Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (born September 14, 1973), known commonly as Nas (formerly known as Nasty Nas And Nas Escobar), is a prominent American rapper. He was raised in the infamous Queensbridge housing projects in Queens. The son of jazz trumpeter Olu Dara, Nas is best known for his 1994 debut LP Illmatic, widely considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. This album established Nas as one of hip-hop’s most celebrated lyricists, introducing his signature poetic style and dope storytelling abilities.

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 ... read more »