Nas Opens Up On Jay-Z Relationship, Reaction To Blue Ivy Carter

Rap veteran Nas appeared on "106 & Park" Friday (March 30) evening and discussed just how close of a bond he shares with one-time rap nemesis Jay-Z.

Along with reflecting on his surprise appearance at Jay's Carnegie Hall concert last month, Nasty Nas also revealed his reaction to Young Hov recently becoming a father.

Nas saluted Jay-Z for inviting him to perform with him at New York's Carnegie Hall in February. "I never thought two project dudes would be on the Carnegie Hall stage," laughed Nas, who shared their conversations about fatherhood. "He was like, 'Why you ain't tell me about this, man?' He's cool. Congratulations to him and Beyoncé." (Rap-Up)

Recently, God's Son credited Jay for helping save the rap game.

"Hip-hop has a savior in Jay-Z," Nas said during a sit-down chat with Hot 97's Peter Rosenberg while at SXSW last week. "Let me tell you why. As a business man -- the fact that he's doing what he's doing is a [wake up] call for all of the Gods and Earths to wake up and understand -- this generation is bigger than what we can even fathom. And he is one of the only ones out of the whole community that we grew up with from the Run-DMC days, who's taken his sh*t seriously. Taken his sh*t very seriously. That's powerful. And you gotta respect that." (XXL Mag)

Back in 2010, Nas said Jay had a knack for putting hip-hop on his back.

"[Jay-Z] is the one that smacks everybody in the face that's out there and wanted to say what he wasn't and what he couldn't do. The challenge is that people always count you out and even when you have a hit record and put out a hit album, you're gonna have people dissing you. I think he's showing you: I won't be stopped ever. And that's motivation for everyone else." (VIBE)

Young Hov made history after becoming the first rapper to headline renowned New York City showroom Carnegie Hall in February.

Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter will become the first solo hip-hop artist to headline Carnegie Hall on Feb. 6 and 7, playing a pair of charity concerts benefitting the United Way of New York City and Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation. Carter made the announcement at Carnegie Hall Thursday alongside key execs like Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, Gordon Campbell, president-CEO of United Way of New York City and Dania Diaz, executive director of the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation. Tickets for the shows will begin with a private sale geared toward corporations and high net-worth individuals, ranging in price from $500 to $2,500 apiece. A public sale will tentatively kick off on Jan. 30 to minimize ticket scalping. (Billboard)