Nas

Solo Artist

Photo: Coup d'Oreille · CC BY-SA 2.0
Active 1989-present
Origin Queens, New York
Albums 18
Tracks 255
Most frequent collaborator Chauncey Hollis Jr. · 80 tracks
Genres East Coast Hip HopBoom BapJazz RapConscious Rap
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 255 of 255 tracks

Does Nas write his own raps?

Yes. Nas is credited on 100% of his catalogue and is regarded as one of the greatest lyricists in hip-hop. He writes every verse himself, from 'N.Y. State of Mind' to 'Ether.' He is never the only name on a track because his producers share the composer credit for the beats, but the words are all his.

By the Numbers

18
Studio Albums
255
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
37
Years Active
471
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 255 / 255 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 255 tracks: how many Nas wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Nas has a writing credit100%
2%
98%
Sole author5tracks2%
Co-written250tracks98%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Nas's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 255 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer4%
Performer66%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Nas's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
1994Illmatic
1996It Was Written
1999I Am...
1999Nastradamus
2001Stillmatic
2002God's Son
2004Street's Disciple
2006Hip Hop Is Dead
2008Untitled
2012Life Is Good
2018Nasir
2020King's Disease
2021King's Disease II
2021Magic
2022King's Disease III
2023Magic 2
2023Magic 3
2025Light-Years
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
1990s
Illmatic, It Was Written +2 more
100%
2000s
Stillmatic, God's Son +3 more
100%
2010s
Life Is Good, Nasir
100%
2020s
King's Disease, King's Disease II +5 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Nas sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Nas
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Tim McGraw2%
Backstreet Boys25%
Marc Anthony37%
Boyz II Men51%
Alan Jackson66%
Usher74%
Public Enemy85%
100%Nas
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Street Dreams
It Was Written
Written by Nas, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, Samuel Barnes, Annie Lennox, David Stewart
Co-wrote
If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)
It Was Written
Written by Nas, Lauryn Hill, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, Jean-Claude Olivier, Kurtis Walker
Co-wrote
I Can
God's Son
Written by Nas, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, Salaam Gibbs, Roy Hammond
Co-wrote
Made You Look
God's Son
Written by Nas, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, Salaam Gibbs, Jeremiah Lordan
Co-wrote
Bridging the Gap
Street's Disciple
Written by Nas, Olu Dara, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, Salaam Gibbs
Co-wrote
Hip Hop Is Dead
Hip Hop Is Dead
Written by Nas, will.i.am, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, William Adams, J. Lordan, D. Ingle
Co-wrote
Spicy
King's Disease
Written by Nas, Fivio Foreign, ASAP Ferg, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, Maxie Ryles III, Darold Ferguson Jr., Chauncey Hollis Jr., Derrick Grey
Co-wrote

Discography 18 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Nas255 tracks
80Chauncey Hollis Jr., 80 tracks 80Hit-Boy, 80 tracks LL29LeShan Lewis, 29 tracks L27L.E.S., 27 tracks SR27Salaam Remi, 27 tracks SG25Salaam Gibbs, 25 tracks CM24Christopher Martin, 24 tracks DP24DJ Premier, 24 tracks T13Trackmasters, 13 tracks CT9Chucky Thompson, 9 tracks KW9Kanye West, 9 tracks C8Corbett, 8 tracks DJ8Dustin James Corbett, 8 tracks SB7Samuel Barnes, 7 tracks CT7Carl Thompson, 7 tracks LP6Large Professor, 6 tracks JO6Jean-Claude Olivier, 6 tracks MD6Mike Dean, 6 tracks A5AZ, 5 tracks WP5William Paul Mitchell, 5 tracks DB5Damon Blackmon, 5 tracks DG5Dame Grease, 5 tracks AW5Alvin West, 5 tracks EW5Ernest Wilson, 5 tracks NI5No I.D., 5 tracks H4Havoc, 4 tracks IH4Isaac Hayes, 4 tracks RC4Rogét Chahayed, 4 tracks JB4Jesse Blum, 4 tracks MB4Marco Bruno, 4 tracks OD3Olu Dara, 3 tracks FB3Foxy Brown, 3 tracks KM3Kejuan Muchita, 3 tracks JB3James Brown, 3 tracks K3Kelis, 3 tracks AM3Alan Maman, 3 tracks TA3The Alchemist, 3 tracks JS3Joseph Simmons, 3 tracks DM3Darryl McDaniels, 3 tracks W3will.i.am, 3 tracks on Black Eyed Peas's page WA3William Adams, 3 tracks on Black Eyed Peas's page CM3Chrisette Michele, 3 tracks CG3Clayton Gavin, 3 tracks S3stic.man, 3 tracks TN3Terius Nash, 3 tracks JK3Justin Keith Williams, 3 tracks JJ3Jansport J, 3 tracks Q2Q-Tip, 2 tracks DD2Dr. Dre, 2 tracks AY2Andre Young, 2 tracks C2Cormega, 2 tracks CM2Cory McKay, 2 tracks IM2Inga Marchand, 2 tracks P2Prodigy, 2 tracks LH2Lauryn Hill, 2 tracks PD2Puff Daddy, 2 tracks CB2Carlos Broady, 2 tracks NM2Nashiem Myrick, 2 tracks TM2Timothy Mosley, 2 tracks T2Timbaland, 2 tracks RJ2Richard Jackson, 2 tracks JC2Jessica Care Moore, 2 tracks RN2Rich Nice, 2 tracks RM2Ralph Middlebrooks, 2 tracks L"2Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, 2 tracks MJ2Marshall Jones, 2 tracks MP2Marvin Pierce, 2 tracks NJ2Nashawn Jones, 2 tracks B2Bravehearts, 2 tracks JJ2Jabari Jones, 2 tracks ME2Mike Epps, 2 tracks RB2Ron Browz, 2 tracks RR2Rick Rubin, 2 tracks KB2Keon Bryce, 2 tracks E2Eminem, 2 tracks TA2Tupac Amaru Shakur, 2 tracks on Tupac Shakur's page PA2Patrick Adams, 2 tracks AB2Anthony Best, 2 tracks B2Buckwild, 2 tracks S2Scarlett, 2 tracks CP2Clifford Peacock, 2 tracks BR2Busta Rhymes, 2 tracks RS2Russell Stone, 2 tracks MG2Marvin Gaye, 2 tracks WC2W. Coleman, 2 tracks W2Wyldfyer, 2 tracks SS2Scott Storch, 2 tracks on The Roots's page TH2Tor Hermansen, 2 tracks ME2Mikkel Eriksen, 2 tracks S2Stargate, 2 tracks CP2C. Payne, 2 tracks MB2Mark Batson, 2 tracks TG2The Game, 2 tracks on G-Unit's page JT2Jayceon Taylor, 2 tracks AO2Abiodun Oyewole, 2 tracks UB2Umar Bin Hassan, 2 tracks JM2J. Myers, 2 tracks CD2Chris DeGarmo, 2 tracks MM2Marley Marl, 2 tracks OO2Oladipo Omishore, 2 tracks BL2Benjamin Levin, 2 tracks CC2Cashmere Cat, 2 tracks DD2Dot da Genius, 2 tracks BB2Benny Blanco, 2 tracks CP2Che Pope, 2 tracks T2The-Dream, 2 tracks PP2Plain Pat, 2 tracks CW2Charlie Wilson, 2 tracks QG2Quintin Gulledge, 2 tracks AF2ASAP Ferg, 2 tracks Y2YG, 2 tracks B2Blxst, 2 tracks CI2C. Ivory, 2 tracks FB1Fred Brathwaite, 1 track FN1Faith Newman, 1 track OS1Oliver Scott, 1 track RW1Ronnie Wilson, 1 track PP1Pete Phillips, 1 track PR1Pete Rock, 1 track GB1Gary Byrd, 1 track PB1Peg Barsella, 1 track RW1Reuben Wilson, 1 track JH1Jimmy Heath, 1 track JD1Jonathan Davis, 1 track on KoRn's page AL1Annie Lennox, 1 track on Eurythmics's page DS1David Stewart, 1 track RW1Randy Walker, 1 track CH1Cleveland Horne, 1 track JP1Joseph Pruitt, 1 track JE1James Epps Jr., 1 track WC1Wallace Childs, 1 track LS1Live Squad, 1 track JM1James Mtume, 1 track RL1Reggie Lucas, 1 track J'1Joel 'JoJo' Hailey, 1 track RP1Richard Pimente, 1 track KB1Kurtis Blow, 1 track RS1Rashad Smith, 1 track GM1Gavin Marchand, 1 track PB1Pretty Boy, 1 track DM1D. Moet, 1 track S1Scarface, 1 track JE1Jamel Edgerten, 1 track JE1Jamel Edgerton, 1 track MA1Melissa Arnette Elliott, 1 track A1Aaliyah, 1 track D1DMX, 1 track ES1Earl Simmons, 1 track on DMX's page MM1Michael Masser, 1 track RK1R. Kelly, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 458. LL LeShan Lewis · L L.E.S. · SR Salaam Remi · SG Salaam Gibbs

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Nas writes every word himself, his authorship score approaches 100% across a career spanning seventeen studio albums. His catalog charts one of rap's most dramatic artistic arcs: the universally-acclaimed debut with Illmatic, a commercially adventurous middle period, a legendary feud with Jay-Z, and a late-career renaissance with Hit-Boy that produced the King's Disease trilogy and Magic trilogy. His lyricist and composer credits diverge sharply, Nas writes the rhymes while outside producers supply every beat, making the split between lyricist and composer credits a core data story on his artist page.

Quick Facts

  • IllmaticHis 1994 debut is in the Library of Congress and widely called one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever
  • First GrammyKing's Disease won Best Rap Album in 2021, his first Grammy after thirteen nominations
  • CatalogueHas released seventeen studio albums, ten of them certified gold or higher in the US
  • Hit-Boy eraHis late-career King's Disease and Magic albums were produced by Hit-Boy
  • Lyricist firstRegarded as one of the greatest lyricists in hip-hop history

Creative Fingerprint

One of rap's great pens: Nas writes every verse himself, so he is credited on 100% of his catalogue, always sharing credit with the producers who supply the beats while the words are unmistakably his.

The Story

Nas (Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones) is an American rapper from the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City, Queens, born September 14, 1973. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he made his recording debut on Main Source's 1991 track 'Live at the Barbeque' and released his landmark debut album Illmatic in 1994, widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever recorded and inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry. Known for his cinematic street storytelling, dense literary lyricism, and vivid portrayals of inner-city life, Nas is consistently ranked among the greatest MCs of all time. His 2020 album King's Disease, produced entirely by Hit-Boy, earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.

Awards & Recognition

King's Disease won the Grammy for Best Rap Album (2021), his first Grammy after thirteen nominations
Illmatic (1994) was added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry
Has released seventeen studio albums, ten certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in the US
Widely ranked among the greatest rappers and lyricists of all time

Frequently Asked Questions Nas

Does Nas write his own raps?
Yes. Nas is credited on 100% of his catalogue and is regarded as one of the greatest lyricists in hip-hop. He writes every verse himself, from 'N.Y. State of Mind' to 'Ether.' He is never the only name on a track because his producers share the composer credit for the beats, but the words are all his.
Why is Illmatic so important?
Illmatic (1994) is often called the greatest hip-hop album ever made and was added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry. Nas wrote its vivid, poetic verses about Queensbridge life as a teenager, setting a new standard for lyrical rap.
Who wrote 'Ether'?
'Ether,' from Stillmatic (2001), was written by Nas as a diss track aimed at @@mdlink0@@ during their famous rivalry. It is considered one of the greatest diss songs in rap history, and Nas wrote every line himself.
Did Nas win a Grammy?
Yes, eventually. After thirteen nominations across decades, Nas finally won his first Grammy when King's Disease took Best Rap Album in 2021. The late-career recognition came for his work with producer Hit-Boy.
Who produces Nas's music?
Over his career Nas has worked with elite producers including DJ Premier, Large Professor, and Pete Rock on his early albums, and Hit-Boy, who produced the entire King's Disease trilogy and the Magic albums. Nas writes the lyrics; the producers build the beats.
How many albums has Nas released?
This catalogue covers seventeen studio albums, from the landmark Illmatic (1994) through his recent run with Hit-Boy, one of the longest and most consistent careers in hip-hop.
What was the Nas and Jay-Z beef?
In the early 2000s Nas and Jay-Z traded diss tracks in one of rap's most famous rivalries, with Nas's 'Ether' as his defining shot. Nas wrote the song himself, and the two later reconciled.
What genre is Nas?
Nas makes East Coast hip-hop, boom bap, and jazz rap, known for dense, literary lyrics over soulful, sample-based production on classics like Illmatic and God's Son.

Sources

Wikipedia: Nas