Nas with the full name Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones, is an American rapper who has made significant impact in East Coast hip hop since 1991 and one of the greatest rappers of all time.
Nas was born September 14, 1973 in Brooklyn, United States. He is the son of jazz musician Olu Dara and Fannie Ann Jones. He is said to have emerged from a wealthy lineage, with rich musical talents.
Nas grew up in the Queensbridge Houses, the most significant public housing project in the United States. He has two siblings, Jabari Fret and Kiani. At the age of 12, Nas parents went through a divorce, which undoubtedly had a significant impact on his life. This unfortunate incident made him to drop out of school, though did not weaken his spirit to fight on in the field of life.
Nas Music Career
Nas began his musical career in 1989 under the moniker “Nasty Nas”, and recorded demos under the wing of fellow East Coast rapper Large Professor. Nas first guest appeared on his group, Main Source’s 1991 song “Live at the Barbeque”.
He has released good number of hit songs, including 15 studio albums, 11 compilation albums and 29 mixtapes throughout his career.
His debut album, Illmatic in 1994 is recognized as one of the best hip-hop records ever made. This masterpiece is regarded as one of hip-hop’s most influential and groundbreaking records.
Not only did Illmatic receive immense critical acclaim for its impressive lyricism and production quality, but it also achieved remarkable commercial success. This album played a pivotal role in solidifying Nas’s position as a prominent figure in the hip-hop genre, galvanizing him into stardom and establishing a lasting legacy within the music industry.
Nas has so far released several albums and singles including:
Studio albums:
- Illmatic
- It Was Written
- I Am…
- Nastradamus
- Stillmatic
- God’s Son
- Street’s Disciple
- Hip Hop Is Dead
Untitled
- Life Is Good
- Nasir
- King’s Disease
- King’s Disease II
- Magic (2023)
- King’s Disease III
- Magic 2
Collaborative albums:
- The Firm: The Album (with The Firm)
Group albums:
- The Lost Tapes (with The Firm)
Compilation albums:
- Greatest Hits
- The Lost Tapes, Vol. 2
Mixtapes:
- Nastradamus (Deluxe Edition)
- The Lost Tapes
- Distant Relatives: The Lost Tracks
- The Don’t Be Mad Mixtape
- Nasir (Deluxe Edition)
Extended plays:
- It Ain’t Hard to Tell
Singles:
- Don’t Bring Me Down
- If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)
- Street Dreams
- The World Is Yours
- One Mic
- N.Y. State of Mind
- I Can
- Hip Hop Is Dead
- World’s Gone Mad
- The Don
- Nas Album Done
- Ultra Black
- King’s Disease
- Magic
In addition to his musical accomplishments, Nas is a successful entrepreneur, with various business ventures, by establishing his record label, Mass Appeal Records and others.
Nas a highly influential rapper, has been dedicated to the rap game for over thirty years since he burst onto the scene in the early 1990s. Throughout his illustrious career, Nas has solidified his status as one of history’s most esteemed and respected rappers.
Renowned for his remarkable lyricism, compelling storytelling techniques, and astute social commentary, he has consistently captivated listeners around the globe.
Nas has a partnership with Hennessy and has been working with their “Wild Rabbit” campaign.
On April 10, 2013, Nas invested an undisclosed six-figure sum into Mass Appeal magazine, where he went on to serve as the publication’s associate publisher, joined by creative firm Decon and White Owl Capital Partners.
In June 2013, he opened his own sneaker store. In September 2013, he invested in a technology startup company, a job search appmaker called Proven.
In 2014, Nas invested as part of a $2.8M round in viral video startup ViralGains another addition to Queens-bridge venture partners portfolio.
In May 2014, he partnered with job placement startup Koru to fund a scholarship for 10 college graduates to go through Koru’s training program. Nas will also be joining the startup as a guest coach.
Nas is a co-owner of a Cloud-based service LANDR, an automated, drag-and-drop digital audio postproduction tool which automates “mastering”, the final stage in audio production.
In June 2015, Nas joined forces with New York City soul food restaurant Sweet Chick. He planed to expand the restaurant brand nationally. The Los Angeles location opened in April 2017. He owns his own clothing line called HSTRY.
In June 2018, Nas was paid $40 million after Amazon acquired the doorbell company Ring Inc. as well as PillPack – the latter of which he invested in via his investment firm, Queensbridge Venture Partners.
He has continued to invest heavily in technology startups including Dropbox, Lyft, and Robinhood
Nas is a spokesperson and mentor for P’Tones Records, a non-profit after-school music program with the mission “to create constructive opportunities for urban youth through no-cost music programs.”
On March 15, 2012, Nas became the first rapper to have a personal verified account on Genius, where he explains his own lyrics and occasionally comments on lyrics from other rappers he admires.
In May 2013, it was announced that Nas would open a sneaker store in Las Vegas called 12 am RUN (pronounced Midnight Run) as part of The LINQ retail development.
In July 2013, Harvard University established the Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship, to fund scholars and artists who show potential and creativity in the arts in connection to hip hop.
On November 12, 2019, Nas was honored by Haute Living, along with Watches of Switzerland and Hennessy, in a celebratory affair that included a violin rendition of iconic Nas songs performed by Edward W. Hardy.
Nas is a fan of his hometown baseball team the New York Mets and English soccer team Everton FC
Awards and Nominations
Nas’s work have received wide recognition. The renowned rapper has won numerous prestigious awards, including three Grammy Awards and others.
His Married Life
Nas has had two marriages. He married Kelis in January 2005, R&B singer in Atlanta after a two-year relationship and they had two children named Destiny Jones and Knight Jones. However, they divorced in 2010.
Later, in 2018, Nas again tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Tracey Morgan. He’s currently single.
The couple’s divorce was finalized on May 21, 2010. Their divorce was visually reflected in Nas’ song, “Bye Baby”, and in the music video with him holding his ex-wife’s green wedding dress in a black leather chair, which would also be the backdrop of the album cover for Life Is Good (2012).
In 2018, Kelis accused Nas of being physically and mentally abusive during their marriage. Nas replied to the accusations on social media, accusing Kelis of attempting to slander him in the time of a custody battle and accusing Kelis of abusing his daughter, Destiny.
Nas also briefly dated Mary J. Blige and Nicki Minaj.
In an October 2014 episode of PBS’s Finding Your Roots, Nas learned about five generations of his ancestry. His great-great-great-grandmother, Pocahontas Little, was an enslaved woman who was sold for $830. When host Henry Louis Gates showed Nas her bill of sale and told him more about the man who bought her, Nas remarked that he is considering buying the land where the slave owner lived. Nas was also shown the marriage certificate of his great-great-great-grandmother, Pocahontas, and great-great-great-grandfather, Calvin.
Nas Net Worth
Nas is rated one of the most accomplished American rappers with an estimated net worth of over $50 million dollars. He has an unbreakable record of selling over 25 million albums globally.
He has remained a prominent figure on social media with large fan base. You can reach or follow Nas on:
- Twitter handle: Nasir Jones (@Nas)
- Instargram handle: Nas Daily (@nasdaily)
- Facebook handle: NAS Social Media
- Youtube: Nas
A million thanks for your time, reading about Nas biography, career, his numerous achievements, marriage, other interesting information and net worth. Your comments are welcome.