Nas (@nas), a legendary rapper from Queensbridge, New York, released the classic hip-hop track “Project Windows” in 1999, featuring the iconic Ronald Isley. The nostalgic melody captivates listeners, immersing them in a vivid sonic landscape where they’re drawn in by its powerful allure. Moments later, reality hits, conjuring an image of a sleek black hearse with gleaming rims and tinted windows speeding by.
Nas – “Project Windows” single
The soothing vocals of Ronald Isley resonate, softening the looming danger and enveloping listeners as if sealed within a self-addressed envelope bound for the Queensbridge Housing Projects—the largest public housing development in North America. From one of the barred windows of a low-rise building, the rawest lyrics emerge, heralding one of the greatest rappers of all time. Glance around and you’ll pinpoint the wellspring of our inspiration. In Apartment 5D, a young teen raps with his cap turned backward, channeling the rhythm of the streets.
Nas
“Black hoods, cops and projects, sewers flooded with foul blockage. The gutter’s wild and every child watches. Changing top locks with ripped-off hinges. Doors kicked off, drunks stag off Smirnoff, wipe your beard off. Crippled dope fiends in wheelchairs stare. Vision blurry, cause buried deep in they mind are hidden stories. Bet he’s a mirror image of that ’70s era. Finished for the rest of his life, till he fades out.” – lyrics
Nas’s lyrics captivate listeners, leaving them awestruck at the depth of wisdom in such a young voice. Their thoughts drift with the visionary rhymes flowing from the emerging artist. Soon, they recognize they’re witnessing the rise of a legendary emcee.
Nas
“The liquor store workers miss him but then it plays out. So many ways out the hood but no signs say out. Mental slave house where gats go off, I show off. Ni^^as up north, prison-ology talk, till they time cut off. You should chill if you short, prepare deep thought. To hit the street again, get it on; get this paper and breed again. Plan to leave something behind. So your name will live on, no matter what the game lives on.” – lyrics
Some wondered what his name was. Then a passerby stopped and said, “His name is Nasty Nas—the greatest emcee ever!”
Later, an elderly man disappears between two buildings. The sky, serving as the ceiling, darkened. Then Ronald Isley descended with two emissaries. His emergence illuminated the landscape and then he began to sing.
“Looking out of my project window. Oh, I feel uninspired. Looking out of my project window. Oh, it makes me feel so tired.” – lyrics
‘This can’t be life?’ Some uttered. Then Nas dropped more knowledge. But now, other souls pooled together and a large crowd was formed. Police officers, standing on the outskirts of the projects, tucked their weapons in its holsters and started bopping their heads.
Nas
“At night the windows were speakers, pumping life out. A fight, people screaming cause somebody pulled a knife out. So I looked at this poem, I’m hooked to this tune. Every night the same melody, hell sounded so heavenly. But jail was ahead of me. Reading’s what I should’ve done, cause my imagination would run. I was impatient to get out and become part of the noise out there. I used to stare, five stories down basketball courts, shot up playgrounds. And I witnessed the murders and police shake-downs.” – lyrics
Project Windows is the fifth track from Nas’ “Nastradamus” album, released in 1999 via Columbia and Ill Will Records. So far, the project sold more than 1.2 million copies worldwide.
“Teach the girls karate, and school your sons not to hate, but to stay awake. Cause the scars a razor make is nothing in comparison to the gas left on this whole mass, if we don’t get it controlled fast.” – lyrics
In conclusion, the prophetic message embedded within Nas’s “Project Windows” single has left an indelible mark on listeners since its release, rarely fading from the collective memory of hip-hop enthusiasts. The song’s poignant lyrics and evocative storytelling serve as a powerful reflection of urban life, resilience, and hope, resonating deeply with audiences across generations. Moreover, its enduring impact is poised to inspire continued introspection and critical thinking among listeners. By encouraging individuals to recognize that thoughts can transform into tangible realities, “Project Windows” plants the seeds for a future shaped by awareness, creativity, and positive action, ensuring its relevance endures well into the years ahead.
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