Nas is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album Illmatic in a big way. Today, he released “Define My Name,” a new single produced by DJ Premier (who worked on the original Illmatic), and the duo announced a long-awaited collaborative album, due sometime later this year.
Built over a DJ Premier-produced beat, Nas’ verses on “Define My Name” see the rapper address his name and his legacy. “At 20, I said I’d better quit by 30,” he raps. “Then by 30, I thought by 40 rapping is corny/ How wrong was I?/ Never would have thought at 50, new songs by Nas would be hard and live.”
The verses build up to the chorus refrain “What defines my name” with a sample from Biz Markie saying “Nas.” On the outro, DJ Premier jumps in to say “30 years later, Illmatic was dropped,” and then closes the song by saying “Premier album is still gonna happen.” Stream the single below.
Illmatic first arrived in 1994, with DJ Premier producing the songs “N.Y. State of Mind,” “Represent,” and “Memory Lane.” For years, fans have awaited a full-length collaboration between the two artists, with Nas even rapping on his 2022 song “30” that “Premier album still might happen.”
When exactly Nas and DJ Premier’s upcoming album will debut is unknown, as is its title. Nas’ most recent release was his 17th studio album Magic 3, which arrived last September.
Up next, Nas has a few shows booked in the United States, including a set at Las Vegas’ Lovers and Friends Festival, a show at Red Rocks, and more. Check out his upcoming dates and grab tickets here.