N.O.R.E. Explains How Jay-Z and Nas Inspired the Making of His First Album in 8 Years [Exclusive]

Nowadays, N.O.R.E. considers Drink Champs his full-time day job. He’s a member of the media now after a successful and influential career as a rapper. After a while, he traded that in to be one of the most likable podcasters working today. But as much as he doesn’t need to rap anymore, he also firmly believes that there’s no expiration date in hip-hop.

“Why are we limiting our legends, the people who raised us and made us who we are? Why are we limiting them to a certain amount of years? I feel like it’s unfair and stupid and I wanna break that curse. We’ve become successful with this,” N.O.R.E. told us in an interview.

Admittedly, he thought that the only way to make music in hip-hop today was to connect with younger audiences. But after years of watching older MCs fall out of the limelight, watching artists like Nas capture a second prime deeply inspired him. The recent news of Jay-Z and Eminem reuniting for a song with Rakim was one of the best days Noreaga had experienced in a while.

Now, he’s learned that he can make the kind of music people his age would relate to instead.

N.O.R.E. Details Collaborations With Dr. Dre on His First Album in Eight Years

It’s cool to try and cater to that audience, but why not cater to my audience, the one that actually grew up with me? My audience now is UPS workers or delivers for Amazon,” the Queens rapper said. “But that doesn’t take away from them—that makes them grown-up fans. I wanna make grown-up music and music that caters to me. If that’s not necessarily the most popular, that’s cool because I shouldn’t be fully aiming at the young generation. They should be aiming for them, and I’ll aim for mine.”

So what would a N.O.R.E. album sound like today? It says a lot that he’s pulled Dr. Dre out of hiding for four different records, one of which is a reunion with Capone for a new Capone-N-Noreaga record. Additionally, he’s staying true to being flexible with his style by tapping Ty Dolla $ign and Vybz Kartel for another song. Ultimately, it traces back to that desire to be a “renaissance man.”

“I wanna keep creating and innovating and motivating. I wanna go back to music but not give up my day job, because I still love my day job,” N.O.R.E. added. “But I can get my sh*t off at nighttime like Spider-Man.”

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