Top Ten Best Nas Songs

N.Y. State of Mind is arguably Nas's best song. Nas's flow, his lyricism, and the beat make this song iconic and easily one of the best rap songs of all time. The Illmatic is seen as the greatest rap album ever and this is clearly the top song of that album.

The best Nas song ever, maybe the best rap song ever. And it came off the best rap album ever. The most amazing part is that he was only 19 when the album was released. And the lyrics in NY State of Mind are beyond amazing

CLASSIC!

Nas goes hardcore and spits sick lyrics through the entire song, making it a performance to remember! His best work by far!

Like everyone else said "CLASSIC song" by one of the best rappers ever. It's hard to pick between this and The World is Yours but I think song beats it.

My all time favorite Nas song- and since Nas is my favorite rapper I guess this is my favorite rap song overall. The lyrics are unmatched by any other rap and the beat is out of this world.. Which, by the way, is yours.

One Mic is a Great Song but the World is Yours has really everything that a Great Song Dead!
-Lyrically can't it better
-Greatest Flow
-one of the Best Beats ever made in the hip Hop history

The chorus is amazing and inspiring. His flows are clean as can be. I love the beat and scrathing that appears on this track. My all time favorite Nas song and in my opinion a top ten hip hop song of all time.

The best piece of work I have ever heard from Nas and the best track from Illmatic, so good, listen to the lyrics, Nas is the best lyricist!

Best song ever the lyrical content in this song is so deep it is difficult to work out but that added to the greatness. It takes skill to rap slowly and get louder.

His best song overall. This is like a cinematic soundtrack with Nas starting off quiet and slowly increasing in voice level and finishing the song with a boom!

Beats fine. So much emotion and lyrics and flow as usual. Storytelling is on point as usual, but it's so great because he had so much inspiration going into this.

One of the deepest songs ever! He's talking about the struggle, and fighting for what's right! A truly beautiful song!

Also, his pace on each verse.
enough' said.

It Ain't Hard to Tell is probably Nas best work. A Neck breaking instrumental with a Michael Jackson sample. And the lyrics:, It Ain't Hard to Tell, I exhale then prevail, the Mic is contacted as I attrac clientele" or, I drink Moets with Medusa give her shotguns in hell, from the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell."This methaphoric, rhymatic and smooth level is unmatched. Nas songs are all great, no they are unmatched. But this is by far his best work. This song has all what a Nas Song need:Hilarious Flow, Poetic Rhymes, Smooth Lyrics etc. It has all what a Rap Song need. It Ain't Hard to Tell.

Godlike lyrical content, smooth beat that you can never get out of your head and flow that rides the beat like Benz. My personal favourite from the greatest album of all time "Illmatic".

"Deep like the shining, sparkle like a diamond, sneak a uzi on the island in my army jacket linin' "..

Witty rhymes, dope beat with a lot of bass, and the best song (commercially) on Illmatic! A classic that really sums up the whole album! What else do you need in a song?

The beat in the background when he is rapping makes this my favourite Nas song and smart catchy lyrics, but I love all of his songs!

Unbelievable this feeling when you listen to this song! The beat, best ever made in my opinion. Nas spits God Lyrics, had (with all Tracks of Illmatic) the dopest Flow of the Rap game and his Rhymes and his style is unbelievable. Not his best work but number 3 is a good position. In my opinion this list made it:
1.N. Y State Of Mind
2. It ain't Hard To Tell
3. Memory Lane
4. The World is yours
5. Nas is Like
6. Doo Rags
7. One Mic
8. Ether
9. Halftime
10. One Love

He takes you through memory lane and tells you about his childhood and coming up in queensbridge projects. Also, you can really feel the soul in the beat.

If you listen to the vocal rhythm and lyrics in this song you will understand why it's the best Nas song on the best Nas album.

This song should be above Hero and The world is yours. This is Nas' best hit and it is so much better than One Mic!

Every verse in this song is incredible, and this is definitely up there with memory lane, ny state of mind, ether, and one mic. This song deserves much more credit. An exceptional song from a mediocre album.

The best is amazing and the lyrical skill of Nas is also amazing! The greatest performance made by Nas, and the album I Am... is one of the best works ever made!

Premo's on the set! Nas talking about how he went from a kid from the projects and quickly rose to the top of the rap game and his skills on the mic. Dope!

This track was so overlooked everyone knows that! It is a great song and is always in Nas top ten because of how good the beginning is... NAS IS LIKEE!

Sick beat, great flow, raw lyrics and masterful storytelling making this song leave a haunting impression even after listening countless times and cementing itself as one of the greatest rap songs of all time.

Such a meloncholy song, and yet stills manages to diss big & pac lol. But seriously, this is one of the best songs by Nas and you can really learn something from it.

Love the background music, awesome lyrics, One of Nas's best tracks. Awesome! I never sleep, because sleep is the cousin of death!

As much as everyone likes the beat its actually a sample from Sting's song 'Shape of my heart' so. Still a great song though

Should definitely be number one hands down. Greatest rap song ever. Flow, Beat, Delivery, Hook, Chorus, and I don't even have to talk about how lyrical this is, because every Nas fan already knows.

It's difficult to judge which is the best song when it's asked for the greatest Rapper. Nas! I personally love this song. Great Beats, lyrics and flow. I can listen to this song all day long.

One of the greatest songs of all time, and better than any song on this list by a long shot! Lyrically it is a masterpiece of Nas and has a nice flow!

Lauryn Hill has every right to be in this song. Nas' superb lyricism / imagery + Lauryn Hill's beautiful voice = Awesome song. Good Whodini sample, too.

One of the greatest rap tracks of all time and without a doubt the most legendary diss track. And so much truth in this song for example when he calls jay-z a fan fan, jay-z basically proved that when he signed J.cole (who is mentored by nas by the way) to his rockafella

He absolutely destroyed Jay-Z on this track, and I think this is arguably one of the greatest rap songs of all time. It is definitely my favorite dis song, that is without a doubt. Great work with this one, Nas! PS, I just wish I knew what "Ether" meant.

I love Jay-Z. I also love this track.. That's how good Nas is. Nas made a name for himself with this, and more people went on to enjoy his music, although he really went down hill from here.

I agree with #1 but I'm voting for this because this needs to be much higher. He absolutely killed Jay-Z on this track, my favourite diss song of all time.

As Illmatic was such a perfect album it has hung over Nas' head for his entire career, AZ's verse was so perfect that it will hang over his head hauntingly every time he writes.

Great song the jazz in the background was amazing. Azs verse in that song is one of the best verses I've ever heard. Everything just goes great with this song.

AZ and Nas are both amazing on this track. Definitely one of his best songs, they couldn't have used 3 and a half minutes any better for this track.

Nas and AZ trading bars about how living life to the fullest, because you never know when it could be over. Bass heavy beat, and INSANE lyricism.

Should be higher, dope beat with a message, really got that nyc feel

Great beat, plus it's in Illmatic so it just counts as the best.

Relaxing beat and You'll head bop to these lyrics all day.

One of favorite songs from nas and the beat is dope

He raps about what a gun goes through. His lyrical messages are unbelievable and he is one of the best rappers of all time.

Probably one of the most lyrical songs crafted by Nas which birthed an equally great track by Tupac.

The most original concept and dope storytelling already listened like a 1000 times

When Pac feels obliged to borrow the theme, nothing more need be said.

"Nas, why did you do it? You know you got the mad phat fluid when you rhyme... It's half-time." - the line that describes itself

Amazing flow, a great fit with that amazing beat by dr professor and amazing, bragadocious lyrics. That thumping basline gets me every time

This song is so sick, for sure my favorite. As well as represent and it ain't hard to tell

Unreal song, lyricism is top notch as always and the beat is just something else!

Best song with best lyrics better than all the above mentioned. Where he shares all the frustration with people about how people started hating him...

Damn good man!

Why do so many people not like this song? The beat is really good and the lyrics are great too.. Should be top 3 along with ny state of mind and one mic.

This song is amazing, needs to be top 10. Sick beat and lyrics. Puff Daddy does good as well

Best song he had in my opinion

That lo-fi beat, hell, plus the melody of the lyrics is like WHA. Song is #1, any person who likes music will like this song guaranteed. Made You Look is how you get friends who hate on NaS to like him.

I personal think this is the best. Because in this song he goes into complete gangsta mode.

"Newness Anthem", just shows how superior Nas is over any other rapper!

This should be at least in the top 5, one of his best songs

Should be way higher, flawless flow, crazy instrumental and just a lyrical masterpiece

One of the songs that makes you think Nas is the most lyrical rapper ever

One of his more powerful songs. It's in my top ten for sure.

Dope flow, so lyrical. #1 In my opinion.

Maybe I'm the only one but I think this song's better than 2pac's

Should be top three. Hear this song then you will know.

Such an amazing beat, he tears apart every bar.

Great song enough said

Good concept, good sampling, but he can't even stay on topic very well. It shows off the weak side of nas lyricism, rather than the strong side shown in I gave you power, the message, N.Y. State of mind, etc. One of his worst in my opinion

One of the best song I ever heard, I must say even better than NY state of mind

That one is amazing and it has some kind of pop appeal, I really love it

The beat is so good, so are the lyrics. Great hip hop song.

Nas nailed it with this song, it is one of the best rap songs I have ever heard! It has a good beat, good lyrics, and meaning this combination is very rare.

Nas delivers a song with a good message while keeping his musical personality and without being corny or unoriginal.

Prime example of Nas incredible story telling ability. All tree verses are just unreal.

Inspireing. He gave a rap song that actually has meaning behind it and has a good message. There nedds to be more songs like this nowadays

I don't understand how this isn't in the top 10. Rule is by far my favorite Nas song. very mellow song, got a nice flow and the lyrics are well written. It's a song that you can listen to all the time, just gets you vibin'. I love it.

I can't believe this isn't in the top 10. Maybe its just me, but I think this is clearly one of Nas' Best songs ever. Great flow, and vibes

Definitely a top 10 song

An absolutely touching song dedicated to the deceased mother of the King of New York. Definitely deserves to be higher on this list.

Beautiful song about his moms death. Great emotion and one of the best rap songs eve

One of the most touching songs I've heard. He does Dear Mama better than Dear Mama

This deserves to be higher on that list to be honest.

This song should get some credit he spoke true on this song about other rappers in the game. The one and only king of New York.

One of nas most underrated songs, lyrics on point, beat on point!

It shows everyone that Nas is back to take the throne as best Rapper once more!

Nas hasn't aged a bit with this filthy street anthem

Beautiful production and great storytelling. Not the best but I would put it in top 15. Memory Lane and Get Down are the best

This is a pretty good song, nowhere near as good as N.Y. Sate of Mind (part 1) but still good

In my opinion one of the best hip hop songs ever made

Great song.