Warning: Contains coarse language and/or themes.

Beginning with his classic debut, Illmatic (1994), Nas stood tall for years as one of New York City's leading rap voices, outspokenly expressing a righteous, self-empowered swagger that endeared him to critics and hip-hop purists. Whether proclaiming himself "Nasty Nas" or "Nas Escobar" or "Nastradamus" or "God's Son,” Nas continually matured as an artist, evolving from a young street disciple to a vain all-knowing sage to a humbled godly teacher. Such growth made every album release an event and prolonged his increasingly storied career to epic proportions.

THE ESSENTIAL NAS is a 30-track set that goes significantly deeper than other collections before it. 1994's Illmatic, represented with four selections, is essential for anyone with the slightest amount of interest, and this complements that classic rather well since there are no other five-star releases in Nas' catalogue. Ego Trip's Gabe Alvarez contributes an excellent essay filled with knowledge, context, and insightful analysis about this brilliant and occasionally baffling MC.