Nas

Influential New York Hip-Hop Artist

Nas, born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones on September 14, 1973, is an influential American rapper and songwriter renowned for his profound lyrical skill and innovative contributions to the hip-hop genre. His career began in the early 1990s, and he quickly gained acclaim with the release of his debut album "Illmatic" in 1994, which has since been heralded as a landmark in East Coast hip-hop and often cited as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. Following the success of "Illmatic," Nas continued to build his legacy with a series of successful albums including "It Was Written" in 1996, which included more mainstream-oriented sounds and featured the hit single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" with Lauryn Hill.