Last evening, Nas and renowned sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson sat down for a discussion about hip-hop at Georgetown University's Gaston Hall. Their conversation was moderated by James Peterson, director of Africana studies and associate professor of English at Lehigh University.

Topics explored during their hour-plus conversation included Nas' Illmatic and its legacy 20 years later, as well as the current state of hip-hop. Nas and Dyson share a rich history together, including attending previous panels that focused on hip-hop and its influences. Dyson also co-edited the book Born to Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic, which features a collection of essays and documents that present Nas' debut album from an academic perspective.

Nas will be performing Illmatic in its entirety tonight and Saturday evening at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for "One Mic: Hip-Hop Culture Worldwide." Illmatic XX, the 20th anniversary edition of Nas' debut album, will be released April 15. Pre-order it on iTunes here.

[via Georgetown University]

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