Nas Connects Hip-Hop And Jazz In Miles Davis
Nas writes a powerful foreword for Miles Davis's centennial autobiography, connecting hip-hop and jazz through shared struggle and artistic innovation.
Black News 
Nas is stepping into the role of literary curator by penning a foreword for Simon & Schuster’s centennial edition of Miles Davis’s autobiography, recognizing how the jazz legend’s journey mirrors hip-hop’s own struggle for artistic freedom and cultural dominance.
The Queens legend connected deeply with Miles’s story, understanding that their worlds intersect through innovation, defiance, and the refusal to be confined by industry gatekeepers.
“Miles and Hip-Hop share the same blood, sweat, and tears,” Nas wrote in his foreword, which Rolling Stone published in full. “The same struggles and triumphs.”
For Nas, the connection runs deeper than surface-level appreciation or nostalgic reverence for jazz history.
He understands that hip-hop didn’t emerge in a vacuum but rather grew from the roots that Miles and his contemporaries planted decades earlier.
“Hip-Hop is heavily influenced by jazz music,” Nas explained in his foreword. “It’s our roots. So many of our biggest songs have jazz samples in them.”
The relationship between Hip-Hop and jazz has always been about artistic lineage and mutual respect.
Nas saw in Miles’s story the same defiance against a system designed to limit Black artists. Miles faced racism, discrimination, and industry gatekeeping while revolutionizing music on his own terms.
That same spirit runs through Hp-Hop’s DNA, from its earliest days in the Bronx to its current global dominance.
Nas called the autobiography “thrilling,” and his foreword captures why Miles’s journey matters to hip-hop heads today.
The book isn’t just about one man’s musical genius, it’s about how an artist navigates power, creativity, and survival in an industry that often works against him.
According to Shore Fire Media, the centennial edition drops May 21, 2026 through Simon & Schuster, priced at $23.00 with ISBN 9781451643183.
Hanif Abdurraqib also contributed a foreword to this edition, bringing another contemporary voice to Miles’s legacy and cultural impact.
