Nas used the flow from a well known Christmas carol, “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych, to paint the picture of a hood murder scene.
Nas has particularly been critized for the hook of this song for it’s violent lyrics by the media such as Fox and CNN:
As Nas says about the record in an int...
[Verse 1]
One .44, two .45's
Three loaded clips, four niggas roll, one nigga drives
Five hundred Benz, six reasons why this kid should die
We shooting every mothafucka outside
Pulled on his block, jumped out the car
Guns in our hand, at the same time everybody ran
There that nigga go, hiding in the crowd
Let the trigger blow, seven shots now he lying on the ground
Blood on the floor then we shot some more
Niggas he was with two niggas hit, one nigga fell
One tried to run, go get him son
Make sure he's done 'fore we bail, I ain't tryna go to jail
Must handle beef, code of the street, load up the heat
If these nigga think they could fuck around
Real niggas do real things by all means
Niggas knowing how we get down, it goes
[Chorus]
Shoot 'em up, just shoot 'em up, what?
(Kill-kill-kill, murder-murder-murder)
Shoot 'em up, just shoot 'em up, what?
(Kill-kill-kill, murder-murder-murder)
Shoot 'em up, just shoot 'em up, what?
(Kill-kill-kill, murder-murder-murder)
[Verse 2]
Driving through roads, Suburban Chevrolet
Six tinted windows, and I'm on my way
To get up with my hoes, I pull up to they house
Not a freak to be heard, nobody came out
Ringing the bell, where in the hell, could they be at?
I'm about to leave stepping slow, where my truck was at
Who the fuck is that? Could it be a jack?
Now pull my strap, it's my man and we have the same plan
There them bitches go, Civic '94
Looking funny though, open up the car door, funny smile
Fuck two already, third ass was heavy
"Nas this is Sherry, Sherry this is Nas and his man, ready?"
Walked in the house, snatched off they clothes
Ran through them hoes, plenty ice, that they all seemed to like
Can't find my man, heard a blam-blam
Now I'm wondering, "In this scam, do I even stand a chance?"
He killed the hoes, took all they dough
Fire in his eyes, higher than the sky coming down the stairs
Now he wanting mine, reaching for my nine
Aiming with our guns at each others face, at the same time
My nine on his lips, his fifth on my chin, I start whispering
"Put your gun down, we can skip town"
Rocked him to sleep, pushed back his meat
Lift off his chain, took his shit, emptied out close range
[Chorus]
Shoot 'em up, just shoot 'em up, what?
(Kill-kill-kill, murder-murder-murder)
Shoot 'em up, just shoot 'em up, what?
(Kill-kill-kill, murder-murder-murder)
Shoot 'em up, just shoot 'em up, what?
Shoot 'em up, just shoot 'em up, what?
(Kill-kill-kill, murder-murder-murder)
Shoot ’em Up was produced by Havoc.
Nas released Shoot ’em Up on Tue Nov 23 1999.