Biography
Who is Nas?
Early life and real name
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 14, 1973, to African-American parents. His father, Olu Dara, is a jazz and blues musician originally from Mississippi. His mother, Fannie Ann, worked for the U.S. Postal Service after moving from North Carolina. As a young child, Nas and his family relocated to the Queensbridge Houses in the borough of Queens.
His neighbor Willie Graham played records that influenced his interest in hip-hop. His parents divorced in 1985, and he dropped out of school after the eighth grade. During his youth, he played the trumpet and began writing his own rhymes while educating himself about African culture.
How Nas became famous
Nas began his musical career in 1989 under the moniker Nasty Nas and recorded demos under the guidance of Large Professor. He made his recording debut on Main Source's 1991 song Live at the Barbeque. He signed with Columbia Records in 1992 after MC Serch became his manager and helped secure a deal.
His solo debut single was Halftime from the soundtrack of the film Zebrahead. On April 19, 1994, Nas released his debut studio album, Illmatic, which received widespread critical acclaim and was later inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.
Career highlights
Following his debut, Nas released his second album, It Was Written, in 1996, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 and featured hit singles like If I Ruled the World with Lauryn Hill. Over the decades, he released numerous studio albums, including Stillmatic, God's Son, and the King's Disease series.
After thirteen nominations, Nas won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards for his twelfth studio album, King's Disease, released in 2020. He also serves as associate publisher of Mass Appeal magazine and co-founded Mass Appeal Records.
Family and personal life
Nas was married to singer Kelis. His father is jazz musician Olu Dara, and his brother Jabari Fret raps under the name Jungle as a member of the hip-hop group Bravehearts. He is also a cousin of actors Yara Shahidi and Sayeed Shahidi.
Outside of his music career, Nas has engaged in various business ventures and collaborations, including producing multiple albums entirely with Hit-Boy and working with fellow artists across the hip-hop industry.
Birthday and age
Nas was born on September 14, 1973, which makes Nas 53 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Nas shares the date with 37 other famous people.
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