By Ahsan Khan

• Born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones• Son of Olu Dara Jones, a renowned

jazz musician• Grew up in the Housing Projects,

Queens, NY

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

‘Illmatic’

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 copies in its first week• Nominated for several Grammy

Awards• Ranked #2 of Greatest Hip-Hop

Albums by MTV

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

‘Illmatic’

‘Life is parallel to Hell but I must maintainAnd be prosperous, though we live dangerousCops could just arrest me, blaming us, we’re held like hostages’ ---- ‘N.Y. State of Mind’

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

‘Illmatic’

‘That’s the year everything set off. That’s the year I started seeing the future for myself and doing what was right.’

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

‘It Was Written’

• #1 in Billboard Charts for 4 consecutive weeks

• Went platinum in 2 months

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

‘Ether’ and Jay-Z Feud

• Nas and Jay-Z started feud through subliminal messages in their tracks

• Releases ‘Ether’ in response

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

‘Ether’ and Jay-Z Feud

• ‘You traded your soul for riches’• ‘Were you abused as a child, scared to smile,

they called you ugly’• ‘How much of Biggie’s rhymes is

gonna come out your fat lips’ ---- ‘Ether’

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

World Tours

• Has performed in New York, London and Far East

• Live performance at Coachella• Collaborated with reggae artist

Damian Marley at 2009 Grammy Awards

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

‘Life is Good’

• Released in 2012• Nominated for Best Rap Album at

2013 Grammy Awards• Won 2 BET Hip-Hop Awards in 2012

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week

Influences

• ‘Illmatic’ resembles Kendrick Lamar’s album ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City’

• Has inspired other artists such as Common, J.Cole and Big Sean

• Debut album• Sold 59,000 in first week