Nas and DJ Premier are closing out the year with a bang on Nasty Esco Nasir, the gritty lead cut from their long-brewing collab album Light-Years, hitting December 12 via Mass Appeal Records, and it’s already got that old-school Queensbridge bite that reminds you why these two are untouchable.
This track feels like a straight-up sequel to their classic N.Y. State of Mind vibes, but twisted through Nas’s sharper, battle-tested lens—think booming drums, dusty samples, and Premier’s signature scratches layering over bars that blend street survival with poetic jabs at the fakes. It’s got that raw, narrative drive: Nas dissecting the game like a surgeon, calling out posers while flexing his legacy, all without a single weak link. The sound stays true to their roots—hard-hitting boom bap with just enough modern polish to keep it replayable, no features stealing the shine here. Themes hit on authenticity in a diluted era, the grind of staying relevant after three decades, and that unfiltered Nas wordplay that turns personal scars into street scripture.
The buildup’s been a fan’s dream tease. Back in April ’24, they dropped Define My Name to mark Illmatic’s 30th, straight-up announcing the project was cooking—then radio silence turned into hype when Mass Appeal slotted it as the capstone to their Legend Has It… series, rolling out NY legends all year. Premier spilled the date at a Bristol gig with Alchemist last month, and Nas posted the title and that stark Danny Hastings cover on IG days later. Tracklist went live yesterday: 15 joints like NY State of Mind Pt. 3, Sons (Young Kings), and a rare AZ link-up on My Story Your Story. Fans can pre-save on Spotify for the full drop and alerts—it’s primed to hit playlists hard. Socials lit up overnight, with reactions pouring in from heads calling it the ’25 savior.
For Nas, this lands like a victory lap in his endless marathon. Fresh off Magic 3’s chart runs and that Essence Fest takeover, he’s circling back to Premier—the architect of his blueprint—for what feels like a full-circle reset. Premier’s been on a tear too, dusting off classics while plotting with the next gen, but this? It’s them honoring the blueprint while pushing it light-years forward, proving hip-hop’s elders still set the bar.
Dive into the Nasty Esco Nasir lyrics below and unpack its raw narrative. Don’t miss other Light-Years tracks for more of Nas & DJ Premier’s timeless grit.
| Lead Vocals | Nas & DJ Premier |
| Songwriter | Nas & DJ Premier |
| Music Producer | DJ Premier |
| Label | Mass Appeal Records |
| Release Date | December 12, 2025 |
| Song Language | English |
| Copyright © | Mass Appeal Records |
Lyrics of Nasty Esco Nasir by Nas & DJ Premier
[Intro]
Yeah
This That One Hand on the Steering Wheel Music
(Nasty) Yeah (Esco, Nasir)
Just Designing This Rhyme as a Fight Against Time
Every Minute They Wait to Hear of True Titans of Crime
It’s Two Types of Villains That Live in My Mind
I’ll Define It as One Killing With Rhyme, the Other Dealing, Supplying
Garments of All Kind, No More Designer to Wear
Style More Modest These Years, Honorable to Compare
the God’s Esco, Nasty Nas From Nasir
Since the Sandbox, Came Out of It, Part of My Ominous Content, Y’all Should Be Scared
Birth Certificate Says Nasir
Origin Not Clear, but What a Great Name to Bear
My Name Is Not as Common as Muhammad or as Popular
or as Praiseworthy, So I Adopted a Moniker
I’m Nasty Nas, I Was Destined to Be Here
in Grandmaster Caz’s Atmosphere to Breathe Kool Moe Dee’s Air
It’s Esco Here, I Like the Hip-Hop Stuff
but Come Here, I Whisper in Your Ear, “I Don’t Give a F**k”
It Sounds Like It Bothers You, That I’m Just That Guy, Just That Fly
Nah, but I Know That You Hate Me for Rapping to Tracks That Sound Like Mafia Movie Scores, Baby
That Was Your Thing, You Was Getting That Through the Doors Crazy
‘Cause It Didn’t Happen Before Me, Sorry
You Was Talking Cristal First — Yeah, That Was All Me
but I Brought the Blick to the Church, I Told You Run It Now
My Jewelry Box Open, You Hearing a Humming Sound
Not Humble, Not Underground
F**k Your Cigars and Fedora Hats
This Is Real Rap, What Could Be Better Than That?
Ah, the Double R, the Iciest Jewels
Cash Rules, Heavenly Messenger, White Gloves, White Shoes
Man, That Sound Materialistic, Rappin’ ‘Bout How the Rich Live
Yo, That Boom-Bap Is Too Wack, That Don’t Get You No Bitches
Well, Nasty the Type the Rob You
Who You Talkin’ To? (You) Who? (You)
No One Left in This Room, Just Us Gunshot [Interlude]
What the F**k? Damn
Well, That Was Some Great Times, Yeah
Now It’s Time for Some Words From the Heart of Nasir, Yeah
[Verse 3]
I’m a Father, Philanthropist, Film Director, an Author
Tech Impresario, Resorts World Casino Partner
a Restauranteur, by the Time You Hear This Song
I’ll Probably Open Up a Whole New Store, Get Involved
I’m a Mogul, Massive With My Moves, Everything Got Appeal
I Lead the Way, I’m Tryna See Much More of Us Here
Even Make Our Own Cigars Top Tier
We Do Branding, Expanding a 30-Year Career
I’m Just Scratching the Surface, the Next Phase of Nasir
Phase Four, the Fourth Dimension, the Legacy’s Here
and Other Things I Won’t Mention, I’m Winnin’ When I’m Not Even Trendin’
Trailblazin’, the Message I’m Sendin’
When You Evolve Into Your True Growth, They Say You Can’t Do Both
Feed Your Soul and Get Money, I’m Like Two GOATs
So I Guess Then as Long as It’s Knockin’ Will Solve the Problem
When It’s Crack, Hit a Rock at the Bottom, Then You Got ‘Em
