Nas

It Was Written is the second studio album by American rapper Nas, released on July 2, 1996. While a departure from the raw, underground sound of his debut album Illmatic, it became his most commercially successful album.

Following the modest success of Illmatic in 1994, Columbia Records pressured Nas to create a more commercial album.

Nas adopted a "mafioso rap" persona under the alias "Nas Escobar," weaving cinematic tales of gang warfare and crime.

The album was primarily produced by Trackmasters, with contributions from hip-hop heavyweights like DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, and Havoc of Mobb Deep.

It Was Written introduced The Firm, a short-lived supergroup that included Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Cormega.