, I didn't see it
Mama hid it from us
We was kids, younger, 'til we got bigger
On to
Bigger things, that we knew what the time was
That daddy was leaving his crib
And my mom's love

Poppa was a playa, playa was in poppa
Poppa loved the ladies, never got enough of
The pretty brown round, running round town
" (Shhh) Don't tell your mother what's going down"
Poppa was a playa, playa was in poppa
Poppa loved the ladies, never got enough of
The pretty brown round, running round town
" (Shhh) Don't tell your mother what's going down"

So many kids I knew, never knew who Pop was
That's why I show my pop love
'Cause he was still around when I popped up
He could have left my moms
Pregnant, shook to death, but stayed
Watched me crawl 'til I took my first step
To the first grade
To my first fistfight, right behind me
He would stand no matter how big or tall
He made me fight you like a man
Throw dirt in ya eye, swing my right
Scoop your ass and slam
He watched me so I wouldn't
Get jumped by shorty's fam
Roaches of weed all over my crib
Him and moms relaxing
Next thing you know he packing
So then I asked him
"What's this white shit on that
Plate and your face?
And, Poppa, why you butt-ass from the waist
And, who's this lady I'm facing?
Dark skin, you not my mommy!"
He grabbed me up to run
Some smooth words by me
Promised me things that he would buy me
If I kept my mouth closed
And don't tell Mommey
He said one day I'll understand
"Little me, what's in you is inside me"

Poppa was a playa, playa was in poppa
Poppa loved the ladies, never got enough of
The pretty brown round, running round town
" (Shhh) Don't tell your mother what's going down"
Poppa was a playa, playa was in poppa
Poppa loved the ladies, never got enough of
The pretty brown round, running round town
(Ugh, my nigga)
" (Shhh) Don't tell your mother what's going down"

Pops told me hold my own
Pops told me value home
Could I help it, "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"?
Who loved the pretty brown round
Out-of-town-bound
Trumpet in his jazz band, he touring
At home, I played his latest recordings
And it's strange how I do my thing now
I'm in the game now
Inherited his brainpower
To pull strings and gain power
Our weed habit's the same now
No white lines, or trumpets
Just tight rhymes
And beats that's bumpin, 'fore he left
He taught me something
A child's young years the most
Important time to be there
That's why he stayed 'til we grew up
Respect is still here i'm older now
See what having a father's about
One day they can be in your life, next day
They be out
It's not because of you, you know the deal
Him and your moms feel
If they stay together
Then someone will get killed
I love you still, always will
'cause that's my nigga
Although you felt you was wrong
I still feel you, kid
Life goes on