NAS - Performing for Twilight Concert Series at Pioneer Park Tonight! Tickets are available for purchase at the show.
Beginning with his
classic debut, Illmatic (1994), Nas stood tall for years as one
of New York City's leading rap voices, outspokenly expressing a righteous,
self-empowered swagger that endeared him to critics and hip-hop purists.
Whether proclaiming himself "Nasty Nas" or "Nas Escobar" or
"Nastradamus" or "God's Son," the self-appointed King of
New York battled numerous adversaries for his position atop the epicenter of
East Coast rap, none more challenging than Jay-Z,
who vied with Nas for the vacated throne left in the wake of the
Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 assassination. Such headline-worthy drama
informed Nas' provocative rhymes, which he delivered with both a masterful flow
and a wise perspective over beats by a range of producers: legends like DJ
Premier, Large Professor, and Pete
Rock; hitmakers like Trackmasters, Timbaland,
and will.i.am; street favorites like Swizz Beatz,
Megahertz, and the Alchemist; and personal favorites of his own
like L.E.S., Salaam Remi, and Chucky Thompson. Nas likewise collaborated with
some of the industry's leading video directors, including Hype Williams and
Chris Robinson, presenting singles like "Hate Me Now," "One
Mic," and "I Can" with dramatic flair. Throughout all the ups
(the acclaim, popularity, and success) and downs (the expectations,
adversaries, and over-reaching), Nas continually matured as an artist, evolving
from a young street disciple to a vain all-knowing sage to a humbled godly
teacher. Such growth made every album release an event and prolonged his
increasingly storied career to epic proportions.
~ Jason Birchmeier,
Rovi
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