Top 45 Nas Quotes

All fatherhood is very important because single mothers shouldn’t have to raise sons or daughters; they need that help.

Hip-hop is bigger than the South; hip-hop is bigger than New York.

Hip-hop is really standoffish. It’s really competitive and it’s really about who’s number one all the time. Sometimes it gets out of hand.

I don’t have time for the news clippings. I got my own mission.

I love PBS! I grew up on it. If I had to say which channels were good, I’d say, you got your PBS, your History Channel, your Discovery.

I never stood for any president in my life, never voted, before Barack Obama. It changed my life to vote. It starts there with me. I never cared for politics before Barack Obama. I never thought it mattered to people like me.

I think I’ve had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I’m that guy. I’m still blessed with the opportunity to make music and pass out a message like, ‘Life is good,’ to the world.

N.Y. hip-hop is ok, but we gotta become brave again; we have to be brave enough and do something new – that’s what New York is about… New.

I see N.Y. hip-hop like I see N.Y. streets. N.Y. streets are grimy; it’s a grind. N.Y. rappers are hustlers – whatever sound is in, we can adapt to that; there’s nothing wrong with that.

No matter who you are, black, white, green, there’s going to be things in your way, you know what I mean?

I’m just little me, an American who wants to see his country do better.

Whenever I received too much praise, it just didn’t feel right to me – ever.

Hip-hop is making a lot of noise. It should get some more spotlight.

There was a side of me that knew I was gonna change the game, but I didn’t know how many people would respect it.

When I say ‘hip-hop is dead,’ basically, America is dead. There is no political voice. Music is dead.

Once you make it to your point of making it, you’ll appreciate the struggle.

Anybody can be a rapper, but not anybody can be a classical artist.

Hip-hop is the streets. Hip-hop is a couple of elements that it comes from back in the days… that feel of music with urgency that speaks to you. It speaks to your livelihood and it’s not compromised. It’s blunt. It’s raw, straight off the street – from the beat to the voice to the words.

Some people say I’m conscious, some say I’m a gangsta rapper – it’s just me doing me. I’m stomping in my own lane. I’m doing what I do.

Divorce can be crazy. Man, if you’re happy… Love is a beast, man. Hold on. Be prepared for any way it may go, and be honest.

I want to have fun. It’s a beautiful life. You learn, you win, you lose, but you get up.

The flaws, the mistakes I make – that’s the real me.

We’re all Africans, everyone – black, white, yellow.

I’ll always love rap, no matter what’s going on.

I don’t go out unless I’m working. My quality time is when I’m doing nothing.

I definitely have plans to do more collaboration albums in the future. I’m a big fan of Common. I’m a big fan of Scarface; I’m a big fan of so many people, from Jeezy to… well, there are a lot of people’s music that I respect. I don’t know who I will collaborate with, but there’s a great chance of something happening.

Every time I get in the studio, I feel like I wanna have some fun. My fun is not doing the easy work. My fun is doing what’s me.

I’m not talking about Russia in my music. I’ve never been to Russia. I’m not talking about Africa, Switzerland, China. I’m talking about me being American and growing up in a crazy world and helping to reflect all different sides of life.

GaGa is one of my favourites. Her voice is incredible and she’s fearless and she’s ahead of the game. She’s ahead of the entire game, and I admire that.

Man, me and Biggie were the biggest artists in New York. When he passed, I was so messed up. My attitude was messed up about him dying. There was an East-West thing back then, and I was in war mode.

Working with great people makes you great; you learn a lot and it also gives you the experience and confidence to move on with your own career.

Every generation witnesses atrocities. People in power try to fulfill prophecy.

You can’t please everybody. You’d be crazy if you’re trying to. So take some time out to do some things for yourself.

I think the hip-hop purists are purists through and through. They’re here to criticize all of us. That’s just how it is. We as MC’s criticize each other. That’s the nature of hip-hop.

DJs play a big responsibility of what hip-hop is doing… At the end of the day, it’s up to us to control and to own hip-hop. DJs need to challenge us rappers. They got so much power, they need to challenge us.

It’s never been seen that a street artist go as far as I’ve gone – keep consistent without wanting to do a bunch of ventures outside of music to keep my face out there.

My record company had to beg me to stop filmin’ music videos in the projects. No matter what the song was about, I had ’em out there.

I want to sound like an instrument. I want my voice and my words to marry the beat. I go with the rhythm of it and the words start to come to my mind and those words could be based on things that’s been on my mind for the past year, the past month, the past week, whatever; I write it.

I just enjoy life now. I just enjoy every morning I get to wake up.

I love the art world, I love art galleries, I love what it means – I love art.

I don’t want any title. I just say what I say, and hopefully somebody gets it, man. I’m not perfect, and I’m just here and trying to make a dollar, and being real at the same time, you know?

Your look reflects what’s happening in your mind. You gotta have some swag to you.

I wish the music business was a much easier thing, but you know what? Nothing easy is worth anything. So it is what it is. There comes a time when things can work out and everybody can be happy. And that’s what it’s all about in the end – everybody being happy and working it out.

I can’t control what people think. They know who I am.

I like the way hip-hop is now. It’s grown up enough so that it can get involved with politics if it feels like it.