Nas dropped one of the most universally loved rap albums of all time in 1994 with Illmatic. Few legends in Hip Hop have been able to maintain their relevance over several decades based on their skill alone. Nas has never chased headlines or crossover success. He’s always seemed focused on elevating his craft and the culture. And that dedication has paid off. King’s Disease is Nas’ 12th album, and earned him his 14th grammy nomination. It’s up for Best Rap album at this year’s awards. Rick Rubin connected with Nas over Zoom recently to talk about his earliest experiences with rap in Queens, how recording his last album with Kanye West in Wyoming almost took him out of his zone and how early beef with Jay Z made them both stronger rappers.

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