The group takes its name from the French slang "NTM", an initialism for "Nique Ta Mère" ("Fuck Your Mother"; the vulgar slang word "niquer" is derived from North African Sabir "i nik" ("he makes love"), which in turn comes from the Arabic "nak" (same meaning)).
Through the use of politically-conscious lyrics, NTM raises awareness of police brutality, racist legislation, and youth violence, culminating in a series of highly-publicized legal battles with the French authorities.
Their musical style is predominantly hardcore rap, although later albums include funk, soul and reggae influences.
In 1998, the group released its last album of original material under the NTM moniker, as both Joey Starr and Kool Shen started their own labels, promoting new bands and branching out in other fields such as the clothing industry (2High is Kool Shen's brand, Com-8 is Joey Starr's).
[citation needed] Everything started in summer 1983 where Joey Starr and Kool Shen were watching American hip hop dancers break it down in Paris.
[citation needed] Already in their first big event in 1992 at the Zenith NTM came with a large number of dancers, back up singers, and slogans like "fuck the police" and lyrics like "Le monde de demain" which powerfully demanded change in modern society.
One of their most impressive songs played live was "Qu'est ce qu'on attend...": "What are we wating for.. to set everything on fire"[citation needed] in which Joey Starr finishes the song with his lion-like voice by a now famous "dorénavant la rue ne pardonne plus" meaning "henceforth the street no longer forgives."
This song was accused among others by some politicians to have contributed in unleashing the social riots that France has known in October 2005[citation needed] In January 2008, a newspaper (Les Inrockuptibles) has announced the possible return of NTM on stage.
Both singers have indeed said, that even if they have no intention of reforming (they haven't spoken for eight years now[citation needed]), a live event is not out of the question.
Nas espouses messages of the corrupt nature of governmental agencies saying, "Feds cost me 2 mil to get the system off me".