It Was Written
Street Dreams
Nas
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
39
End
186
Internal
123
Multi
234
Slant
13
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus]
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas✦ push Bimmers✦ and 300 E's
A drug dealer's✦ destiny✦ is reachin'✦ a key
Everybody's✦ looking✦ for something✦
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties✦ on they knees for niggas✦ with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?✦
Everybody's✦ looking✦ for something✦
[Verse 2]
From Fat Cat to Pappy,✦ niggas✦ see the cat
Twenty-five to flat, push a thousand feet back
Holdin'✦ gats wasn't makin'✦ me fat, snitches✦ on my back
Livin'✦ with Moms, gettin'✦ it on, flushing crack down the toilet✦
Two sips from bein' alcoholic
Nine-hundred-ninety-nine thou' from bein' rich
But now, I'm all for it
My man saw it like Dionne Warwick
A wiser✦ team for a wiser✦ dream we could all score with
The cartel,✦ Argentina✦ coke with the nina✦
Up in the hotel,✦ smokin'✦ on Sessamina✦
Trina✦ got the fishscale between her
The way the bitch shook her ass, yo, the dogs never✦ seen her
She got me back livin'✦ sweeter, fresh Caesar
Guess, David✦ Robinson's, Walle' moccasins
Bitches✦ blow me while I'm hoppin'✦ in the drop-top BM'
Word is bond (Uh), son (What)
I had that bitch down on my shit (What, uh) like this (Word)
[Chorus]
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas✦ push Bimmers✦ and 300 E's
A drug dealer's✦ destiny✦ is reachin'✦ a key
Everybody's✦ looking✦ for something✦
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties✦ on they knees, for niggas✦ with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?✦
Everybody's✦ looking✦ for something✦
[Verse 3]
Growin'✦ up project-struck, lookin'✦ for luck, dreamin'
Scopin'✦ the large niggas✦ beamin',✦ check what I'm seein'
Cars, ghetto✦ stars pushin'✦ ill Europeans
G'ing, heard about✦ them old timers✦ OD'in'✦
Young, early✦ 80's, throwin' rocks at the crazy✦ lady✦
Worshipin' every✦ word them rope-rockin' niggas✦ gave me
The street raised✦ me up givin'✦ a fuck
I thought Jordans and a gold chain was livin'✦ it up
I knew the dopes,✦ the pushers, the addicts, everybody✦
Cut out of class just to smoke blunts and drink noddy✦
Ain't that funny?✦ Gettin'✦ put on to crack money✦
With all the gun play, paintin' the kettle black hungry✦
A case of beers in the staircase, I wasted✦ years
Some niggas✦ went for theirs, flippin' coke as they career✦
But I'm a rebel,✦ stressin' to pull out of the heat, no doubt
With Jeeps tinted✦ out, spendin', never✦ holdin'✦ out
(Uh, what, what, uh)
[Chorus]
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas✦ push Bimmers✦ and 300 E's
A drug dealer's✦ destiny✦ is reaching✦ a key
Everybody's✦ looking✦ for something✦
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties✦ on they knees, for niggas✦ with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?✦
Everybody's✦ looking✦ for something✦
Street dreams are made of these
Niggas✦ push Bimmers✦ and 300 E's
A drug dealer's✦ destiny✦ is reaching✦ a key
Everybody's✦ looking✦ for something✦
Street dreams are made of these
Shorties✦ on they knees, for niggas✦ with big cheese
Who am I to disagree?✦
Everybody's✦ looking✦ for something✦
[Skit]
*Gunshot*✦
"Yeah nigga,✦ what?!"
"Oh, shit!"
"Queensbridge, boy, what?! Yo, what?!"
"Yo, they shot dun, dawg!"
"Yo, yo, lets get the hell outta✦ here y'all, I don't give a fuck-"
(Ongoing screaming)
"Look! We on his back right now
We gotta✦ get the hell outta✦ here, yo!"
"I want some more nigga,✦ come on!"
"Yo, come on run, yo!"
"Watch out, man, yo watch out, watch out, nigga!"✦
"Yo, yo hol' up, hol' up, hol' up!"
"Yo, I twisted that kid, right?"
"Yeah the hell you did, man"
"Yo why you-"
"Yo, yo, come on though"
(Oh, shit)
"Yo, we gotta✦ got up outta✦ here, yo"
"You think somebody✦ peeped✦ that?"
"Yo, hell yeah, I'm saying, yo, as long as we get rid o-
Get rid of the heat, yo!"
"Fuck that!"
"Get rid of the heat, yo"
*Gunshot*✦
"C'mon, c'mon, I'm through that shit, c'mon"
"We gotta✦ bounce, yo!"
"Let's bounce!"
Technical Breakdown
8.7
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes8.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres7.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm10.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity7.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control8.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.68
Production
— Poke and Tone, The TrackmastersBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Nas demonstrates high-level internal rhyme density and narrative progression that captures the transition from street-level desperation to industry success, utilizing contemporary 1996 references to ground his lyricism.
A
9.5
Multisyllabic
8.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
7
Vocabulary
7
Wordplay
8
Delivery
Internal rhyme densityMultisyllabic enjambmentPop culture interpolationNarrative arc compression
Rhyme Architecture: Predominantly AABB/CC with heavy use of internal multisyllabic clusters (e.g., 'cat/flat/back/fat/crack') interspersed with multi-syllabic slant rhymes to maintain flow.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"Twenty-five to flat"
① A 25-year to life prison sentence② A flat surface or flatline, signifying the end of one's freedom or life
"My man saw it like Dionne Warwick"
① A reference to the singer's 'Psychic Friends Network' infomercials, implying foresight② A clever play on 'seeing' success as if it were a pre-ordained fate
"Trina got the fishscale between her"
① Physical presence of drugs hidden on a person② A double entendre implying she is 'scaled' or corrupt, relating back to the drug theme
Strong narrative control
Authentic delivery conveying grit
Mastery of multi-syllabic internal rhyme patterns
Occasional narrative fragmentation in the latter half
Punchline impact slightly secondary to rhythm
Some metaphors rely on specific era-based slang which may date the clarity