Nasir Jones

Nas (born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones in Queens, New York City on September 14 , 1973) is an African-American rapper. At various times in his career, he has also gone by the aliases of Nasty Nas, Nas Escobar (after Colomb

Nas (born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones in Queens, New York City on September 14 , 1973) is an African-American rapper. At various times in his career, he has also gone by the aliases of Nasty Nas, Nas Escobar (after Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar), God's Son, and Nastradamus. The son of jazz trumpeter Olu Dara and Ann Jones, Nas is perhaps best known (particularly within the hip-hop community) for being one of the most skilled rappers in the industry, and his legendary debut, Illmatic (1994) is widely seen as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. He is also notorious for his rivalry with Jay-Z, recently reconciled when the two performed together in 2005. Nas has since released several albums and remains a significant force in rap music.

Nas is the elder of Olu Dara and Ann Jones' two children. His younger brother, Jabari, would later become part of the hip hop group The Bravehearts. The family lived for a time in Brooklyn, before moving to the large Queens public housing project of Queensbridge. Olu Dara eventually left the household, and Ann Jones raised Nas on her own. Nas dropped out of school after the eighth grade and began selling drugs on the streets of New York while educating himself, reading about African culture and civilization, the Qur'an, the Bible and the Five Percent Nation.