Nasty NaS - Understanding (Feat. AZ & Biz Markie) 

Nas is a once in a lifetime artist

My mom in her mid 60s just started pop locking to this record just now 😂. Music like this is undeniable

Nas went bananas

You can't tell me shit- This cut alone is one of hip hop's greatest achievements.

Nas is the G.O.A.T. hands down. Take me to court.

He straight bodied that second verse. Holy fuck.

While initially thought to be an pre-Illmatic demo track, producer Large Professor revealed that the song was actually produced in 1995 between the Illmatic and It Was Written sessions. The track samples a loop from Grover Washington, Jr.’s “Mister Magic” as Nas drops a couple of verses. Large Professor spoke to Complex about the track: That sample was Biz (Markie)’s idea. Biz called me one day, and was like, ‘Yo! You know what would be dope? To get Nas to rhyme over that Grover Washington joint.’ (“Mister Magic) And I was like, ‘Word? You think so?’ And then I called Nas, and was like, ‘Yo, this is what Biz said.’ And he was like, ‘Then we gotta do it.’ So I hooked the beat up, and we went to the Greene Street Studios, and knocked it out. We never mixed it or took it through the whole process, it was just a flinger. But Grandmaster Vic was there, Biz was there, AZ. Raekwon came through [to hang out]. Nas was just starting to work on It Was Written. Those were sessions between Illmatic and It Was Written. That was one of the first sessions when he started getting in the swing of working again.

His flow is sick.. Cant break it down man!!

Nas is a Hip Hops national treasure man.

Son was glidin' on this shit...

knowing this was recorded in the early 90's and realizing his level back then is scary

Nas was/is ahead of his time.

Large Professor is credited for the beat.

NAS is sikk !

He fucking killed this shit.

That biz markie verse tho....

This is not from Nas's 1991 demo tape. This is something he recorded AFTER Illmatic. The only songs from hus demo were "Once Upon A Time In The Projects", "The Villain", "Nas Will Prevail", and "Number One With A Bullet". Tracks like "Understanding", "Life Is Like A Dice Game", "On the Real", and "Deja Vu" were recorded in 94-95 after Illmatic but before It Was Written. Please be more accurate with the history..

RIP BIZ

one does not simply get this song in a good audio quality

i was searching this track for years....!!!!love it

This man just bless this

REST WELL BIZ😢

Damn Nas was a lyrical BEAST back in the day!!

Crazy Dope...Anit heard this joint before? Mad rare, true!

I'm gonna find a way to put this on my playlist, classic.

2:20 Nas kilt the rhymes here

RIP BIZ MARKIE

Crazy funky

haha AZs cold!but on point

Dope, forever

Insane

Classic

Still 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥LEGENDS

az is the best

Rip Biz

Krack-maticly ILL!!

Peace god

Soooo dope

It is though thanks!

they should re-released this song in HD quality from Columbia Records

Yall already know az was helping out

This is not from his demo tape and was made in '95, after illmatic.

flow

start wildin like insane asylums on rutgers island

1996

Why am I just hearing this gem! WTF is Nas on??

It's on datpiff.com the whole mixtape Under Nasty Nas I think

This one didn't make the cut for illmatic..... would've been dope

Was this supposed to be on an album?

From what I 'Understand' they couldn't clear this sample; thus unreleased :/

this is the shit :)

wack lyrics, the best part is the grover wash jr sample