As one of the great emcees of all time, Nas has released 11 studio albums over the course of his career. His debut, Illmatic, is almost unanimously considered one of greatest rap records ever made. Upon hearing any one of the album's 10 tracks, "classic" is the first that comes to mind. But for every classic, there are about a dozen lesser-known or virtually forgotten cuts the arsenal of Nasir Jones.
Most every record that the prolific Queens rapper has put out is worthy of a throwback upon this fine Thursday, but for today's TBT, we're focusing specifically on the deep cuts. Longtime Nas fans will likely recognize a few of these sleeper cuts, but chances are you'll stumble across a hidden gem or two that has existed for decades without making it through to your earbuds.
"Understanding" (feat. AZ & Biz Markie)
In 1991, back when he was going by the name Nasty Nas, Nasir Jones released a pre-Illmatic tape that spread throughout Queens and around the other NYC boroughs. With three fellow legends -- AZ, Biz Markie, and Large Professor -- amazingly coming together on this one, "Understanding" is a rare piece of hip-hop history.
"Courthouse" (feat. Chuck D)
"Courthouse" surfaced in 2011, and it's unclear when the raps were recorded. The track features Chuck D, with whom Nas was never able to collaborate during Public Enemy's iconic run in the '90s. Though his youthful sound is what makes Nas' pre-Illmatic recordings so exciting, one can hear a huge leap of confidence in his flow from the last track ("Understanding") to this one.
"Eastside Story" (feat. Styles P and Notorious B.I.G.)
Nas is known for his albums, but his mixtape game is crazy, especially around the late '00s. Veteran DJ/producer Statik Selektah put this one together, getting Nas and Styles P to provide a New York remix to The Game's "Westside Story." He even adds a quick Biggie verse toward the end.
"Nas Will Prevail"
Here's another choice cut off Nas' 1991 demo tape. If it feels familiar, that's because the track is the early version of what would become, a couple of years later, "It Ain't Hard to Tell," one of the greatest songs of the '90s, and one that's held close to the heart of every New York hip-hop head. Imagining the scene heard on "Nas Will Prevail" is enough for immediate goosebumps. Here's an already fearsome young emcee who's barely getting started.
"What It Is (Esco Let's Go)"
This one comes off The N*gger Tape, the controversial prelude to what would become known as the Untitled album. When Nas gets political, it never sounds preachy. Instead, each of his reflections on race in the inner-city impedes upon one's conscience with shuddering force.
"You Won't See Me Tonight" (feat. Aaliyah)
This track appears on I Am..., an album most '90s heads are well-aware of. However, it's surprising the song hasn't achieved a stronger lasting power, as Nas and Aaliyah, just two years before her death, on the same track is the stuff of legend. And it's got a bumping Timbo beat to boot.
"You Owe Me" (feat. Ginuwine)
"You Owe Me" is yet another Timbaland-produced R&B-leaning track, and this one features Ginuwine. The song was included on the album Nastradamus, which dropped later in 1999, after I Am... It's often forgotten that Nas was on the cutting-edge of the hip-hop/R&B convergence that produced so many exciting sounds in the late '90s and early '00s.
"Destroy & Rebuild"
"Ether" is the scathing diss track, directed at Jay Z, that everyone remembers from Stillmatic, but "Destroy & Rebuild" should not be overlooked. He goes after a few emcees whom he feels are bringing an objectionable reputation upon his hood, and accordingly reasserts his reign over his Queensbridge domain. After seeking to "destroy" Prodigy, he makes amends on the same track, telling the Mobb Deep emcee what to do in order to "rebuild" his status in Queens.
"The Scientist"
Just Blaze let this one loose in 2009, and though it's barely a minute long, "The Scientist" will seize your attention for that entire increment. Think it's too late for these two to link back up and drop a full song?
"Sometimes I Wonder" (feat. Nature)
Nas remains unparalleled on reflective tracks like this. "Sometimes I Wonder" is one of his cooler tracks, and it features his frequent Queensbridge collaborator Nature. As Nas wonders, "Will a n*gga go under because of his hunger?" this rarity contains some tear-jerking lyricism from one of rap's most thoughtful emcees.