Top 7 NAS tracks that define his legacy

NAS is like that pal who never yells yet still wins each time, only by using clear facts, smooth moves, and a bit of spice from Queensbridge. When he first showed up on the track Live at the BBQ back in '92, he was like a wise rapper from the future. He made one thing sure: he wasn't just here for fun; he was here to change the game of rap like it was a holy text.

His first big work, Illmatic, didn't just come out in 1994; it felt as if it was sent down from the sky with DJ Premier's tunes and words as powerful as street sermons, going straight into the Hip-Hop Hall of Eternal Greatness (not official, but it feels true). The man's list of songs is so long and full, it feels almost wrong to cut it down to just 7 songs. That's like telling someone to pick their best breath of air.

Nonprofit Stand With Crypto, holds a get-out-the-vote rally featuring the rapper Nas (image via Getty)

Whether he's writing dark city tales, deep thoughts, or lines that make you play them back three times just to get all the hidden meanings, Nas does it with a style that seems both old and new.

You could talk for hours about what should be on this list, The World Is Yours or Thief's Theme? One Mic or Rewind?, but the main thing is, he's given us enough good tracks to fill ten lists. So, go on, look with doubt, side-eye what's left out, and then fight for your underdog pick like your Spotify Wrapped relies on it.

And here's the key, Nas's skill isn't just old times or just a few top hits that hold up his long game. It's about being steady and making new. He didn't just ride on Illmatic's tales; he shook it up with It Was Written, made odd plays with Nastradamus and Hip Hop Is Dead, then struck hard with the King's Disease set, showing an old pro can stay sharp.

His craft didn't go dull, his rhyme styles kept deep, his flows stayed smooth, and his themes grew but kept that tough Queensbridge root. Even when rap styles flip every half year, Nas kept putting out work without bending, showing young ones that to last isn't about chasing hits, it's about making them.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised!

Here are the top 7 NAS songs of all time

Here are the top seven NAS songs ever, and no, we can't change this (but we know you'll still talk about it). These songs are not just cool to hear; they mark times, show off great lyrics, and hit hard, showing all parts of Nasir Jones.

From the deep peace of One Mic to the big scare of NY State of Mind, every song here made its place by being complex in words, big in history, and great to hear again and again. These songs show how Nas grew as a rapper and thinker, from a young, hungry poet to a wise, grown-up leader in hip-hop.

1) Money Over Bullsh*t

When Money Over Bullsh*t started Hip Hop Is Dead on December 19, 2006, it wasn't like most first songs. It was more like Nas was putting on his war gear and getting ready to fight with his sharp words.

The beat, made by Wyldfyer and L.E.S., comes in strong, as if it's in a big rush, and the rapper uses it to lead as if he's at the front of a word fight. He didn't come just to win fans - he came to knock down the pride of others. This was more than a song; it was a clear fight call, mainly aimed at the new style of rap from the South that was all over the radio back then.

While the South was out having fun in clubs, the rapper was in the war room, showing the rap world that Queensbridge still had firepower. With lines full of poison and a voice that warned "don't try me," the rapper set himself up as the keeper of rap rules, making it very clear: if you don't care about the lines, you're part of the issue.

2) Undying Love

Think of this: a big name in hip hop tells a deep tale that kicks off with a quick idea, a fun trip from Las Vegas to give his girl a big surprise. But wait, it goes bad. He plans for hugs, but finds her close to another man. What comes next is more "crime" than "lovely trip," ending in a dark murder-suicide that ends four lives. Nas doesn't just narrate the mess; he paints the story so clearly you can almost touch the stress hanging in the air.

Since the rapper's baby mama, Carmen Bryan, was known for seeing many guys, it's tough not to say he put some real, messy life stuff into this song. If heartbreak had a sound, Undying Love would be its most sad tune, where love turns into a big, sad mess in the hardest way.

3) Daughters (2012)

The rapper is talking about being a dad? No one saw that coming. But when Daughters came out on Life Is Good (2012), it felt like a deep talk between the coolest dad around and his therapist. This song is less about street life and more about, "Please don't share that on Instagram, dear."

It shows a side of Nas that's more about night tales than street tales. With a smooth jazz beat in the background, Nas talks about the tough parts of being a dad to a girl today, mixing in some regret, smart words, and gentle dad worry.

You can almost catch him searching "How to Chat with Your Teen" in the breaks. It's not just how open he is that hits, it's how he makes his own hard time as a dad into a song that all dads can feel when they start to feel really old.

MLB Fan Cave Concert Series: Nas (Image via Getty)

And still, Nas being Nas, his words keep their sharp edge all the time. Daughters shows that even with some grey hair and dad tasks, he can still beat your top rapper in a rap battle while he talks to his girl about social media.

4) One Love (1994)

Picture Nas on a park seat with a pen, a beat, and deep, sad feelings. One Love is just like that. But he doesn't just send a basic card to his friend Cormega in jail. Nas makes a word-rich time box that is also a strong mix of emotions, filled with street talk and deep thoughts.

He's not only rapping; he's writing in his diary with a poet's skill and a thinker's ideas, placing true feelings into his lyrics. At the same time, Q-Tip's music comes soft like a warm wind through jail bars, led by a xylophone that sounds as if it’s just woken up on a bright day. His calm voice moves in the back like a ghost sharing soft words of hope.

In some way, Nas takes rough stories of being turned on and making it through, and turns them into soft songs for those who are lost. With Tip's smooth charm at the base, One Love turns into more than just a song. It feels like a warm hug for friends who are locked up. It's the softest bit on Illmatic, showing that even in tough spots, there's space for love notes, tied up in beats, lines, and deep bonds.

5) Doo Rags (2002)

Doo Rags shows Nas as a cool, time-traveling uncle, taking us right into a brown-colored Queensbridge look-back as if he's pulling out old VHS tapes marked "The Good Old Days." With a super smooth, soulful beat that feels like it was made soft and slow in a grandma's basement, Nas does more than rap, he tells old stories like your cousin who claims he saw hip-hop start.

Bandanas wave in the warm wind, dice hit hard on the street, and each bar is full of that "I miss it, but won't shed a tear" vibe. Tucked away among the hidden gems of The Lost Tapes, this song is like Nas's own word-filled book; he talks of street life and adds a tune that feels like an old, sweet song. And really? It feels more like a cozy hug, all wrapped up in old times and cool style.

6) Come Get Me

Come Get Me, dropped on November 23, 1999, from Nastradamus, is like finding a $20 bill in old jeans you were about to toss. Set with songs that made folks think the rapper let a toy write his lines, this one pops. With DJ Premier setting the beat, using The Persuaders' 'We’re Just Trying to Make It' for a rough feel, Nas was back in fight form and threw some smart hits at Roc-A-Fella.

It's the lyrical equivalent of throwing shade with a smirk, no names, but everyone in the room knew who he was talking about. Preemo's beat does half the talking, sounding like a subway train with a vengeance, while he laces it with enough paranoia and quiet aggression to make you clutch your chain and look over your shoulder.

7) The Message (1996)

If Nas's The Message were a person, it would be that smart, quiet one at the party. This person would be in a dark spot, holding a dark drink, dropping hard-to-get lines about life and death, and other rappers. And all this while, no one notices because they are all into their dance. Sitting right at the start of It Was Written, like a guard for the rest of the songs, it meets you with sharp, well-done words, so on point you'd think Nas cut them with a blade.

The Trackmasters' beat? Smooth like silk but with a dark hint, using Sting's guitar tune from Shape of My Heart and making it sound like it's up to no good in some dark lane. And then the talk begins: Was he aiming at 2Pac? Biggie? The person who lives above him? No one can tell for sure, which just makes it more of a mystery.

Nas Concert In Stockholm (Image via Getty)

It's like poetry but also tough, daring but still kind of quiet, really, it's like the word version of a dark coat and cool shades. But, even with all this cool stuff, it's still left in the shadows by Nas's big hits. The Message is that hidden jewel in his work that rap fans love in secret, while the rest of us are too caught up by 'If I Ruled the World' to even see it.

Nas's work shows how hip-hop has changed over time, from tough city tales to the wise words of an older man, all shared with some of the best rap skills seen. From the sharp work in Illmatic, to the big ideas in Untitled, and the clear thoughts in King's Disease, he's always been ready to try new things, grow old well, or make new music just to show he can still out-rap most out there. He's seen big sales, hard reviews, and big changes in culture, but has kept a voice that feels both ageless and right for today.

Whether he's looking at society, sharing street tales, or just showing off his word skills, the rapper has made a lot of songs that at times feel more like books than tunes, deep, rich, and no doubt game-changing. In the end, his work is not only about staying in the game long, but about the power of telling tales, changing it up, and sticking to his own style.