Nas first appeared on the cover of Mass Appeal magazine in 2002. A decade later, he’s coming back—as an owner.
The Queens-born rapper tells FORBES that he has invested a “six-figure” sum in the publication, which re-emerged as a quarterly print product earlier this year after a five-year hiatus.
“I always liked what they represented,” says Nas. “They invested into the culture … I saw their vision for what they planned and I thought I could add value across the board.”
He will serve as Associate Publisher forMass Appeal, which was originally founded in 1996 as a graffiti magazine and has since involved into a broader outfit spanning print, web, video and a monthly event series.
“Mass Appeal has a legacy and respect,” he says. “It already has a foundation … I just feel like I can add on because I can lend my kind of cultural expertise and my professional acumen, and develop the business.”
“I knew that this was down the road,” he says. “I didn’t care to interrupt me being a creative musical artist … I said I’ll be more of a businessman down the road. I’m down the road now.”
He credits Magic Johnson as one of his inspirations to diversify his holdings. And like the former Lakers star, who now holds a small stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers alongside Guggenheim Partners, Nas is teaming up with more established investors.
On the Mass Appeal deal, he’s joined by creative firm Decon and White Owl Capital Partners, an early stage investment firm with interests in tech, media and energy in North America, Europe and China.
So what happens if Mass Appeal decides to write about Nas again? Journalistic integrity comes first.
“If that happens, I don’t want to see it until it’s out,” he says. “I won’t get involved with that at all … I won’t touch anything, they’re free to say whatever they want. They can say I’m a psychopath, they can say I’m a sweetheart … as long as it’s from their honest opinion, that’s all that matters to me.” (forbes.com)
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