Nas and DJ Premier locked in Hip-Hop history with a long-awaited joint album announcement during a live show, revealing their first full-length collaboration will drop on December 12.
The news came straight from Premier himself, who surprised the crowd by confirming the project’s completion and its official release date during a tour stop in Scotland with The Alchemist. The album marks the first time the Queensbridge MC and the Gang Starr producer have released a full project together, decades after their early studio chemistry helped shape the sound of 1990s East Coast rap.
Premier’s production helped define Nas’ 1994 debut, Illmatic, laying the sonic groundwork for three of the album’s most iconic tracks: “N.Y. State of Mind,” “Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park),” and “Represent.”
Their collaborative history didn’t stop there. Premier later contributed to “Nas Is Like” from 1999’s I Am…, “Come Get Me” off Stillmatic, and “Disciple” featuring Big Sean from Life Is Good. They reunited most recently on “Define My Name” in April 2024, a track released to celebrate Illmatic’s 30th anniversary and tease what was to come. Known for his stripped-down beats and jazz-infused loops, he’s crafted classics for everyone from Jay-Z to The Notorious B.I.G. His influence is still felt in today’s production styles, and his work remains a benchmark for authenticity in the genre.