This past month must feel like one long party for Nasty Nas, who celebrated the release of his seminal album, Illmatic, with a slew of high profile concerts. While he was performing at SXSW and more recently Coachella, a documentary chronicling the young emcee and his music opened Tribeca film festival, entitled Time Is Illmatic. However, while in the midst of all of these festivities, Nas hasn’t forgotten to create new music and has been in the studio working with some big names.

In an interview with NPR, Nas let loose some news that will have fans everywhere excited for what is coming next. Apparently he has been in the studio for almost a year and half working on his next project.

 ”I started working with Tim, I want to say a year and a half ago. I think it was the same year I dropped my last album, Life is Good. I started with Tim and it felt really powerful; it felt like it was really powerful. And I stepped back from it. Tim’s like, “What are you doing?” and I’m like, “I just need a minute to like — I just need a minute to take it all in, just live a little and enjoy day-by-day stuff and daily stuff I’m doing.” It’s just — I didn’t want to go back in the studio that quick. I felt like I needed to be inspired.”

Now with all of the 20th anniversary hype in full swing, Nas states that he finally found that inspiration he was looking for, due to the documentary.

I wasn’t really, really, really inspired, to tell you the truth, until we started to, kind of, embark on this 20th anniversary. It wasn’t ’til then that I really started to feel it. Cause I got a chance — and I gotta give credit to the documentary guys. Them showing me the footage and stuff really like — it really lets you know where you come from and everything, and where you at now. I salute them dudes, man — One9, Erik Parker, the whole crew over there that’s put that film together — because that’s helped me find the inspiration. I found it.

So I jumpstarted the album again — the new one. Because I started maybe a year and a half ago with the ideas, No I.D., I’m there. Now I’m at a place where — I laid down ideas, so the ideas I lay down then, now, I’m kind of like going through ‘em and I’m fixing ‘em. Now I’m at a place where I could play a song for somebody and they really get it and they really understand — they really feel it. At first I didn’t, so I’m happy to say I’m at a place where it feels right. I talked to Swizz, and we went through joints. And No I.D. and Timbaland, you know. This the only interview I’ma talk about it. Cause I know once this comes out, people might ask me about the record and, man, I just want to finish it and get it done.

No I.D., Swizz, and Timbaland make a formidable production team, something that Nas had during the Illmatic years. This is looking like a worthy follow-up to his last release, Life Is Good, and we are looking forward to hearing it. Listen to the full interview here and keep it locked to the Source.

Jimi (@Nativejimi)