Still one of the most respected rhymers in hip hop, Nasir Jones has spent the last two decades building a resume that places him near the top of the ‘Greatest Hip Hop Artists of All Time’ list. A testament to his ongoing cache in hip hop circles, one of the biggest questions of 2011 was whether or not the Queensbridge legend would release The Lost Tapes 2, the sequel to his acclaimed 2002 compilation of rarities and unreleased material.

Nas maintained his visibility through a series of high-profile collaborations and notable announcements. He revealed in the middle of the year that he was working on It Ain’t Hard To Tell, his first official autobiography. He also headlined the Rock the Bells festival and performed at Austin City Limits.

His acclaimed 2010 collaboration with Damian Marley, Distant Relatives, also lead to a successful tour of the U.S. and U.K.

While there is still plenty of uncertainty concerning the release of The Lost Tapes 2, Nas has confirmed that his tenth official album will be dropping before the end of the year. Dubbed Life Is Good, the project is one of the most anticipated releases of late 2011.