fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðɪ ɐklˈeɪm ʌv hɪz lˈændmɑːɹk deɪbjˈuː ˈælbəm ɪlmˈæɾɪk nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ, kwˈiːnsbɹɪdʒbˈeɪst ɛmsˈiː nˈæs dᵻsˈaɪdᵻd tə kˈɑːnsəntɹˌeɪt hɪz ˈɛfɚts ɪn ɐ mˈeɪnstɹiːm dᵻɹˈɛkʃən.
Following the acclaim of his landmark debut album Illmatic (1994), Queensbridge-based emcee Nas decided to concentrate his efforts in a mainstream direction.