Maps of Music

Street's Disciple (2004)

Where the lyrics of Street's Disciple take you, and where it was really made.

The cover adapts The Last Supper, but it was made digitally from photos of Nas himself.

Place unknown

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Street's Disciple: seventh studio album by American rapper Nas
Released as a double album by Ill Will Records, Columbia Records, and Sony Urban Music
Originally scheduled for September 14, 2004; released November 30, 2004
Title taken from one of Nas' lyrics on 'Live at the Barbeque' by Main Source
Marks the end of Nas' tenure with Columbia Records after ten years

Most production handled by Salaam Remi, L.E.S., and Chucky Thompson of Sean Combs' team The Hitmen
Remi had earlier worked with Nas on Stillmatic and God's Son
Other producers include Q-Tip, who last worked with Nas on Illmatic's 'One Love', and Buckwild of D.I.T.C.

Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York
Mixed and recorded by Kevin Crouse
Remi produced eleven tracks, L.E.S. eight, and Thompson six
Nas produced 'Suicide Bounce' and 'U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)' himself, both from the second disc

1	Intro	1:51
2	A Message to the Feds, Sincerely, We the People	2:15
3	Nazareth Savage	2:41
4	American Way	4:10
5	These Are Our Heroes	4:24
6	Disciple	3:00
7	Sekou Story	2:56
8	Live Now	4:30
9	Rest of My Life	3:51
10	Just a Moment	4:22
11	Reason	4:48
12	You Know My Style	2:53

1	Suicide Bounce	3:58
2	Street’s Disciple	3:57
3	U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)	3:39
4	Virgo	3:27
5	Remember the Times (intro)	0:51
6	Remember the Times	3:24
7	The Makings of a Perfect Bitch	3:16
8	Getting Married	3:47
9	No One Else in the Room	5:08
10	Bridging the Gap	3:57
11	War	4:18
12	Me & You (Dedicated to Destiny)	3:26
13	Thief’s Theme	2:59
14	Thief’s Theme	4:16

Born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones on September 14, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City; raised in the Queensbridge Houses, Queens.
Son of jazz and blues musician Olu Dara; began as "Nasty Nas" in 1989 and recorded demos under Large Professor.
Made his recording debut on Main Source's 1991 song "Live at the Barbeque"; signed with Columbia Records in 1992.

Debut album Illmatic (April 19, 1994) is regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums; selected for the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
It Was Written (1996) debuted atop the Billboard 200; single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" featuring Lauryn Hill brought mainstream success.
Feud with Jay-Z (2001–2005) via the diss track "Ether"; Stillmatic and God's Son helped restore his critical standing.
Released Hip Hop Is Dead (2006) and Distant Relatives (2010) with Damian Marley, whose royalties went to African charities.
King's Disease (2020) won his first Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Released King's Disease II, Magic, King's Disease III, Magic 2 and Magic 3, all produced by Hit-Boy.
Announced Light-Years with DJ Premier, a 2025 collaborative album.

Well received by critics
Metacritic: 80 out of 100 from 16 reviews
Chicago Sun-Times: Jeff Vrabel called it sprawling and ambitious
The Village Voice: Robert Christgau found its double-CD length ambitious rather than hubristic
Christgau wrote that Nas seemed comfortable with his humanity, responsible, thoughtful, and compassionate
Rolling Stone: Jon Caramanica said it was hip-hop old and wise enough to look backward while still looking ahead with wonder
Vibe: Noah Callahan-Bever was less enthusiastic and found much of the songs routine

Christgau later named it the 11th best album of 2004 in his Pazz & Jop year-end list

Debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard 200
Sold 232,000 copies in the US in its first week
About 500,000 copies sold in the US by January 2005
Certified Platinum by the RIAA on November 18, 2005, for one million shipped
Seventh consecutive platinum record for Nas in the US
Second place on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart
'Bridging the Gap' was the only single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 94

Most production was handled by Salaam Remi, L.E.S., and Chucky Thompson of The Hitmen.
'These Are Our Heroes' was originally titled 'Coon's Picnic' and attacked several black celebrities, including O. J. Simpson and Kobe Bryant.
'Getting Married' is dedicated to Nas' then-newlywed wife Kelis Rogers-Jones.
Nas used a voice synthesizer to create his female alter-ego Scarlett, who appears on 'Sekou Story' and 'Live Now'.
Ill Bill later made 'U.B.S. (Unauthorized Biography Of Slayer)' on his 2008 album The Hour of Reprisal, similar to 'U.B.R.'.
Sales in France and Europe followed the US run, with the album selling about 500,000 copies in the US by January 2005.