Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, better known by his stage name Nas, is an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas began his musical career in 1989 under the moniker "Nasty Nas", and recorded demos for fellow East Coast rapper Large Professor. He was later featured on the 1991 song "Live at the Barbeque" by his group, Main Source.
Inga DeCarlo Fung Marchand, better known by her stage name Foxy Brown, is an American rapper. Upon signing to Def Jam Recordings in 1996, she released her debut studio album Ill Na Na in November of that year. The album was met with critical and commercial success, receiving platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and selling over 7 million units worldwide. The following year, she was placed in the hip hop supergroup the Firm along with Nas, AZ and Cormega. The Firm's sole album (1997) was released through Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. In 1999, Marchand released her second album, Chyna Doll to continued success, debuting atop the Billboard 200 and making her the second female rapper to do so after Lauryn Hill in 1998.
Anthony Cruz, better known by his stage name AZ, is an American rapper known for being a longtime and frequent music partner of East Coast rapper Nas and also a member of hip hop group The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature. Online magazine About.com listed AZ as the "Most Underrated [Rapper] of All Time". AZ also made it onto the sites' "Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)", where he was reiterated as "arguably the most underrated lyricist ever".
Olu Dara Jones is an American cornetist, guitarist, and singer. He is the father of rapper Nas.
Cory McKay, better known by his stage name Cormega, is an American rapper.
Bravehearts are an East Coast hip hop group from New York City. The group's roster originally included Jungle, Wiz, and Horse. Horse left the group in 2002, and Jungle and Wiz carried on as a duo. Wiz was in turn replaced by Nashawn, Nas's cousin.
Jermain Baxter, better known as Nature, is an American rapper, best known for his association with fellow New York City rapper Nas and having replaced Cormega in the original QB group the Firm.
The Firm was an American hip hop supergroup formed in New York City in 1996 by rapper Nas, his manager Steve Stoute, producer Dr. Dre and production team Trackmasters. The group is composed of East Coast-based rappers Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Cormega. Rapper Nature is a former member: he served as a replacement for Cormega after he was ousted from the group.
"One Love" is a song by American rapper Nas, released October 25, 1994 on Columbia Records. It was issued as the fifth and final radio single in promotion of his debut studio album Illmatic (1994). The song was produced by Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, who also contributed vocals for the chorus line. According to Nas, the title of the song originates from Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician Bob Marley's song of the same name.
"Nas Is Like" is the first single from Nas' third album I Am.... The song is the sixth collaboration between Nas and producer DJ Premier. It was well received by critics as it was a change from the more commercial and pop-oriented singles from It Was Written and Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature Present The Firm: The Album. The song contains a combination of braggadocios and introspective lyrics over a choppy string sample.
"Bridging the Gap" is a single from Nas' Street's Disciple, and features his father, Olu Dara. The second single from Street's Disciple, it samples music from Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" composition. Olu Dara provides the hook of the song by talking about his path and how Nas was born.
From Illmatic to Stillmatic: The Remixes is an extended play by Nas. It includes six remixed versions of songs from the earlier Nas LPs Illmatic, It Was Written, and Stillmatic. It was released by Columbia Records on July 2, 2002. It features AZ, R. Kelly and Foxy Brown.
The Realness is the debut studio album by American rapper Cormega. It features guest appearances from Mobb Deep and Tragedy Khadafi, as well as production from Havoc of Mobb Deep, J-Love, and The Alchemist, among others. It was released via Legal Hustle Records and LandSpeed Records.
The Album is the only studio album by American hip hop supergroup The Firm. It was released on October 21, 1997, by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The project was created by rapper Nas, his manager Steve Stoute and producers Dr. Dre and Trackmasters, who came up with the idea of forming a hip hop supergroup. The original line-up included Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown and Cormega who were all featured on the song "Affirmative Action" from Nas' album It Was Written (1996). However, Cormega later left the group due to artistic differences between him and Nas, as well as contract disagreements with Stoute. He was replaced by Nature prior to recording of the album. The Album is a concept album that revolves around the themes of mafia and "gangsta" lifestyle. The songs on the album were mainly produced by Dr. Dre, Chris "The Glove" Taylor and Trackmasters, and feature guest vocals from Pretty Boy, Wizard, Canibus, Dawn Robinson, Noreaga and Half-a-Mill.
Illmatic is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas. It was released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records. After signing with the label with the help of MC Serch, Nas recorded the album in 1992 and 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. The album's production was handled by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and Nas himself. Styled as a hardcore hip hop album, Illmatic features multi-syllabic internal rhymes and inner-city narratives based on Nas' experiences growing up in the Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York City.
In the World: From Natchez to New York is the solo debut album by the jazz cornetist Olu Dara, released in 1998. Dara also sings and plays guitar on the album.
It Was Written is the second studio album by American rapper Nas, released on July 2, 1996, by Columbia Records. After the modest commercial success of his debut album Illmatic (1994), Nas pursued a more polished, mainstream sound for It Was Written. Produced largely by Trackmasters, it departed from the debut's raw, underground aesthetic and embraced mafioso and gangsta themes. The recording also marked the first appearance of Nas's short-lived supergroup The Firm, featuring the rappers Foxy Brown, AZ, and Cormega.
Street's Disciple is the seventh studio album by American rapper Nas, released as a double album by Columbia Records. Originally scheduled for a September 14, 2004 release, the album was ultimately released on November 30, 2004. Named after one of his lyrics from "Live at the Barbeque" by Main Source, the album's cover art was digitally created using photos of Nas to create an adaptation of The Last Supper. The album marked the end of Nas' tenure with Columbia Records after ten years.
"Shether" is a diss track by American rapper Remy Ma. The song is aimed at rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on February 25, 2017, by Empire Distribution. The song's title and beat is from the diss track "Ether" by Nas.
The discography of American rapper Cormega, consists of eight studio albums, two compilation albums, one extended play, and 11 singles.
