The year is 1994 and New Year’s is creeping up upon us. An MC from Queensbridge named Nas is currently keeping the streets on fire from coast to coast. Many brothers on the block, as well as Rap critics acknowledge Nas’ debut LP Illmatic to be one of the greatest solo debuts of all time
Keep in mind, this after the riots. I think the O.J. Simpson trial was still on everybody's mind. Race, poverty and conflict were framing a lot of what was in America and Hip-Hop. I originally did this for a magazine called 4080. In it’s time, 4080 was a force of nature. I remember Harry Allen telling me how much he loved it. But the owner had addiction problems that forced it to close
Nas was a legend already because of his verse on Live at the BBQ. I was already a fan. I did this interview at the 4080 offices on a speaker phone. The interview was not seen again until it was republished in the book Lyrical Swords Vol. 2: Westside Rebellion in 2006. When Jay Z and Nas settled their differences, it was partially reprinted on Allhiphop.com. This is the first time
AB: What were your earliest memories of Hip-Hop? Not much being a part of it- but just the music itself and the culture?
Nas: I remember it just bein’ the fly shit, the new shit. Just niggas, Black people, young Black people, loud music, big speakers, turntables, females, weed, Private Stock, and seeing’ records. Like, if somebody was a big name, you saw he made a record. I mean, it was mad rappers. But when you look at a niggas record – you seen that was some shit! As being a young Black man, you would have never thought to see yourself on some wax. And that tight there, you was the man. You was chillin’. Even if a n***a never knew you, if they see you on record you was the man
AB: So what was the first Hip-Hop album you bought?
Nas: I think it was Run-DMC “King of Rock.” If it wasn't that, it was LL Cool J’’s “Radio.” Those were the first ones I bought. The other ones, I stole out my man’s crate
AB: What were the first ones you stole?
Nas: The first one I stole was I think, Mary Jane Girls. I consider that Hip-Hop
AB: I understand you used to break back in the day?
Nas: Yo, that was a long time ago. I'd rather not talk about it. We all did it
AB: I used to do that for a minute. So tell me about your youth. What was your relationship like with your father?
Nas: He was just a cool muthafucka. He was different from what I would visualize: a father being when you would look down and watch a [show] like Cosby Show. He was different than that type of shit. But he’s just a cool n***a – a straight up and down person
Keep in mind, this after the riots. I think the O.J. Simpson trial was still on everybody's mind. Race, poverty and conflict were framing a lot of what was in America and Hip-Hop. I originally did this for a magazine called 4080. In it’s time, 4080 was a force of nature. I remember Harry Allen telling me how much he loved it. But the owner had addiction problems that forced it to close
Nas was a legend already because of his verse on Live at the BBQ. I was already a fan. I did this interview at the 4080 offices on a speaker phone. The interview was not seen again until it was republished in the book Lyrical Swords Vol. 2: Westside Rebellion in 2006. When Jay Z and Nas settled their differences, it was partially reprinted on Allhiphop.com. This is the first time
AB: What were your earliest memories of Hip-Hop? Not much being a part of it- but just the music itself and the culture?
Nas: I remember it just bein’ the fly shit, the new shit. Just niggas, Black people, young Black people, loud music, big speakers, turntables, females, weed, Private Stock, and seeing’ records. Like, if somebody was a big name, you saw he made a record. I mean, it was mad rappers. But when you look at a niggas record – you seen that was some shit! As being a young Black man, you would have never thought to see yourself on some wax. And that tight there, you was the man. You was chillin’. Even if a n***a never knew you, if they see you on record you was the man
AB: So what was the first Hip-Hop album you bought?
Nas: I think it was Run-DMC “King of Rock.” If it wasn't that, it was LL Cool J’’s “Radio.” Those were the first ones I bought. The other ones, I stole out my man’s crate
AB: What were the first ones you stole?
Nas: The first one I stole was I think, Mary Jane Girls. I consider that Hip-Hop
AB: I understand you used to break back in the day?
Nas: Yo, that was a long time ago. I'd rather not talk about it. We all did it
AB: I used to do that for a minute. So tell me about your youth. What was your relationship like with your father?
Nas: He was just a cool muthafucka. He was different from what I would visualize: a father being when you would look down and watch a [show] like Cosby Show. He was different than that type of shit. But he’s just a cool n***a – a straight up and down person
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