: DJ Premier famously found the core orchestral string sample on a 10-inch Lutheran church record he was about to throw away.
: Premier chopped the sample into three parts and layered it with bird chirps and a heavy, boom-bap drum sequence. Nas - Nas Is Like (Dirty)
: The third verse is particularly noted for its rapid-fire comparisons, where he likens himself to "crisp money," "ecstasy for ladies," and "the '99 Summer Jam". Critical Legacy Nas – Nas Is Like Lyrics - Genius : DJ Premier famously found the core orchestral
: Critics point to lines like "Nas is like, Iron Mike, Before the Christ after the death" as some of the most complex poetry in the genre. Critical Legacy Nas – Nas Is Like Lyrics
: The opening lines— "Freedom or jail, clips inserted, a baby's bein' born / Same time my man is murdered" —are often cited as one of the best "movie-like" openings in rap.
Lyrically, the song is a "lush litany of hip-hop braggadocio" where Nas defines his persona through a barrage of vivid metaphors and similes.
