Nas taps Freddie Gibbs, Cordae and Hit-Boy to finish “Life Is Like a Dice Game”

Nas has dug into his massive catalog to bring new life to some of his classic records from the 1990s. The rap veteran tapped Freddie Gibbs, Cordae, and his Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy to finish his track “Life Is Like a Dice Game.”

Nas recorded the original version as a freestyle during sessions for his classic 1994 debut album, Illmatic. He says industry vet Carl Chery convinced him to finish the record for the RapCaviar x Spotify Singles collaboration series.

“Spotify pulled out a leak from the ’90s that I did ago and asked if I could resurrect it,” Nas tells Complex. “I can’t remember where I recorded it or who produced it — maybe Easy Mo Bee, he was killin’ the game at the time. Carl Chery from Spotify suggested we connect with Freddie Gibbs and Cordae to bring the song new life, and I loved it.”

Projecting it to be a hit, Nas concluded “Life Is Like a Dice Game” with the declaration, “When I finish this s***, it’s gonna be a hit.”

Nas also released an expanded edition of his sophomore album, It Was Written, to celebrate its 25th anniversary today. The upgrade features the cassette-only bonus track “Silent Murder,” and a bonus verse on “Street Dreams.”