Nas has an expansive portfolio of studio albums, and today, we're gonna be taking a look at all of them, ranking the 14 best Nas albums in order from worst to best. Born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, this rapper has had quite the story to tell, and has told it in a way far superior to your typical rapper. Let's take a look at everything the legendary talent has dropped off to date.
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Top Songs: "Wave Gods," "Speechless," "Meet Joe Black"
As we start out our list, we go back only a couple years to Nas' 2021 studio album, Magic. This particular project featured the likes of only two artists: A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier, both of whom featured on the highest-performing song, "Wave Gods."
Top Songs: "Adam and Eve," "Cops Shot the Kid," "everything," "Not For Radio"
Next up on our list of the best Nas albums is Nasir from back in 2018. This project was quality from an objective standpoint, but considering the projects that Nas is known for, this is far from his best. The album features Kanye West, Diddy, 070 Shake, The-Dream, and The WRLDFMS Tony Williams
Top Songs: "Purple," "Doo Rags," "My Way"
Back in 2002, Nas unveiled his studio album, The Lost Tapes. This project was another quality Nas album, but pales in comparison to his very best, which we'll be getting to in a bit. When someone has this many albums and they're all good, it's worth a proper salute.
Top Songs: "Just A Moment," "Virgo," "Bridging The Gap," "Thief's Theme"
As you might have noticed by now, Nas' father is a famous jazz musician, one who's been featured on many of Nas' best albums. Such is the case with Street's Disciple back in 2004, along with many other noteworthy talents. This and Nas' distinct curation approach is what puts this at the number eleven spot on our list of the best Nas albums.
Top Songs: "Replace Me," "All Bad," "Rare," "Nobody," "Legit," "Thun"
While we could individually rank each one of the three King's Disease albums, it makes more sense to put it all in the same spot, considering each one is of a notably similar caliber. Taking on a more modern approach with his feature selections and beat selections, this trilogy was yet another step forward for the legendary talent.
Top Songs: "Cherry Wine," "Daughters," "Bye Baby"
Amy Winehouse? On a Nas album? That's not something you'd usually expect, but it makes sense, considering the variety of features that Nas has brought in throughout his storied career. That was just one of the ear-catching moments that really stood out from his 2012 album, Life Is Good.
Top Songs: "Hero," "You Can't Stop Us Now," "Sly Fox"
Towards the end of the decade in the 2000's, Nas dropped off a memorable project back in 2008, Nas, which has appropriately landed at the number 8 spot on our list of the best Nas albums. Again, while it's not his best, it offers a competitive selection of music that would make an average rapper sound terrible.
Top Songs: "Hip Hop Is Dead," "Still Dreaming," "Can't Forget About You," "Hustlers"
Though it seems he was wrong at the time with the name of his 2006 studio album, Hip Hop Is Dead, Nas once again came through with a body of work that was well-worth a listen. "Hip Hop Is Dead," "Still Dreaming," "Can't Forget About You," and "Hustlers" are just some of the standout tracks from this notable record.
Top Songs: "I Can," "Get Down," "Made You Look"
At the number six spot on our list of the best Nas albums, we have God's Son, which only continued Nas' hot-streak heading into the 2000's. This project featured hits like "I Can," "Get Down," and "Made You Look," along with a selection of other notable tracks. It's a great listen all the way through, to say the least.
Top Songs: "You Owe Me," "Shoot 'em Up," "Nastradamus," "Life We Chose"
As we enter into the five best Nas albums on our list, it's going to get competitive. This is made evident with the number five spot on our list, Nastradamus, from back in 1999, as the world was "ending." So the stage was set for this fitting album title, and an explosive catalog of songs within.
Top Songs: "One Mic," "Ether," "Got Ur Self A Gun," "What Goes Around"
After Nastradamus, Nas decided to go even harder, and unveil an absolute banger of a project with his 2001 studio album, Stillmatic. This was yet another reminder that the world-renowned MC was just getting started with his now-storied hip-hop career. "One Mic," "Ether," "Got Ur Self A Gun," and "What Goes Around" are just a handful of the standout songs from this gem.
Top Songs: "Nas Is Like," "Hate Me Now," "N.Y. State of Mind, Pt. II"
If you thought the top five was competitive, it's on a whole other level now that we've reached the top three spots on our list of the best Nas albums. At the number three spot, we have I Am... from 1999. With a cover depicting Nas as an Egyptian pharaoh, the scene was set from the jump for Nas to go absolutely crazy with this album - and crazy he went.
Top Songs: "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)," "The Message," "Street Dreams," "I Gave You Power"
Featuring the same style of cover art as his incredibly epic debut album, It Was Written had one main discrepancy on the cover: Nas was grown now. This theme of evolution was evident both on the cover and across the music within. "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)," "The Message," "Street Dreams," and "I Gave You Power" are just a few of the historical songs within this legendary album.
Top Songs: "N.Y. State of Mind," "The World Is Yours," "It Ain't Hard to Tell," "Halftime," "Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)," "Represent"
At the number one spot on our list, we have Illmatic. Nas was only 20 years old when he released Illmatic in 1994, which is incredible, considering just how advanced his level of music-making skills were at the time. This is an unbelievable example of Nas' unrivaled rap prowess, and it really makes one think about the mastery he showcased while being Nas' debut. Unusual would be a huge understatement.
