From the landmark album "Illmatic" in 1994 to the Grammy-winning "King’s Disease," Nas has been exposing truth through rhymes and vivid street poetry for more than 25 years. Now he’s sharing his journey, the evolution of Hip-Hop, and a brand-new song with you. Hip-Hop, lyricism, flow—learn how to tap into the power of your own voice and turn your experiences into music with one of rap’s all-time greatest artists.

Syllabus

Meet Your Instructor

Discover Nas’s life story and how writing lyrics and making music became a way for him to channel his thoughts and served as a form of therapy. Learn Nas’s take on the importance of ambition and drive in pursuing your dreams.

Telling Your Life Story Through Music

Nas takes you through a case study of how he wrote “N.Y. State of Mind,” one of his most iconic songs, and breaks down the importance of details and why describing the way an experience made you feel is the key to writing powerful lyrics.

Rapping and Rhyme Schemes

Nas explains the concepts of beat, timing, and rhythmic patterns and shares how he challenges himself and breaks a pattern. He also explains how you can experiment with unexpected words and rhymes to make your raps more interesting.

In the Studio: Writing an Original Rap Song

Get a firsthand, real-time view of Nas’s writing process, with takeaway tips on how to formulate ideas to a beat.

In the Studio: Recording an Original Rap Song

Witness Nas’s genius in action as he records an original song. Nas also breaks down one of his techniques: spitting lyrics spontaneously and then going back and fixing the parts that didn’t work in real time.

Using Poetic Lyrical Techniques

Nas explains the value of using poetic techniques in lyrics: wordplay, analogies, metaphors, figurative language, slang, and cultural references. He shares examples from his own lyrics and shows you how using these techniques can improve yours.

Case Study: Writing Challenges

Nas breaks down his song “Rewind,” in which he decided to tell a story backward, to explain how thinking outside the box through writing challenges can help you improve your skills, move the genre forward, and do something no one has done before.

Learning from Hip-Hop Legends

This lesson covers how listening to music legends influences your art and can inspire you on your own musical journey. Nas talks about his music idols, the growth of Hip-Hop, and the lasting impact of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur.

Using Your Power and Voice

Nas uses case studies of his songs “One Love” and “Ultra Black” to emphasize the importance of writing songs that make a statement or communicate societal ills, and how artists have a responsibility to talk about topics that can make a difference.

Nas’s Artistic Evolution

Nas talks about how he evolved and matured as an artist and the importance of growing and changing. He analyzes two of his songs from different points in his career to show you how his style and music have shifted.

The Music Industry

Nas talks about the current state of the music business and how it’s changed. He encourages you to think about being business-minded and eventually owning your music so you are in control of your own destiny.

Hip-Hop Is Our Universe

Nas sums up the global influence of Hip-Hop and how it has changed the world for the better. He reflects on his career and how the genre has evolved to include messages about success and achievement, and he shares some final words of wisdom.