Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (born September 14, 1973), known commonly as Nas and styled on albums as NaS, is a prominent American rapper. Raised in the infamous Queensbridge housing projects in New York City and the son of a jazz trumpeter, Nas is best known for his 1994 debut album
Illmatic, widely considered one of the best hip-hop albums of all time. This album established Nas as one of hip-hop's most profound lyricists, introducing his signature poetic style.
In the years following the release of Illmatic, Nas pursued a more commercial direction, which resulted in wider success but decreased artistic credibility among critics and hip-hop purists. One such instance was his appearance on PBS' Sesame Street. Furthermore, Nas' increased commercial success was accompanied by stylistic changes that fostered accusations of giving in to corporate wishes that compromised the style his fans enamored. Read more about ...
