Nas

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (born September 14 1973), known commonly as Nas and styled on albums as NaS?, is a prominent American based rapper. He was raised in the infamous Queensbridge housing projects in Long Island City, USA. The son of originally Muslim jazz trumpeter Olu Dara, Nas is best known for his 1994 debut LP 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 and tight flow.

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. Furthermore, Nas' increased commercial success was accompanied by stylistic changes that fostered accusations of "selling out". Nevertheless, the LP Stillmatic is often credited for restoring Nas' credibility among fans. Since the success of Stillmatic, Nas continues to maintain a high profile within the hip hop community, and has pursued a decidedly perso...