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Twenty years after his landmark debut album Illmatic, Nas is going independent and launching his own record label.

Mass Appeal Records, a joint venture with business partner Peter Bittenbender, will not only help usher in a slew of promising Hip-Hop artists, but it will also serve as an outlet for new music by the Queensbridge rapper himself.

“I’m excited to be a part of creating and supporting future careers and legacy artists, promoting love and finding new genius to help the world,” said Nas to Billboard. “I’m going to be as involved as I need to be, but I also want to be respectful of the art and give artists the space they need to grow and become themselves.”

Fans can expect later this Summer the first among Mass Appeal Records releases, an annual compilation project featuring artists such as Future, Pusha T, Mac Miller, and A$AP Mob. This will include a Nas cover of the 1994 Gang Starr single that gave the company its title. Additionally, he will liberate Lost Tapes 2 (previously unreleased music by Nas) and a posthumous album from Pimp C that will boast production by Mike Will Made It and DJ Mustard.

If you’re as excited as we are, chime in with your thoughts in the comments at the bottom.

[Via Billboard]

Photo: WENN