Looking back at 40 moments that changed Nas' life.
This feature is a part of Complex's Nas Week, presented by Hennessy.
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Regardless of where you rank him on your list, it's impossible to have an argument about the "Greatest Rapper of All Time" without mentioning Nas. Over the course of the last two decades, the Queensbridge rapper has released ten solo albums, dropped some of the hottest verses we've ever heard, and earned the praise of his fellow rappers, both past and present. He's a legend in every sense of the word and, even if he never spits another rhyme, he'd go down as one of the best to ever do it.
But Nas didn't achieve legendary status overnight. Quite the opposite actually. While his debut album, Illmatic, did give his career a big jump-start back in 1994, Nas has experienced a series of highs and lows throughout his rap career. Still he's managed to fight his way through it all, assuring himself a place in hip-hop history in the process. So as he prepares to celebrate his 40th birthday on September 14, we decided to take a look back at The 40 Defining Moments of Nas' Career. From Nasty Nas to Esco to Nastradamus…and everything in between.
Written by Chris Yuscavage (@ChrisYuscavage)
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