By Jamil Weeks

Hard to believe the 30-year anniversary of Illmatic is upon us in 2024. Equally bewildering is how Nas has remained a relevant force in hip hop throughout the dedades. Nas has maintained his visibility through a combination of lucrative business ventures, his work on documentaries and television series, and new music that introduced him to a younger audience. Nas teamed up with Hit-Boy in 2020 to embark upon an improbable and unprecedented run. Together the pair made six albums, consisting of two separate trilogies, in a three-year span. Nas proved he was still a viable powerhouse this decade, creating further distance between him and his 90s peers. With Illmatic turning 30 in a few days, one cannot help but think of that infamous Scratch Magazine cover from 2006 with DJ Premier and Nas, with Nas sporting the tilted black army hat backwards with the matching black army jacket. Nas and Premo have been long-time collaborators but there has noticeably been a drought of the duo working with each other. The last time DJ Premier contributed to a Nas album was on the Stillmatic album in 2001. Both have worked together on rare occasions since then, most recently on “Beat Breaks’” off a DJ Premier EP. Premo was a key ingredient in creating that signature Illmatic sound, producing the iconic records “Memory Lane”, “Represent”, and the New York anthem “NY State of Mind”. After three years of Nas experimenting with a more polished, commercial sound with the Hit-Boy sessions coupled with the celebration of Illmatic’s 30th birthday, the duo seems destined to get back in the lab and create some new magic.

Rap fans have been eagerly anticipating the possibility of one of the best lyricist/producer combinations getting back together for an entire album since 2006. The chemistry is undeniable. Rather or not the overall Nas album was classic or lackluster, if Premo contributed to the album you at least knew Premo was going to lace Nas with a banger. The records they did together after Illmatic were just as stellar, where some of the records are arguably top 10 all time Nas records. Songs like “I Gave You Power”, “Nas Is Like”, “Come Get Me”, and “2nd Childhood” were all standout tracks on the Nas albums in which they were featured. Nas and Premo together is a perfect marriage of bars, concepts, and beats. You are guaranteed to get elite lyricism and song-making performances from Nas, with DJ Premier providing the perfect sonics and complimentary production. Each artist has created classics without each other and with each other. Perhaps this is a reason that rap fans have not given up on the long overdue collabo between the two. The duo has literally never let us down. The intrigue of what new material the two could create together today is too big of a question mark to leave unanswered.

“Superhero material rap star status/Premier album still might happen…” – Nas on “30” from King’s Disease III (2022)

Nas is no stranger to reaching for new heights with his music. Nas has worked with the biggest producers in hip-hop, such as Trackmasters, Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Neptunes, and Timbaland. But every now and then, Nas has full circle moments by revisiting his signature sound. With Nas chasing a different sound with Hit-Boy the past couple of years, the time seems right for Nas to return to the dungeons of rap. Neither Nas nor DJ Premier have anything left to prove. However, that does not mean they cannot challenge themselves artistically to give the fans what they want while still creating a new sound. I would not expect a 2024 Nas/DJ Premier record to sound like a record they did in 1994. Most fans would be interested in hearing how DJ Premier could update his trademark boom bap sound to today’s musical climate while still being able to make a great Nas record. The complimentary vibe between Nas and Premier is the biggest question mark for a potential album. Nas and Premo have a track record of being able to bring the best out of each other. With slumping sales in general, growing dysfunctional behavior from social media antics by rappers, and a lack of quality musical output, Nas and DJ Premier could be the ones to swoop in and save the day 30 years after they came together to create arguably the greatest rap album in the 90s.

Hip-hop is no longer a young man’s game. Yes, hip hop is still for the most part dominated by youthful energy. However, the genre just celebrated it’s 50th birthday and the fanbase has expanded to an older demographic. Those of us who were teenagers when Illmatic dropped are now in our forties. There are still a lot of us who love and listen to hip-hop. We grew up on Nas albums. We grew up on Gang Starr, Group Home, and Jeru Da Damaja albums. Nothing could be better than these two coming together after a long hiatus, especially for those of us that were raised off their music. A Nas/DJ Premier EP or LP could be the equivalent of visiting a childhood friend for the first time in years and the two of you picking up right where you left off like you never skipped a beat. We have been deprived of the two working together for far too long. Nas and Premier need to come together for one last time for the culture. Can you imagine the excitement for us “old heads” if Nas or Premo announced tomorrow they were in the studio together? Social media would be on fire for a segment of hip hop culture. Hip hop podcasts would be set ablaze. The expectation and predictions for this album would generate endless content. The album could potentially give the rap game a jolt of energy for the older cats who feel uninspired by today’s rap music while putting younger generations of rap listeners on to their brand of rap. The album could be an important benchmark in both of their careers.

“Rocking with Preem is nothing short of amazing…” – Nas on “Beat Breaks” from DJ Premier’s Hip Hop 50: Vol. 1 EP (2022)

Folks, the album is coming. DJ Premier did the scratches on the ASAP Rocky featured “Wave Gods” off Nas's Magic album in late 2021. In the summer of 2022, Nas and Premo collaborated for the first time in years on a Hip-Hop 50 EP that DJ Premier made for Nas’s Mass Appeal records. Later that Fall, Nas hinted the album was still happening on King's Disease III…maybe. Late summer of 2023, Nas had a star-studded 50th birthday celebration where DJ Premier was in attendance. I could be reaching but I do not think all these recent occurrences are a coincidence. Instead, I believe those events are setting the stage for both artists finally giving the people what they want. I believe after the improbable run Nas had with Hit-Boy and 2024 marking the 30th anniversary for Hip Hop’s “bible”, the timing is perfect for the album to come out. Nas is still rapping at an elite level. Premier has continued to make music, most notably collaborating with Busta, Griselda, and Snoop in recent years. I am hoping we get a Nas and DJ Premier album with nine to twelve songs on them. Maybe feature AZ on a record as a symbolic ode to Illmatic. I would not be mad at a Griselda feature on the album either. I have to believe DJ Premier has spent the past decade or so stashing beats aside for Nas, just in case the album were to happen. DJ Premier knows how to make a Nas record that turns into a timeless piece of art. As we celebrate 30 years of Nas’s magnus opus, I am sincerely hoping we close out 2024 with a Nas and DJ Premier album. So, to both artists, the time is NOW. Do it for the culture!