MC Serch has started fielding offers for the sale of his ownership stake of Nas‘ catalog, which includes both the latter’s critically acclaimed debut and sophomore projects.
Serch, who had helped Nas land his deal at Columbia Records, served as the executive producer on Nas’ 1994 album, Illmatic. He reprised that role in 1996, helping to bring It Was Written to life.
“I have decided to sell all of the rights, including the global rights,” the 3rd Bass founder told AllHipHop. “I started conversations with several companies a few months ago. For 27 years, it has provided my family through good times and bad. Now it’s time for a new chapter.”
While they arrived decades before Nas would win his first Grammy, both albums marked career milestones for the Queensbridge MC. Illmatic remains one of the most highly celebrated debuts in Hip Hop and holds the distinction of being one of the only Rap albums included in the Library Of Congress.
Serch’s ownership of Illmatic infamously spawned one of the most memorable lines in the long feud between Nas and JAY-Z, when on “Takeover” Hov referenced paying Serchlite Publishing for the right to sample “The World Is Yours” on “Dead Presidents.”
The album sparked new interest last year, as it served as the soundtrack to Ozark character Ruth Langmore’s life during the popular Netflix series’ final season, which even found her discussing the album and it’s impact with Killer Mike.
Despite not initially being as well received by critics as its predecessor, It Was Written was a turning point for Nas in terms of commercial success. It became the rapper’s first multi-platinum selling album within less than three months of its release and spawned what remains his only platinum-selling single, “If I Ruled The World,” featuring Lauryn Hill.
According to AllHipHop, Serch estimates both projects combined are still streamed at least 250 million times a year.
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In the sale of Nas’ catalog, Serch and his production company Serchlite are being represented by Richard Blackstone, Roger Miller, and Stephen S. Sidman. They are reportedly already fielding several offers.
This isn’t the first time MC Serch’s business dealings have made headlines this year. In February, he and partners Rory Felton and Blake Modersitzki came under fire when their web3 company, HitPiece, was accused of allegedly auctioning music off as NFTs without the artists’ permission.
A representative for HitPiece denied that music was ever sold on the website. “The music posted was not for sale and no tokens were minted on a decentralized chain,” the rep told HipHopDX.
The company was shut down in February, after the RIAA’s chief legal officer Ken Doroshow called it a “scam operation,” Okayplayer reported. The site has since relaunched, rebranding itself as “the easiest place to buy authentic music artist NFTs.”
HitPiece also partnered with music rights identification company Audible Magic to ensure that the ownership of all music used on the platform can be authenticated.
Sell to Nas so he can give it to Knight
Nah
Serchlight publishing getting paid. 1
somethings you just don’t sell … if i had any stake in one of the greatest hip hop albums ever made , i would pass it down to my off springs if any thing
Why not just sell it to Nas? This dude a vulture
Nas has the money for it, so he would be the one to ask. Could be a liquidation thing where he’s just taking the money from certain stocks. I can’t think of why I wouldn’t want my work. But it’s Nas business.
Hey Bleek call Serch and tell him I’m buying the catalog ,I need to add this to my kids inheritance
..i know who I paid GOD… u know the rest….
MC Serch is part of the small hat tr!be. It’s very much possible his ancestors owned black slaves, as they controlled the transatlantic slave trade and were responsible for shipping black people out of africa and into the US as slaves.
Bro he’s white. I had a guy tell me in 2020 that he was positive he had never owned slaves. Rather his ancestors. Bullshit, Facts are somewhere in those roots it happened. He could do the gene search, but it’s a pretty good bet they did. Serch really just got lucky writing a bit of history.
No he’s not white. He’s j0oish. Do you consider dark skin people from let’s say India black? No? It’s just the same with j0oz being called white. They aren’t. it’s an ethnicity. Both Farrakhan and Dr. Tony Martin have published books about the j0oish involvement in the slave trade. Stop blaming the wrong whitey.
I’m sure thus is why Nas has been making all those investments, in order to make enough money/capital etc. in case this moment arrived.
Yep he can certainly afford it if he wants it. He has the money for sure. Dude has done well with investment’s.
Ether embarrassed Jay. Ima leave it at that. Dont bother responding
Well Hov turned Nas into his bitch got him signed and is his boss now. Nas lost.
Jay isn’t “his boss now”…Nas releases music on his own label. Get Jay’s semen out of your mouth, he lost the battle ON WAX, no one cares how much money he has.
Nas doesn’t own Mass Appeal. Mass Appeal still under Universal music. He aint own shit. He a slave to the small hats still. So fuck the fuck off, before you get fucked the fuck off.
Jazz likes baby.blood
Nas won the battle! Jay never own def jam! He was president not the owner of def jam !
Nas got his own label manny fresh note Anderson pakk all sign to his company! Mass Appeal!
Sean and Nasir both cool now ! Two successful brothers no beef !
Facts!!!
I totally understand why more and more OG rapper’s catalogs are getting sold recently. The young generation doesnt respect 25-30 year old rap albums. It doesnt matter if its Pac, Biggie, Jay-Z, Nas, etc. Now is the time to cash out before Gen Z makes the value of these catalogs tank to nothing. Wouldnt you rather sell it now for 100 million instead of taking 25 million in 5-10 years ? No matter how big an album was 30 years ago, its commercial value doesnt last forever. 90’s hip hop fans arent getting any younger and dont give a fuck about streaming services. Streaming rights get you pennies anyways. What really matters is two things: sampling royalties and licensing fees to use the music. How many mumble rappers are running to sample Illmatic in their music ? Probally not many. Is Coca Cola, Liberty Mutual or Chic-fil-a running to use songs from Illmatic in their TV commercials ? Probally not. So while yall crack race jokes about MC Search, Im gonna call this man a smart business man for knowing when to cash out.
I’m old school and I honestly couldn’t give 1 FUK if kids respect 25 year old rap albums or not. Old school nas simply does not appeal to the Tekashi generation because hip hop is not hip hop anymore. Simple as that. Rap fans from the 90’s are LIGHTYEARS away from current day “rap” fans because it simply is not rap anymore, it’s POP music. Anyone who thinks that Cardi B and the Migos are rappers who make hip hop music is one stupid SOB. Did we care in 1993 that pop fans didn’t like Biggie or Ice T? No because these are pop idiots. Who cares, right? Now that hip hop went pop they just follow whatever the radio, music festivals and record labels who own them vomit out to capitalize on their investment. Just like they did 30 years ago with the Backstreet boys and Britney Spears, but then they steered far away from hip hop parties because they were too rough. Now it’s all one big commercial spittoon where everything gets tossed together. Doja cat is considered hip hop these days. Let that sink in…. It’s just not hip hop anymore and rap fans are pop fans. I couldn’t give a fuck if some Drake or fat Khaled fan doesn’t know the lyrics to Juicy. You can only be glad to be raised right when it comes to music and that you don’t just follow suit to whatever crap they shove on your plate like the soulless internet generation of present days.
I’m old school and I honestly couldn’t give 1 FAK whether kids respect 25 year old rap albums or not. Their loss if they dont. Old school nas simply does not appeal to the Tekashi generation because hip hop is not hip hop anymore. Simple as that. Rap fans from the 90’s are LIGHTYEARS away from current day “rap” fans because it simply is not rap anymore, it’s POP music. Anyone who thinks that Cardi B and the Migos are rappers who make hip hop music is one stupid SOB. Did we care in 1993 that pop fans didn’t like Biggie or Ice T? No because these are pop idiots. Who cares, right? Now that hip hop went pop they just follow whatever the radio, music festivals and record labels who own them vomit out to capitalize on their investment. Just like they did 30 years ago with the Backstreet boys and Britney Spears, but then they steered far away from hip hop parties because they were too rough. Now it’s all one big commercial spittoon where everything gets tossed together. Doja cat is considered hip hop these days. Let that sink in…. It’s just not hip hop anymore and rap fans are pop fans. I couldn’t give a fuck if some Drake or fat Khaled fan doesn’t know the lyrics to Juicy. You can only be glad to be raised right when it comes to music and that you don’t just follow suit to whatever crap they shove on your plate like the soulless internet generation of present days.
didnt even know this should masters go back to the artist after 25 years? what a terrible deal if not this dude been eating off nas damm near 30 years must not be that gangsta really dissapointed hearing this
It’s called business bro. He was 16. Stuff like this comes out and dudes act like they had all the answers y to o contract legalities as a kid. I could see it if he was 30+ giving away some of his work but I’m sure Serch looked out and didn’t he put him on Live at the Barbecue?
I guess you missed the part where he said he’s selling HIS SHARE of the album, meaning that Nas is the majority shareholder of the Illmatic’s and It Was Written’s rights.
who said anything about masters? Serch was basically Nas’ manager at the time. He had a lot to do with Illmatic getting all those producers together. if Serch wasn’t involved Nas would’ve sounded like Main Source or Mobb Deep maybe not get the same shine out the gate. i don’t see how Serch wouldn’t deserve credit on these projects. Nas has always done good business you don’t see his name in the streets connected with anything shady never heard him saying anybody jerked him
I am sure that Nas and Search can agree on a fair price.
Watch the GOAT Jay-Z end up buying Serch’s share. That’s be funny as hell and Jay would end up winning the overall feud. Game over for Nas, LOL!
If Serch was a real friend or homie to Nas, he would turn it over to him. Money kills friendships! Serch will be the biggest White Snake in hip hop history if he does not give to Nas. Nas helped all these dudes eat and took care of their families. Sad! A white Puffy!
Calling MC Serch a snake is antisemitism.
Nasir, LT2, KD1, KD2 and Magic. 5albums in 31/2 years, and 3 are classics. Nas also might be a secret billionaire. No one is anticipating a new Hov album about how tricky being in the 1% tax bracket is. We waiting on that KD3 though.
Told people this dude was a compulsive liar! He denied owning any of Nas catalog on Drink Champs and told a bunch of stories that made no sense.
J00z always lie. Nothing new under the sun.
Sorry, White people own ALL items of value. Even things you think represent YOUR culture.
Nas should have the first shot at buying his music .. Suge knight showed people the way when doing business in the music industry but sometimes you gotta sell your soul to get into the game
Yup, we are loaded!
“Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the white man’s world”
stop misiniforming people about the business stop lying stop acting like you are telling the real story. Serch was in 3rd Bass a major rap group of the late 80s that had a huge video hit with the song Gas Face one of the first “new school” rap records to get major airplay. The song featured a young MF Doom. Serch helped get Nas his deal and was on Live at the BBQ. When you help someone get signed you get publishing points. That’s what Serch is selling now. What that has to do with some line in a rap I do not know. people say stuff in raps all the time that are not accurate. Rappers sign deals no rapper owns 100% of something they made in concert with a label. stop the misinformation and the race based smearing of the culture