Illmatic legend Nas has recently let his followers know that he is back in the studio and feeling ready to create and produce new music as he bounces back from his creative lull. The Queensbridge emcee, most known for his mid-1990s albums, has struggled to maintain relevancy after the turn of the millennium. However, he is now ready to return.
As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, a multitude of artists have made comebacks to add to the melting pot of music and remind fans they are still invested in the culture, and Nas is no different. The lyricist (real name Nasir Jones) also turns 50 this year and has been joined at the hip to rap music since it first arrived.
Speaking about his relationship with the culture to Vanity Fair, Jones recalled his experience of hip-hop as a youngster, stating, “It’s been great. I remember being a kid and hearing these rap songs and watching the break-dance thing happen and all of that, and all the way to where it became this huge, huge industry. It’s great that I saw it develop into what it is today!”
With hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in August, fans and creators alike are remembering and honouring all of the genre’s most cherished talent and material. In 2021 Jones’ Illmatic was inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. Alongside projects such as The Chronic and others, the 1994 body of work has been recognised by the US government as a culturally significant piece of art.
Nas is a name that always comes up when rappers discuss the best MCs of all time, and in celebration of hip-hop, this year, the Queensbridge icon has partnered with Hennessy to design a limited-edition bottle in honour of hip-hop and all that it means to him. In fact Nas feels as if he has come full circle.
Speaking about his journey, Jones recalled, “On my first album, I talked about Hennessy before the first song even came on. I’m having a conversation, like, ‘Pass the Hennessy.’ To think about that, my journey and hip-hop’s journey, this is a time, this is a year to celebrate!”
The rapper also revealed he is recording currently, disclosing, “Absolutely. I’m recording now, so we’ll see what happens. I feel really good about that, and I don’t wanna stop it once it’s flowing the way it’s flowing. It feels very free, and I just wanna see what happens as I stick to it. I’m in one of these creative growth spurts. It’s something that I’m really excited about!”
