Street Dreams (song)

"Street Dreams/Affirmative Action"
Single by Nas
from the album It Was Written
Released	October 22, 1996
Format	CD single
Recorded	1996
Genre	Hip Hop
Length	4:39
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Nasir Jones, Samuel Barnes, David Stewart, Annie Lennox
Producer	Trackmasters
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Nas singles chronology
"If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" (1996) "Street Dreams" (1996) "The Message" (1996)
It Was Written track listing "The Message" (2) "Street Dreams" (3) "I Gave You Power" (4)

"Street Dreams" is a 1996 single by American rapper Nas. The song was It Was Written's second hit, following the success of "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)". "Street Dreams" contains an interpolation from the Eurythmics song "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and a sample from Linda Clifford's "Never Gonna Stop". A remix, including an appearance by R. Kelly, was released shortly after the original. It featured samples from the Isley Brothers' "Choosey Lover".

The song's big-budget video, directed by Hype Williams, was an allusion to the Martin Scorsese film Casino. It was filmed in Las Vegas around the time Tupac Shakur was murdered and featured a cameo appearance by Frank Vincent. Perhaps as a show of appreciation, Scorsese later used Nas's "Thief's Theme" in a scene from his 2006 gangster/cop drama The Departed.

The song was Nas's first to enter the Top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #22. It is his fourth-highest-charting single to date and, based on its gold certification by RIAA, his most popular.

Single track listing

A-Side

1. "Street Dreams" (Album Version) (4:08)
2. "Street Dreams" (Bonus Verse) (4:08)
3. "Street Dreams" (Instrumental) (4:08)

B-Side

1. "Affirmative Action" (Remix) (4:09)
   • Produced by Poke & Tone
2. "Affirmative Action" (Album Version) (4:19)
   • Produced by Dave Atkinson
3. "Affirmative Action" (Instrumental) (3:44)