Teaches Hip-Hop Storytelling

Discover Nas’s life story and how writing lyrics and making music became a way for him to channel his thoughts and served as a form of therapy. Learn Nas’s take on the importance of ambition and drive in pursuing your dreams.

Meet Your Instructor

Nas takes you through a case study of how he wrote “N.Y. State of Mind,” one of his most iconic songs, and breaks down the importance of details and why describing the way an experience made you feel is the key to writing powerful lyrics.

Telling Your Life Story Through Music 

Nas explains the concepts of beat, timing, and rhythmic patterns and shares how he challenges himself and breaks a pattern. He also explains how you can experiment with unexpected words and rhymes to make your raps more interesting.

Rapping and Rhyme Schemes 

Get a firsthand, real-time view of Nas’s writing process, with takeaway tips on how to formulate ideas to a beat.

In the Studio: Writing an Original Rap Song

Witness Nas’s genius in action as he records an original song. Nas also breaks down one of his techniques: spitting lyrics spontaneously and then going back and fixing the parts that didn’t work in real time.

In the Studio: Recording an Original Rap Song

Nas explains the value of using poetic techniques in lyrics: wordplay, analogies, metaphors, figurative language, slang, and cultural references. He shares examples from his own lyrics and shows you how using these techniques can improve yours.

Using Poetic Lyrical Techniques

Nas breaks down his song “Rewind,” in which he decided to tell a story backward, to explain how thinking outside the box through writing challenges can help you improve your skills, move the genre forward, and do something no one has done before.

Case Study: Writing Challenges

This lesson covers how listening to music legends influences your art and can inspire you on your own musical journey. Nas talks about his music idols, the growth of Hip-Hop, and the lasting impact of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur.

Learning from Hip-Hop Legends 

Nas uses case studies of his songs “One Love” and “Ultra Black” to emphasize the importance of writing songs that make a statement or communicate societal ills, and how artists have a responsibility to talk about topics that can make a difference.

Using Your Power and Voice

Nas talks about how he evolved and matured as an artist and the importance of growing and changing. He analyzes two of his songs from different points in his career to show you how his style and music have shifted.

Nas’s Artistic Evolution

Nas talks about the current state of the music business and how it’s changed. He encourages you to think about being business-minded and eventually owning your music so you are in control of your own destiny.

The Music Industry

Nas sums up the global influence of Hip-Hop and how it has changed the world for the better. He reflects on his career and how the genre has evolved to include messages about success and achievement, and he shares some final words of wisdom.

Hip-Hop Is Our Universe 

Nas Teaches Hip-Hop Storytelling

Music

Write & Compose Music

Lessons from Influential Black Voices

Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love

Teaches Music for Film

Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman Teaches Music for Film

Teaches Filmmaking

Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog Teaches Filmmaking

Teaches Songwriting

John Legend

John Legend Teaches Songwriting

Teaches Producing and Beatmaking

Timbaland

Timbaland Teaches Producing and Beatmaking

Teaches Poetic Thinking

Joy Harjo

Joy Harjo Teaches Poetic Thinking

Teaches Singing

Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera Teaches Singing

Teaches the Voice as an Instrument

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey Teaches the Voice as an Instrument

Teaches Jazz

Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock Teaches Jazz

Teaches Violin

Itzhak Perlman

Itzhak Perlman Teaches Violin

Teaches Creativity and Songwriting

St. Vincent

St. Vincent Teaches Creativity and Songwriting

Teaches the Art and Soul of Guitar

Carlos Santana

Carlos Santana Teaches the Art and Soul of Guitar

Teaches Country Music

Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire Teaches Country Music

Teaches The Art of Performance

Usher

Teaches The Art Of Performance

Usher Teaches The Art of Performance

Teaches Being a Band

Metallica

Metallica Teaches Being a Band

Teaches Dance Music

Armin van Buuren

Armin van Buuren Teaches Dance Music

Teaches Electronic Music Production

deadmau5

deadmau5 Teaches Electronic Music Production

Teaches Electric Guitar

Tom Morello

Tom Morello Teaches Electric Guitar

Teaches Film Scoring

Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer Teaches Film Scoring

Teaches ʻUkulele

Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro Teaches ʻUkulele

Teaches Philosophy

Cornel West

Cornel West Teaches Philosophy

Teaches Music and Connection

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma Teaches Music and Connection

Teaches Drumming & Creative Collaboration

Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr Teaches Drumming & Creative Collaboration

Teaches Drumming and Percussion 

Sheila E.

Sheila E. Teaches Drumming and Percussion 

Teaches Creativity in Choreography

Parris Goebel

Parris Goebel Teaches Creativity in Choreography

Teaches Music Curation and DJing

Questlove

Questlove Teaches Music Curation and DJing

Teaches Songwriting and Producing

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys Teaches Songwriting and Producing

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