On this date in 1992, “Nasty” Nas dropped his first single for an otherwise unknown movie soundtrack.
Not even Nasir Jones himself knew the magnitude of what his career would be when the “Halftime” single dropped on October 13, 1992. Appearing on Nas’ monumental Illmatic album as well as the under the radar silver screen flick Zebrahead, Halftime was the smash single that put Nasty Nas in the position to be considered the “Second Coming” of lyrical pioneer Rakim by none other than The Source Magazine, who gave Nasty the coveted Five Mic rating for the landmark album.
Produced by Large Professor, who found his way onto Nas’ album by way of the LP’s other incomparable single, “It Ain’t Hard To Tell,” this song was the catalyst that launched the Illmatic project and Nas’ illustrious career.
DJ Khaled recently acquired a rare photograph of Nas from his Illmatic era. It appears to have captivated him. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, the We The Best mogul shared the black and white photo. The shot captures a young Nas standing at an intersection in the Queensbridge housing projects, looking back at the camera. Additionally, Khaled posted a video about it. In the clip, the producer expressed his admiration for the picture. He mentioned that the photographer who took it for Nas’ Illmatic album in 1993 signed it and gave it to him. He referred to it as a classic, representing the essence of hip-hop.
Danny Clinch, renowned photographer, took the photo of Nas. It was taken during the shoot for the rapper’s debut album. Clinch discussed the iconic photoshoot in a 2014 interview with Billboard. In the story, the photographer recounting how Nas guided him around his neighborhood, leading to the capturing of memorable shots. Clinch described Nas as a wise poet who was ahead of his time. Additionally, he highlighted that during that era, hip-hop artists represented their roots and shared stories of their upbringing. Furthermore, he said that Nas epitomized this with Illmatic, making the album particularly special.
Nas’ Illmatic is widely regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of all time. The Library of Congress even added it to their collection in 2021. Librarian Carla Hayden emphasized the cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance of the album. Furthermore, she said they considered it an audio treasure worth preserving for future generations. Released on April 19, 1994, “Illmatic” debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. It went on to sell over 63,000 copies in its first week. The album achieved 2x platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in February 2019. It had already sold a million copies by December 2001.
DJ Khaled and Nas have collaborated multiple times throughout the years. It makes sense that he would like to have such an important piece of Nas’ history. The pair’s most recent joint effort was “Sorry Not Sorry” featuring JAY-Z. It was included on Khaled’s 2021 project, Khaled Khaled. What do you think of DJ Khaled’s reaction to getting the picture? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to stay turned to HNHH for all the latest news and updates on everything hip-hop.
Nas, a.k.a. Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, has cemented his place in the hip-hop world as one of the most influential and talented rappers of all time. The East Coast legend has successfully created a legacy that spans over three decades. Let’s delve into the factors contributing to Nas’ substantial net worth.
Nas Net Worth
With an estimated net worth of $70 million as of 2023, according to Celebrity Net Worth, Nas is one of the most successful rappers from the East Coast.
Early Life And Breakthrough
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Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1973, Nas grew up in the infamous Queensbridge housing projects, which heavily influenced his music. Nas first gained recognition in 1991 with his guest appearance on Main Source’s “Live at the Barbeque.” In 1994, he released his debut album, Illmatic. Upon its release, it immediately garnered widespread critical acclaim. These days, many consider it a classic in the hip-hop genre. This early success was just the beginning of Nas’ storied career.
Nas: Album Sales And Touring
(Photo by Dominik Magdziak Photography/WireImage)
Throughout his career, Nas has released a total of 13 studio albums and has sold over 30 million records worldwide. His albums have consistently achieved platinum and gold status. On top of IIlmatic, he also saw great commercial success with projects like It Was Written, I Am…, and Stillmatic. Additionally, Nas has embarked on multiple headlining tours, both nationally and internationally, which have contributed to his impressive net worth.
Business Ventures And Investments
(Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Nas’ net worth is not solely derived from his music career; he has also been an astute businessman and investor. In 2013, he co-founded Queensbridge Venture Partners, a venture capital firm that has invested in over 100 technology startups. Some of these investments include Dropbox, Lyft, and Ring. These investments have significantly boosted his net worth over the years.
Moreover, Nas has ventured into the film industry, serving as an executive producer and narrator for the 2016 Netflix series The Get Down. Additionally, he served as an executive producer for the 2018 film Monster. He also co-owns Mass Appeal, a media company focused on urban culture. Additionally, he invested in Sweet Chick, a popular New York-based restaurant chain.
Nas: Real Estate Portfolio
(Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images)
Nas’ real estate holdings are another contributing factor to his substantial net worth. In 2007, he reportedly purchased a 3,500-square-foot home in Georgia for $659,000. The property boasts five bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, and a private backyard with a swimming pool. Nas also owns a mansion in Los Angeles, which he acquired in 2018 for $3.5 million.
Philanthropy
(Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)
Despite his wealth, Nas has not forgotten his roots and has consistently given back to his community. In 2013, he helped raise over $60,000 for a single father and his eight children who were left homeless after a fire. Nas is also a member of the “Global Citizen” movement, which aims to end extreme poverty by 2030.
Conclusion/TLDR
Nas’ net worth of $70 million in 2023 is a testament to his enduring impact on the music industry, savvy business acumen, and strategic investments. With a career spanning over 30 years, the East Coast legend has successfully diversified his income streams, solidifying his status as one of hip-hop’s wealthiest artists. Nas’ story is an inspiration for aspiring musicians and entrepreneurs alike, proving that with talent, hard work, and smart decisions, success is attainable.
However, come July 15, that could very well be changing. That’s the date DJ Premier put in a tweet earlier today along with a video from outside a studio control room with what very much sounds like a new Nas song produced by Premo blasting through the doorway. And what else do you see hanging on the wall but the gold sales plaque for Illmatic? The suggestion is clear: that Nas and Premier have joined forces at the successor to the legendary D&D Studios, Kaufman Astoria Studios in Long Island City, Queens.
Of course, the duo could just be releasing one standalone single and using the joint album speculation to generate the necessary buzz for it — after all, they’ve done it before. But with Nas’ collaborations with Hit-Boy prompting his career revival (and another on the way), he could have found the necessary creative spark to try out similar experiments with other producers, getting over his former reticence toward working with one beatmaker for a full project. I guess we’ll all find out next Friday, when whatever they’re working on officially hits DSPs — hopefully, with more news about whatever comes next.
Pete Rock and Nas are at loggerheads. The producer has revealed his plans to file a lawsuit against the rapper for unpaid royalties from his work on his classic album Illmatic. According to Complex, Rock claims that he hasn’t been paid for contributing to the album since its 1994 release, despite having production and writing credits on “The World Is Yours,” one of the biggest songs from the album. “Nas and his people have stonewalled me since 1994,” Rock said about the matter. “My New Year’s resolution is to be compensated for my hard work on Illmatic.”
Rock’s legal team says he signed a contract that gave him a right to a portion of the royalties from “The World Is Yours,” and they now predict that the amount owed is in the millions of dollars. They also say Nas failed to uphold his end of the deal, despite numerous requests from Rock to be compensated. The lawsuit will be filed later this month, according to Complex.
In addition to being one of the more popular cuts from Illmatic, “The World Is Yours” has also been sampled in nearly 100 songs, including records by Eminem, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Mac Miller, Rick Ross, and more. Nas and Rock were last paired together on “The Art Of It” and “Queensbridge Politics,” which appeared on Nas’ 2019 compilation album The Lost Tapes 2.
How much would you spend for a copy of a hip-hop classic? For Eminem, the going rate is somewhere between $500 and $600, as he revealed during a discussion on the popular voice chat app, Clubhouse. While the burgeoning community on Clubhouse has been known for causing controversy in the past, this past weekend, fans of the Detroit rapper held a celebratory “Shady Con” in his honor, with guests including his manager Paul Rosenberg and DJ Whoo Kid. Em himself stopped by to share some stories as well, telling fans about the time he just had to spend a little extra on his hero Nas’ seminal debut Illmatic to feed his collection habit.
As Em explained, I’ve been collecting since I was a kid, everything from comic books to baseball cards to toys, as well as every rap album on cassette I could get my hands on. Not much has changed for me as an adult.” When he found an unsealed cassette copy of Nas’ game-changing classic, his mind was blown. “I think it’s backstock from what records stores had in the back storage,” he said. “The tapes that never sold and they just kept them. That’s the only thing I can think of. Cause nobody’s going to have a f*cking Illmatic tape and not open it.” He also good-naturedly compared the value of his own debut The Slim Shady LP — which was a culture shifter in the vein of Illmatic, for sure — under similar conditions, saying it’d draw a tidy sum of “twelve cents.”
For what it’s worth, it’s not the worst way to spend money — which Em has more than enough of. An unsealed copy of a classic album on a discontinued format is exactly the sort of ultra-rare find that has wannabe collectors including Eminem going NFT crazy these days — and it also sort of shows the difference between a physical piece of owned art and the idea of owning a certificate of a jpeg or whatever.
New York rap veteran Fat Joe went online to show love to a Big Apple icon. The Bronx native sent a shout-out to Queens rapper Nas on the anniversary of his debut album’s release. Fat Joe Says Nas’ Classic Changed His Life Illmatic is widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time, regardless […]
New York rapper Nas knows the importance of April 19. The hip-hop veteran has come forward to celebrate the 27-year anniversary of his unforgettable Illmatic studio album. Nas Gets Deep Celebrating Illmatic Nasty Nas went to his Instagram page to reflect on his debut album. Mr. Jones even referenced how much the project changed the […]
Having a work preserved in the National Recording Registry of the Library Of Congress is a significant honor, and now that feat is something a handful of artists can add to their resume. Today, the Library Of Congress announced its 2020 selections for the registry and among the highlights from the world of modern music are Nas’ 1994 album Illmatic and Janet Jackson’s 1989 album Rhythm Nation 1814.
Some other notable works include one of the oldest known audio recordings via Thomas Edison, Kermit The Frog’s “The Rainbow Connection,” Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World,” Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” Jackson Browne’s Late For The Sky, and the This American Life episode “The Giant Pool Of Money,” which is the first podcast recording to be included in the National Recording Registry.
Librarian Of Congress Carla Hayden said, “The National Recording Registry will preserve our history through these vibrant recordings of music and voices that have reflected our humanity and shaped our culture from the past 143 years. We received about 900 public nominations this year for recordings to add to the registry, and we welcome the public’s input as the Library Of Congress and its partners preserve the diverse sounds of history and culture.”
Check out the full list of recordings from the 2020 class below.
1. “St. Louis Tinfoil” — Thomas Edison (1878)
2. “Nikolina” — Hjalmar Peterson (1917) (single)
3. “Smyrneikos Balos” — Marika Papagika (1928) (single)
4. “When The Saints Go Marching In” — Louis Armstrong (1938) (single)
5. Christmas Eve Broadcast — FDR & Winston Churchill (Dec. 24, 1941)
6. “The Guiding Light” — Nov. 22, 1945
7. Odetta Sings Ballads And Blues — Odetta (1957) (album)
8. “Lord, Keep Me Day by Day” — Albertina Walker And The Caravans (1959) (single)
9. Roger Maris hits his 61st home run (October 1, 1961)
10. Aida — Leontyne Price, et.al. (1962) (album)
11. “Once A Day” — Connie Smith (1964) (single)
12. Born Under A Bad Sign — Albert King (1967) (album)
13. Free To Be…You & Me — Marlo Thomas And Friends (1972) (album)
14. The Harder They Come — Jimmy Cliff (1972) (album)
15. “Lady Marmalade” — Labelle (1974) (single)
16. Late For The Sky — Jackson Browne (1974) (album)
17. Bright Size Life — Pat Metheny (1976) (album)
18. “The Rainbow Connection” — Kermit The Frog (1979) (single)
19. “Celebration” — Kool & The Gang (1980) (single)
20. Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs — Jessye Norman (1983) (album)
21. Rhythm Nation 1814 — Janet Jackson (1989) (album)
22. Partners — Flaco Jiménez (1992) (album)
23. “Over The Rainbow / What A Wonderful World” — Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (1993) (single)
24. Illmatic — Nas (1994) (album)
25. “This American Life: The Giant Pool Of Money” (May 9, 2008)
