I think it was a combination of Nas not playing the game and being media shy. He HATED interviews and being photographed back then. But even with his aloofness bis sheer talent and Steve Stoute’s determination and business acumen made Nas a star. And lets not act like he was being actively suppressed or blackballed. Street Dreams was a big radio hit and charted even higher than If I Ruled The World. The song was so popular they remixed it with R.Kelly and the video was in heavy rotation. I remember Nas videos being featured heavily on MTV/BET and him doing interviews with both stations. BET in particular really loved Nas at one point, i recall the Street Dreams remix video getting a lot of plays. The Source wouldn’t give him his deserved Lyricist Of The Year award but they certainly ran the gamut when it came to putting him on the cover MULTIPLE times per year.
They wasn’t calling Biggie the leader. Or Raekwon. Or Jay-Z. Or 2Pac. Or Snoop Dogg. They anointed NAS that one even if they wouldn’t give him the trophy.
Dream Hampton, who today is the biggest Jay-Z fan on planet EARTH, who started the bullshyt lies that Nas used Jay Electronica and Stic.Man as ghostwriters, once praised It Was Written and Nas as one of the greatest writers who ever lived.
I think the onus for how some of these narratives have played out falls on Nas himself. He’s one of the biggest selling rapers who ever lived and people like to act as if he’s Ransom or some shyt and he never corrects or sets the record straight. Nas is the first solo New York rapper to debut at number 1. He outsold Jay-Z, Eminem, Missy Elliot, and Snoop Dogg’s first week in 1999. He dropped not one but TWO platinum albums in 99, becoming only the second rapper to do so. Nas an undeniable superstar pedigree that he never flashes because he’s humble and out of the way. But Nas is and has always been THAT dude. People even forget that the only reason The Lost Tapes even EXISTS is because after Stillmatic Nas was hot as fish grease and the label DEMANDED more product from him.
, because not a single BAR - even from the feature-guests is wasted
