Nas Praises Kendrick Lamar as ‘Hip-Hop’s North Star’; Hints at Possible Future Collaboration
Nas has once again expressed interest in collaborating with Kendrick Lamar, underscoring the mutual admiration between two of hip-hop’s most respected lyricists. During a recent chat with Complex, Nas shared thoughts about working with Kendrick Lamar. The music icon spoke candidly on Oct. 15. “Oh man, you know, it’s just all about the artist. When you get the chance to record and work together, it should feel really natural, and you know that would be great,” Nas said. “I’d love to work with him, but I feel like it just has to be smooth the way it connects.”
“Anything I do with anybody, especially someone like him, I just want to take my time with,” Nas said per Complex. His words carried weight as he added, “Hopefully, you’d be so kind to do a song with your brother, man.”
The Queensbridge rapper’s remarks come as anticipation grows for his forthcoming album, Legend Has It, produced entirely by DJ Premier and slated for release in December under Mass Appeal. The project is the most recent in a line of well-received projects from Nas and the veteran producer, who first collaborated on tracks such as “NY State of Mind.”
Kendrick Lamar often cites Nas as one of his top inspirations, referring to Nas as an influence on his evolution. Nas has also expressed high regard for Kendrick in an interview with Rolling Stone, referring to Kendrick as a “North Star” for hip-hop. Both respected each other’s work, and Nas was one of the first people to congratulate Kendrick on his Super Bowl halftime show, publicly saying so on social media.
Although the two have not yet worked together, Kendrick mentioned Nas several times in his songs, including in “Wacced Out Murals,” exhibiting the impact Nas has had on Kendrick’s career, a fellow Compton artist.
2025 is a historic year for Kendrick, with his Grand National Tour and other events, such as a duet with Playboi Carti in Los Angeles, and fans will continue to anticipate a Nas-Kendrick record, especially since Nas said he is open to it. Of course, it is a matter of timing and authenticity.
