Before Nas had cemented his legacy as one of the greatest hip hop artists of all time, and 50 Cent as one of the most successful hip hop moguls ever, they were two Queens rappers making their way around the music industry.
Prior to beefing during the mid-2000s (and subsequently making up), Nas was one of the first rappers in the industry to embrace 50 Cent. According to an interview with Complex, the late Reggie Osse aka Combat Jack recalled how Nas was one of the few rappers who appreciated 50’s shots on “How To Rob” and invited him on the Nastradamus promo run in 1999.
“Nas was the first person to do something for nothing for me,” 50 recalled in an interview with MTV. “He allowed me to go on his promo tour for Nastradamus [in 1999]. He said, ‘The way you came out with that record [“How to Rob”], it felt like when I came out [with Illmatic].’ He wanted me to be out there. Me and Tony Yayo, we went on that promo tour. At that point, me and Nas was cool.”
Nas, Nature and the Bravehearts crew, also made appearances on 50’s 2002 compilation album, Guess Who’s Back?, which was also the same project that brought Eminem’s attention to the Queens rapper and subsequently signed him to Shady Records.
