Following the 1992 release of “Halftime” for the Zebrahead soundtrack, “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” was released as the lead single for Illmatic. Large Professor produced the track around a sample of Michael Jackson’s 1982 hit single “Human Nature.” Large Professor also produced a popular remix of the tr...
[Produced by Large Professor]
[Verse 1]
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 drink Moët with Medusa, give her shotguns in Hell
From the spliff that I lift and inhale; it ain't hard to tell
[Verse 2]
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 jew-el, 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 TEC 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 heroin in your nose
Nas will rock well; it ain't hard to tell
[Verse 3]
This rhythmatic explosion
Is what your frame of mind has chosen
I'll leave your brain stimulated, niggas 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 men-e-strual cycles
Street's disciple, I rock beats that's mega trifle
And groove even 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 will squeeze Glocks
MCs eavesdrop, though they need not to sneak
My poetry's deep, I never fell
Nas' raps should be locked in a cell; it ain't hard to tell
It Ain’t Hard to Tell was written by Nas & Large Professor.
It Ain’t Hard to Tell was produced by Large Professor.
Nas released It Ain’t Hard to Tell on Tue Jan 18 1994.
Nas had this to say to XXL about the song:
We did the original version in Large Professor’s apartment. And once there was a deal in place, we were able to use a real mic & a real studio [to re-record]. After me, SWV did “Right Here” with the same sample [from Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”]....