By Jamil Weeks

“Community love, providing jobs/
Why would you try to come for me, why you ain't proud of Nas?” - Nas, 2023

Nas is a legend. An icon. A GOAT. So why does it seem as if there is a concerted effort to erase him from the all-time great discussions? To be fair, Esco does receive his fair share of praise amongst hip hop purists and traditionalists. However, many parasitic mainstream hip hop platforms and agenda-based personalities with an axe to grind treat Nas as if he is an afterthought. Only begrudgingly being granted a seat at the table with the other greats, Nas continues to appear in the crosshairs of people who either are trying to exalt other rappers by discrediting him with unwarranted slander or people who are not in tune with the culture. Certain people in the industry stamp the career of Nas with an asterisk, as if he has not lived up to the “Golden Child” moniker bestowed upon him before his classic debut. Some of the justifications for not elevating Nas with greats like Big, Jay, Wayne, Kanye, Pac, etc. include poor beat selection, lack of hit records, album sales, and an inconsistent discography. No artist is above criticism. In digging deeper into the career of the emcee that was born to use mics, these framed narratives appear to have more holes in them than the plot of The Dark Knight Rises. As a culture, it is important to discredit propaganda to prevent legends like Nas from being written out of the history books.

“Never sold a record for the beat, it's my verses they purchase/
Without production I'm worthless but I'm more than the surface“ - Nas, 2018

A rapper’s ear for beats cannot be glossed over. Selecting the best beats can be a high-wire balancing act for an artist to convey the mood and meaning of a song. One of the biggest critiques of Nas has been his choice in production. Much of that criticism stems from Nas deviating from that Illmatic sound on his sophomore LP, It Was Written. The original idea for his second album was to have Queensbridge super producer, Marley Marl, hold down the production for the entire album. Once those plans fell through, Nas turned to the more commercially viable sound of the production duo, Trackmasters. In his attempt to expand his audience and keep up with the success of fellow New York rapper, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas alienated fans of Illmatic. Fans wanted to encapsulate Nas in that Illmatic box forever and selfishsly keep his talents to themselves. Thus, the bad beats narrative was brought to life and stayed attached to Nas the rest of his career. An unfair criticism given the chemistry Nas has demonstrated with legendary producers like DJ Premier, Large Professor, L.E.S., Salaam Remi, The Alchemist, and Havoc. Despite making classic records with various producers throughout his career, every Nas album post-Illmatic has been stamped with that uneven production label. Other rap legends, like AZ, Eminem, and Jadakiss, have garnered more praise from fans and media personalities despite having their own questionable beats. You can also look at the careers of Biggie and Pac to find plenty of examples of those two icons rapping over less than stellar production, especially Pac on his first few albums. So why does Nas always seem to get that criticism? Hip hop media is the main culprit. When you have a message consistently perpetuated in the media for years, perception becomes reality. Nas is a true artist and seemingly picks the beats that will best accentuate his poignant lyrics. Objectively, Nas could rap over more uptempo beats, bass-heavy beats. However, Nas would sound like every other rapper chasing hits instead of focusing on making a great song that stand the test of time.

”Forgive me, it's becoming unbearable, making hits is easy/
Put a famous b***h on the hook,
There you go with a platinum CD” - Nas, 2002

Nas is that rare pure lyricist who was able to break free from the underground shackles to penetrate the mainstream. Despite having his share of big records in his resume, the perception of the average rap fan is that Nas does not have any hits. While it is true Nas is known more for critical acclaim than making hits, a closer look at his resume reveals that Nas has had many hit records. Songs like “If I Ruled the World”, “Street Dreams” and the R. Kelly-featured remix, “I Can”, “One Mic”, “You Owe Me”, and “Oochie Wally (Remix)” are just a few hits Nas racked up over the years. “Hate Me Now” is practically a stadium anthem, as I personally have heard that song blaring from the speakers in numerous NBA arenas and NFL stadiums. Whether or not you feel Nas won or lost the battle with Jay-Z, his dis record, “Ether”, was so popular he managed to turn the title of the song into a verb. The scathing diss to Jay has literally become one of the biggest diss records ever in rap. The commercial success of Nas has been overshadowed by his focus on lyrical content. When you think of Nas, you think of vivid storytelling, authentic introspection, and superb lyricism. The songs his fans adore are the album cuts that are mostly ignored by mainstream outlets. However, in Nas flirting with radio play, he has demonstrated his versatility as an artist with several hit records released from his own albums as well as his guest features with other superstar music artists like Jennifer Lopez, Missy Elliott, and Mariah Carey. Many people consider his hit single, “Made U Look”, as one of the greatest rap songs ever made. Whether it is songs for the ladies, anthems, or diss records, Nas has been able to make records that have climbed Billboard charts as well as penetrated the psyche of hip hop.

“Whether we did diamond or hardly sold
We did it for our soul” - Nas, 2023

While Nas may not have relied on pure radio hits to forge a successful career as much as his peers, that does not mean he did not sell a lot of records. Nas has sold over 20 million albums in the United States alone, with over 35 million worldwide. There was a time when Nas received a plaque for almost every album he released. From Illmatic to Life is Good, Nas albums either went multi-platinum, platinum, or gold. Odd given that hip hop media has been saying Nas is irrelevant for decades. Sales are not the defining metric for the quality of an artist’s music. For most of his career, Nas has been held to a different standard than most rappers. Sales matter with other artists but are overlooked when Nas enters the discussion. Even during this decade, Nas has continued great streaming numbers with his King’s Disease and Magic albums as an independent artist with little to no promotion. Nas literally is one of the best selling rap artists in the genre. Puzzling considering hip hop media all but ignores this fact.

“…they said they want the old Nas back/
Play the Clue tapes for old verses” - Nas, 2020

Nas prevailed in his battle with Jay-Z, but not without some lingering effects. Jay proclaimed on “The Takeover” that Nas was overrated due to being on a “one hot album every 10 year average”. Fans ran with this narrative for years. The tired regurgitated argument against Nas is that he has been more hit than miss after Illmatic and It Was Written. No rapper has dropped a certified classic every time they drop. Ironically, even someone as consistent as Jay-Z has been on that one hot album every 10 year average post-retirement. Yet from the 90s to the present, Nas is the only rapper to release at least two to three dope releases every decade. Nas is a true artist whose music reflects the various stages of life as he has grown from a young man to an elder statesman. Albums like God's Son and Life Is Good where Nas uses his music to turn pain into art. Lost Tapes proving he never stopped making good music when he supposedly fell off in the late 90s/early 2000s. Distant Relatives where he experiments with fusing rap and reggae to create a new fresh sound. The Hit Boy albums where he bridges the gap between the past and the present, working with artists you would not expect over contemporary production. These albums highlight how Nas has matured artistically. Experimenting with different flows, doing unconventional collaborations, elevating above the streets with expanded subject matter, and continuing to be a leading innovator in conceptual song making. Nas has managed to enjoy unyielding success not because he dropped a top five rap album decades ago, but because Nas has created an incredible body of work overall. A major case for Nas being the undisputed greatest of all time is that he has made himself a giant in the rap game without an assist from hip hop media.

Sooner or later we’ll all see who the prophet is” - Nas, 1999

Nas has toured the world to sold out stadiums, arenas, and amphitheaters. Sold out Madison Square Garden by himself. Sold out Barclay's Arena with Wu-Tang. Sold out Yankee Stadium with a show put on by his own record label in which he was a co-headliner. Nominated for multiple Grammy's. Won a Grammy. Co-financed and hosted the Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards honoring the pioneers that helped shape the culture. Released and has been featured in documentaries relevant to hip hop history and the New York streets that influenced the music. Nas has done all of this in the past five years. So I ask, what rap veteran has put on for hip hop more than Nas? In a twist of irony, Nas detractors prove that he is very relevant in advocating his supposed irrelevancy. How can someone be irrelevant if they are constantly the topic of discussions in hip hop, regardless if they have new music or a new product to sell. The constant comparisons to other rappers only proves that Nas is the measuring stick for greatness. Whether or not you view Nas as the greatest or not, nobody can front on the formerly chipped-tooth microphone assassin's claim to the throne. The flow. The voice. The introspection. The storytelling. The hits. The discography. The features. The longevity. The artistry. The passionate love for the culture. Nas has had one of the greatest runs in rap music period. If maintaining relevance means never displaying any growth as an artist, chasing trends, and engaging in corny social media gimmicks, then, yes, Nas is VERY irrelevant in that regard. Maybe the quiet way in which Nas conducts his business hinders him from claiming that top spot in the eyes of some. Maybe the rap industry is too saturated with Jay-Z loyalists to fully appreciate the contributions Nas has made and continues to make to the genre. Maybe the younger generations do not view Nas in the same light as the greats of their era. However, what is not debatable is the impact and influence of Nas. Throughout the decades, his peers, from the underground to the mainstream, have openly discussed how Nas has inspired them. If Nas was not relevant, he would not have been able to branch out into television, film, and business. To anyone that has a voice in hip hop, we need to make sure we are documenting the history of the music accurately. Salute to one of hip hop's greatest ambassadors and poets, Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones.

"Name a rapper that I ain't influence" - Nas, 2001