Title: Hip-Hop Artist Reflects on Jazz Icon’s Influence in New Foreword to Reissued Miles: The Autobiography

Hip-hop legend Nas has contributed a new foreword to the reissued edition of Miles Davis’ autobiography, Miles: The Autobiography, reflecting on the jazz icon’s enduring influence on his own musical journey and the broader connection between jazz and hip-hop culture.

The foreword was written to commemorate what would have been Davis’ 100th birthday in 2026, as part of a special reissue released by the publisher. Nas, whose father Olu Dara is a jazz cornetist who moved in similar circles as Davis, describes the autobiographical work as “thrilling” and emphasizes the shared artistic DNA between jazz and rap music.

In his contribution, Nas reflects on first encountering Davis’ music and how it resonated with his upbringing in a household where real music was deeply valued. He writes that Davis’ sound felt like it “belonged in the background of my life” from the moment he first heard it and that seeing images of the trumpeter made sense to him as someone who embodied Black excellence and artistic fearlessness.

Nas specifically notes Davis’ May 26, 1926 birthdate, describing him as “lightning that hit the planet” on that day, whose “pure, harmonic human expression” remains timeless. The rapper highlights how Davis navigated racism throughout his career, operated within the music business with integrity, and pushed artistic boundaries through albums like Birth of the Cool, Kind of Blue, In a Silent Way, and Bitches Brew — all of which are detailed in the autobiography.

Nas frames these struggles and innovations as foundational not just to jazz but to the ethos of hip-hop, stating explicitly: “It’s our roots.” This perspective aligns with his long-standing appreciation for jazz traditions, influenced by his father’s career and collaborations with jazz musicians throughout his own work.

The reissued edition of Miles: The Autobiography includes two new forewords: one by essayist and music critic Hanif Abdurraqib, and another by Nas. The book, originally published in 1989, offers vivid stories of jazz history, including intimate accounts of icons such as Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, and John Coltrane. It also delves into Davis’s own groundbreaking recordings that shaped the sound of jazz forever.

The memoir has returned to bookstores this year to honor what would have been the legendary trumpeter’s 100th birthday, offering readers a chance to engage with Davis’ legacy through the voices of two contemporary cultural figures who continue to feel his impact.