Breaking News: Nas & DJ Premier Announce Highly-Anticipated Collaborative Album with Brand New Single!

Nas and DJ Premier have finally revealed the long-awaited news of their joint album with the drop of the first single, “Define My Name.” Marking the 30th anniversary of Nas’ groundbreaking debut album Illmatic, this track showcases Premo’s signature boom bap production and vocal scratches, paying homage to their previous collaboration in the fan-favorite track “Nas Is Like” from 1999.

The lyrics of “Define My Name” reflect Nas’ introspection on his journey in Hip Hop, contemplating his longevity in the game with lines like, “At 20, I said I’d better quit by 30/ Then by 30, I thought by 40 rapping is corny/ How wrong was I?/ Never would have thought at 50, new songs by Nas would be hard and live.” The track also features shoutouts to his Hip Hop idols, such as Rakim, Kool G Rap, and LL Cool J.

In the concluding moments of the song, Nas and Premo exchange banter, with Nas stating, “I got the rhymes, you got the beats… 30 years later we back in the streets, we back in the lab… It’s album time.” Fans can anticipate the release of their collaborative project later this year under Mass Appeal Records.

This anticipated collaboration has been a topic of discussion for both Hip Hop icons over the years, with Nas first mentioning the idea in a 2006 interview with Scratch magazine. Despite the long wait, Nas seemed confident in the album’s eventual release, hinting at its completion in his recent 2022 track “30”.

Nas and DJ Premier’s musical partnership spans back three decades, with Premier contributing iconic tracks like “N.Y. State of Mind,” “Represent,” and “Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)” to Illmatic. Their most recent collaboration was on “Beat Breaks” from Premier’s Hip Hop 50 Volume 1 project in 2022.

Recently, Nas publicly commemorated the 30th anniversary of Illmatic by reminiscing about the production process and the support he received from his legendary collaborators like DJ Premier. Celebrating the milestone, Nas took to Instagram to express his gratitude towards the producers who helped shape his debut album, solidifying his place in music history.

As fans eagerly await the release of Nas and DJ Premier’s joint album, the anticipation continues to grow for what promises to be a monumental project from two of Hip Hop’s most esteemed figures. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting collaboration between two titans of the rap game.