Credit: All-Pro Reels

The early years of Nas’ life were spent in the New York neighbourhood of Queensbridge, and before he ever started rapping, he was exposed to a lot of music simply because of where he was raised.

The legend was well-known in the area at the tender age of 14 for his lyrical aptitude and, for years was managed by MC Serch, who was the individual presenting labels with demos. All the while, Nas was navigating the streets.

Queensbridge is a district that has given so much to hip-hop culture that it is almost unfathomable. The neighbourhood has a rich cultural history, located under and slightly adjacent to the iconic Queensboro Bridge, especially concerning African-American music.

From Shantè to the MC Shan, Marley Marl, and Kool G Rap during the 1980s, the area had a wealth of talent that led to a new generation of exciting lyricists. However, although Nas grew up in the legendary projects of Queensbridge, as a native New Yorker, he got to witness some of the East Coast greats in their prime.

One of the collectives that influenced him during his childhood was Run-DMC. In various interviews, he has praised the Queens trio for their work and, in one particular conversation with I-D magazine, the Illmatic creator explained, “My favourite rappers are Run-DMC, overall. I got too many other soloists, but Run-DMC they done something I had never seen in music, they did rock and rap.”

He continued, “They did routines. Run would finish DMC’s sentence, or DMC would finish Run’s sentence and then the ad-libs plus the electric guitar and the 808s. [Then] there was the breakbeat, the records that Jam Master Jay was scratching live!”

But it would be ludicrous to think that Nas was only impacted by one group. During appearances on a variety of outlets, he has lauded the best of the best concerning 1980s East Coast legends, including Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. & Rakim, MC Shan, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, Public Enemy, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, Main Source, Ice Cube, A Tribe Called Quest and many many more.

One such conversation during which Nas highlighted some of his favourite tracks of hip-hop’s golden age was when he sat down with Rolling Stone. Some predictable names appeared on Nas’ list, but one debate that will always be in contention is “When was hip-hop’s golden age?”

Within hip-hop, there has been an age-long debate about the term “golden age” and what period it encapsulates. Many would apply this label to the 1990s due to the sheer amount of music and excitement that decade provided fans of the genre.

However, vast amounts of crucial figures are insistent that the phrase only be used when referring to the ’80s because it was the decade during which the culture first found its legs. That said, from the ten tracks that Nas selected as his favourite tracks of hip-hop’s golden age for Rolling Stone, it is safe to say that he most definitely believes it is the latter.

Nas’ 10 favourite golden age hip-hop songs:

• Public Enemy – ‘Rebel Without a Pause’, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, (1988)
• Eric B. and Rakim – ‘My Melody’, Paid In Full, (1987)
• Run-DMC – ‘My Adidas’, The Apollo ’86, (1986)
• EPMD – ‘It’s My Thing’, Strictly Business, (1988)
• Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick – ‘The Show’, Oh, My God!, (1985)
• Big Daddy Kane – ‘Ain’t No Half-Steppin’, Long Live The Kane, (1988)
• De La Soul – ‘Plug Tunin’, 3 Feet High and Rising, (1988)
• Slick Rick – ‘Hey Young World’, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, (1988)
• Dana Dane – ‘Nightmares’, Dana Dane with Fame, (1987)
• Queen Latifah ft Monie Love’ – Ladies First’, All Hail the Queen, (1989)