Five Nas songs you need to hear before you die
Nas is one of the most celebrated lyricists in hip-hop and, at one point, ruled New York. Known for his infamous battle with Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella records, Nas is definitely a rapper that will go down in history. However, unlike the big man Hov, Nas’ career never took off the way it was supposed to in the early noughties. With so many notable rappers coming onto the scene at the turn of the millennium, Nas seemed to stall and is still predominantly considered a 1990s rapper. However, he still released some quality records after the ’90s.
Born and raised in the Queensbridge area of New York, Nas was one of the biggest names in underground hip-hop during the early ’90s, with his debut album Illmatic to this day still classed as a classic and a must-listen for any hip-hop fan. He was a rapper, songwriter and, most importantly, a storyteller that other artists envied over. The rapper’s ability to immerse listeners in a story was second to none, and his way with words was awe-inspiring. His music remains one of hip-hop’s most memorable creations, and his cultural contribution can never be negated.
What’s fascinating about Nas is his ability to romanticise what can often be very sombre themes and find the beauty in what most would consider squalor. Listening to a Nas album is an unparalleled experience. Beyond the braggadocious attitudes and materialism that are so often associated with the hip-hop genre, you have a soul, and Nas’ albums were straight from the soul. They can evoke a range of emotions, and that’s crucial in hip-hop; a quality album cannot be centred around pure anger.
Alongside Hit-Boy, Nas has made a huge comeback recently and has successfully proved that he is still a force to be reckoned with. Since 2020, the lyricist has released King’s Disease, King’s Disease II, King’s Disease III, Magic and Magic 2. In 2020, the emcee received his first-ever Grammy Award and has been on a roll ever since. That said, five essential Nas songs need to be heard if you are to understand his excellence as an artist.
Five Nas songs you need to hear before you die:
5. ‘Ether’ – Stillmatic, (2001)
‘Ether’ by Nas is not only the most well-known diss track in hip hop but almost the most well-made. Aimed at Jay-Z, ‘Ether’ epitomises the perfect diss track. It is clear with the first three words being “F*ck Jay-Z”, so there is no ambiguity surrounding who the song is aimed at. It addresses Jay-Z’s come-up and dissects how he may have ridden the coattails of others to achieve his success.
It is also an underdog story. Nas was not as relevant as Jay-Z at the time, so most assumed he would never respond to Jay-Z’s diss track ‘The Takeover’. However, he did and was disrespectful but also comedic in reminding listeners that in Jay-Z’s first-ever music video appearance, he wore a Hawaiian shirt, which ultimately undermined Hova’s gangster image and was highly comical.
4. ‘I Can’ – God’s Son, (2002)
Nas’ successful early noughties tracks were few and far between, however, ‘I Can’ was a song that performed extremely well for Nas’ in 2002. Unlike the Illmatic days, in 2002 Eminem was now the go-to for lyricism so Nas had to try a new approach.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Nas, explaining the song’s importance, proclaimed, “that was my biggest radio record I ever had.” With regard to the song’s somewhat childish feel, Nas recalled how he had just become a father around that time and admitted that it affected his music as he stated, “I owed her and other kids something, something real, something real that’s up their alley, to show that I cared, that I’m a human being, that I’m not just about giving you a tune about what happens in the hood and all that every day.”
3. ‘The Message’ – It Was Written, (1996)
Nas’ sophomore album was sonically different from his debut and saw a refinement in the overall production, including cleaner, more melodic beats. Although this was a shift, Nas’ lyrics remained heartfelt and passionate, and ‘The Message’ is an example of how the Queensbridge icon attacked emotional instrumentals on It Was Written.
With its acoustic guitar riff and understated bass, the Trackmasters-produced hit puts Nas front and centre, and his ferocity is undeniable. In the song, Nas details a story about a shooting that sends chills down listeners’ spines. As he raps, “You owe me, cousin. Somethin’ told me, ‘Plug him!’ / So dumb, felt my leg burn, then it got numb / Spun around and shot one, heard shots and dropped son,” it evokes a fear that even the bravest would feel.
2. ‘The World Is Yours’ – Illmatic, (1994)
This Pete Rock-produced single is a combination of uplifting yet realistic lyrics. The smooth piano rift comes courtesy of a sample of Ahmad Jamal’s ‘I Love Music’ and gives the track a laidback and relaxed, jazzy feel. On the song, Nas tells listeners, “The world is yours!” and during his verses, the Queensbridge native gets spiritual, rhyming, “There’s no days for broke days when sellin’ smoke pays / While all the old folks pray to Jesús, soakin’ they sins in trays of holy water” and “Thinkin’ a word best describin’ my life to name my daughter / My strength, my son, the star will be my resurrection.”
In an interview with OkayPlayer, Pete Rock explained that the song was a call out to New York and Black America, sharing, “It’s endured as it captures the feel of New York City so perfectly. It is about the world being your oyster. I know the phrase of ‘The World Is Yours’ comes from Scarface. But Nas’ message was about showing Black America how to make the best choices so people can live a long life and have longevity. That kind of message doesn’t get old.”
1. ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ – Illmatic, (1994)
1994 is still considered one of the years of all time concerning East Coast hip-hop. With the release of projects such as Biggie Smalls’ Ready To Die, Method Man’s Tical, and Redman’s Dare Iz A Darkside, New York is seeing its own musical brilliance on full display. However, there is one album from 1994 that many would consider to be the best, and that is Nas’ Illmatic.
That said, one of the album’s stand-out tracks was ‘N.Y. State Of Mind’. Produced by the legendary DJ Premier, the raw, simple beat has an ominous nature to it, and when Nas begins to skillfully rap about the violence of the Queensbridge housing projects, the combination is pure magic.
On the track, Nas uses incredible metaphors to explain the awful crimes he had witnessed and with lyrics such as “It’s like the game ain’t the same / Got younger niggas pulling the triggers, bringing fame to their name / And claim some corners, crews without guns are goners / In broad daylight, stickup kids, they run up on us.” On the track Nas unapologetically tells listeners about the fate that some children meet in his neighbourhood.
Furthermore, with lines such as “I know this crackhead who said she’s got to smoke nice rock / And if it’s good, she’ll bring you, customers, in measuring pots / But yo, you gotta slide on a vacation, inside information / Keeps large niggas erasin’ and their wives basin’” the lyricist rudely reminded listeners about how crack cocaine destroyed black neighbourhoods. From beginning to end, the song is flawless, and many consider it the greatest hip-hop song ever to be written.