My song? N.Y State of Mind

I recently stumbled upon a song by the famous (and controversial) artist NaS. The song is called "N.Y. State of Mind." NaS has an amazing talent that allows him to communicate a completely different style of life to people such as me. The song explains the hardships that go along with growing up in New York City and all the emotion that comes along with it. I have never been around guns, violence, heavy drug trafficking, or any one of those extremes. I grew up in what I would like to call safe America. It is hard for me to imagine what life would be like in the streets of New York City. The picture he vividly paints takes me there so I can see it, feel it, almost see the scene he so masterfully describes. To some it may seem like a silly rap song. But, if you really listen to it, you will see exactly what I'm talking about. It allows me to step into a life that is completely different than mine and live there for a couple minutes. It puts life and little things that go with it into perspective. The title of the song speaks volumes about what its effect has on me. This song is filled with what a lot of people would consider adult content, so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. What I hear could be the complete opposite- but what I hear is poetry. It gives me a feeling of respect for people that deal with struggles like these, and it has such a funky beat to follow it.