Nas - Nas Is Like (dirty) -

: Premier chopped the sample into three parts and layered it with bird chirps and a heavy, boom-bap drum sequence.

: Critics point to lines like "Nas is like, Iron Mike, Before the Christ after the death" as some of the most complex poetry in the genre. Nas - Nas Is Like (Dirty)

: DJ Premier famously found the core orchestral string sample on a 10-inch Lutheran church record he was about to throw away. : Premier chopped the sample into three parts

: The opening lines— "Freedom or jail, clips inserted, a baby's bein' born / Same time my man is murdered" —are often cited as one of the best "movie-like" openings in rap. : The opening lines— "Freedom or jail, clips

Lyrically, the song is a "lush litany of hip-hop braggadocio" where Nas defines his persona through a barrage of vivid metaphors and similes.

is widely considered one of the greatest technical displays in hip-hop history. Released in 1999 as the lead single for his third album, I Am... , the track reunited Nas with producer DJ Premier to recapture the "Illmatic perfection" fans craved after his more commercial turn. Production: The "Church Record" Miracle The beat is a legendary piece of hip-hop lore.