Career Timeline of Nas: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Nas made an impact.
Nas, born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, is a highly acclaimed American rapper and entrepreneur, considered one of hip-hop's greatest. Emerging from the East Coast hip-hop scene, he began his career in 1989 as "Nasty Nas," mentored by Large Professor. His debut came on Main Source's "Live at the Barbeque" in 1991, marking the start of his influential journey.
1986: Release of "The Bridge"
In 1986, Shan & Marl released the song "The Bridge", which was used as the base for "Da Bridge 2001" released in 2001.
1989: Early Career as Nasty Nas
In 1989, Nas began his musical career under the moniker "Nasty Nas" and recorded demos with Large Professor, marking the start of his journey in East Coast hip-hop.
1989: Meeting Large Professor
In 1989, at the age of 16, Nas met producer Large Professor and recorded material in the studio where Rakim and Kool G Rap were recording their albums, though none of his material was released at the time.
1991: Recording Debut
In 1991, Nas made his recording debut on Main Source's song "Live at the Barbeque", which was produced by Large Professor.
1991: Performance on Main Source's "Live at the Barbeque"
In 1991, Nas performed on Main Source's "Live at the Barbeque," produced by Large Professor, marking an early milestone in his career.
1992: Signing with Columbia Records
In 1992, Nas signed with Columbia Records, setting the stage for his debut studio album.
1992: Managed by MC Serch and Signed with Columbia Records
In mid-1992, Nas was managed by MC Serch of 3rd Bass, who secured him a record deal with Columbia Records during the same year, leading to his solo debut on the single "Halftime".
April 19, 1994: Release of Illmatic
On April 19, 1994, Nas released his debut studio album, Illmatic, which later became part of the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.
1994: Illmatic Awarded Best Album
In 1994, Illmatic was awarded best album of the year by The Source, receiving critical acclaim for its lyrics and evocation of ghetto life.
1994: Release of Illmatic and Recording "One on One"
In 1994, Nas released his debut album, Illmatic, featuring production from various artists. He also recorded "One on One" for the Street Fighter soundtrack, marking a significant year in his early career.
1994: Release of "The World Is Yours"
In 1994, Nas released the track "The World Is Yours", which would later be sampled in Jay-Z's 1996 song "Dead Presidents".
1994: Studio Albums Released Since 1994
Since 1994, Nas has released seventeen studio albums, ten of which have been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in the U.S., showing his lasting impact and commercial success.
1995: Guest Performances and Preparation for It Was Written
In 1995, Nas had guest performances on albums by AZ, Mobb Deep, Raekwon, and Kool G Rap. He also parted ways with manager MC Serch, enlisted Steve Stoute, and started preparing for his second album, It Was Written, aiming for a crossover sound.
July 2, 1996: Release of It Was Written
On July 2, 1996, Nas released It Was Written, which featured hits like "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" and "Street Dreams," directed by Hype Williams, propelling him into mainstream hip-hop. The album also marked the debut of the Firm.
1996: Early interactions with Jay-Z
In 1996, Jay-Z requested that Nas appear on his album 'Reasonable Doubt', but Nas never showed up to the studio. Jay-Z then asked producer Ski Beatz to sample a line from Nas's song 'The World is Yours' for his track 'Dead Presidents II'.
1996: Release of It Was Written
In 1996, Nas released his second album, It Was Written, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 and achieved mainstream success, propelled by the single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" featuring Lauryn Hill.
1996: Rapping as Adult Ezekiel on The Get Down
Nas narrated the series The Get Down and rapped as adult Ezekiel of 1996.
1997: Work and Disbandment of The Firm
In 1997, The Firm worked on their debut album after being signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. Cormega was later fired, and after the album's release to mixed reviews, the group disbanded.
1998: Working on I Am... The Autobiography and Starring in Belly
In 1998, Nas began working on the double album I Am... The Autobiography and co-wrote and starred in the film Belly, directed by Hype Williams.
1999: Criticism of Albums I Am and Nastradamus
In 1999, Nas's third and fourth albums, I Am and Nastradamus, faced criticism for being inconsistent and too commercially oriented, leading to concerns about the quality of his music.
1999: Release of I Am... and Nastradamus, Controversy and Criticism
In 1999, the second single from I Am... was "Hate Me Now," which faced controversy due to the video's crucifixion scene. Later that year, Nas released Nastradamus, which was rushed and met with unfavorable reviews, leading to concerns about his career's decline.
1999: Completion of I Am... The Autobiography
In early 1999, Nas completed I Am... The Autobiography, and shot a music video for the lead single, "Nas Is Like." Much of the album was leaked online, leading to the recording of substitute material.
2000: Release of QB's Finest
In 2000, Nas released QB's Finest, a compilation album featuring various rappers from Queensbridge projects and hip-hop legends, marking a collaborative effort within the Queensbridge community.
December 11, 2001: Jay-Z releases "Supa Ugly"
On December 11, 2001, Jay-Z released the song "Supa Ugly" in response to "Ether". Hot 97 radio host Angie Martinez premiered the song, in which Jay-Z boasted about having an affair with Nas's girlfriend, Carmen Bryan.
December 18, 2001: Release of Stillmatic
On December 18, 2001, Nas released his fifth studio album, Stillmatic, which included the diss track "Ether" and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, also featuring his daughter, Destiny, as an executive producer to receive royalty checks.
2001: Release of "Da Bridge 2001"
In 2001, "Da Bridge 2001", the lead single from QB's Finest was released, which was based on Shan & Marl's 1986 recording "The Bridge".
2001: Feud with Jay-Z and Release of Stillmatic
In 2001, Nas was involved in a public feud with Jay-Z and released the diss track "Ether." He also released the album Stillmatic in the same year, which helped restore his critical standing.
September 2002: Release of The Lost Tapes
In September 2002, The Lost Tapes, a compilation of previously unreleased songs from 1998 to 2001, was released by Columbia Records. The collection achieved respectable sales and received rave reviews from critics. Also in 2002, Eminem cited both Nas and Jay-Z as being two of the best MCs in the industry, in his song "'Till I Collapse".
December 13, 2002: Release of God's Son album
On December 13, 2002, Nas released the album God's Son, which included the lead single "Made You Look." The album reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Time Magazine named it best hip-hop album of the year.
2002: Release of God's Son
In 2002, Nas released the album God's Son, which contributed to restoring his critical standing after earlier criticism.
2002: Original Release of The Lost Tapes
Nas's follow up compilation to The Lost Tapes released originally in 2002, was delayed due to issues between him and Def Jam.
2003: Collaborations and Live Performance Release
In 2003, Nas was featured on Korn's song "Play Me" from the album Take a Look in the Mirror. Also in 2003, a live performance in New York City, featuring Ludacris, Jadakiss, and Darryl McDaniels, was released on DVD as Made You Look: God's Son Live.
November 30, 2004: Release of Street's Disciple Album
On November 30, 2004, Nas released his seventh album, Street's Disciple, a double album that addressed both political and personal subject matter, including his upcoming marriage to Kelis. Although the album went platinum, it was a drop-off from Nas's previous commercial successes.
2004: Release of Street's Disciple
In 2004, Nas released the double album Street's Disciple, which helped him regain critical acclaim.
2005: End of Feud with Jay-Z
By 2005, Nas had reconciled with Jay-Z, marking the end of their highly publicized feud.
January 23, 2006: Nas signs with Def Jam Recordings
On January 23, 2006, Nas signed a deal with Def Jam Recordings, where Jay-Z was president. The deal included a $3,000,000 payment for each of his first two albums with the label, including a recording budget.
2006: Release of Hip Hop Is Dead
In 2006, Nas released Hip Hop Is Dead on Def Jam, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album sparked controversy, especially with Southern hip-hop artists who felt the title was a criticism. Also in 2006, Nas's 2004 song "Thief's Theme" was featured in the film, The Departed, and Columbia Records released the compilation Greatest Hits in November.
2006: Signing with Def Jam Recordings and Release of Hip Hop Is Dead
In 2006, Nas signed with Def Jam Recordings, which was spearheaded by Jay-Z at the time, and he released the album Hip Hop Is Dead, adopting a more provocative and politicized direction.
May 19, 2008: Nas forgoes album title
On May 19, 2008, Nas decided to forgo an album title and responded to Jesse Jackson's remarks, calling him "the biggest player hater". Nas stated that he wants the album to reach the fans and that creatively and lyrically, fans can expect the same content and messages.
June 23, 2008: Release of Hero
On June 23, 2008, "Hero", the lead single from the untitled album, was released, reaching No. 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 87 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.
July 15, 2008: Release of Untitled Album
On July 15, 2008, Nas's untitled album was released. In July 2008, Nas attained a shoe deal with Fila. In an MTV interview, Nas speculated about releasing two albums: one produced by DJ Premier and another by Dr. Dre.
2008: Release of Untitled Ninth Studio Album
In 2008, Nas released his untitled ninth studio album, continuing his provocative and politicized direction.
2009: Collaboration with Damian Marley and Tenth Album Announcement
In 2009, Nas confirmed a collaboration album with Damian Marley, expected to be released in late 2009, with a portion of profits to build a school in Africa. Nas also revealed plans to work on his tenth studio album after Distant Relatives' release.
2010: Release of Distant Relatives
In 2010, Nas released Distant Relatives, a collaborative album with Damian Marley, with royalties donated to African charities.
2011: Announcements of Collaboration Albums
In 2011, Nas announced plans for collaboration albums with Mobb Deep, Common, and DJ Premier. Common mentioned their project was to be called Nas.Com, initially planned as a mixtape.
March 15, 2012: First Rapper with Verified Genius Account
On March 15, 2012, Nas became the first rapper to have a personal verified account on Genius, where he explains his own lyrics and comments on lyrics from other rappers.
July 13, 2012: Release of Life Is Good
On July 13, 2012, Nas's eleventh studio album, Life Is Good, produced by Salaam Remi and No I.D, was released.
2012: Nomination for Life Is Good at the Grammy Awards
In 2012, Nas released his tenth studio album, Life Is Good, which was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.
2012: Life Is Good Album Cover
In 2012, Nas' album cover for Life Is Good visually reflected his divorce with Kelis, featuring him holding her green wedding dress, a theme also present in his song, "Bye Baby".
January 2013: Announcement of Twelfth Studio Album
In January 2013, Nas announced he had begun working on his twelfth studio album, which would be his final album for Def Jam.
April 10, 2013: Investment in Mass Appeal magazine
On April 10, 2013, Nas invested in Mass Appeal magazine, becoming the publication's associate publisher.
May 2013: Announcement of 12 am RUN sneaker store
In May 2013, Nas announced that he would open a sneaker store called 12 am RUN in Las Vegas as part of The LINQ retail development.
July 2013: Harvard University establishes Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship
In July 2013, Harvard University established the Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship as part of the Hip-Hop Archives and W. E. B. Du Bois Research Institute, to fund scholars and artists in hip-hop arts.
September 2013: Investment in Proven
In September 2013, Nas invested in Proven, a job search appmaker.
October 2013: Collaboration album and rumored song news
In October 2013, DJ Premier said that his collaboration album with Nas would be released following his twelfth studio album. Nas also confirmed that the rumored song "Sinatra in the Sands" featuring Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland would be featured on the album.
April 16, 2014: Premiere of "Nas: Time Is Illmatic" Documentary
On April 16, 2014, the documentary Nas: Time Is Illmatic premiered on the twentieth anniversary of Illmatic. The documentary recounted the circumstances leading up to Nas's debut album.
May 2014: Release of "I Am Somebody" Collaboration
In May 2014, Nas collaborated with the Australian hip-hop group Bliss n Eso, and they released the track "I Am Somebody".
May 2014: Partnership with Koru and Scholarship Funding
In May 2014, Nas partnered with job placement startup Koru to fund a scholarship for 10 college graduates and joined as a guest coach.
2014: Investment in ViralGains
In 2014, Nas invested in viral video startup ViralGains as part of a $2.8M round.
June 2015: Partnership with Sweet Chick Restaurant
In June 2015, Nas joined forces with New York City soul food restaurant Sweet Chick, planning to expand the brand nationally.
November 2015: Collaboration on Justin Bieber's "Purpose" Album
In November 2015, Nas was featured on the song "We Are" from Justin Bieber's fourth studio album, Purpose.
2015: Twelfth Studio Album planned release
Nas's twelfth studio album for Def Jam was supposed to be released during 2015.
August 2016: Executive Producer and Narrator for The Get Down
In August 2016, Nas was announced as one of the executive producers of the Netflix original series, The Get Down. He also narrated the series and rapped as adult Ezekiel of 1996.
November 2016: Collaboration on "Wrote My Way Out"
In November 2016, Nas collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dave East, and Aloe Blacc on "Wrote My Way Out" for The Hamilton Mixtape.
April 12, 2017: Release of "Angel Dust"
On April 12, 2017, Nas released the song "Angel Dust" as the soundtrack for The Get Down TV series. It contains a sample of the Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson song, also called "Angel Dust".
April 2017: Opening of Sweet Chick Los Angeles location
In April 2017, the Los Angeles location of Sweet Chick restaurant, co-owned by Nas, opened.
June 9, 2017: Release of Soundtrack Featuring Nas
On June 9, 2017, "On the Road Again" and a performance of "One Mic" by Nas were released on Music from The American Epic Sessions: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
June 2017: Appearance on The American Epic Sessions
In June 2017, Nas appeared in The American Epic Sessions documentary, recording "On the Road Again" live direct-to-disc on the restored first electrical sound recording system. The Hollywood Reporter described his performance as "fantastic."
April 2018: Announcement of Nasir Album and Release Date
In April 2018, Kanye West announced on Twitter that Nas's twelfth studio album, Nasir, would be released on June 15, with West serving as the executive producer.
June 2018: Amazon acquired Ring Inc. and PillPack
In June 2018, Nas received $40 million after Amazon acquired Ring Inc. and PillPack, companies he invested in through Queensbridge Venture Partners.
July 19, 2019: Release of The Lost Tapes 2
On July 19, 2019, Nas released The Lost Tapes 2, including production from Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Swizz Beatz, The Alchemist, and RZA. This album was a sequel to Nas's 2002 release, The Lost Tapes.
August 2020: Announcement of King's Disease Album
In August 2020, Nas announced the upcoming release of his 13th album, titled 'King's Disease'. The album was executive-produced by Hit-Boy and featured the lead single "Ultra Black".
2020: Grammy Win for King's Disease
In 2020, Nas won his first Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards for his thirteenth studio album, King's Disease.
August 6, 2021: Release of King's Disease II album
On August 6, 2021, Nas released 'King's Disease II', the sequel to his previous album. This album featured the song "Nobody" with Lauryn Hill and reached number-three on the U.S. Billboard 200, marking Nas's highest-charting album since 2012.
2021: Release of Magic
In 2021, Nas released the album Magic, which was produced entirely by Hit-Boy and met with critical praise.
2022: Release of King's Disease III
In 2022, Nas released King's Disease III, produced by Hit-Boy, receiving critical acclaim.
September 12, 2023: Announcement of Magic 3 album
On September 12, 2023, Nas announced the release of 'Magic 3', the third installment in the Magic album series. This album was stated to be the sixth and final collaboration between Nas and Hit-Boy and was scheduled to be released on Nas's 50th birthday.
2023: Release of Magic 2 and Magic 3
In 2023, Nas released Magic 2 and Magic 3, both produced by Hit-Boy, to critical praise.
April 19, 2024: Announcement of Collaboration Album with DJ Premier
On April 19, 2024, it was announced that Nas and DJ Premier would be releasing a collaboration album in late 2024, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of 'Illmatic'.
2024: Executive Production of Warriors album
In 2024, Nas executive produced 'Warriors', a concept album by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis.
April 2025: Performance at Mass Appeal Presents: The World Reunion—A Charity Concert in Mumbai
In April 2025, Nas performed at the Mass Appeal Presents: The World Reunion—A Charity Concert, hosted by Mass Appeal India, at The Nesco Center, in Mumbai. He performed alongside Indian-origin rappers such as Divine, Raftaar, Ikka, KR$NA, King, and Steel Banglez.
Mentioned in this timeline
Doja Cat born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini is an American...
Jay-Z born Shawn Corey Carter is a highly influential American...
Fox News Channel FNC is a conservative American news and...
Dr Dre born Andre Romell Young is an influential American...
Kanye West also known as Ye is a highly influential...
Justin Bieber is a Canadian singer and pop icon recognized...
Trending
24 days ago Leylah Fernandez Advances to Wimbledon Second Round Alongside Auger-Aliassime and Diallo
Treylon Burks is an American football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans He was drafted in the first round of...
1 month ago Dwight Howard discusses Nike's rejection, Adidas deal, and Peak money issues.
Danny Ramirez is an American actor recognized for his role as Joaquin Torres Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe MCU...
1 hour ago Joe Mixon Placed on NFI List: Injury Concerns Arise During Texans Training Camp
1 month ago Ben Askren's Health Scare: Wife Denies Death Rumors as MMA Star Battles Illness
Popular
John Michael Ozzy Osbourne is a prominent English singer songwriter...
Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet from the Sun...
Candace Owens is an American political commentator and author known...
Hulk Hogan born Terry Gene Bollea is a retired American...
Adam Schiff is an American politician and lawyer currently serving...
Pam Bondi is an American attorney lobbyist and politician A...