Hip-hop fans have a reason to celebrate. Nas has officially shared that his long-awaited collaborative album with DJ Premier is finally complete. In a new conversation with Rolling Stone, the Queensbridge icon revealed that the project has been in the works for years, pulling material from recording sessions that go back more than a decade.
When asked by Rolling Stone about the album’s progress, Nas replied, “I can’t wait for people to finally hear it. I don’t know about anybody else, but for me and him, it was personally a long time coming for us to do it.”
This collaboration has been one of hip-hop’s most talked-about projects ever since rumors began in the early 2000s. Nas and DJ Premier have a legendary creative history together. Premier produced some of Nas’ most memorable records, including “N.Y. State of Mind,” “Represent,” and “Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park)” from Nas’ landmark 1994 debut Illmatic.
Nas Is Dropping The Legend Has It … Album Series
The album’s first single, “Define My Name,” was released earlier this year as part of Mass Appeal Records’ Legend Has It… series. This year-long celebration highlights New York hip-hop greats, with music from icons like Slick Rick, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep and Big L’s estate. Mass Appeal also partnered with Marvel to create a Legend Has It… comic that reimagines these artists as superheroes.
The single was a powerful reminder of the undeniable chemistry between Nas and Premier. Over the years, both have spoken about wanting to work together again, but conflicting schedules delayed their reunion. Now, after years of rumors and anticipation, it seems the wait is finally at an end.
Although Nas has not shared an official release date, simply knowing the album is complete has sparked excitement among fans who have long viewed the combination of Nas’ storytelling and Premier’s signature boom-bap style as something truly special. DJ Premier has also hinted in previous interviews that the album will honor their classic sound with sharp lyricism, soulful samples, and that gritty New York energy.
With Nas continuing his creative streak after his King’s Disease and Magic series, this long-anticipated reunion with DJ Premier feels like a moment fans have been waiting for, and it could turn out to be a defining chapter in both of their careers.
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