[Produced by L.E.S. & Nas]

[Intro: AZ & Nas]
Ayo, what's up, what's up?
Let's keep it real, son, count this money
You know what I'm sayin'? (Yeah, yeah)
Ayo, put the Grants over there in the safe
You know what I'm sayin'?
'Cause we spendin' these Jacksons (Yeah, yeah)
The Washingtons go to wifey, you know how that go
I'm sayin' that's what this is all about, right?
Clothes, bankrolls, and hoes
You know what I'm sayin'?
Yo, then what, man, what?!

[Verse 1: AZ]
Visualizin' the realism of life in actuality
Fuck who's the baddest, a person's status depends on salary
And my mentality is money-orientated
I'm destined to live the dream for all my peeps who never made it
'Cause yeah, we were beginners in the hood as Five Percenters
But somethin' must've got in us, 'cause all of us turned to sinners
Now some restin' in peace and some are sittin' in San Quentin
Others, such as myself, are tryin' to carry on tradition
Keepin' this Schweppervescence street ghetto essence inside us
'Cause it provides us with the proper insight to guide us
Even though we know, somehow we all gotta go
But as long as we leavin' thievin', we'll be leavin' with some kind of dough
So, until that day we expire and turn to vapors
Me and my capers will be somewhere stackin' plenty papers
Keepin' it real, packin' steel, gettin' high
'Cause life's a bitch and then you die
[Chorus: AZ]
Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high
'Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we puff lye
'Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high
'Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we puff lye

[Verse 2: Nas]
I woke up early on my born day; I'm twenty, it's a blessin'
The essence of adolescence leaves my body, now I'm fresh and
My physical frame is celebrated 'cause I made it
One quarter through life, some godly-like thing created
Got rhymes three sixty-five days annual, plus some
Load up the mic and bust one, cuss while I pus from
My skull, 'cause it's pain in my brain vein, money maintain
Don't go against the grain, simple and plain
When I was young at this I used to do my thing hard
Robbin' foreigners, take they wallets, they jewels and rip they green cards
Dipped to the projects, flashin' my quick cash
And got my first piece of ass, smokin' blunts with hash
Now it's all about cash in abundance
N***as I used to run with is rich or doin' years in the hundreds
I switched my motto; instead of sayin', "Fuck tomorrow!"
That buck that bought a bottle could've struck the lotto
Once I stood on the block, loose cracks produce stacks
I cooked up and cut small pieces to get my loot back
Time is illmatic, keep static like wool fabric
Pack a 4-matic to crack your whole cabbage
[Chorus: AZ]
Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high
'Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we puff lye
'Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high
'Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we puff lye
'Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die

[Trumpet Outro: Olu Dara]