Nas never really struck me as a gamer, but he has been a shrewd investor over the past couple of decades, so his investment in South African mobile game publisher Carry1st actually makes perfect sense. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nas joined venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, Google, and League Of Legends developer Riot Games in raising $20 million of financing for Carry1st, which is known for publishing Tilting Point’s SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off. Carry1st is based in Cape Town and looking to expand on its 96 percent monthly revenue growth, moving into games development and pro gaming.
Cordel Robbin-Coker, co-founder and CEO of Carry1st, said in a statement, “We’re excited to partner with this world-class group of investors who, in addition to capital, bring expertise across gaming, fintech, and web3. In 2021, we launched multiple games and digital commerce solutions achieving really strong growth. Together we can accelerate this growth and achieve our goal of becoming the leading consumer internet company in the region.”
Nas’ other recent investments include involvement in cryptocurrency and NFTs, which he’s used to split streaming rights to two of his recent songs with fans, and Audius, an artist-driven streaming platform. Of course, he’s also got his label and media company, Mass Appeal, which has released projects from Nas himself, Boldy James, Dave East, Run The Jewels, and more. If his latest bet pays off, he’ll have a toehold in a whole new arena (shooter, boom), becoming a legend in the rap game and video game worlds.