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NAS – OBEY YOUR THIRST DOCUMENTARY

Nas shared his story with The FADER x Sprite. “Growing up in Queensbridge, hip-hop was the most amazing thing I’d ever heard,” says Nas in the Obey Your Thirst documentary, made by The FADER and Sprite. “There was nothing more important to me than having a voice. I wanted to make a big impact on this art form. I wanted to open up a doorway for another generation.”

Considering that these are words coming from one of the most revered rappers of all time, behind one of the most beloved albums of all time in 1994’s Illmatic, it’s safe to say that Nas has succeeded in making his dreams a reality. But how did he make it all happen? In the video, Nas gives up-and-comers some advice, insisting on following your vision regardless of what other people say: “Why do something that’s not you? Trust in yourself and always push the envelope.”

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KENDRICK LAMAR – ALRIGHT

Kendrick Lamar’s video for “Alright” is nearly 7 minutes of visually stunning art that tackles all of the themes stuffed within his stellar To Pimp A Butterfly album. To say much more would ruin it. Just watch.

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KXNG CROOKED – ASHAMED

The emcee formally known as Crooked I drops the BTS visuals for “Ashamed” feat Mike Smith and DJ Revolution, produced by Jonathan Hay, Mike Smith and King Tech. This is from the album “When Music Worlds Collide.”

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MAGNUM OPUS: THE MAKING OF GANG STARR’S MASS APPEAL

The latest installment of “Magnum Opus” from good folks at Complex covers the making of Gang Starr’s legendary “Mass Appeal.” With input from the likes of DJ Premier, Big Shug, Jadakiss, Fat Joe, Stretch Armstrong, journalists Chairman Mao and Noah Callahan-Bever as well as managers Patrick Moxey and Phat Gary, you’ll get the full story of one of hip hop’s classic records.

There are few rap acts that stuck to their guns quite like Gang Starr. Comprised of DJ Premier the late, great Guru, the duo’s sound came to define the purist hip-hop standard of the ’90s. They crafted a style that was true to New York despite the fact that neither of them actually hailed from New York. The duo never sold millions and millions of records, but they never made a bad album either. While they made plenty of great songs, in 1994 they released “Mass Appeal”—the quintessential Gang Starr record and a song truly worthy of a Magnum Opus treatment.

We got with DJ Premier, Guru’s close friend Big Shug of Gang Starr Foundation, and the group’s managers Patrick Moxey and Phat Gary to talk about the making of the song. What we found out is that despite the fact that the song made fun of rappers who aspired for mass appeal, Guru’s actually aspired for commercial relevance himself. But, of course, the group never abandoned their aesthetic. Ironically, “Mass Appeal” became the group’s biggest hit thanks in part to Premier’s hypnotic beat.

We also talked to Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and Stretch​ Armstrong about the group’s lasting impact and legacy. And to round things out, veteran hip-hop journalist Chairman Mao and Complex’s own Editor-In-Chief Noah Callahan-Bever explained how Gang Starr took the road less taken to achieve their legendary status.

RIP Keith “Guru” Elam.

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PAPOOSE – THE BANK

Papoose delivers the wickedness in the form of “The Bank” off of “You Can’t Stop Destiny.” The band, the flow, the energy. Papoose has it all with this one. Shout out to HipHopDX for the premiere.