Nas’s recently released album King’s Disease marked his fourteenth project to debut in the top ten. It stands as a testament to his longevity and sustained greatness, with a career now spanning nearly three decades since his debut appearance on Main Source’s 1992 track “Live at the Barbeque.”
Production on King’s Disease was spearheaded by Hit-Boy, who has built an illustrious career in his own right. The album’s most talked-about moment came on “Full Circle,” a track that reunited the original lineup of The Firm for the first time since “Affirmative Action” from Nas’s 1996 album It Was Written.
Main Source – Live at the Barbeque feat. Nas
Nas – Full Circle feat. AZ, Cormega & Foxy Brown
The track demonstrated that Nas, alongside AZ, Cormega, and Foxy Brown, can still create music held in high regard. It also reignited long-standing curiosity about what the original lineup of The Firm might have achieved had it remained intact.
The song’s impact—and the way it ultimately came together—is remarkable. During his promotional run, Nas reflected on his relationships with the group’s members and addressed why The Firm failed to meet expectations upon its release.
Nas – King’s Disease Interview
Nas became friends with Cormega at an early age while growing up in Queensbridge. By 1991, Cormega had begun building a name for himself, appearing on tracks with fellow Queensbridge artists such as Blaq Poet and Hot Day. He was initially being groomed for a record deal, but that momentum was halted when he became incarcerated.
Cormega’s name continued to circulate thanks to Nas’s track “One Love,” which took the form of letters written to his incarcerated friends. On the song, Nas famously shouted him out—“What up with Cormega? Did you see him? Are y’all together?”—keeping Cormega’s presence alive in the streets. The track appeared on Nas’s 1994 debut album Illmatic, further cementing that connection during a critical moment in both of their early careers.
Hot Day – Going Straight Up feat. Arkim, Blaq Poet & Cormega
Nas – One Love
Another future member of The Firm closely associated with Nas’s Illmatic was AZ. He appeared on the album’s intro, “The Genesis,” as well as the standout track “Life’s a B*tch.”
AZ initially showed up simply to support Nas, but organically became part of the album itself. His performance—on what many consider one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time—quickly elevated his profile and led to his own record deal. AZ followed up with Doe or Die, which became a classic in its own right and featured Nas on the track “Mo Money, Mo Murder.”
Nas – The Genesis feat. AZ
Nas – Life’s a B*tch feat. AZ
AZ – Mo Money, Mo Murder feat. Nas
Although Nas was being heralded as the next Rakim, he was still struggling financially. His debut album initially reached gold status before eventually going platinum, but commercial success did not immediately translate into stability.
Around this time, Nas formed a relationship with Steve Stoute, who managed Trackmasters, a production team known for its polished, radio-friendly sound. The two connected at the Source Awards in 1995. Stoute recognized that Nas had all the makings of a star and believed that pairing him with Trackmasters—and managing his career more strategically—could elevate him to a new level.
Without that shift, Nas likely would have remained critically acclaimed, but his career risked stalling before reaching its full commercial potential
By that point, Trackmasters had already spent several years building credibility by producing for underground legends such as Chubb Rock and Kool G Rap. Their sound was rooted in street credibility, but their reach was beginning to expand.
They were now achieving mainstream success as well, working with artists like Mary J. Blige, Soul for Real, Heavy D, and The Notorious B.I.G.. With one foot in the underground and the other firmly in the mainstream, Trackmasters were on the cusp of becoming one of the most sought-after production duos in hip-hop.
Chubb Rock – Lost In The Storm (prod. by Trackmasters)
Kool G Rap – Ill Street Blues (prod. by Trackmasters)
Mary J Blige – Be Happy (prod. by Trackmasters)
The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy (prod. by Poke from Trackmasters)
By the end of 1995, LL Cool J’s album Mr. Smith had been released. Trackmasters handled production on nearly half of the project, which ultimately went double platinum. The album showcased their versatility, blending radio-friendly hits like “Hey Lover” featuring Boyz II Men with harder, underground smashes such as the “I Shot Ya (Remix).”
This balance between mainstream appeal and street credibility was exactly the formula Steve Stoute envisioned for Nas’s next project. “I Shot Ya (Remix)” also served as the world’s introduction to Foxy Brown. In her debut appearance, she more than held her own alongside LL Cool J, Keith Murray, Fat Joe, and Prodigy.
LL Cool J – Hey Lover feat. Boyz II Men (prod. by Trackmasters)
LL Cool J – I Shot Ya (remix) feat. Keith Murray, Prodigy, Fat Joe & Foxy Brown (prod. by Trackmasters)
AZ introduced Foxy Brown to Nas. At the time, Nas had expressed interest in working with Lil’ Kim, but he eventually warmed to the idea of collaborating with Foxy Brown instead. That connection would soon prove significant.
As fate would have it, Nas crossed paths with Dr. Dre in 1996, and the two shared a mutual interest in working together in the studio. Steve Stoute strongly supported bringing Dre into the fold, viewing the collaboration as a way to broaden Nas’s audience and expand his reach.
That partnership resulted in “Nas Is Coming,” which appeared on Nas’s sophomore album It Was Written. On the track, Nas and Dr. Dre pushed back against the ongoing East Coast–West Coast rivalry, expressing that the conflict was pointless. Instead, they emphasized unity, collaboration, and financial success. The song ultimately served as a teaser for what was to come between the two artists.
The next step would be even more ambitious: a full group album from The Firm, released under Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment in partnership with Interscope Records.
Nas – Nas Is Coming feat. Dr. Dre
The members of The Firm first appeared together on “Affirmative Action” and its remix, both of which were produced by Trackmasters. Foxy Brown also collaborated with Nas on the track “Watch Dem,” further strengthening the chemistry between the group’s core members.
It Was Written remains Nas’s best-selling album to this day. With its commercial success and the early glimpses of The Firm’s potential, anticipation for a full group project reached a fever pitch, and expectations were enormous.
Nas – Affirmative Action feat. AZ, Cormega & Foxy Brown (prod. by Trackmasters)
Nas – Affirmative Action (Remix) feat. Foxy Brown, AZ & Cormega (prod. by Trackmasters)
