Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, born September 14, 1973 in Queensbridge, New York, and more known commonly as Nas (formerly Nasty Nas and Nas Escobar), is a prominent American MC. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was raised in the infamous Queensbridge housing projects in New York City. His debut album Illmatic, released in 1994, was a critically acclaimed bestseller and is widely considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time.