Net Worth Ranker
What Is Nasir Jones’ Net Worth?
Nasir Jones, known professionally as Nas, has accumulated a substantial net worth of $70 million. This financial success is the result of his multifaceted career as a rapper, songwriter, actor, entrepreneur, and investor. His journey from the streets of Queensbridge to becoming a prominent figure in both the hip-hop industry and the venture capital world is a testament to his talent and business acumen.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones was born on September 14, 1973, in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Olu Dara, is a jazz and blues musician from Mississippi, and his mother, Fannie Ann, who passed away in 2002, worked for the U.S. Postal Service and was from North Carolina. Nas also has a brother, Jabari, known as Jungle, who is a member of the hip-hop group the Bravehearts.
Growing up in the Queensbridge Houses, one of the largest public housing projects in the United States, profoundly influenced Nas’s perspective and artistic expression. He dropped out of school after the eighth grade to pursue his passion for music. In 1991, Nas gained initial recognition for his performance on Main Source’s “Live at the Barbeque.”
His solo career officially began in 1992 when he signed a record deal with Columbia Records, facilitated by his then-manager MC Serch. Nas made his solo debut with the single “Halftime” from the soundtrack of the film “Zebrahead,” which was produced by MC Serch. This early exposure showcased his exceptional rhyming skills and marked the beginning of his rise in the hip-hop scene.
Musical Achievements and Album Sales
Nas’s debut album, “Illmatic,” released in 1994, is considered a landmark achievement in hip-hop. Despite not achieving massive commercial success initially, it is now revered for its lyrical complexity, vivid storytelling, and innovative production. The album featured singles like “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” “One Love,” and “The World Is Yours.” “Illmatic” was honored by The Source as the best album of 1994 and has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
His second album, “It Was Written,” released in 1996, marked a significant commercial breakthrough, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This album featured the hit singles “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That),” featuring Lauryn Hill, and “Street Dreams,” which solidified Nas’s status as a mainstream artist. “It Was Written” also introduced the Firm, a supergroup consisting of Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. However, the Firm’s debut album, “Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature Present The Firm: The Album,” released in 1997, received mixed reviews and did not achieve the expected commercial success, leading to the group’s disbandment.
Nas continued to release a string of successful albums, including “I Am…” (1999) and “Nastradamus” (1999), both of which were commercially successful. He then released “Stillmatic” in 2001, “God’s Son” in 2002, “Street’s Disciple” in 2004, “Hip Hop Is Dead” in 2006, “Untitled” in 2008, “Life is Good” in 2012, and “Nasir” in 2018. In 2020, Nas earned his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album for “King’s Disease.” He followed this with “King’s Disease II” in 2021, and his 14th studio album, “Magic,” also in 2021. In 2022, “King’s Disease III” marked his fourth consecutive album produced by Hit-Boy.
Throughout his music career, Nas has been nominated for 15 Grammy Awards, six MTV Music Video Awards, and 10 BET Awards, winning two BET Awards. His collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda on the song “Wrote My Way Out” for “The Hamilton Mixtape” in November 2016 further showcased his versatility and reach.
In January 2006, Jay-Z signed Nas to Def Jam Recordings. The agreement stipulated that Nas would be paid approximately $3,000,000, encompassing a recording budget for each of his initial two albums under the Def Jam label. Between September 2017 and September 2018, Nas earned $35 million. Subsequently, from September 2018 to September 2019, his earnings amounted to $19 million.
Venture Capital Investments and Business Ventures
Beyond his music career, Nas has established himself as a successful venture capitalist. He co-founded QueensBridge Venture Partners, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology startups. QueensBridge’s investments typically range from $100,000 to $500,000.
Some of QueensBridge Venture Partners’ most notable investments include: Dropbox, Lyft, SeatGeek, General Assembly, Robinhood, Casper, Pill Pack, Pluto TV, Coinbase, and Genius. When Amazon acquired Ring in 2018 for $1.1 billion, QueensBridge held a stake in the company. The acquisition of Ring and Pill Pack by Amazon generated $40 million for QueensBridge.
In 2019, Viacom acquired Pluto TV for $340 million, further boosting QueensBridge’s investment portfolio. QueensBridge participated in Coinbase’s Series B round in 2013, which raised $25 million at a $143 million valuation. When Coinbase went public in April 2021 with a market cap of $60 billion, QueensBridge’s investment was valued between $35 million and $100 million. Although Coinbase’s valuation later decreased, it has since recovered significantly from its low point.
Nas is also a partner in Sweet Chick, a chicken and waffle restaurant chain. The first Sweet Chick location was opened in 2013 by John Seymour. Currently, Sweet Chick has locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Los Angeles, and London.
Real Estate Holdings
Nas has made several real estate investments over the years. In early 2002, he purchased a home in McDonough, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, for $659,000. The 3,592-square-foot home, built in 1999, features two bedrooms, three full and one-half bathrooms, and a swimming pool. In mid-2007, Nas and his then-wife Kelis acquired a home in Los Angeles for $1.6 million. The 3,207-square-foot house, constructed in 1947, includes four bedrooms and three bathrooms. In November 2021, Nas bought a home in Calabasas, California, for $3.5 million. This property spans 10 acres.
Personal Life and IRS Issues
Nas has two children. His daughter, Destiny, was born on June 15, 1994, and his son, Knight, was born on July 21, 2009. In 2005, Nas married singer Kelis, but they divorced in 2010. In September 2009, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filed a federal tax lien against Nas for over $2.5 million in unpaid taxes dating back to 2006. By early 2011, his tax debt had increased to over $6.4 million. In 2012, reports emerged that the IRS had filed papers to garnish a portion of Nas’s earnings to settle the tax debt.
