Every Nas song ranked from worst to best (2023)

Jim Cooper

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On April 19, 1994, Nasir Jones release, arguably, the greatest rap album of all time.

"Illmatic" turns 25 this year and its impact on hip hop can't be overstated. The album changed the industry, raising the bar lyrically in the same way Rakim did on "Paid In Full." In fact, the only real criticism you'll find of "Illmatic" is that, at just 10 tracks, it wasn't long enough.

In honor of the anniversary, we've ranked every song in Nas' catalog. Before we get to the list, let's clarify what constitutes a "Nas song."

Everything from each of his 12 studio albums, as well as new songs featured on official compilations (including "The Lost Tapes") and soundtracks, was eligible. That includes official bonus tracks.

However, we did NOT count songs on collaborative albums. So anything from Nas and Damien Marley's "Distant Relatives," The Firm's album or the "QB's Finest" group effort was out.

Mixtapes and demo tapes were ineligible as well. Though, we did consider remixes, if they were released as singles?

Got it? Good. Here's everything from "Illmatic" to "Stillmatic" to "Nasir" ranked.

188. “Big Girl" (Nastradamus)

"Nastradamus" is generally considered Nas' worst album. So it's no surprise that the album's biggest dud be ranked as Nas' worst song. "Big Girl" contains every bad element of a Nas song, from his terrible singing on the chorus to his cringe-worthy raps about women. What makes "Big Girl" worse than all the rest is the idea that Nas is sexually admiring a woman he once knew as a young girl. The entire concept is hard to reconcile. It's truly a painful listen.

187. “Who Killed It?” (Hip-Hop is Dead)

Ah, will Nas ever live down that horrific old-school, gumshoe detective flow? Answer: No!

186. “Braveheart Party” feat. Mary J. Blige and Bravehearts (Stillmatic)

"Braveheart Party" was so bad that Mary J. Blige requested Nas remove it from future pressings of "Stillmatic." He obliged.

185. “The Makings of a Perfect B****" (Street’s Disciple)

184. “Big Things" (I Am)

183. “Nastradamus" (Nastradamus)

182. “We’re Not Alone” feat. Mykel (Untitled)

181. “Quiet N****s” feat. Bravehearts (Nastradamus)

180. “Summer on Smash” feat. Miguel and Swizz Beatz (Life is Good)

One of the things that makes "Life Is Good" so strong is the old-school vibes captured by producers Salaam Remi and No I.D. So it's puzzling that Nas would include this overproduced, wannabe anthem from Swizz Beatz that sticks out like a sore thumb in Nas' catalog.

179. “No One Else in the Room” feat. Maxwell (Street’s Disciple)

178. “Zone Out” feat. Bravehearts (God’s Son)

177. “Project Roach” feat. Lost Poets (Untitled)

176. “Getting Married” feat. Kelis (Street’s Disciple)

175. “Not For Radio” feat. Puff Daddy (Nasir)

The opening track from Nas' "Nasir" album can't help but sound like an attempt to recreate the magic of "Hate Me Now." Nas' rhymes are decent. But never has Puff Daddy's ad libs' sounded less inspired.

174. “Suicide Bounce” feat. Busta Rhymes (Street’s Disciple)

173. “Sly Fox" (Untitled)

172. “You Can’t Kill Me" (Hip-Hop is Dead)

171. “I Want to Talk to You" (I Am)

170. “Shine On" (Hip-Hop is Dead)

169. “P**** Killz" (God’s Son, Bonus Track)

168. “Dr. Knockboot" (I Am)

"Dr. Knockboot" isn't the worst song Nas has ever released about women. But it is the embodiment of such a weakness in his song creation skills, mostly because of its concept. It comes across as the "Ten Crack Commandments" of sex. And no one was asking for it, even if the beat kind of knocks.

167. “The G.O.D." (God’s Son, Bonus Track)

166. “Remember the Times" (Street’s Disciple)

165. “Proclamation" (Untitled, Bonus Track)

164. “Y'all My N*****" (Untitled)

163. “Me & You" (Street’s Disciple)

162. “Like Me" (Untitled, Bonus Track)

161. “everything” feat. The-Dream & Kanye West (Nasir)

If you cut the first two minutes from this song, it would rank a bit higher. As it stands, there's no reason for it to be seven and a half minutes long and feature Kanye West's out of tune vocals.

160. “God Love Us" (Nastradamus)

159. “Money is My Bitch" (I Am)

158. 1“Blunt Ashes" (Hip-Hop is Dead)

157. “You Owe Me" feat. Ginuwine (Nastradamus)

"You Owe Me" is an interesting entry. It's probably the only thing mainstream music fans remember about "Nastradamus." In theory, it's not a bad single, jumping into the top 15 on the hip hop and R&B charts. But it is a bad Nas single. What has kept Nas from achieving the iconic status amongst non hip-hop heads (on the same level of Jay-Z or Biggie) is his inability to consistently release hit records that didn't alienate his core audience. "You Owe Me" might be the ultimate example of that. Even if you still danced to it in high school.

156. “You Won’t See Me Tonight” feat. Aaliyah (I Am)

155. “Some of Us Have Angels" (Nastradamus)

154. “Not Going Back” feat. Kelis (Hip-Hop is Dead)

153. “Last Words" (Nastradamus)

152. “The N (Don’t Hate Me Now)" (Hip Hop Is Dead, Bonus Track)

151. “Make the World Go Round” feat. Chris Brown and The Game (Untitled)

150. “Hey Nas” feat. Kelis and Claudette Ortiz (God’s Son)

149. “My Country" (Stillmatic)

148. “K-I-SS-I-N-G" (I Am)

147. “Everybody’s Crazy" (The Lost Tapes)

146. “You Know My Style" (Street’s Disciple)

145. “Hope" (Hip-Hop is Dead)

144. “Black Girl Lost” feat. Joel Hailey (It Was Written)

"Black Girl Lost" should have been a classic. To some, it still is. The track tackles the struggle of African-American women and the production suits it. It feels like it would be right up Nas' alley. But the message gets lost, once again, amid the sexual content. An older Nas probably would have aced this.

143. “Where’s the Love” feat. Cocaine 80’s (Life is Good)

142. “American Way” feat. Kelis (Street’s Disciple)

141. “U Wanna Be Me" (8 Mile Soundtrack)

140. “New World" (Nastradamus)

139. “Rest of My Life" (Street’s Disciple)

138. “Every Ghetto" (Stillmatic)

137. “Bonjour" (Nasir)

136. “Life We Chose” (Nastradamus)

135. “The Don" (Life is Good)

134. “Rule” feat. Amerie (Stillmatic)

Though it charted, "Rule" was essentially a dud as the lead single from "Stillmatic." It certainly didn't fit the tone "Ether." After all, "Rule" samples Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." Wisely, Nas would be more calculated with the album's next single, hitting us hard with "Got Ur Self A..."

133. “War” feat. Keon Bryce (Street’s Disciple)

132. “Hustlers” feat. The Game, Marsha Ambrosius (Hip-Hop is Dead)

131. “Simple Things" (Nasir)

130. “Testify" (Untitled)

129. “Family” feat. Mobb Deep (Nastradamus)

128. "The Black Bond" (Life is Good)

127. “U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)" (Street’s Disciple)

A tribute to the rapper who influenced Nas that sadly never approaches anything engaging.

126. “Play On Playa” feat. Snoop Dogg (Hip-Hop is Dead)

125. “White Label” (Nasir)

124. “Nas is Coming" (It Was Written)

Let's be clear - "Nas Is Coming" was a monumental moment in hip hop. Dr. Dre, the West Coast's top producer, joining forces with Nas, one of the East Coast's greatest lyricists, at the height of the East-West feud. But once you get past the names, "Nas Is Coming" is a boring track. Dre's G-funk style simply doesn't suit Nas, especially during the chorus. It's a doomed marriage that would continue into The Firm project.

123. “Untitled" (Untitled)

122. “Roses" (Life is Good)

121. “Ghetto Prisoners" (I Am)

120. “Accident Murderers” feat. Rick Ross (Life is Good)

119. “Let There Be Light” feat. Tre Williams (Hip-Hop is Dead)

118. "Breathe" (Untitled)

117. “Reason” feat. Emily King (Street’s Disciple)

116. “World’s an Addiction” feat. Anthony Hamilton (Life is Good)

115. “Reach Out” feat. Mary J. Blige (Life is Good)

114. “Hero” feat. Keri Hilson (Untitled)

For the lead single from his "Untitled" album, Nas joined forces with one of the hottest producers of the moment in Polow da Don. The song failed to make waves on the charts, a running theme with Nas songs that go too hard for radio airplay.

113. “Star Wars" (Illmatic, 2004 Remastered)

112. “Carry On Tradition" (Hip-Hop is Dead)

111. “Live Now" (Street’s Disciple)

110. “Trust" (Life Is Good, Bonus Track)

109. “Black President" (Untitled)

108. “Virgo” feat. Ludacris and Doug E. Fresh (Street’s Disciple)

107. “Small World" (I Am)

106. “A Message to the Feds" (Street’s Disciple)

105. “Black Zombie" (The Lost Tapes)

104. “Back When" (Life is Good)

103. “Where Y’all At" (Hip Hop Is Dead, Bonus Track)

102. “Disciple” (Street’s Disciple)

101. “Undying Love" (I Am)

100. “Escobar ’97" (Men In Black: The Album)

Yes, Nas had a track on "Men In Black: The Album." And it's not as bad as you think. What "Escobar '97" has to do with "Men In Black" is anyone's guess. But Nas is in solid lyrical form over a throwaway beat from Trackmasters.

99. “No Introduction" (Life is Good)

98. “Street’s Disciple” (feat. Olu Dara), Street’s Disciple

At some point in their career, it seems every great rapper tries their hand at a double-album...and most fail. Nas was no exception. "Street's Disciple" would have functioned much better as one disc. Still, the album's title is one of the gems that gets lost in the shuffle. The highlight is Salaam Remi doing his best DJ Premier impression.

97. “A Queens Story" (Life is Good)

96. “Sekou Story" (Street’s Disciple)

95. “Watch Dem N*****” feat. Foxy Brown (It Was Written)

94. “Revolutionary Warfare" (God’s Son)

93. “Come Get Me" (Nastradamus)

92. “America" (Untitled)

91. “Warrior Song” feat. Alicia Keys (God’s Son)

A dream collaboration from "God's Son" that went surprisingly unnoticed. Hard to tell if it's because there was just so much stellar material on the album or that the Alicia Keys' production suits her chorus much better than Nas' verses.

90. “Cops Shot the Kid” feat. Kanye West (Nasir)

One of the standouts of "Nasir" that lives and dies on whether or not you like the on-the-nose Slick Rick sample.

89. “Fried Chicken" feat. Busta Rhymes (Untitled)

88. “Nazareth Savage" (Street’s Disciple)

87. “Mastermind" (God’s Son)

86. “You Wouldn’t Understand” feat. Victoria Monet (Life is Good)

85. “Life is What You Make It” feat. DMX (I Am)

It still hurts to think about what could have been with "I Am..." It was one of the first marquee rap albums to fall victim to an Internet leak, causing Nas to cut most of the original material (It was originally going to be a double album). Some of those songs (i.e. "Drunk By Myself," "Blaze a 50," etc.) would wind up on future releases. But "I Am..." never fully recovered. Nas' collaboration with DMX was a holdover from the original tracklist and a song that stands high above some of the other filler material.

84. "Smokin'" (Stillmatic)

83. “Favor for a Favor" feat. Scarface (I Am)

82. “Bridging the Gap” feat. Olu Dara (Street’s Disciple)

81. Nas - "I Can" (God's Son)

It's hard to hate on Nas for "I Can." The song is an inspirational track aimed at children. It might be the antithesis of, say, "Made You Look." But it remains Nas' highest charting hit.

80. “Silent Murder" (It Was Written, Bonus Track)

79. “Less Than an Hour” feat. Cee-Lo (Greatest Hits)

78. “Loco-Motive” feat. Large Professor (Life is Good)

77. “The Set Up” feat. Havoc (It Was Written)

76. “The Flyest” feat. AZ (Stillmatic)

While not the greatest Nas/AZ collaboration of all time, "The Flyest" is still an instant classic that makes fans beg for a joint album from the duo. Interestingly, if you listen to the album with a good set of speakers or headphones, you'll hear a woman moaning along with the beat. It's kind of distracting. What is that?

75. “You Can’t Stop Us Now” feat. Eban Thomas & The Last Poets (Untitled)

74. “Fetus" (The Lost Tapes)

73. “Where Are They Now" (Hip-Hop is Dead)

72. “Shoot Em Up" (Nastradamus)

"Nastradamus" is a weird album in more ways than one. It's clear Nas was going through some personal stuff. The quality tracks are few and far between. But even on good songs like "Shoot Em Up," the mix is just weird. I'd say it deserves a reissue, but is anyone else really calling for that?

71. “These Are Our Heroes" (Street’s Disciple)

70. “On The Real" (Illmatic, 2004 Re-Issue)

69. “Be a N***** Too" (Promotional Single)

68. “Money Over Bullshit" (Hip-Hop is Dead)

67. “Suspect" (It Was Written)

"It Was Written" will always live in the shadow of "Illmatic." And that's unfortunate, considering Nas is lyrically in the pocket throughout his sophomore album, even on sleeper tracks like "Suspect," a stunner of a storyteller. You'll often find some of your favorite rappers sighting "It Was Written" as more of an influence than its predecessor. Maybe that's them trying to be different or showing their age. But "It Was Written" was highly impactful.

66. “Poppa Was a Playa" (The Lost Tapes)

65. “Project Windows” feat. Ron Isley (Nastradamus)

64. “Dance" (God’s Son)

63. “Destroy & Rebuild" (Stillmatic)

62. “Can’t Forget About You” feat. Chrisette Michele (Hip-Hop is Dead)

61. “Adam and Eve” feat. The-Dream (Nasir)

"Nasir" might not be the worst Nas album. But it has such a low ceiling. It's best track is easily "Adam and Eve," mostly because it's one of the few songs that actually feels like something Nas would do on his own with the influence of Kanye West. And even then, The-Dream's voice isn't the best fit on a song whose subject matter isn't exactly clear.

60. “My Way" (The Lost Tapes)

59. “I’m a Villain" (Illmatic XX)

58. “Hold Down the Block" (Hip-Hop is Dead)

57. “Stay” feat. Large Professor (Life is Good)

56. “Drunk by Myself" (The Lost Tapes)

"Drunk by Myself" is a nice snapshot of what "I Am..." could have been. The song, cut from that album after being leaked, eventually made its way onto "The Lost Tapes." It's bleak. But from a storytelling standpoint, Nas sounds more inspired this track than almost anything else on his third album.

55. “N.Y. State of Mind Part II" (I Am)

54. “Heaven” feat. Jully Black (God’s Son)

53. “One on One” (Street Fighter Soundtrack)

This is gonna sound crazy to say, but Nas has a classic from the (wait for it) the "Street Fighter Soundtrack." It kind of makes sense. The soundtrack came out in 1994, essentially making "One on One" an extension of "Illmatic." The song even has a solid theme with Nas spitting about what happens in a fight when weapons come into play.

52. “What Goes Around" (Stillmatic)

51. “Bye Baby" (Life is Good)

One of the oddest producer-collaborations of Nas' career. "Bye Baby" is co-produced by Salaam Remi and Drake BFF Noah "40" Shebib. The latter's fingerprints are all over the emo beat. Yet, somehow it works. "Bye Baby" is the album's closing track and the ultimate example to the overall theme of "Life Is Good" -- Nas' divorce from Kelis.

50. “One Time 4 Your Mind" (Illmatic)

Every song from "Illmatic" made it into our top 50 on this list. That shouldn't be a surprise. We are talking about, arguably, the greatest rap album of all time. "One Time 4 Your Mind" is the one track that (maybe) gets overlooked. It's sandwiched between "One Love" and "Represent" when it may have been better served somewhere on side-one. Still, this is Nas' in perfect form over a subdued beat by Large Professor. "I hold a Mac-11, and attack the Reverand/I contact eleven L's, and max in heaven..." Proof he had lyrics for days from the very start of his career.

49. “Nothing Lasts Forever" (The Lost Tapes)

48. “Thugz Mansion N.Y.” feat. 2Pac & J. Phoenix (God’s Son)

Posthumous songs featuring artists that didn't collaborate together when both were alive can be a bit polarizing. That's not to say 2Pac wouldn't have worked with Nas. But this version of "Thugz Mansion" can't help but feel forced. That doesn't take away from the emotional impact of the track. 2Pac's thoughtful side is a nice match for Nas' introspective lyrics. And "Thugz Mansion" is nice result.

47. “Street Dreams" (It Was Written)

46. “Blaze a 50" (The Lost Tapes)

45. “Book of Rhymes" (God’s Son)

44. “Still Dreaming” feat. Kanye West & Chrisette Michele (Hip-Hop is Dead)

43. “The Cross" (God’s Son)

42. “Hip-Hop is Dead” feat. will.i.am (Hip-Hop is Dead)

Leave it to Nas to use the same sample twice on singles from two different albums. "Had to flip this track again..." he raps. And who could blame him? That "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" sample is one of the best in hip hop history. Is it as good as the first time he used it (More on that in a minute)? No. But it's close.

41. “Cherry Wine” feat. Amy Winehouse (Life is Good)

40. “Shootouts" (It Was Written)

39. “Black Republican” feat. Jay-Z (Hip-Hop is Dead)

It would be easy to roll your eyes at Nas and Jay-Z's post "Ether"/"Takeover" truce if the result wasn't so good. "Black Republican" may very well be the best song from "Hip Hop Is Dead" and winds up feeling like a natural collaboration, especially given the subject matter and the duo's status as elder statesmen of hip hop.

38. “You’re da Man" (Stillmatic)

37. “U Gotta Love It" (The Lost Tapes)

36. “Just a Moment” feat. Quan (Street’s Disciple)

35. “Street Dreams (Remix)” feat. R. Kelly (Single)

Released as a single, the remix of "Street Dreams" was certainly worthy of its own showcase. Enlisting R. Kelly and sampling The Isley Brothers was a wise move for a mix that takes the flossy nature of the original and makes it more impactful.

34. “We Will Survive” (I Am)

33. “Got Ur Self A…" (Stillmatic)

32. “Purple" (The Lost Tape)

31. “Live N**** Rap” feat. Mobb Deep (It Was Written)

30. “Hate Me Now” feat. Puff Daddy (I Am)

Released in 1999, "Hate Me Now" became one of the biggest singles of the year for good and bad reasons. Puff Daddy's presence on the track only adds to its larger than life nature. But it also created controversy when MTV aired the original version of the video featuring both Nas and Puff being crucified on a cross. Many viewers freaked out, including Puff Daddy. The man then knowns as Diddy was so furious of the footage getting out, he (along with bodyguards) assaulted Nas' manager Steve Stoute.

29. “Represent (Illmatic)

28. “No Idea’s Original" (The Lost Tapes)

27. “I Gave You Power" (It Was Written)

"I Gave You Power" is one of the songs fans point to as an example of Nas' lyrical superiority. At the time, it was groundbreaking. Nas raps from the first person perspective of a gun.

26. “Surviving The Times" (Greatest Hits)

25. “2nd Childhood" (Stillmatic)

24. “Nasty" (Life is Good)

23. “Affirmative Action” feat. AZ, Cormega and Foxy Brown (It Was Written)

The Firm supergroup featuring Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Nature is mostly considered a failure in hip-hop history. However, had every song been like "Affirmative Action," things would have been different. The song, produced by Trackmasters and featuring original member Cormega, feels like it's ripped out of a mafia movie. Nas delivers some dope lines ("Life's a b****, but God forbid the b**** divorce me"). But it's Foxy's showcase, closing things out with a scene stealing verse.

22. “Last Real N Alive" (God’s Son)

21. “Stillmatic Intro" (Stillmatic)

20. “Daughters" (Life is Good)

Upbeat has never really been Nas strong suit. But "Daughters" is an inspirational track that stands as one of the most beautiful things he has ever recorded. It finds Nas at his most vulnerable, focused on fatherhood. But the key here is the beat by No. I.D. that combines two obscure soul samples for something that sounds both fresh and familiar.

19. “Get Down" (God’s Son)

18. “Rewind" (Stillmatic)

"Stillmatic" was a return to form for Nas, both in terms of how lively he sounded and how he explored more complex rhyme styles. "Rewind" features one of Nas' greatest lyrical performances, as he tells a story (something he does better than anyone in rap history) backwards.

17. “Memory Lane" (Illmatic)

16. “Thief’s Theme" (Street’s Disciple)

"Thief's Theme" is so much better than anything else on "Street's Disciple" that it feels like a singular entity. The haunting beat, anchored by the sample of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," serves as the backdrop for one of the hardest performances of Nas' career. It's utterly intoxicating.

15. “Take It in Blood" (It Was Written)

14. “Halftime" (Illmatic)

13. “Queens Get the Money" (Untitled)

"Queens Get the Money" is somewhat slept on as a Nas classic. Much of that has to do with the forgettable nature of "Untitled," the album it was featured on. But that's to no fault of a track and lyrical performance that is one of the finest of Nas' career. Produced by Jay Electronica, the simple piano melody makes way for Nas' to put on a lyrical assault. You never want it to stop.

12. “Ether" (Stillmatic)

As a song, Jay-Z's "The Takeover" may be better than "Ether." But the latter is unrelenting, an anthem aimed at not just winning a beef but burning the entire battle field. "Ether" accomplishes this not so much on the strength of wordplay, but by making monumental statements that are hard to argue against. So when Nas says "Eminem murdered you on your own s***," or "How much of Biggie's rhymes is gonna come out your fat lips?" even the biggest of Hov fans can't help but cringe. "The Takeover" was clever. "Ether" is absolutely scathing.

11. “If I Ruled the World” feat. Lauryn Hill (It Was Written)

Despite all the songs from "Illmatic" scattered in the top 25, Nas debut album was not a huge commercial success. He didn't become a star until "If I Ruled the World." The song was a game-changer, bringing together the best lyricist in hip hop with the queen of the Fugees Lauryn Hill. It's a reminder that, unlike its predecessor, "It Was Written" was a blockbuster album.

10. “Life’s a B***h” feat. AZ (Illmatic)

9. “Doo Rags" (The Lost Tapes)

It's insane to think that "Doo Rags" was cut from anything, let alone "Stillmatic," where it would have fit perfectly. Thus, the song became the opening statement for "The Lost Tapes" and an instant favorite among Nas fans. The classic style fits Nas like a glove.

8. “One Love” feat. Q-Tip (Illmatic)

"One Love" may very well be the definitive statement of Nas' storytelling. Written as a letter to his incarcerated friends (specifically Cormega), Nas weaves a hood tale that would instantly make him a legend. The low-key beat from Q-Tip (and his simplistic hook) gives the song a low-budget feel. That was the essence of "Illmatic," an album whose production was understated, yet brilliant.

7. “One Mic" (Stillmatic)

"Either" gets a lot of attention for its presence on "Stillmatic," the album that revitalized Nas' career. But "One Mic" is the total package. The song uses a subtle sample of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" to build energy throughout its verses. It's something other hip hop acts had done before but never in a way that provokes so much emotion.This is "Stillmatic's" showstopper.

6. “It Ain’t Hard to Tell" (Illmatic)

Nas was hesitant to "It Ain't Hard to Tell" as a single from "Illmatic" thanks to a hit record by SWV ("Right Here") using the same sample of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature." Still, there was no way to escape "It Ain't Hard to Tell" from becoming the single from Nas' debut. Some consider it Nas' greatest song. It's certainly a contender for his best single and the track that best merges his art of storytelling and unrivaled lyricism with a newfound pop sensibility.

5. “Nas Is Like" (I Am)

"Nas Is Like" is the saving grace of "I Am...," a disappointing album for various reasons that still showed flashes of greatness. The brightest flash is "Nas Is Like." The song found Nas reverting back to the style he perfected on "Illmatic," backed by a DJ Premier beat for the ages.

4. “Made You Look" (God’s Son)

"Made You Look" is the perfect Nas single. It's the version Nas everyone likes, kicking charismatic rhymes over a monster beat from Salaam Remi. And yet, its commercial appeal was apparent right from the start. Nas executes his punchlines perfectly with a rhyme style is loose enough to demand radio airplay.

3. “The Message" (It Was Written)

Right from the start you knew "It Was Written" was going to be a different kind of Nas album. The beats of Large Professor, Pete Rock and Q-Tip that drove "Illmatic" were gone in favor of a trendy mafioso rap vibe. Still, "The Message" takes hold of Nas diehards with a Trackmasters beat that does its best to mimic DJ Premier. Nas' violence-fueled rhymes are some of the best of his career, suggesting the impossible -- he'd somehow gotten better as an emcee post-"Illmatic."

2. “The World is Yours" (Illmatic)

Jay-Z's famous Nas diss, "You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song," referring to his sample of "The World Is Yours" on "Dead Presidents II," is a bit misleading. There are a ton of hot lines on "The World Is Yours," which is why it's among Nas' greatest achievements. Consider the fact that Nas himself would make his own hot song based on an iconic line from "The World Is Yours," using "Thief's theme, play me at night they won't act right" in a way even Jay-Z would approve of.

1. “N.Y. State of Mind" (Illmatic)

Just as much as the worst songs on this list contain Nas' less favorable traits, "N.Y. State of Mind" combines everything he is great at as an emcee. The lyrics are vivid. The rhymes are intricate and braggadocio. The storytelling is impeccable. When Nas spits "I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death," you take it to heart. All of this happens over, arguably, the greatest DJ Premier beat that's ever existed. "N.Y. State of Mind" is a rare occurrence in hip hop -- it's a perfect rap song.