歌詞: Nas. Illmatic. It Ain't Hard To Tell.

It ain't hard to tell, I excel then prevail
The mic is contacted, I attract clientele
My mic check is life or death, breathin' a sniper's breath
I exhale the yellow smoke of Buddha
Through righteous steps

Deep like 'The Shining', sparkle like a diamond
Sneak a Uzi on the island, in my army jacket linin'
Hit the Earth like a comet, invasion
Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazin'

'Cause in my physical, I can express through song
Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong
I drank Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in Hell
From the spliff that I lift an' inhale
It ain't hard to tell

The Buddha monk's in your trunk, turn the bass up
Not stories by Aesop, place your loot up
Parties, I shoot up
Nas, I analyze, drop a jewel, inhale from the L
School a fool, well, you feel it like Braille

It ain't hard to tell
I kick a skill like Shaquille holds a pill
Vocabulary spills I'm 'Ill' plus 'Matic'
I freak beats, slam it like Iron Sheik
Jam like a tech with correct techniques

So analyze me, surprise me but can't magmatize me
Scannin' while you're plannin' ways to sabotage me
I leave 'em froze like heron in your nose
Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell

This rhythmatic explosion
Is what your frame of mind has chosen
I'll leave your brain stimulated, niggaz is frozen
Speak with criminal slang, begin like a violin
End like Leviathan, it's deep, well, let me try again

Wisdom be leakin' out my grapefruit troop
I dominate break loops, givin' mics menstrual cycles
Street's disciple, I rock beats that's mega trifle
An' groovy but smoother than moves by Villanova

You're still a soldier, I'm like Sly Stone in 'Cobra'
Packin' like a rasta in the weed spot
Vocals'll squeeze glocks, MC's eavesdrop
Though they need not to sneak, my poetry's deep
I never fell, Nas's raps should be locked in a cell
It ain't hard to tell