Illmatic was a critically acclaimed bestseller and is widely considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time. He married R&B singer Kelis in 2005, they have one son together, and she filed for divorce on the 29th of April 2009. Nas was also a part of hip hop supergroup The Firm, which released one album.
In the years following the release of Illmatic, Nas pursued a more commercial direction, which resulted in wider success but decreased artistic credibility among critics and hip-hop purists. Furthermore, Nas' increased commercial success was accompanied by stylistic changes that fostered accusations of "selling out". Nevertheless, the LP Stillmatic is often credited for restoring Nas' credibility among fans. Since the success of Stillmatic, Nas continues to maintain a high profile within the hip hop community, and has pursued a decidedly progressive and personal aesthetic. While Nas' current artistic direction differs greatly from his most successful work, it has ensured that he remains one of the most respected and acclaimed contemporary rappers.
1973–1992: Childhood and early career
Nas was born in Brooklyn, New York, as the elder of Olu Dara and Fannie Ann Jones's two children; his brother Jabari (nicknamed "Jungle" because he was born in the Congo) is the younger of the two. The family lived for a time in Brooklyn, before moving to Queensbridge, the largest public housing project in the United States. Olu Dara left the household in 1986, when Nas was 13, and Ann Jones raised her two boys on her own. Nas dropped out of school in the eighth grade and began selling drugs on the streets of New York. He educated himself, reading about African culture and civilization, the Qur'an, the Bible and the Five Percent Nation. He also studied the origin of hip hop music, taping records that played on his local radio station. As a child, Nas had wanted to be an instrumentalist (at the age of three, Nas played his father's trumpet on the step of their Brooklyn home) and also a comic book artist. Shortly after his parents separated, Nas began to write short stories as he immersed himself deeper into hip-hop culture.
By his preteen years, he had settled on pursuing a career as a rapper, and as a teenager enlisted his best friend and upstairs neighbor Willie "Ill Will" Graham as his DJ. Nas first went by the nickname Kid Wave before adopting his more commonly known alias of Nasty Nas. Nas and Graham soon met hip-hop producer and Flushing Queens resident Large Professor, who introduced Nas to his group, Main Source. In 1991, Nas made his on-record debut with a verse on "Live at the BBQ", from Main Source's LP Breaking Atoms. Despite the substantial buzz for Nas in the underground scene, the rapper was rejected by major labels and was not signed to a recording deal. Nas and Graham continued to work together, but their partnership was cut short when Graham was shot and killed by a gunman in Queensbridge on May 23, 1992.
1992–1995: The recording and release of Illmatic
In mid-1992, Nas was approached by MC Serch of 3rd Bass, who became his manager and secured Nas a record deal with Columbia Records the same year. Nas made his solo debut on the single "Halftime" from Serch's soundtrack for the film Zebrahead. The single increased the buzz surrounding Nas and when MC Serch’s solo album is released later in the year, Nas’ standout appearance on "Back To The Grill" only intensified interest in his upcoming album, amid immense anticipation. Hailed as the second coming of Rakim, his rhyming skills attracted a significant amount of attention within the hip-hop community. However, many were concerned that Columbia, being a major label, would try to dilute his New York based style.
In 1994, Nas' debut album, Illmatic was finally released. Critically acclaimed and widely regarded as one of the premier rap albums ever created, Illmatic featured lyrics that portrayed stunning visual imagery and production courtesy of several producers . The album featured production from Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest) and DJ Premier, as well as guest appearances from Nas' friend AZ and his father Olu Dara on the song "Life's a Bitch", Illmatic was immediately hailed as a masterpiece by critics, and is still highly regarded as one of the definitive hip-hop albums of all time. Notable songs on the album included "NY State of Mind" (produced by Premier), "The World Is Yours" (produced by Pete Rock), "One Love" (produced by Q-Tip) and "It Ain't Hard To Tell" (produced by Large Professor and featuring a sample of "Human Nature" by Michael Jackson). However, due in part to extensive bootlegging, the record sales fell below expectations.
Following Illmatic, Nas appeared on AZ's Doe Or Die album, and collaborated with his Queensbridge-associates, Mobb Deep, on their album, The Infamous. One notable achievement during this period was Nas' verse on "Verbal Intercourse" on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. After this appearance, Nas received a Source Quotable as he had the distinction of being the only non-Wu-Tang Clan member to be featured on one of the group's solo albums.
1996–1998: From It Was Written to The Firm
Columbia began to press Nas to work towards more commercial topics like the rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who had become successful by releasing street singles that still retained pop-friendly appeal. Nas traded manager MC Serch for Steve Stoute, and began preparation for his second LP, It Was Written, consciously working towards a crossover-oriented sound. It Was Written, chiefly produced by Poke and Tone of Trackmasters Entertainment, was released during the summer of 1996. Two singles, "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" (featuring Lauryn Hill of The Fugees) and "Street Dreams" (a remix features R. Kelly) were instant hits. These songs were promoted by big-budget music videos directed by Hype Williams, making Nas a common name among mainstream hip-hop. Other notable tracks on the album included "The Message" and "I Gave You Power," which tells a story from the perspective of a gun. It Was Written also featured the debut of The Firm, a supergroup consisting of Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. The album also introduced Nas's Mafioso-inspired character "Nas Escobar", who lived more of a Scarface/Casino-esque lifestyle. On the other hand, Illmatic, which, while having numerous references to Tony Montana and the theatrical hit featuring Al Pacino, was more about Nas' life as a teenager in the projects, hustling and smoking marijuana.
The Firm signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment label, and began working on their debut album. Halfway through the production of the album, Cormega was fired from the group by Steve Stoute, who had unsuccessfully attempted to force Cormega to sign a deal with his management company. Cormega therefore became one of Nas' most vocal opponents, releasing a number of underground hip-hop singles dissing Nas, Stoute, and Nature, who was Cormega's replacement in The Firm. The Firm's The Album was finally released in 1997 to mixed reviews and lackluster sales and the members of the supergroup went their separate ways.
At about this time, Nas became a spokesperson for the Willie Esco urban clothing line, but had no other connection with the clothing line. He stopped promoting Willie Esco in 2000, dissatisfied with the company's operations. During the same period, Nas co-wrote and starred in Hype Williams' 1998 feature film Belly, which also featured DMX, Taral Hicks, and T-Boz of TLC among its cast.
1998–2000: I Am... to Nastradamus
In 1998, Nas began work on a double album to be entitled I Am...The Autobiography, which he intended as the middle ground between the extremes of Illmatic and It Was Written. The album was completed in early 1999, and a music video was shot for its lead single, Nas Is Like, produced by DJ Premier and featuring vocal samples from "It Ain't Hard to Tell". However, much of the LP was leaked in MP3 format onto the Internet, and Nas and Stoute quickly recorded enough substitute material to constitute a single-disc release.
The second single for I Am was "Hate Me Now," featuring Sean "Puffy" Combs (now "Diddy"), was used as an example by Nas' critics for moving towards commercial themes. Hype Williams shot an allegorical video for the single, which featured Nas and Puffy being crucified in a manner similar to Jesus; After the video was completed, Combs, a Catholic, requested his crucifixion scene be edited out of the video. However, the unedited copy of the "Hate Me Now" video made its way to MTV, and was premiered on April 15, 1999 on TRL. A furious Combs and his bodyguards allegedly made their way into Steve Stoute's office and assaulted him, at one point apparently hitting Stoute over the head with a champagne bottle. Stoute pressed charges, but he and Combs settled out-of-court that June.
Columbia had scheduled to release the pirated material from I Am under the title Nastradamus during the latter half of 1999, but, at the last minute, decided Nas should record an entirely new album for release. Nastradamus was therefore rushed to meet a November release date. Though critics were not kind to the album, it did result in a minor hit, the Timbaland-produced "You Owe Me," featuring R&B singer Ginuwine. The only pirated track from I Am... to make it onto Nastradamus was "Project Windows," featuring Ronald Isley. A number of the other bootlegged tracks later made their way onto The Lost Tapes, a collection of underground Nas songs that was released by Columbia in September 2002. The collection saw decent sales and received glowing reviews.
2000–2001: The Nas vs. Jay-Z rivalry and Stillmatic
The highly publicized rivalry between Nas and Jay-Z began as a rivalry between Nas and Jay-Z's protege, Memphis Bleek. On his debut album Coming of Age, Bleek made a song entitled "Memphis Bleek Is", which was similar in concept to Nas' single "Nas is Like". On the same album, Bleek recorded "What You Think Of That" featuring Bleek's mentor Jay-Z, which contains the refrain, "I'ma ball 'til I fall/what you think of that?". In retaliation, "Nastradamus", the title track from Nas' second 1999 album, featured a reference to "What You Think Of That". The lyrics state, "You wanna ball till you fall, I can help you with that/You want beef? I could let a slug melt in your hat." Memphis Bleek perceived the reference on "Nastradamus" as a diss, and therefore dissed Nas on the lead single for his The Understanding LP, My Mind Right".
QB's Finest was a compilation album that featured Nas and a number of other rappers from Queensbridge, including Mobb Deep, Nature, Littles, The Bravehearts (which included Nas' younger brother Jungle among its members), and Cormega, who had briefly reconciled with Nas. The album also featured guest appearances from Queensbridge hip-hop legends Roxanne Shante, MC Shan, and Marley Marl. Shan and Marley Marl both appeared on the lead single "Da Bridge 2001", which was based on Shan & Marl's 1986 recording "The Bridge". "Da Bridge 2001" also featured a response from Nas to Memphis Bleek, in which Nas called out most of the Roc-A-Fella Records roster, including Bleek, Damon Dash, Beanie Sigel, and Jay-Z.
Jay-Z responded to Nas' songs with an onstage swipe during the 2001 Hot 97 Summer Jam concert in New York City, when he premiered his song "Takeover." Initially, the song was to only be a Mobb Deep diss, only including one line about Nas near the end. Nevertheless, Nas recorded the "Stillmatic Freestyle," an underground single which sampled Rakim and Eric B.'s "Paid in Full" beat, and attacked Jay-Z and his Roc-A-Fella label. On his 2001 album, The Blueprint, Jay-Z rewrote "Takeover," dedicating half of the song to dissing Nas, claiming that he had a "...one hot album every ten year average" record (referring to Illmatic) that his flow was weak, and that he had fabricated his past as a hustler.
Nas responded with "Ether", the track begins with gunshots and a repeated, slowed-down sample of Tupac rapping "Fuck Jay-Z." (taken from Tupac's "Fuck Friends") In "Ether," Nas accuses Jay-Z of stealing ("biting") lyrics from The Notorious B.I.G. and brown-nosing Nas and other rappers for fame. Ether was included on Nas' fifth studio album, Stillmatic, released in December 2001. Stillmatic managed to be not only a critically-acclaimed comeback album, but a commercial success as well, albeit not on the level of It Was Written and I Am...; the album debutted at #7 on the Billboard album charts and featured the singles "Got Ur Self A..." and "One Mic." In terms of commercial success, Jay's The Blueprint was certified double-platinum, while Stillmatic went platinum.
Jay-Z responded to "Ether" with a freestyle entitled "Supa Ugly." going into detail about how he had sex with Carmen Bryan, the mother of Nas' daughter Destiny. Nas dismissed the track by claiming that he was no longer with Bryan during the time the affair took place. In a recent interview, however, New York radio station Hot 97 settled the battle taking votes comparing "Ether" and "Supa Ugly," and Nas won with 58% while Jay-Z got 42% of the votes. By 2005, the two rappers had eventually ended their feud without violence or animosity. During Jay-Z's I Declare War - Power House concert, Jay-Z announced to the crowd, "It's bigger than 'I Declare War'. Let's go, Esco!" Nas then joined Jay-Z onstage, and the two then performed "Dead Presidents" together, which Jay-Z had sampled from Nas' song "The World is Yours."
2002–Present: From God's Son to Street's Disciple and beyond
In December 2002, Nas released the God's Son album. and its lead single, "Made You Look". The album debuted at #18 on the Billboard charts despite widespread internet bootlegging. Time Magazine named his album best hip-hop album of the year. Vibe Magazine gave it 4 stars and The Source gave it 4 mics. The second single, the inspirational "I Can", which reworked elements from Beethoven's "Fur Elise", became Nas' biggest hit to date during the spring and summer of 2003, garnering substantial radio airplay on urban, rhythmic, and top 40 radio stations, as well as on the MTV and VH1 music video networks. God's Son also includes several songs dedicated to memory of Nas' mother, who died of cancer in 2002. In 2003, Nas was featured on the Korn song "Play Me", from KoЯn's Take a Look in the Mirror LP.
Nas released his seventh studio album, the critically acclaimed double-disc Street's Disciple, on November 30, 2004. The album's first singles were "Thief's Theme" and "Bridging the Gap", which features his father Olu Dara on vocals. The album also includes "These are Our Heroes", which accuses prominent sports stars and actors such as Kobe Bryant, Lenny Henry, Tiger Woods, and Cuba Gooding, Jr. of neglecting their heritage and background in favour of white values. The videos for "Bridging the Gap" and "Just A Moment" received moderate airplay on MTV and BET. Although the album went platinum, its commercial profile was relatively low compared to the rapper's previous releases.
Nas was featured on Kanye West's album Late Registration on a song titled "We Major". West said the song was Jay-Z's favorite on the album, but West was unable to get Jay-Z to record a vocal for the final mix of the song. He also appeared on Damian Marley's song "Road to Zion" (which also featured newcomer The Game in the video, widening Nas' still growing universally appreciated raps) and several other songs such as "Death Anniversary" and "It Wasn't You" (featuring Lauryn Hill). In addition, Nas was most recently married to the R&B singer Kelis, who is mostly known for her work internationally, but nonetheless released great hits in the U.S. The couple wed on Jan. 8, 2005 in Atlanta, GA, after a two-year engagement.
During this time, Nas announced that his next album would be entirely self-produced and feature no other rappers, and would be titled Nasir, and later that the project would feature other producers after all and would be called Nasdaq: Dow Jones. Neither of these albums ever materialized.
At a free concert in Central Park, New York, Nas made a statement regarding the quality of 50 Cent's music. "this is the real shit, not that 50 Cent shit!" In response, 50 Cent included a stab at Nas by speaking negatively of his wife Kelis on his single "Piggy Bank," implying that Kelis was promiscuous and calling Nas a "sucker for love." Nas was quoted as saying that he feels no obligation to retaliate, remarking "[50 has] got a good five to six more albums before I can really respond to him." Nas eventually decided to retaliate, and in July 2005 released "Don't Body Ya Self (MC Burial)", a song which taunts 50 Cent and his G-Unit crew, stating that 50 was "a sucka for death if I'm a sucka for love." However, despite all of this, Nas still claims to "have a lot of love towards 50," claiming 50 didn't understand his moves when they both were together at Columbia Records.
In January 2006, Nas signed a label deal with Jay-Z's Def Jam, further emphasizing the Jay-Z/Nas truce and raising expectations for a collaboration even higher. His album due in fall of 2006 will come out in a joint deal with this imprint and Columbia Records. He recently announced to MTV News that his album is to be named, "Hip Hop is Dead...the N," the N being a play on the word the "end." The title is supposed to reflect what some would term the current low quality of rap music. The highly anticipated album is due out in December 19th, 2006.
Musical style and Technique
Nas has long been famed for his creativity and storytelling prowess, which has earned him acclaim from both the hip-hop community and critics. In his early stages, from his first appearance on the Main Source's Breaking Atoms and throughout the recording of Illmatic, he was perhaps best known for his street-oriented topics, complex lyrical schemes (which often incorporated multi-syllabic internal rhymes), and witty phrasing and imagery. As he progressed and matured, Nas began to branch out into different subjects and developed a richer voice and slower rapping technique.
Following Illmatic's release, Nas developed a penchant for hyper-visual storytelling and topical creativity. For instance, "Undying Love" (featured on I Am...) is a tale of his wife's betrayal told in first person, "Rewind" (featured on Stillmatic) is a narrative in which a story is recited backwards, while on "I Gave You Power" (featured on It Was Written), Nas assumes the role of a gun who recounts brutal tales of murder and violence. Over the years Nas' style has changed significantly. In contrast to his previous work, Nas’ most recent material is distinctively socially aware and often politically inflammatory. Songs such as "I Can" (featured on God's Son) convey moral messages of black youth empowerment, while "These Are Our Heroes (Coon Picnic)" accuses several African-American celebrities of being Uncle Toms. Furthermore, controversial songs such as "My Country" and "A Message to the Feds (Fuck The Police II)" (which are featured on Stillmatic and Street's Disciple, respectively) question the conduct of the American government. Nas' views in his lyrics throughout his career have made references to Islam and the Five Percent Nation..
Louis Farrakhan
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan
They were trying to touch on and thieve envy within the leadership
But as a general and a man that rose through the ranks through discipline
His presence inspired those men with the discipline he imposed on his own life
Louis Farrakhan"
[Nas]
Your left full of bullet holes when you tell the people go free
Oh, it's a matter of days before they try to take me
I heard gun shots rang; his bullet's got my name
I ain't see 'em take aim, I dreamt this day came
'Cause I stood in the face of damnation
Satan spat at 'em, flat out disgraced 'em
He want my blood, why me?
Why not the fake ones who deserve death man?
Fuck it, I'll take one
'Cause stop me but can't stop a whole nation of millions who feel you deceived them
They believe in reparation makes it even
So I'm deadly now because of one reason, they listening
In Budapest, Japan, China, and Switzerland
We getting it in son, another bullet pass by, miss me
Wondering who plotting to get me?
Alphabet boys still plotting against me
To hush me and stuff me in the pockets of history
You won't remember why they came to clip me
When time go by you'll soon forget me
They say he was the king of bling, jewels, and Bentleys
Then I use one of my lines just to prove I'm guilty
Don't let' em kill me...
(Sample)
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan."
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan."
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan."
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan."
[Nas]
Some revolutionaries do live long
Am I one of them? Guess we'll know in due time
Everybody has rights, can I use mine?
Can I rock shine? Can I have a girl that's too fine?
Got a swell life, tell me will I lose mine?
Every time I turn around somebody new dying
Let's start living, alecart, Escargo, Escobar invest my millions
Mansion for the wife the rest for the children
Knowing that they coming anytime
But until then I'ma at large till they shoot me
Million dollar stones in my camouflage Gucci
Giving you this crack like Pookie
To question the system, be the resistance
No matter what color you are everybody niggas
Or you can stand by or watch or you can march on with us
(Chorus) Nas 2x
Some revolutionaries get old although I'm told
You'll get a left full of bullet holes when you tell the people go free
Oh, it's a matter of days before they try to take me
The lyrics of Nas Feat. Stic.Man's song "Untitled" juxtapose the notion of revolutionism with the reality of constant threat that revolutionary figures and activists encounter on their path to bring about change. Nas’s lyrics are a reflection of his own experiences as a rapper and activist amidst being targeted by government agencies, the "alphabet boys" as he refers to them. He speaks of being shot at and constantly threatened yet refusing to be silenced. He cites the example of Louis Farrakhan, a prominent figure in the Civil Rights and Black Nationalist movement in America, who was targeted and demonized by authorities for his activism but refused to be silenced.
Nas’s verse is a comment on the strength needed to be a revolutionary figure and the constant danger that comes with it. He hints at the fact that the revolutionary journey might cost him his life but that he is committed to the cause of achieving freedom for the people. The lyrics also talk about revolution beyond one's own self-restlessness and how it goes beyond race, class or any other kind of prejudice. The song is a deeply political commentary on the state of the world and the struggles of being an activist, conveying emotions that are universal and relatable to anyone pursuing a path of change and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
No revolutionary gets old or so I'm told
Revolutionaries often die young
Your left full of bullet holes when you tell the people go free
Revolutionaries who fight for freedom often end up getting shot
Oh, it's a matter of days before they try to take me
Nas knows that his revolutionary actions will eventually lead to someone trying to hurt him
I heard gun shots rang; his bullet's got my name
Nas fears for his life and knows that he could be the next one to get shot
I ain't see 'em take aim, I dreamt this day came
Nas has been anticipating this day for a long time and feels that he's been living in constant fear
'Cause I stood in the face of damnation
Nas is a brave revolutionary who is willing to stand up for what he believes in even though it could lead to his demise
Satan spat at 'em, flat out disgraced 'em
Even though he faces many challenges and obstacles, Nas is not going to let anyone deter him from his mission
He want my blood, why me?
Nas questions why people are after him when there are others who are more deserving of being targeted
Why not the fake ones who deserve death man?
Nas feels that there are others who are more deserving of punishment than he is
Fuck it, I'll take one
Nas is willing to put himself at risk to stand up for what he believes in
'Cause stop me but can't stop a whole nation of millions who feel you deceived them
Nas knows that even if he were to die, his actions will inspire others to stand up for change
They believe in reparation makes it even
The people who support Nas believe that they are owed compensation for the injustices committed against them
So I'm deadly now because of one reason, they listening
Nas's message has become powerful and influential, which makes him a threat to those in power
In Budapest, Japan, China, and Switzerland
Nas is a global revolutionary and his message is spreading worldwide
We getting it in son, another bullet pass by, miss me
Nas is currently evading danger and is staying strong despite the threats against him
Wondering who plotting to get me?
Nas is always on guard, never sure who is plotting against him
Alphabet boys still plotting against me
Law enforcement agencies are still trying to put an end to Nas's revolutionary actions
To hush me and stuff me in the pockets of history
Those in power want to silence Nas and erase him from history
You won't remember why they came to clip me
In the future, people won't remember why Nas was targeted and killed
When time go by you'll soon forget me
Even though Nas's actions will inspire change, he won't be remembered as vividly as he should be
They say he was the king of bling, jewels, and Bentleys
People may remember Nas for his flashy lifestyle rather than his revolutionary actions
Then I use one of my lines just to prove I'm guilty
Nas uses his lyrics as a way to confess his involvement in the revolutionary movement and prove that he's not just a superficial personality
Some revolutionaries do live long
Some revolutionaries are able to evade danger and continue fighting for change into old age
Am I one of them? Guess we'll know in due time
Nas is unsure whether he will be able to survive long enough to see the change he's fighting for
Everybody has rights, can I use mine?
Nas has the right to fight for what he believes in and wants to exercise that right
Can I rock shine? Can I have a girl that's too fine?
Nas wants to live a normal life and enjoy the fruits of his labor without being targeted for it
Got a swell life, tell me will I lose mine?
Nas is worried that his revolutionary actions could put his comfortable life in danger
Every time I turn around somebody new dying
Nas is constantly reminded of the dangers he faces and the people who have been killed for fighting for change
Let's start living, alecart, Escargo, Escobar invest my millions
Nas wants to live life to the fullest and enjoy the money he's earned
Mansion for the wife the rest for the children
Nas wants to provide for his family and give them a comfortable life
Knowing that they coming anytime
Nas is always aware that danger could strike at any moment
But until then I'ma at large till they shoot me
Nas is going to keep fighting for change until someone stops him, even if it means risking his life
Million dollar stones in my camouflage Gucci
Nas is living the lavish lifestyle that his revolutionary actions would seemingly go against
Giving you this crack like Pookie
Nas references the character Pookie from New Jack City, who was addicted to drugs as a way to compare his music to an addictive substance that inspires change
To question the system, be the resistance
Nas wants to inspire others to question the status quo and resist the oppressive systems in place
No matter what color you are everybody niggas
Nas is saying that no matter a person's race or background, they can be targets of oppression and violence
Or you can stand by or watch or you can march on with us
Nas wants people to choose a side and either support the revolutionary movement or be complicit in the systems of oppression and violence.
Contributed by Isaac F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.