Nas has said he no longer looks to rappers his own age to keep him inspired in the booth.
The 49-year-old rap legend was a special guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday (February 22), and he was asked which artists keep him on his toes.
As Nasty Nas explained, he isn’t motivated by his fellow Hip Hop veterans due to the simple fact that many of them are no longer active.
“I’m really trying to figure out what my next move is, and I feel like a lot of Hip Hop artists my age are not putting out a lot of material, so I can’t look to them as reference,” Nas said.
“They kind of slowed down — for whatever reasons, I understand it’s a tough thing — but I got bit by the bug, man.”
While many MCs from his generation have slowed down or fizzled out, Nas has breathed new life into his already legendary career in recent years thanks to his collaborative partnership with Hit-Boy, with whom he’s released four projects in three years — one of which won Esco his first ever Grammy.
“I collaborated with this cat Hit-Boy who’s like the best, and he’s produced all of those albums — King’s Disease 1, 2, 3. We’re kind of inspiring ourselves at this point. It’s really interesting.”
Colbert asked Nas what he sees in Hit-Boy that he’s missing in himself, and he jokingly replied: “youth.” He also described him and the multi-platinum producer as a “perfect match.”
The formidable duo proved their dominance once again last year on the feature-less King’s Disease 3.
During an interview with Apple Music, Hit-Boy revealed he had numerous artists in mind for the album and actually tested out guest vocals that he had in his stash, but ultimately he and Nas didn’t feel they were on par with what they were crafting as a two-man team.
“Honestly, it was once we got deeper into the album because I definitely was thinking and conceptualizing on who could be a part of it,” he said. “I even pulled up some features that I had in my computer from different artists and we tried stuff, but nothing really connected on a level of what we was doing solo. This is, I believe, Nas’ first album ever with no features so that’s an ill thing in itself.”
King’s Disease 3 debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 with 29,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, earning Nas his 16th top 10 album on the chart — tying him with former foe JAY-Z.
While neither Nas nor Hit-Boy have confirmed another installment, Billboard recently reported that the pair are readying King’s Disease 4, complete with a guest appearance from 50 Cent.
It would mark the Queens natives’ first collaboration in over 20 years following Nas’ two appearances on 50’s 2002 mixtape Guess Who’s Back?
Why does a producers age matter ? Its literally the guy who makes beats. You can put your OG vocals on the hottest gen z producer in the games beats, but that dont mean young people gonna listen to your shit.
Producers typically have a certain style. Perhaps in working with younger producers he’s tapping into a style more fresh to the ears. As much as we all keep wanting a Nas/Preemo album, he’s rapped over Preemo beats dating back to 1994, so that sound isn’t going to sound new and fresh nearly 30 years later.
Dude stfu. Nas is good
He said it. Old people have slowed down and aren’t creating. Youth can bring hunger, energy, and vibe that can inspire. Maybe he gives him that same hunger he had in his youth.
The quality of work Nas & HitBoy have been making is pretty incredible. Within a 2yr span
He basically put out 4 albums that can easily be ranked anywhere from 4-5 stars. I personally feel like once he dropped Magic he solidified himself as the GOAT. Going forward, I would love to see Nas work with Ransom & Griselda. Regardless, I want Esco continue to apply pressure to the music industry until every hater has no option but to acknowledge he’s the GOAT. Nas MSG Tomorrow
He’s been the goat since he entered the game. The problem is you’re late.
If every person who called Nas a top 5 rapper and top MC bought his albums, he’d be the top selling hiphop artist ever lmao. His own fans don’t show up for him.
Him and hit boy are wack together people like anything and are followers look what he won a Grammy for over all his legendary stuff Nas flow isn’t the same either
Stop talking bull abt legendary OG Esco. After 2PAC and BIG died. Nas is all there is and will ever be. Rap music this days are singers not rappers. Stop the hate boy!
He needs to collaborate with krayzie or bizzy bone Twista or tech nine they still doing it!!!!
No they not. They are not in ! Nas is in !
If your a commercial cat then maybe his music is relevant to you. I have always hated 85 percent of his production after his first two albums. Nas is dope in concert because he can play 20 good songs, but that is still a bad batting average for all the songs he has out.
If your a commercial cat then maybe his music is relevant to you. I have always hated 85 percent of his production after his first two albums. Nas is dope in concert because he can play 20 good songs, but that is still a bad batting average for all the songs he has out.
The Nasir album was wack, The first KD was weak, the second KD was ok, that Magic album was terrible, but the 3rd King’s Disease was DOPE. He’s been hit and miss in my opinion, but as a fan of his since ‘’94 I’m glad he’s still giving us work. Peace.
King’s Disease 2 was by far the best of the 3 in my opinion. But that’s why they’re opinions. It’s weird to me how people always like to state opinions like they’re facts.
Nas is tone-deaf what it comes to beats. He has a great voice, okay flow, okay lyrics, but his beats really often suck. If he’s in your top 5 MCs, I’m really sorry for you. By the way he only needs to dig deeper. MURS, Atmosphere, Kool Keith, DJ Paul – just to name a few – keep putting out great albums and they’re in his age.
Greatest Rapper Alive