Hot 21 Radio

During a recent appearance on the 'Lex Fridman Podcast,' RZA explained why Nas is Hip Hop's answer to the famous chess prodigy Bobby Fischer.

Nas is no stranger to comparisons. Following the release of his classic debut album Illmatic in 1994, seemingly every Hip Hop publication from VIBE to The Source hailed him as the second coming of Rakim. But one name Nas has likely never seen himself compared to before is legendary chess player Bobby Fischer until now, that is. During a recent appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast, RZA perhaps the only person on the planet qualified to draw parallels between Hip Hop and chess explained the genius of Nas artistry by comparing him to fellow prodigy Bobby Fischer. Nas, of course, made his grand entrance on Main Sources Live at the Barbeque at age 17 before setting a new standard for rap albums with Illmatic at 21 years old. Back in the late 1950s, Fischer became the youngest ever U.S. Chess Champion at age 14 and the youngest chess grandmaster at the time at 15. I got to put Nas in that category, RZA said when asked about who he believes are the greatest rappers outside of the Wu-Tang Clan. We got a chess board in front of us and one of the greatest chess players the youngest grandmaster before, I think, Carlsen was Bobby Fischer. One of the greatest American chess players. He was a master at, what, 14? To me, I met Nas when he was 15 and he was already a master lyricist. It takes about 10 years to become a master lyricist, so by the time the world heard Wu-Tang, most of us had 10 years of rapping in us already. The GZA was already a master when Nas was a master, but GZA was 21 Nas was 15! RZA elaborated on meeting a 15-year-old Nas (which wouldve been in the late 80s, several years before Illmatic dropped and when RZA still went by the name Prince Rakeem) and recalled his reaction to the young Queensbridge kids prodigious talent. I think Im four or five years older than Nas, so I was always feeling my confidence in what I was doing, he said. But when I was like, This kid is only 15?! Sheesh. When he turned , then we got Illmatic! Read more