Lyrics Once a Man, Twice a Child - Nas

If you lucky you get old
Old-timer told me (yeah)
You ain't gon' be able to fuck the same
Drink the same, hang out the same, I'm like-
Once a man, twice a child, yeah
Once a man, twice a child
Is like a baby again

Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun Nintendo Duck hunt
I ducked police I had to run
Meanwhile, when you get old you might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope, but I love my new girl

So when I'ma slow down this merry-go-round called life
I was a youngster with a fever Mom's brought cold ice
And I was young, scared
She ain't care, she made me fight
52 sweep you haymaker right
When I get old I hope that I can stay this fly
Once a man, twice a child

From mama's boy to preschool to college to now employed
Now you on, got your first crib, she's having your firstborn
Went from buying the finer toys with your boys
To buying toys for your boy
It's crazy how fast he's growing for sure
Grand pops he told me 'bout his days of old
One day I'll be him on the porch, sipping on something cold
And it stuck with my soul, I been divided at the road
Hot-headed as a youngster, confronted I might unload

Now listen, knowledge I received as a seed, as a G
That would feed my personal frequency
Transcends through all, travel through walls
My ministry we ain't know we was living hazardous
Savages, first niggas in New York with Bentleys
Tyson, Kedar, Puff, Stouts and then me
Before many men was out we went on tour and took 50
Live while you got the strength to, health you should tend to
Look all of ain't gon' get old I hope this message hit you
For real

Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun Nintendo Duck hunt
I ducked police I had to run
Meanwhile, when you get old you might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope, but I love my new girl
So when I'ma slow down this merry-go-round called life
I was a youngster with a fever Moms brought cold ice

I'm tryin' to expand the pineal gland
The world ain't our home, just temporary please understand
You die tomorrow then you born again, so life is deathless
Respect and balance, human dignity that's the perspective
Aimé Leon Dore, new balance when I'm stepping, time is precious
One day I might need my diaper changed inside a convalescent
The soul is different than the flesh is
Life is teaching me more, wisdom and ignorance is kin
To have peace, you need war

By the time you see the stars in the skies they already burnt out
Same way these dudes be shining but been burnt out
But we don't change, as we get stuck in our ways
We just act like we agreed, so we can earn the exchange
What's meant for you is sent to you
But you could be the problem, it's not always them my dude
Was she crazy before you met her, or you made her crazy?
Possibly she gonna be a nurse when you back to a baby
Once a man, twice a child

Strong motherfucker when you're young (uh)
I ducked a razor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun Nintendo Duck Hunt
I ducked police I had to run
Meanwhile, when you get old you might become futile
My old style is a rough of my new style
My old girl dope, but I love my new girl

So when I'ma slow down this merry-go-round called life
I was a youngster with a fever Moms brought cold ice
And in the streets I had agility, was quick to strike
My fear's not seeing it coming, got too rich for that sight
So take advantage of your youth before you elderly
'Cause today is the youngest that you will ever be

What happened?
Why you do that?
Wow

Why you do that?
Wow