The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Jones's musical career began in 1989 as he adopted the moniker of 'Nasty Nas' and recorded demos for Large Professor. Nas has released twelve studio albums since 1994, seven of which are certified platinum and multi-platinum in the U.S.
Rooted in the New York hip hop scene, he is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones ( / n ɑː ˈ s ɪər/ born September 14, 1973), better known by his stage name Nas ( / n ɑː z/), is an American rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur.