[Mark B. Mayfield]
I gotta hold down the block, when the block is hot
I gotta use my imagination to change the situation

I gotta hold down the block, when the block is hot
I gotta use my imagination to change the situation

[Nas (Mark B. Mayfield)]
Yeah, Feds feast on street dons, look at their teeth showin´
Salivating at the mouth, South to East Orange
Keep pourin´ that liquor, but nigga don´t sleep on it
You´ll be giving up your Jesus piece to your peeps to pawn it
For legal fees in the penal dorm
Screamin´ on the horn with ´bout 30 years on your conscience
I´m watchin´ brothers disappear, it´s appallin´
Some dudes had just only a year of ballin´

Counter-intelligence found a strange evidence
(When the block is hot)
Still we behind the wheel with heat on us, hangin´ with predicates
Position we placed in caves in, so they got us caged in
Waves spinnin´ like Mike Bivens from New Edition agin´
(I gotta... when the block is hot)
I got families I´m feedin´, ´cause my mans is bleedin´
Every five seconds look in all directions
I come through prepared, I give ´em a call
"I´m close, bring them guns downstairs"

[Mark B. Mayfield (Nas)]
I gotta hold down the block, when the block is hot

I gotta use my imagination to change the situation
I gotta hold down the block, when the block is hot (hold it down)
I gotta use my imagination to change the situation

[Nas (Mark B. Mayfield)]
Uh, uh, it´s beef week, Monday, murder
Two niggas dead, Tuesday
Wednesday and Thursday is hearse-day
Friday, somebody-gotta-die day
Saturday, put the gat away
Chillin´ with your chick and a bag of haze
Wonderin´ how it´s all gon´ end and what type of way
´Cause Sunday back to gunplay
Most shit start over nothin´

And get finished quick ‘cause the art of repercussion
Yeah, I seen it, a G going out indecent (when the block is hot)
Takin´ a plea agreement, thinkin´ he secret
Escape the crime scene, now you live straight like 9:15
Then one-time intervene (I gotta hold...)
My man ain´t like me sayin´ I don´t care if I die
But the SIG Sauer on me now I´m scared to die
You thinkin´ the one I send to clap you be a shorty
But he old school, holdin´ a .38, he in his 40s

[Mark B. Mayfield (Nas)]
I gotta hold down the block when the block is hot
I gotta use my imagination to change the situation

I gotta hold down the block, when the block is hot (yeah, word to mother)
I gotta use my imagination, to change the situation (yeah)

[Nas (Mark B. Mayfield)]
(I gotta...) Anytime brothers can´t get jobs, then they rob
A man rather die than live on his knees and starve
Cops steady askin´ your man what happened
First he tell, then he stop, like he not really rattin´
Guess he not really in that casket from a sawed-off
(When the block is hot)
Listen, peep game from the brain of an all-star
The rain hurt niggas´ bones who been shot

Metal pins in their leg, they walk with a limp-hop
The streets lie (when the block is hot), so you better be cautious
Your man´ll fry you plus everybody talkin´
A vet, a General, don´t step where I walked in
Make your own path, be a legend in your skin
(Hold down the block, when the block is hot)
Make your own cash, don´t stress what I´m flossin´
Don´t expect more when you put in less work than all them
Queensbridge projects has taught him
And that´s for life, you heard me right, I got the block

[ Mark B. Mayfield]
When the block is hot, when the block is hot

I gotta use my imagination to change the situation
I gotta hold down the block, when the block is hot
I gotta use my imagination to change the situation
I gotta hold down the block, when the block is hot
I gotta use my imagination to change the situation