Nas Quotes

My first record - it was 1991. I was 16 years old. My first album came out when I was 20. So, I've been here that long and I still have the passion to do it.

I live in L.A. because my kids do. Home is where my kids are for me.

Through the lights cameras and action, glamour glitters and gold I unfold the scroll, plant seeds to stampede the globe.

People afraid of criticism but I always put myself in a sacrificial position,they been know I ain't just rappin for fame

The big stars in rap, they were too big, so when my rap generation started, it was about bringing you inside my apartment. It wasn't about being a rap star; it was about anything other than.

Hip-hop is really standoffish. It's really competitive and it's really about who's number one all the time. Sometimes it gets out of hand.

I expect the hip-hop audience to be avant garde. I want them to be where I'm at or beyond where I'm at.

I want to sound like an instrument. I want my voice and my words to marry the beat.

Hip-hop ain't died because of the South, that's retarded.

I think hip-hop could help rebuild America, once hip-hoppers own hip-hop... We are our own politicians, our own government, we have something to say. We're warriors. Soldiers.

Anybody I'm dating, I don't want them to talk about my music. I don't talk about my music to them.

I'm sure we're gonna meet some bumps in the road, but if it's meant to be it will happen.

On the reals, all these crab niggaz know the deal, When we start the revolution, all they'll probably do is squeal.

Hip-hop is bigger than the South, hip-hop is bigger than New York.

My record company had to beg me to stop filmin' music videos in the projects. No matter what the song was about, I had 'em out there.

I had a pretty public divorce. They're not easy - divorces - and it took me a long time to really get through.

Hip-hop is making a lot of noise. It should get some more spotlight.

I don't kill soloists only kill squads

So many affluent men are faced with finding love problems. I'm sure beautiful, affluent women are faced with the same things sometimes.

Jamaican music can be aggressive, soulful, smooth and exciting all at once - just like hip-hop. At the same time, there's nothing like Jamaica in the United States. Jamaica is its own thing.

There's not one person in the world that's not a living, walking contradiction.

When I try to sound like the contemporary sound, it never turns out that way. That's just me.

I push my own limits every day, every moment - in the studio, on the stage and beyond so it's truly a genuine fit.

I think more people want to be rappers than anything else.

Used to ride with him to Brooklyn, Lewis and Halsey, co chocolate thai, vernon style and burn it down

I think marriage is a beautiful thing. I'm still a supporter of it.

All on the street, you get treated like a street cat: "All right, you've been eatin' enough, you're fat, get out of the way now and let somebody else come by."

When I try to sound like the contemporary sound, it never turns out that way.

To me, it's an honour to be accepted as a hip hop artist, it gives me a lot of opportunity to express myself.

Hip-Hop is Dead cause America is dead culturally.

You don't want to disappoint. Especially someone like me who's been out of music for years and hasn't had an album in like, four years.

In hip hop no one cares. No one stands up for it and it's a mess. We need order so we can all follow the tradition of where we came from. We need to keep referring to the pioneers.

There's always going to be space for battle in hip hop. For competition. It's just an inseparable part of the game.

You know the block was ill as a youngster Every night it was like a, cop would get killed body found in the dumpster

There was a side of me that knew I was gonna change the game, but I didn't know how many people would respect it.

With age comes common sense and wisdom.

You can't please everybody. You'd be crazy if you're trying to. So take some time out to do some things for yourself.

I don't want any title. I just say what I say, and hopefully somebody gets it, man. I'm not perfect, and I'm just here and trying to make a dollar, and being real at the same time, you know?

When you have a daughter, you want to protect her from the things that I've seen out there, you know, the things that's out there that ain't good for her. It's a crazy world we live in.

I think the fact that I made enough noise in the world that I might be remembered is an amazing achievement. You can't ask for more than that.

Working with great people makes you great you learn a lot and it also gives you the experience and confidence to move on with your own career.