NAS HAS HAD THE BEST CAREER OF ANY RAPPER (PROOF INSIDE)

With his 10th solo studio album just a week away, 21 years since his debut on 'Live at the Barbecue', now is the perfect time to take a look back at the greatest career in hip hop history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avcBPgUBCJI

The ? 's Son has come a long way from being hailed as the second coming of Rakim Allah coming from the Queensbridge housing projects. After spending more than half his life in the rap game, the youthful Nas is just getting started. After dropping the widely accepted Bible of hip hop Illmatic in '94 it would seem like Nasty Nas had no where to go but downhill. Although he has yet to match his vicious mid-90's golden era flow, he has gone on to have a better career than anyone could ask for from an artistic standpoint. While It Was Written was met with critical resistance initially, it has aged so well that it's now a certified classic embodying the mafioso era under the Escobar persona along with Raekwon & Ghostface's Purple Tape.

Fastforward 9 platinum & 2 gold albums later, it's not much Nas can say he hasn't done or been through. While projects like The Firm and Nastradamus are rightfully classified as missteps, even these albums are superior to many rappers' best works. Much like the great Tupac, Nas is a man with many faces. I think we all are. Nas has worn the commercial hat, underground underdog, socially conscious MC, storyteller, etc.. Some worked better than others but he's done it all. Rather than develop a stagnant catalog full of similar subject matter like some other great rappers, Nas came at us different EVERY time. He did it his way.

No other rapper who isn't white or had to remind us constantly of his status has done it for this long at this level while remaining relevant and maintaining artistic integrity. You can't please everyone so make the music you feel.

"Try telling Bob Dylan, Bruce, or Billy Joel they can't sing what's in they soul."

Nas has worked with everyone anyone would want to. When you have the respect of every rapper from the 70's, 80's, 90's, 2000's, 2010's just off talent alone you're doing something right. Who can say they've been on tracks with Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, KRS One, Kool G Rap, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, MC Shan, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Scarface, Ice Cube, Common, Jay-Z, Kanye West, 50 Cent, The Game, Ja Rule, DMX, Puffy, Q-Tip, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, R. Kelly, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Maxwell, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Amerie, Joe, Mobb Deep, CNN, AZ, Cormega, Big Pun, Jadakiss, Devin the Dude, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, T.I, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, Will Smith, Ron Isley, Gil Scott-Heron, Amy Winehouse, Nat King Cole, Carlos Santana, among others??



Nas has always been able to be either in or out of the spotlight. He didn't always have to be in the mix 24/7. As a very private laid back dude, Esco still spilled his heart on tracks when he felt necessary (but didn't overdo it like say Joe Buddens). ? that we all can relate to. Did a track with his blues playing father who he earlier vividly described on "Poppa was a Playa", the modern day "Poppa was a Rolling Stone".. We all got at least a few Nas tracks that hit very close to home whether you want to admit it or not. Some choose to believe and pretend that they're capable of living a perfect life without encountering bumps on the road. For most of us we accept that isn't a reality. We know it's problems in Africa that need to be addressed. Nas didn't shy away from this even this when he collaborated with Damian for a whole LP about the plight even though it might not have been the most popular idea in the mainstream. When he felt the need to call the rap game out on its current state he dropped Hip Hop is Dead. When they counted him out he gave us Stillmatic. When music was his only escape from personal tragedy we got ? 's Son.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9VQye6P8k0


Now is he the best business man? No. Has he had the most successful mainstream career? Not at all. But from an overall perspective, as a man and artist, he couldn't ask for it any different. Nas has made music full of substance that touched the people. He has had multiple smooth flows with different rhyme schemes over the course of his career. He is the epitome of a lyricist. Battle tested. Won some and lost some. From Jay-Z to 50 Cent to Biggie. He has shown the most respect for the art of rap in my opinion. He is the last pure MC.This thread is no disrespect to legends with great careers like LL Cool J, Scarface, Jay-Z, Rakim, Outkast, etc.. but Nasir Jones is numero uno.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mb5Fq6a3Fk

Now the naysayers will talk about his personal woes like they haven't had any themselves. But if we don't go through ? we don't become who we are today. We don't learn lessons in life. Through all the ? we gotta appreciate what's real. And this ties back to Nas today. Life is good baby. Through it all. So salute the GOAT and another 20 years on top of the game.