In regards to the Mary J Blige collaboration and 2019 Royalty tour, Nas elaborates:
Mary’s been busting it up out here late laying the foundation for hip-hop artist for a long time since her first album. What’s the 411? was like Illmatic to me. It was just a level above – it took over. It was a rap...
[Verse 1: Mary J. Blige]
Look what I did, I made history
They don't know what to do with me
Ain't lookin' back, keepin' it movin'
I know exactly how to do this
[Refrain: Mary J. Blige]
Keep smilin', make 'em wild out
Stay loud, don't dumb it down
Hold my crown up to the sky
Hold your crown up to the sky
[Pre-Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
Hey, time for us to go and get the money, y'all
Floodgates open, gonna take it all
I am a diamond 'cause of pressure
The bigger the trial, bigger the blessin'
[Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
No we're not just survivin', yeah we're thrivin' over here
All those sad songs don't break me, just gave me a record deal
Ooh, ooh
We're not just survivin', yeah we're thrivin' over here (Oh, oh)
[Verse 2: Mary J. Blige]
You see, I'm on a mission (Yeah)
Ain't no baggage weighin' me down (No)
Had to get out my feelings (Ooh)
'Cause I'm tired of people seein' me drown
[Refrain: Mary J. Blige]
Smile, make 'em wild out
Stay loud, don't dumb it down
Hold my crown up to the sky (Oh)
Hold your crown up to the sky (Oh)
[Pre-Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
Hey, time for us to go and get the money, y'all (Yeah)
Floodgates open, gonna take it all (Take it all)
I am a diamond 'cause of pressure
The bigger the trial, bigger the blessin'
[Chorus: Mary J. Blige & Nas]
No we're not just survivin', yeah we're thrivin' over here (We're not just survivin')
All those sad songs don't break me, just gave me a record deal (Oh, unbreakable)
Ooh, ooh (Unfadeable, yeah)
We're not just survivin', yeah we're thrivin' over here (Let's go, uh Esco, uh, yeah, uh)
[Verse 3: Nas]
We're here for a good time, not a long time
And no bad vibe is gon' spoil mine
No such thing as the right time or wrong time
We don't do small time, we do royal time
I pictured myself here as a small guy
Switched up gears from Nasty Nas and Nasir like
Cassius Clay to Ali, the greatest of all time
Financial page, my name in New York Times
Incredible milestones forever
It's set-in-stone, MJB the letters
Everybody that try to violate, we beat 'em for God's sake
Never mind that I'm reachin' my prime the second time, that's great
In record time, stop the hate
And love your life, fix your crown up straight
I dodged bullets and jail time and kept drivin'
Stood tall through it all, keep thrivin'
[Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
No we're not just survivin', yeah we're thrivin' over here
(Yeah, we're thrivin' over here)
All those sad songs don't break me, just gave me a record deal
(All those sad songs, they didn't break me, no)
Ooh, ooh
We're not just survivin', yeah we're thrivin' over here (Oh, oh)
[Bridge: Mary J. Blige]
So whatever you want, go get it, go get it (Oh, so whatever)
I swear, whatever, it's yours, go get it, go get it (Oh, it's yours)
Joy and peace, hope for sure, go get it, go get it (Joy and peace, hopin', oh)
I swear, whatever, it's yours (It's yours), go get it (It's yours)
[Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
No we're not just survivin', yeah we're thrivin' over here
(Yeah, we're thrivin' over here)
All those sad songs don't break me, just gave me a record deal
(All those sad songs, they didn't break me, no)
Ooh, ooh
We're not just survivin', yeah we're thrivin' over here (Oh, oh)
Thriving was written by Mary J. Blige & Nas & DJ Camper & Blu June & Brittany Coney.
Thriving was produced by DJ Camper.
Mary J. Blige released Thriving on Wed May 08 2019.