Blunt Ashes

Intro:
序曲
Yo I wonder if Langston Hughes and Alex Hailey got blazed before they told stories,
喲，我想知道Langston Hughes和Alex Haley（兩位都是美國黑人作家）在他們講故事前會不會喝高（指抽大麻）
Well I'm gonna get blazed before I tell y'all stories,
反正我在給你們講故事前我會喝高
I saw on TV today this man lost his son, his son died,
今天我在電視上看到，男人失去了他的兒子，他的兒子死了
So he had him cremated, took his ashes, and made it into a diamond ring
所以他將他火化，並把他的骨灰混合進鑽石戒指裡
Now he watch his son shine everyday,
這樣他每天都能看到他的兒子在閃耀（son和sun在這裡雙關）
I just thought about that, while I sit here ashin in this ash tray
當我坐著把煙灰彈進煙灰缸的時候，我只是想著這件事，yeah
Verse One:
第一段：
The makin' of a mad man who entered stories of Devante Swing,
DeVante Swing這個人有著許多錯綜複雜的故事，比如他建立了一支瘋狂的樂隊（樂隊指R & B group Jodeci）
Eva Gardner, the crashin of James Dean,
Ava Gardner（美國著名女演員，因支氣管肺炎病逝）,James Dean出了車禍
Bobby Brown, influenced by Rick James it goes,
Bobby Brown模仿Rick James豪放不羈的表演方式
Prince wanted Alexander O' Neill to be Morris Day or Jerome,
Prince希望Alexander ONeal能像Morris Day或者是Jerome那樣聽他的話
But Alex was puttin' coke in his nose nigga while it,
Alex卻把可卡因吸進了鼻子，兄弟，這是為什麼？
Could be a myth but I swear that the source was close, Phyllis Hyman,
這是個疑團，但我向你保證消息是可靠的，Phyllis Hyman，
Killed himself it was crazy, mommy was bad, they say,
自殺了，這太瘋狂了，媽媽不是好人，他們說，
Donny Hathaway freefall from a balcony, he sways
Donny Hathaway從15樓跳下來，他在空中飛舞（swing影射他音樂中的swing）
Chorus:
副歌：
As a blunt ash falls into the ashtray, I can see my whole life fly past me,
當煙灰落到煙灰缸的時候（blunt是裡面填充大麻的香煙），我看到我的整個人生和我擦身而過（這裡的“我”同時也像徵著Hip Hop）
Did I （Did I） keep it gangsta or keep it classy, and will the money and fame outlast me,
我的人生是gangsta那樣充斥著犯罪和暴力，還是完美上等的？金錢與名聲會比我長久嗎？
The blunt's ash fall down in the ash tray, will I see my whole life fly past me,
煙灰落到了煙灰缸裡，我看到我的整個人生和我擦身而過
I 'm askin did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy, （did I） anything else you wanna know, just ask me.
我在問，我的人生是gangsta那樣充斥著犯罪和暴力，還是完美上等的？任何你想知道的問我就好（Nas在想他死後是否會成為傳奇）
Verse Two:
第二段：
Sam trusted Womack with his main lady, he tossin' in the grave like 'this is how you repay me,'
Sam和他生命中最重要的女人都很信任Womack（Womack娶了Sam的遺孀），他在墳墓裡輾轉不安，“這就是你的報答？ ”
A change goin' come, wish you didn't trust me so much,
有些事情將會改變，多麼希望你過去沒有那麼信任我（這兩句分別是Sam和Womack的歌）
Marvin said 'No mountains high enough,' fly stuff,
Marvin說“沒有什麼山是足夠高的”，（因為有）讓人騰空的東西（指毒品）
David Ruffin was punchin' Tammy Tyrell, gave her concussions,
David Ruffin猛揍Tammi Terrell，令她得了腦震盪
While, the Funk Brothers was layin' down the percussions,
當放克兄弟樂隊放下打擊樂器的時候（這個樂隊常和摩城唱片公司演出）
When Flo from the Supremes died, Diana Ross cried,
當Supremes樂隊的Flo Ballard死的時候，Diana Ross哭了
Many people said that she was laughing inside （Why?）.
很多人卻說她在心裡笑個不停（為什麼?）
Chorus:
副歌：
As a blunt ash falls into the ashtray, I can see my whole life fly past me,
當煙灰落到煙灰缸的時候（blunt是裡面填充大麻的香煙），我看到我的整個人生和我擦身而過（這裡的“我”同時也象徵著Hip Hop）
Did I （Did I） keep it gangsta or keep it classy, and will the money and fame outlast me,
我的人生是gangsta那樣充斥著犯罪和暴力，還是完美上等的？金錢與名聲會比我長久嗎？
The blunt’s ash fall down in the ash tray, will I see my whole life fly past me,
煙灰落到了煙灰缸裡，我看到我的整個人生和我擦身而過
I'm askin did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy, （did I） anything else you wanna know, just ask me.
我在問，我的人生是gangsta那樣充斥著犯罪和暴力，還是完美上等的？任何你想知道的問我就好（Nas在想他死後是否會成為傳奇）
Verse three:
第三段：
John F. Kennedy's enemies dealt with treachery, it interests me,
肯尼迪總統的敵人對他背叛憲法的行為採取了行動（即暗殺），這件事讓我感興趣。
Julie Campbell in Gucci sandals, she's what a temptress be,
Judy Campbell穿著Gucci的涼鞋（是肯尼迪的情人，也是黑手黨Mafia兩位領導人的情人），她是天生尤物
The death of Anis Cosby, what a mystery,
Ennis Cosby的死多麼蹊蹺（在路邊換輪胎的時候被人射殺）
All of Chicago and Herald Washington, someone is sabotagin' him,
(歌詞錯誤，是Or the Chicagoan Harold Washington）Harold Washington死的也很蹊蹺（前芝加哥市長，死於心髒病），有人在摧毀他們
Watch out for the traps, Larry Troutman killed his brother, Roger Troutman, then he killed himself, that's the end of Zapp,
留心陷阱，Larry Troutman殺了他的兄弟Roger Troutman，接著他又自殺了，這就是Zapp團的結局
And I wouldn't change a thing, mistakes of the greats,
我不願改變任何事情，這些偉人的錯誤，
This is what came from they pain, from they hurt we gain, an unfair exchange.
都源於他們的痛苦，從他們的傷痛中我們吸取教訓，一場不平等的交易
Chorus （background）:
副歌（背景）：
As a blunt ash falls into the ashtray, I can see my whole life fly past me,
當煙灰落到煙灰缸的時候（blunt是裡面填充大麻的香煙），我看到我的整個人生和我擦身而過（這裡的“我”同時也像徵著Hip Hop）
Did I （Did I） keep it gangsta or keep it classy, and will the money and fame outlast me,
我的人生是gangsta那樣充斥著犯罪和暴力，還是完美上等的？金錢與名聲會比我長久嗎？
The blunt's ash fall down in the ash tray, will I see my whole life fly past me,
煙灰落到了煙灰缸裡，我看到我的整個人生和我擦身而過
I 'm askin did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy, （did I） anything else you wanna know, just ask me
我在問，我的人生是gangsta那樣充斥著犯罪和暴力，還是完美上等的？任何你想知道的問我就好（Nas在想他死後是否會成為傳奇）
I can smell old bogie's cigars,
我能聞到Old Bogey香煙的味道（Old Bogey指亨弗萊·鮑嘉）
Knall Recam's perfumes smellin just as sweet,
年代久遠的香水聞起來同樣甜美（香水指Lauren Bacall，她和鮑嘉的婚姻持續了12年）
Me and my wife K flyin in the drop-top like Ruby and OZ Davis baby, know what I mean,
我和我的妻子Kelis,開著敞篷車在路上狂飆，就像Ruby和Ossie Davis,寶貝-知道我在說什麼吧？ （Ruby和Ossie的婚姻持續了57年）
Yo man, get smoked out, start thinking about Hattie McDaniels,
喲，我抽著煙，並開始想Hattie McDaniels,
Got an Oscar for playing Mamie in “Gone With the Wind,”
她因為在《亂世佳人》裡飾演媽媽而獲得了奧斯卡金像獎
And she didn't even get allowed, wasn't allowed to go to the premier,
但是她卻被禁止，被禁止參加首映禮（因為種族隔離制度），
You believe that, couldn't go to premier, to her joint,
你相信嗎？作為一份子，她不能去參加首映禮
Man, you know they were strong back then yeah,
你知道的，他們那時候太強大了
Blunts, fallin, ashtray,
香煙，飛落，煙灰缸。