Alright, Hip Hop heads and aspiring Hip Hop artists—this is not a drill!
MasterClass, the streaming platform that allows you to learn from the best and most successful minds in whichever field suits your interest and passion, is offering virtual classes on Hip-Hop storytelling taught by none other than one of the best storytellers to grab the mic—Nas.
That’s right, Mr. Illmatic himself will be sharing, not just the fine art of using story-form in writing bars, but his philosophy on rhyme technique as well as the evolution and richness of Hip-Hop culture in general.
In his class, “Nas dives into the origins, rise and evolution of Hip-Hop in America to showcase the artistic, poetic and political power of storytelling through music,” according to a press release sent to Hip Hop Wired. He’ll also teach about “the importance of details, thinking outside the box and writing songs that make a statement or communicate societal ills.”
Outside of all that, Nas will talk about Hip-Hop lineage and the legendary artists who inspired him as well as his personal growth as an artist.
“With 14 Grammy nominations for his multiplatinum albums, Nas is one of the greatest Hip-Hop artists of all time,” David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass, said in a statement. “A voice for the voiceless, he is consistently speaking his truth and shining a light on hard and important subjects through his lyrics and storytelling. This class is the first time Nas breaks down his process and life story in this way. He also takes members through his writing process, literally creating a new song in real-time.”
Imagine the generations of aspiring artists and Hip Hop connoisseurs who could have benefitted from a platform allowing them to learn from the greats directly.
It was written, and now some of “it” is available for streaming.
We salute you, Nasir—keep educating the people.