Nas Curates Personal Playlist of Favorite Jay-Z Songs
Rap legend Nas has shared a new, personally curated playlist featuring his favorite tracks from Jay-Z’s extensive discography.
Jay-Z’s celebration of his career and the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt has made the rapper and mogul a hot topic in hip-hop. Fellow rap legend Nas has now joined in on the conversation, sharing his favorite songs from Jay-Z’s discography in a new, personally curated playlist.
Released on Thursday (July 9) via Tidal, the playlist, titled Curated By God’s Son: Hov, offers an intriguing glimpse into Nas’ musical taste and the Jay-Z songs he’s gravitated toward over the years. Comprised of 31 songs, the collection embodies a healthy respect for the Brooklyn icon’s entire music catalog, including tracks from several of his solo albums.
A Deep Dive Into the Catalog
The Jay-Z album most represented on the playlist is Reasonable Doubt, featuring classics such as “Can’t Knock The Hustle” featuring Mary J. Blige, “D’Evils,” “Brooklyn’s Finest” featuring The Notorious B.I.G., and “Dead Presidents II,” which famously samples vocals from Nas’ own Illmatic single, “The World is Yours.”
Jay-Z’s sophomore album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, and American Gangster follow closely with three selections apiece. Multiple songs from The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse, and 4:44 also appear on the list. The selections are rounded out by a handful of collaborative efforts, including tracks from Watch The Throne with Kanye West, as well as the duo’s collaboration “Black Republican” from Nas’ Hip Hop is Dead album.
“JAY-Z and Nas are two of the most important, influential, and successful artists of any musical genre at any time in history,” says Tidal’s Editor-in-Chief Tony Gervino. “A few years ago Jay recognized Nas’s diabolical pen with an exclusive Tidal playlist, and on the eve of Hov’s legendary run of Yankee Stadium shows, the king of Queens returns the favor, in what we consider to be the ultimate game-recognizes-game moment.”
A Reciprocal Sign of Respect
This gesture serves as a follow-up to 2021, when Jay-Z unveiled his own 24-song playlist, Curated By The God Hov: Nas, which featured his favorite songs by his former rival. While Hov’s selection focused heavily on Nas’ early career—with Illmatic topping the list with eight selections—the current exchange highlights the mutual admiration between two of hip-hop’s most enduring figures.
Fans can listen to Nas’ Curated By God’s Son: Hov playlist now on Tidal.