One Time 4 Your Mind

## Song by Nas

"**One Time 4 Your Mind**" is the eighth track on American rapper Nas' debut album *Illmatic* (1994). It is produced by Large Professor, features guest vocals from Grand Wizard, and samples the 1969 song "Walter L" by Jimmy Gordon and His Jazznpops Band.

Nas explained his choice of featured vocals, "I wanted Wiz’s voice on that. Out of everybody around, I thought that he had a voice that can be on a record and come off. I always wanted him to rhyme and shit, and that was my way of pushing him into that shit." Wizard said of the track, "At the time, we were just listening to the beat, and Nas was like, 'Come in [the booth] with me and help me with the hook.' So I get on the mic and say, 'One time for ya mind, one time…' And Nas comes in with, 'Yeah, whatever…' He just knew how to bounce off of me."

## Gallery

* BTS
* #VEVOSXSW 2012

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Nas, *Grand Wizard*]

Yeah, it's Illmatic

*Yeah*

Yeah, it's Illmatic

*Yeah*

Yeah, it's Illmatic

*Haha, haha, check it*

[Chorus 1: Grand Wizard, *Nas*]

One time 4 your mind, one time

*Yeah, whatever*

One time 4 your mind, one time

*Yo, whatever*

One time 4 your mind, one time

A-yo, Nas

*What up, pah?*

Kick that fuckin' rhyme!

*Check it out!*

[Verse 1: Nas]

When I'm chillin', I grab the buddha, get my crew to buy beers

And watch a flick, illin' and rootin' for the villain, huh

Plus every morning, I go out and love it sort of chilly

Then I send a shorty from my block to the store for Phillies

After bein' blessed by the herb's essence

I'm back to my rest, ten minutes, some odd seconds

That's where I got the honey at, spends the night for sexin'

Keep lubrication, Lifestyle protection

Pickin' up my stereo's remote control quickly

Ron G's in the cassette deck — rockin' the shit, G

I try to stay mellow, rock, well, a cappella rhymes'll

Make me richer than a slipper made Cinderella, fella

Go get your crew, hops, I'm prepared to bomb troops

Y'all n\*\*\*as was born, I shot my way out my mom dukes

When I was ten, I was a hip-hoppin' shorty wop

Known for rockin' microphones and twistin' off a 40 top

[Chorus 2: Grand Wizard, *Nas*]

One time 4 your mind, one time

*Yeah, whatever*

One time 4 your mind, one time

*It sound clever*

A-yo, Nas, fuck that, man, that shit was phat

But kick that for them gangstas, man, fuck all that!

*Right, right*

[Verse 2: Nas]

What up, n\*\*\*as? How y'all? It's Nasty, the villain

I'm still writin' rhymes, but besides that, I'm chillin'

I'm tryin' to get this money, God — you know the hard times, kid

Shit, cold, be starvin' make you wanna do crimes, kid

But I'mma lamp ‘cause a crime couldn't beat a rhyme

N\*\*\*as catchin' 3-to-9's, Muslims yellin' "Free the mind!"

And I'm from Queensbridge, been to many places

As a kid, when I would say that outta town, n\*\*\*as chased us

But now I know the time, got a older mind, plus control a 9

Fine, see, now I represent mine

I'm new on the rap scene, brothers never heard of me

Yet I'm a menace, yo, police wanna murder me

Heini Dark drinker, represent the thinker

My pen rides the paper, it even has blinkers

Think I'll dim the lights, then inhale, it stimulates

Floatin' like I'm on the North 95 Interstate

Never plan to stop, when I write, my hand is hot

And expand the lot from the Wiz to Camelot

The parlayer, I'll make your heads bop, pah

I shine a light on perpetrators like a cop's car

From day to night, I play the mic and you'll thank God

I wreck shit so much, the microphone'll need a paint job

My brain is incarcerated

Live at any jam, I couldn't count all the parks I've raided

I hold a MAC-11, and attack a reverend

I contact eleven L's and max in heaven

[Chorus 3: Grand Wizard, *Nas*]

One time 4 your mind, one time

*It sounds clever*

One time 4 your mind, one time

*Yeah, whatever*

One time 4 your mind, one time

*Yo, from '92 to '99*

[Outro]

Yeah, that shit was crazy phat, pah

Know what I'm sayin'?

But check it, you got another verse for me

I want you to kick it, you know what I'm sayin'?

Kick that shit for the projects, know what I'm sayin'?

## References

1. ↑ "An Oral History of Nas' Classic Debut Album 'Illmatic'". *XXL*. April 16, 2014.

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