Nas Opens Up About Disappointment With 2018 Kanye West Collab Album ‘NASIR’

Nas has opened up about his 2018 collaborative album NASIR with Kanye West, admitting that the project did not meet his expectations due to a rushed and fragmented recording process.

At the time of its release, the album was widely anticipated, bringing together two influential figures in hip-hop. However, both critics and fans were left divided, with many noting that the final product lacked cohesion despite the strong creative pairing.

Inside the Wyoming Sessions

Speaking in earlier interviews, Nas reflected on the Wyoming recording sessions where the project was created. According to him, the environment was fast-paced and heavily influenced by Kanye West’s overlapping album schedule during that period.

Kanye was simultaneously working on multiple projects, including albums for Kid Cudi, Teyana Taylor, and his own solo material, which limited the amount of focused studio time available for NASIR.

Nas explained that much of his work on the album happened under tight deadlines, with key sessions taking place shortly before release.

The lack of extended collaboration, he suggested, made it difficult to fully develop the creative chemistry between the two artists in the way he had originally envisioned.

A Rushed Creative Process

Nas described the experience as more fragmented than collaborative, noting that he often had to wait until the final stages of production to work directly with Kanye West.

While ideas were exchanged throughout the process, much of the final shaping of the album came together in the final week before its release.

This compressed timeline ultimately impacted how the project came together, leaving Nas with mixed feelings about the outcome.

Appreciation Despite Frustration

Despite his disappointment, Nas expressed appreciation for the opportunity to work with Kanye West and the experience of recording in Wyoming.

He noted that the sessions allowed him to explore a new environment and connect with a broader creative circle of artists and producers.

While he acknowledged the shortcomings of the project, he emphasized that the collaboration still held value in terms of artistic exposure and experimentation.

Looking Back on the Collaboration

Nas has also suggested in past interviews that a longer, more structured collaboration between him and Kanye West could have produced a stronger body of work.

He indicated that the timing and workload pressures surrounding Kanye’s multiple projects played a major role in limiting their studio time together.

Although NASIR remains one of the more debated entries in both artists’ catalogs, Nas has expressed openness to working with Kanye again in the future under better conditions.