We Major - Kanye West f/ Nas (Late Registration, 2005)

“I heard the beat and I ain’t know what to write
First line, should it be about the hos or the ice?
Four-four’s or black christ? Both flows would be nice
Rap about big paper or the black man’s plight
At the studio consol asked my man to the right
What this verse sound like, should I freestyle or write?
He said, Nas, what the fans want is Illmatic, Stillmatic
Picked up the pad and pencil and jotted what I feel
Been like 12 years since a n___a first signed
Now I’m a free agent
And I’m thinking it’s time
To build my very own Motown
Cuz rappers be deprived of executive 9 to 5s
And it hurts to see these companies be stealing the life
And I love to give my blood sweat and tears to the mic
So y’all copped the LPs and y’all fiends got dealt
I’m Jesse Jackson on the balcony where King got killed
I survived the livest n____s around
Lasting longer than more than half of you clowns
Look, I used to cook before I had the game took
Either way my change came like Sam Cooke.”

- Nas