In April, Nas honored the 30th anniversary of his highly revered debut album, Illmatic. Come Labor Day weekend, the “Got Ur Self A Gun” rapper will hit Las Vegas to celebrate the iconic project live with fans. But that’s not the only hip-hop staple Nas wants to bring back to the masses.
According to Hollywood Reporter, Nas is helping to develop a musical adaptation of Beat Street for Broadway. During the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, a 40th anniversary screening was held to revisit, Beat Street, the 1984 dramatic deep dive into hip-hop’s origins.
But that event was just the beginning. Nas reportedly delivered a speech about its importance and why he signed onto the adaption. “Beat Street wasn’t just a film,” he said. “It spread the revolution of hip-hop culture throughout the country and the world. It left an indelible mark, inspiring generations of young artists and creating new hip-hop fans alike. It’s a thrill for me to join the creative team of Beat Street, bringing the raw energy of hip-hop into the fabric of Broadway. It’s an honor to breathe new life into this iconic work and celebrate its enduring legacy.”
As far as Nas’ role with the forthcoming production, the emcee will reportedly “expand and create new material from the film’s soundtrack for the musical” in addition to his responsibilities as producer alongside Arthur Baker. Baker originally served as a composer and music producer for the original film.
The timeline for the project hasn’t been shared. But this professional endeavors marks a trend in musicians’ domination on Broadway. Both Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen and the Sufjan Stevens-inspired Illinoise, snagged several 2024 Tony Award nominations.
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