Trackmasters Rank No. 2 As Nas’ Best Go-To Producers

 •  News  •  by Adam Fleischer  •  1 Comment

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  • trackmasters
    Trackmasters Rank No. 2 As Nas’ Best Go-To Producers
    Trackmasters may not have the most Nas placements under their belt, but its tough to argue that they don't have some of the finest. The production duo, made up of Poke and Tone, were instrumental in crafting the Queens MC's follow up to his landmark debut album, <em>Illmatic</em>. That release, <em>It Was Written</em>, which hit stores two years after Nas' first classic, brought a different sound (more mainstream) and approach (Nas Escobar) to fans, and hit No. 1 on the <em>Billboard</em> 200, thanks in part to the production. The duo delivered Nas his breakout hit, "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" alongside Lauryn HIll, which remains one of his most celebrated songs a decade and a half later. Their contribution to other favorites from the project, like "Street Dreams," "The Message" and "Black Girl Lost," continued to display a shinier, more accessible sound than Nas had previously rapped over, but remained authentically hip-hop in its essence. Though they never again worked as extensively as they did on that album, Trackmasters continued to lace Esco on <em>I Am...</em>, <em>Stillmatic</em>, and <em>The Lost Tapes</em>. Their greatest accomplishment, though, was helping bring Nas to a larger audience while ensuring he didn't hit a sophomore slump. <br /><br /><strong>Album Appearances (1pt):</strong> 4 = 4 pts<br /><strong>Officially Released Singles (2pts):</strong> 5 = 8 pts<br /><strong>Grammy Nominations (3pts):</strong> 1 = 3 pts<br /><strong>Top 40 Singles on <em>Billboard</em> Hot 100 (4pts):</strong> 2 = 8 pts<br /><strong>Signature Track(s) (5pts):</strong> 5 = 25 pts “The Message,” “Street Dreams,” “Black Girl Lost,” “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That),” “Hate Me Now” <br /><strong>Total:</strong> 48 pts<br /><br /><strong>Click <a href="http://www.xxlmag.com/features/2012/08/dj-premier-ranks-no-3-as-nas%E2%80%99-best-go-to-producer/" target="_blank">here</a> to see Nas’ No. 3 Go-To Producer, and stay tuned as <em>XXL</em> reveals Nas’ Best Go-To Producers throughout the week.</strong>
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    Nas "Album Intro" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>It Was Written</em> (1996)
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    Nas "The Message" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>It Was Written</em> (1996)
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    Nas "Street Dreams" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>It Was Written</em> (1996)
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    Nas "Watch Dem Niggas" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>It Was Written</em> (1996)
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    Nas "Shootouts" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>It Was Written</em> (1996)
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    Nas "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>It Was Written</em> (1996)
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    Nas "Black Girl Lost" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>It Was Written</em> (1996)
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    Nas "We Will Survive" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>I Am...</em> (1999)
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    Nas "Dr. Knockboot" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>I Am...</em> (1999)
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    Nas "Rule" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>Stillmatic</em> (2001)
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    Nas "Blaze A 50" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>The Lost Tapes</em> (2002)
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    Nas "Drunk By Myself" [Produced by Trackmasters], <em>The Lost Tapes</em> (2002)
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  • steven

    Nice update at the end there. I definitely raised an eyebrow when I saw Nas and Kobe chumming it up. “From OJ to Kobay, well let’s call him To-bay.” Ouch.