There was a long stage transition after Just Blaze’s set, as the crowd and crew got ready for the living legend Nas to take the stage. Crowds swarmed to the single main stage as vendors closed up their tents and joined the audience. Many people had come out that night just for Nas, and it suddenly felt like there were three times as many people for his set as there had been at the whole festival all weekend. Lighters, phones, and what I assume was hundreds of cigars went up in the air while everyone cheered and shouted along with every familiar word. Nas is in so many people’s “Top Five” lists, and even sits at number one for lots of hip-hop heads. His influence on our American culture is undeniable, not only for the breadth and scope of his career, but for the messages written into his music. There is struggle, there is pride, there is determination, and there is success; all dealt with honestly and with a fluency that few can muster.