Nas Speaks with HYPEBEAST @ "Life is Good" Moët & Chandon Rose Lounge Event

To celebrate the release of his Life is Good album, Moët & Chandon and hip-hop icon Nasir Jones debuted the Moët Rose Lounge 2012 series in Nas’s native city of New York at the newly opened Bagatelle restaurant. The evening began with a private 50-person dinner which included celebrities such as Swizz Beatz, Teyana Taylor, Tyson Beckford, BET’s President Stephen Hill, Angie Martinez, and a host of Nas’s close friends, Moët and Def Jam execs. Following the dinner, the event turned to an after party, which was spun by hip-hop heavyweight Q-Tip and DJ Wonder. Nas celebrated the night away with celebrity friends such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Jermaine Dupri, Wale, Miguel, Anthony Hamilton, Busta Rhymes, No I.D., Eric Benet, Bridget Kelly, Adrienne Bailon and Julissa Bermudez. We also got a chance to briefly speak with the Queensbridge veteran himself about his newest project – hear what he had to say below:

With that album art and title in retrospect to things that have been going on in your life, can we directly assume that the project was inspired by your ex-wife?
I love my ex-wife, and I have so much respect for her and I thank her for giving me my son. So I just wanted to shout her out. Part of the project also comes from me looking back at my life and how I’ve survived. It’s not easy out here, so everyday waking up is a blessing.

Would you say this is your most mature body of work?
I think that would be up to the listeners to decide, I think it just represents where I’m at currently in life. Every album I make feels like it’s my first album, I just want people to know I’m passionate about music and that I’ll move how I move based on how I feel.

“Daughters” seems to be one of the focal points on the record, can you tell us what the song means to you and the motivation behind it?
My life has had its ups and downs but still, has been a beautiful ride you know what I mean? From my fatherhood stages, to my daughter, Destiny Jones (who’s the love of my life). I want to see nothing but the best for her and through that feeling, it inspired me to write the song for her. I also hope those alike in this world can respect that as well.

Off the music tip, everyone knows you’re a big Knicks fan, so did you think the Knicks should’ve re-signed Jeremy Lin?
Hell yeah, should’ve paid him. Give that man the money he deserves.

Nas’s Life is Good is available now through iTunes.

Interview: Davis Huynh
Photography: Rudy Calderon/HYPEBEAST & Moët and Chandon