It is astonishing to think that Nas has been active in the rap game for a strong thirty years and is showing no signs of slowing down. The raspy-voiced Queens native quickly emerged as the poster child of hip-hop when he debuted with the indisputable classic record, Illmatic. Since then, Nas has established himself as an icon in the culture, granting him the leverage to expand his sound into different mediums. Though there were times where the industry derailed his path, he remained consistent to his audience and true to himself despite existing in a trifling industry.
As you’d expect, thirty decades of content is a massive amount to wield under your belt—and a grand majority of his catalog has managed to stand the test of time in a positive manner. Even at his lowest creative points, Nas always found a way to deliver at least one record that would satisfy his core following.
We’ve decided to take on the task of highlighting the countless peaks in his discography and assorting the best parts into a thirty song list of what we think are the best Nas songs of all time, along with some honorable mentions to help start us off.
Honorable Mentions
Thief’s Theme
Album: Street’s Disciple
The rugged anthem that closed the double album out was a tribute to the old Nas’ style that Esco was trying to grow out of on this project. It was clear that a newly-wed Nas was trying to evolve but couldn’t really translate his new mindset on record, but the attempt was respectable. To keep his tradition of lyrical exercise alive, he adopted a rugged beat that perfectly fit the edgy street theme. Nas lashed out lyrically all over this record, creating an underappreciated classic that makes you wanna tuck your chain in no matter how nice your neighborhood is.
Ether
Album: Stillmatic
The classic Jay-Z diss is truly a hard track to rank on a list detailing the best Nas records. On one hand, Nas created an epic moment in hip-hop history that will forever be remembered for the the damage he caused to the career of a mainstream titan. On the other end, however, it’s not a record that most would turn on any given day. No to say “Ether” deserves to be played in certain situations, but lets be honest, you just wanna hear Nas say “Fuck Jay-Z” at the top of his lungs. I will say though, the live performance of the record does help elevate the energy to an outer-body experience.
Thun
Album: King’s Disease III
The King’s Disease trilogy wields many reasons to be celebrated among an elite discography. The main point of attraction is due to records like this where we hear Nas lyrically black-out over a pure hip-hop beat. It’s crazy to say that this is a rare instance today but the raw energy emitted from this track is the perfect nod to the golden age where Nas excelled. It’s hard to choose a fav among the trilogy but the gradual increase in quality has been amazing to witness.
Hero (ft. Keri Hilson)
Album: Untitled
It’s a shame that the questionable title and incapable marketing of this record lead to a shadow ban of sales becuase this record had the trajectory to rise as a bonafide hit. Capitalizing off of the Keri Hilson hook buzz, “Hero” was the perfect lead single for the record. The hopeful hymn was on track to be the anthemn of the century but a series of anti-establishment rants, obscene titles and failed correlation of executives stunted the growth of what could’ve been a generational record.
Michael & Quincy
Album: King’s Disease III
The confident comparison to the legendary musical pair propelled the status of the Nas and Hit-Boy duo to immortal status. Though they simultaneously paid homage to the Quincy Jones and the late great Michael Jackson, Nas and Hit cemented their place in history as the they dubbed themselves the new iteration of the old pair. The record itself was a phenomenal display of superb songwriting and magnificent musicality from the two. Maybe they were on to something when they made the comparison.
30. Stillmatic (The Intro)
Album: Stillmatic
A gritty opener that helped set the tone for a momentous return. Its crazy to think that at one point Nas was considered a washed rapper. The hip-hop streets weren’t feeling the follow-ups to his classic debut and in order to silence the overwhelming rep critics, Nas had to figure out how to return to prime form. We all know the story from here on out, but the intro really sets the tone as the king returns to claim his place at the throne with an addictive beat to show he hasn’t missed a step.
29. Get Down
Album: God’s Son
It feels like we as hip-hop fans severly underrate producer Salaam Remi’s influence on Nas’ career. Though his first placement landed on Stillmatic, the jazz-inspired soul of Salaam Remi’s style would really sink in on God’s Son. The album opens up with this up-tempo loop of funky instrumentals while Nas unleashes a ferocious set of rhymes to set the mood for the rest of the record. “Get Down” is arguably the best intro track across Nas’ lengthy catalog as the easy-going beat allows Nas’ verses to immediately capture the attention of the listener, prepping them for an eventful experience.
28. Purple
Album: The Lost Tapes
The fact that this record was lobbed in with a set of throwaways is criminal. For some reason, Nas is always at his best when he’s rapping over a piano loop and “Purple” is a prime example of this notion. The lush instrumental combined with Nas’ extended stream of consciousness makes for an excellent smoking session as Esco delivers one of those life sermons that just hit’s a different way when you’re in a contemplative state of mind. Also, whose to forget the iconic line: “I don’t like the way P. Diddy did Shyne with different lawyers”.
27. Black Republican (ft. JAY-Z)
Album: Hip Hop Is Dead
The first post-fued Hov and Esco collab wasn’t exactly what the world expected, but the moment was one to mark in the history books. Granted, Jay was fresh off of retirement, the two rappers only delivered hype as the chorus and the thunderous beat were the main takeaways. Stripping the unrealistic expectations from the track, however, reveals a gem that could still hang with the better portion of each other’s discographies. It wasn’t exactly what we wanted as fans but “Black Republican” is still an amazing track that salvaged the messy rollout that was Hip Hop Is Dead.
26. Favor for a Favor (ft. Scarface)
Album: I Am…
Nas and Scarface rapping together on the same track sounds like every hardcore hip-hop fan’s dream, but for some odd reason the record remains criminally slept among Nas’ collaborations. The shaky release of I Am… really helped kill the buzz around the project, which was a shame because the record spawned amazing moments such as this shared moment between two legends. Nas and Face go back and forth on a beat, claiming vengeance on each other’s enemies to solidify their brotherhood bridged through hip-hop. Everything about the record screams classic status, from the verses to the instrumental to the pacing of the record. Run this joint back and watch your thoughts immediately change
25. Blaze a 50
Album: The Lost Tapes
For being a compilation of rejected tracks and throwaways, The Lost Tapes really has some of Nas’ best material. On this record, Nas takes listeners on an adrenaline rush of an experience, delivering bar after bar over a cinematic blockbuster of a beat. Pressing play on the track is like pacing through New York rush hour traffic, swerving left and right through congested lanes and alleyways with Nas guiding the tour. It’s mind boggling to think that nobody thought this would fit on any Nas record to come, but its exclusion helped breathe a new life into the blood rusher of a track.
24. Surviving the Times
Album: Greatest Hits
With the release of his highly anticipated greatest hits compilation, Nas added a contemplative opener that perfectly captures his career in a track. The song is another instance of Nas excelling over the signature piano-looped instrumental, painting a reflective picture of his journey since his early rapping days. Unlike the pieces scattered over The Lost Tapes, this joint landed in the perfect situation, serving as a perfect introduction to a compilation that unraveled all of Nas’ best moments as an emcee. However, the song lacks the strong recognition it deserved but at the end of the day, this is the special treat true Nas supporters receive for tuning in all these years.
23. Daughters
Album: Life is Good
Despite wielding an exceptional storytelling ability that heavily uplifts his lyrical ability, we never really got a glimpse at Nas’ personal life as a majority of his content up to this point revolved around the streets. Finally reaching a good point to settle down, Life Is Good was Nas’ unsure way of displaying his growth beyond his valuable notepad. “Daughters” was an immediate standout upon release as it perfectly captured the timid approach to pulling back the curtains. The ode to fatherhood revealed the good, the bad, and the ugly of being a single father while highlighting the beauty of raising a child in the process. A tearjerker of a track, it was inspiring to see Nas shift out of his comfort zone and push another side of himself in the limelight.
22. Street Dreams
Album: It Was Written
An infectious beat with a catchy chorus, “Street Dreams” perfectly captures the essence of its resident project as well as the gutter glory of New York street life. Following a serious opener to the record, this track helps lighten the mood while showing the darker side to success in the streets. Illmatic painted Nas as a kid watching from the project windows, but with It Was Written we see the transition from bystander to participant, falling into the allure of cash, cars and women. “Street Dreams” wraps that notion up in a perfectly-packaged single that garnered a lot of play off ear candy alone. One of the stronger tracks from It Was Written, the record continues to live on through many different iterations to this day.
21. Halftime
Album: Illmatic
The first single to the critically-acclaimed classic that is Illmatic hit the sweet spot of making a smash while garnering attention to highly-prospected talent. Following a stellar introductory verse on Main Source’s “Live at the Barbeque”, Nas found his way into the corportate offices of Colombia – courtesy of MC Serch – the company took a bet on the kid from Queens and it benefitted instantly. The inital offering of “Halftime” was a jazzy up-tempo record that put Nas’ skillset on full display and similar to his spotlight on the Main Source album, Nas made haste with the opportunity in a blazing fashion. “Halftime” built the perfect amount of buzz for what would be considered the best hip-hop album of all time.
20. Shootouts
Album: It Was Written
At the time of its release, It Was Written didn’t really see the receptive love it gets today – aside from the singles doing their work on the streets. This allowed a good majority of the record to fly under the radar, despite holding some of Nas’ best lyrical displays. “Shootouts” fell as a casualty to this process as Nas’ slick-mannered rhymes and hypnotizing delivery failed to reach corporate standards. This record is pure hip-hop passion that fed energy into the veins of every hip-hop head wondering what went wrong with this album. To this day, it feels like “Shootouts” is every hardcore Nas fan’s best kept secret as the mesmerizing mafioso single acts like a deleted scene from Goodfellas or Casino. Nas was in his bag heavy during this session but we’re determined to make sure this song continues to live on as one of his best lyrical displays on wax.
19. One Love (ft. Q-Tip)
Album: Illmatic
Among the prestigious roster of producers that Illmatic wields includes the legendary Q-Tip who managed to shed a light of his own over Nas’ solo debut. The collaborative crossover of producers that Illmatic spawned really showed that every chef in the kitchen could add their own flavor in proportion. When Tip stepped to bat, he made sure to capture Nas’ vivid story-telling capabilities, thoroughly guiding the young buck through the process of song structuring. The result was a heavy-hitting tale dedicated to all of the incarcerated scarfaces that ran New York. Paired with Tip’s catchy hook and the record took off on its own, serving as the fan-favorite on a stellar debut project.
18. Got Ur Self A…
Album: Stillmatic
Just when the industry thought that Nas was done for, Esco returned gun-blazing with an electric opener to his comeback party. When word got around that Nas was releasing an album following the lethal “Takeover” diss by his rap rival, JAY-Z, it was clear that Nas had to make one hell of an opening statement as the battle was swaying towards the Roc-A-Fella camp. After placing his legendary “Ether” diss as the second track to the record, he kept the energy flowing with a blazing party record. An energetic beat with a instantly recognizable chorus, Nas kept the show moving in the perfect way, winning over the support of listeners who were getting over the unbelievable diss that preceded. Even with “Ether” removed from the track listing, “Got Ur Self A…” could serve as a strong introductory track that immediately sets the tone for the legendary Stillmatic record.
17. Rewind
Album: Stillmatic
Its absolutely mind-boggling as to how little recognition this record gets. Nas wrote an entire story backwards. Now it probably doesn’t sound as impressive off first glance, but just think about the process needed when flipping a record up on its head. The plotline was consistent, the story was engaging, the dialogue was inverted and even the beat was crazy. Normally, tracks like “Rewind” that demand a certain level of attention from the listener get swept under the rug; however, this track wields all aspects of what makes a greatly structured record while being easy on the ears. There is no other better way to execute this type of idea than what Nas delivered on “Rewind”.
16. Cherry Wine (ft. Amy Winehouse)
Album: Life is Good
Who would’ve though that an unlikely collaboration with singer, Amy Winehouse, would spawn the most mature-sounding record in Nas’ discography. A mellowed-out duet of two hopeless romantics listing the aspects they look for in a partner is as honest as it gets, especially given the shaky love lives of both artists. While we’ve had a multitude of rapper/singer duets, especially throughout the 2000’s, none come close to what Nas and Amy where able to achieve sonically with Salaam Remi behind the boards. The title fits the mood just right – a record to decompress to while having a glass of cherry wine.
15. Hate Me Now (ft. Puff Daddy)
Album: I Am…
Need a record to shake up the club in the late 90’s/early 2000’s? Puff and Esco got you covered. There is no record that could compete with the sheer energy that this track emits throughout the speakers. Nas and Diddy made a smash with “Hate Me Now”, creating the perfect underdog anthem to play at any event across the globe. Nas’ aggressive rhymes paired with Puff’s motivational chorus over that monumental beat radiate a fierce energy that translates to a competitive mindset no matter the situation.
14. If I Ruled the World (ft. Lauryn Hill)
Album: It Was Written
If there’s one song that a non-Nas fan could easily recognize from this list, it would definitely be the hopeful hymn assisted by the Fugees front-runner, Lauryn Hill. At the time of release, many frowned upon the commercialization of Nas through this record, but over time “If I Ruled The World” became an iconic track as two of the genre’s most elite contenders joined together to craft an overwhelmingly positive anthem. To this day, you could hear this record being played anywhere, whether its at the store or at a gathering. It wasn’t the rugged hit that hip-hp heads wanted at the time but to say “If I Ruled The World” stood the test of time is an understatement to this record’s success.
13. Affirmative Action (ft. The Firm)
Album: It Was Written
Now let’s get to the rugged hit that the streets did end up getting. A super group led by Nas and Dr.Dre sounds like a phenomenal idea on paper; and while the super crew didn’t end up working out in the end, we were still blessed with the coldest posse cut to grace the genre. Each member of the The Firm delivered a A+ performance as they gathered for a mob-inspired meeting of the New York street rap scene at the time. The track has take a life of its own as many tend to remember the track based off Foxy Brown’s questionable cocaine calculation, but The Firm put on an impressive display of lyricism for a crew who hadn’t really established themselves at the time.
12. Made You Look (Remix) (ft. Jadakiss & Ludacris)
Album: God’s Son
There hasn’t been a single street anthem in hip-hop history that sounds as volatile and engaging as “Made You Look” does. The original version of the record made waves for its explosive nature and cinematic feel, but it was the remix that really sealed the deal . With Jadakiss and Ludacris as the supporting cast, the track started off hot with Kiss claiming he’s “top 5 dead-or-alive off of one LP” followed by an incredibly overlooked Luda verse. To top it off, Nas completely takes off with an eruptive closer, hurrying his flow to fit the adrenaline-rushing experience. Salaam Remi worked magic on the beat, crafting the perfect New York street anthem that truly captures the essence of teh city in the early 2000’s.
11. Take It In Blood
Album: It Was Written
A smooth display of lyrical exercise, “Take It In Blood” shares a lot of similarities with another track on the same album, “Shootouts”. The two are engaging exhibits of Nas’ pure rhyming abilities with beat tailor-made to fir the mafioso theme of the record. Where this record succeed over it counter part, however, is its silky nature compared to the tense environment that “Shootouts” built. “Take It In Blood” flows much smoother as a record, especially taking into consideration the sampled hook and laid-back beat. The two records are basically one in the same at the core, but “Take It In Blood” is typically the record that many gravitate towards to.
10. Undying Love
Album: I Am…
A phenomenal story-telling effort that was buried under the shaky release of I Am…, Nas takes his pen to new peaks over a tragic tale of loyalty and love in New York. “Undying Love” tells the tale of an engaged couple who had plans to tie the knot and build a life together. Nas speaks from the perspective of the male in the relationship, basking in the rose-tinted glasses of love until he’s informed that his lover was cheating on him. Seeing no option but violence, Nas intrudes the area with a vengeance and ends up slaughtering the man caught in the affair as well as his lover in the process. With police on the way, the only option he sees is to take his own life on the spot to reunite with his lover whom he held as she took her last breaths. A dramatic tale that deserves more shine for its engaging atmosphere and eloquent structure; this may go down as Nas’ best storytelling track.
9. You’re da Man
Album: Stillmatic
A heart-felt track that touches on Nas’ rise to power as well as the burdens it brings. The beat is an emotional rollercoaster that opens up space for Nas to vent his frustrations towards the game that tried getting rid of him at his lowest. “You’re da Man” was one of the earliest instances on Stillmatic where it felt like we had finally seen the return of vintage Nas. A Large Professor beat paired with a deadly set of introspective rhymes, Nas is at his best as he pens verses with seemingly no end. This stream of consciousness still remains as a fan favorite on the comeback album, Stillmatic, as fan rejoice at the return of Esco in his prime form. This record still hits like an emotional trainwreck to this day.
8. It Ain’t Hard to Tell
Album: Illmatic
The jazzy ending to Illmatic was a game changer when the record dropped. Hip-hop culture is typically against sample snitching—as it should be—Large Professor blew the minds of every listener when they realized the song sampled the legendary Michael Jackson record, “Human Nature”. Beyond the beat, we received an iconic opener as Nas starts the record off immediately with a bang and keeps the flow of thought going with no chorus or hook to break up the verses. The consistent stream of verses helps end the record off on a high note while creating that nudge to replay the album right after it finishes. “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” is just a dope record all across the board with no explanation needed. The greatness speaks for itself.
7. One Mic
Album: Stillmatic
Even though hip-hop remembers Stillmatic mostly for the “Ether” diss track it contained, the most played song across the nation was actually the spiritual anthem that was “One Mic”. Fed up with being boxed in by the industry, Nas let out all of his frustrations on this track, holding nothing back as he delivered a lyrical bomb on the Chucky Thompson-produced beat. The record went on to practically live on the charts, giving Nas the juice needed to revitalize his career in the mainstream eye. To this day, there is no record that matches the level of importance that was reached on “One Mic” while simultaneously being a smash record. This just goes to show how impactful Nas is to the culture.
6. Life’s a Bitch (ft. AZ)
Album: Illmatic
A legendary record that gained traction for its feature rather than Nas’ sole contributions. When a feature on a Nas album overshadows the actual Nas verse on the song, that’s how you know its special feature. AZ completely took the record on as if it were his own, delivering the most iconic verse in hip-hop history. For being complete strangers to one another, Nas and AZ developed an immediate chemistry with this record and built a legacy as one of the best unofficial duos in the culture. To think without this record, we probably wouldn’t have gotten The Firm or an AZ solo album.
5. The World is Yours
Album: Illmatic
Arguably the most well known record on Illmatic, Nas and Pete Rock made magic with their sole collaboration on the classic debut. An uplifting piano beat with an encouraging chorus from Nas, it’s practically impossible to be in a bad mood when this record is on. “The World is Yours” plays into the standout quote from the classic film, Scarface, appreciating the high maintenance lifestyle that’s portrayed in the music video. If it weren’t for the next Illmatic selection, this would be widely considered as the best song on Illmatic with no contest.
4. The Message
Album: It Was Written
Nas started his sophomore record off with a bang, sending shots at all of his peers from a distance. In hindsight, these were dark times for hip-hop as it felt like the East Coast v. West Coast beef was reaching it’s apex. Though Nas typically kept his distance from the madness, he still had moments where he would send strays from a competitive mindframe. The main targets were his fellow rap phenoms, Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G., who had finally crossed into the mainstream with their fellow cliques. Nas being the fierce competitor that he is, started his album off with shots towards the genre’s biggest names, even though they were once his closest friends. It’s sad to see how the situation panned out for the two legends but their dedication to the culture made it possible for moments like these where an emcee like Nas could spar with his peers without there being a public feud.
3. N.Y. State of Mind
Album: Illmatic
“Straight out the fuckin‘ dungeons of rap, where fake n****s don’t make it back,” echoed through Walkmans and stereos all over New York as the world was formally introduced to hip-hop’s prodigial song, Nasty Nas. What better way to introduce an artist than with a DJ Premier-produced record with no hook or chorus – just pure beats and rhymes. Nas made his mark on the hip-hop world immediately as “N.Y. State of Mind” captivated audiences who had dedicated their life to hip-hop culture. In a time where the genre begged for innovation, Nas came through with his own take on the foundation set by legends such as Rakim and Big Daddy Kane, making him a definitive rap star. Everybody remembers their first time hearing “N.Y. State of Mind”, that’s how impactful this record is.
2. I Gave You Power
Album: It Was Written
Throughout this list, we’ve covered many of Nas’ legedary story-telling records; and while they each hold their right to be on a prestigious list honoring Nas’ best efforts, it’s difficult to say they exceed the sheer greatness that Nas delivered with “I Gave You Power”. To sum up the record in a quick manner, Esco raps from the perspective of a gun, detailing the violent cycle of firearms and their distributing throughout inner-city ghettos. From the vivid scenery to the thorough description of the gun, Nas dove fully in-depth in all aspects of the weapon on this record. And the cherry on top: a cinematic finish that ends at square one, showing just how easy it is to get caught in the cycle of violence in these neighborhoods. This has been repeated on multiple occasions throughout the list, but to this this day there is no story-telling record that could touch anything in Nas’ chamber, especially this track.
1. Nas Is Like
Album: I Am…
There’s only one word to descrive this record: iconic. From the beat laid by DJ Premier to the opening lines (“Freedom or jail, clip’s inserted / a baby’s being born same time a man is murdered, the beginning and end / as far as rap go, it’s only natural I explain my plateau and what defines my name”), “Nas Is Like” is the perfect display of who Nas is as an emcee. The lead single to his third solo studio album, Nas made sure to come correct, recruiting long-time collaborator and friend, DJ Premier, for the first offering.
Everything about this record screams “pure hip-hop” from the highest peak, giving fans the same rush they felt when they first heard Nas on Illmatic or “Live at the Barbeque”. This record was a breath of fresh air from the mafioso-inspired records that Esco did on it Was Written and The Firm. When you think of the perfect lead single for an album, this record should immediately be mentioned with no debate. Though his career fell into a rut with the release of I Am.. and Nastradamus, “Nas is Like” was the glimmer of hope that we hung on to as we awaited for Nas to return to his prime form. That speaks volumens when you take into consideration how quick people are to forget an artist when an album underperforms. Only Nas could have this type of effect on the hip-hop community and him making a record like “Nas is Like” is a perfect example of why Esco will always get a pass to do whatever he wants.
Mic Cheque 