Nas - Blunt Ashes lyrics

Yo, I wonder if Langston
Hughes and Alex Haley
Got blazed before they told stories
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 to a diamond ring
Now he watches his son shine everyday
I just thought about that
While I sit here ashing in this ashtray, yeah

The making of a mad band
Intricate stories of DeVante Swing
Ava Gardner, the crashin' of James Dean
Bobby Brown influenced by Rick
James and it goes
Prince wanted Alexander O'Neal to be
Morris Day or Jerome
But Alex was putting coke in his nose
Nigga whylin' 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 swayze

As the blunt ash falls into the ash tray
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 outlast me?
The blunts ash falls down in the ashtray
Well, I see my whole life fly past me
I'm asking
Did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy?
Did I? Anything else you wanna know
Just ask me

Sam trusted Womack with his main lady
He tossing 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
Laying down the percussion
When Flo from the Surpremes died
Diana Ross cried
Many people said that she was laughin' inside

As the blunt ash falls into the ash tray
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 outlast me?
The blunts ash falls down in the ashtray
Well, I see my whole life fly past me
I'm asking
Did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy?
Did I? Anything else you wanna know
Just 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 'em
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 their pain
From their hurt we gain, an unfair exchange

As the blunt ash falls into the ash tray
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 outlast me?
The blunts ash falls down in the ashtray
Well, I see my whole life fly past me
I'm asking
Did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy?
Did I? Anything else you wanna know
Just ask me

I could smell old Bogey cigars
Lauren Bacall perfumes
Smelling just as sweet
Me and my wife K, flying in a drop-top
Like Ruby and Ossie Davis
Baby – know what I mean?
Yo, man, I get smoked out
And start thinking 'bout
Hattie McDaniel got a Oscar
For playing Mammy in "Gone with the Wind"
And she didn't 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 from my ashtray, nothing gon'
To live past me, yeah