“There was nothing more important to me than having a voice," says Nas in the above trailer for his Obey Your Thirst documentary. "I always believed that I could give people my ideas through art." Considering how mythologized he's become thanks to his virtuosic lyricism—which earned him a spot 20 years ago in this classic 1997 Sprite ad—it's a trip to hear what originally drove him to break into the world of hip-hop.
But maybe the secret behind Nas' illustrious career isn’t so complicated, after all: “Trust in yourself and always push the envelope.” There's obviously a lot to be said for that, and to learn more about the philosophy of one of hip-hop’s biggest legends, tune in this Wednesday, July 1st to see the full documentary. In the mean time, have another look at Drake's Obey Your Thirst doc and be on the lookout for two more from The FADER and Sprite, on Vince Staples and Isaiah Rashad.
