Pause Tapes Lyrics – Nas, DJ Premier

Read the full Pause Tapes lyrics by Nas and DJ Premier along with the music video, song credits, release information and other details about the song.

[Intro]
You remember the first time I made a beat, I had a cassette player in my grandma’s crib
I didn’t have all, you know, the extravagant equipment, you know
This was back in the late eighties and I used to listen to music on the radio
That I liked, you know, particularly old school, like, seventies
And I would record it and then, after I recorded a certain part that I liked
I would record, loop, record, loop, record, loop, until it just became one beat
And you know, that was the beginning of me making beats
Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop
Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop
Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop

[Verse: Nas]
It’s a drive-in movie, no roofs on, a bunch of Benz’s
Let’s try to reimagine the passion when I got in this
A panasonic with the taperecorder
Tryna level the treble and bass in order, the (??) sound distorted
I moved the dial to improve the sound, years later got a Sony stereo-system
No comparison with the boombox, my living room knocks
My n!gga Mayo, next door, he banging on the wall, told us to stop
Take me back, drügs and money, we crudie, lungs smoky
Fiends in the hallway, bummy, just finished the (??) music saving our lives
Just listen and getting fried to underrated emcees
Spraying something to hide the aroma, still in my mom’s cribs, was young and lazy
Quit school ’cause I needed fly s*it, the fiends would page me
Not trying to be locked on a big Queen’s crazy
Guess jeans and Polo jacket, just in the crib causing all this racket
Always knew I was the verbal assassin
Submerged in the very dirty world, but only was half in
That’s when I had an epiphany, came with last on the symphony
If I could set a pose cut off, that’d be my entry
Picking up the stereo’s remote control, quickly
(??) in the cassette deck, rocking the s*it, G
Surprised I opened a b0mbshell and my mom tell’s me I could
Hook a beat up for myself to rhyme
My mom’s hall closet and boxes all (??) and s*it
Johnnie Taylor records and some good global washingtons, I’m locking in

Grab a piece of vinyl, drop the needle at the top
Listen for a beat to rock, ninety minute tape, I got enough time
Play it one time, four bars, press record, then press pause, then restart
Record, loop, repeat, do that ’bout twenty times, yo, I made my first beat
Pause tapes

[Outro]
Pause tapes, rewind it, re-record, loop
Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop
Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop
Loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop