

In 2012, The Source ranked him second on their list of the "Top 50 Lyricists of All Time". In 2006, MTV ranked Nas fifth on their list of "The Greatest MCs of All Time". After receiving thirteen nominations, his 12th studio album, King's Disease (2020), won him his first Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards he then followed it by releasing his 13th studio album, King's Disease II (2021), as the album's sequel. His 10th studio album, Life Is Good (2012), was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.

In 2010, Nas released Distant Relatives, a collaboration album with Damian Marley, donating all royalties to charities active in Africa. After quashing the feud, Nas signed to Jay-Z's Def Jam Recordings in 2006 and went in a more provocative, politicized direction with the albums Hip Hop Is Dead (2006) and his untitled 9th studio album (2008). It was this feud, along with Nas's albums Stillmatic (2001), God's Son (2002), and the double album Street's Disciple (2004), that helped restore his critical standing. Nas's albums I Am (1998) and Nastradamus (1999) were criticized as inconsistent and too commercially oriented, and critics and fans feared that his output was declining in quality.įrom 2001 to 2005, Nas was involved in a highly publicized feud with Jay-Z, popularized by the diss track " Ether". His second album It Was Written (1996) debuted atop the Billboard 200 and charted for four consecutive weeks the album, along with its single " If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" (featuring Lauryn Hill), catapulted Nas into international success. Nas's debut album Illmatic (1994) received universal acclaim upon release, and is considered to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all-time in 2021, the album was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry. He was a featured artist on Main Source's " Live at the Barbeque" (1991), also produced by Large Professor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Jones's musical career began in 1989 as he adopted the moniker of "Nasty Nas" and recorded demos for Large Professor. Nas has released twelve studio albums since 1994, seven of which are certified platinum and multi-platinum in the U.S. Rooted in the New York hip hop scene, he is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones ( / n ɑː ˈ s ɪər/ born September 14, 1973), better known by his stage name Nas ( / n ɑː z/), is an American rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur.
