Qb Finest | en

Nas and Ill Will Records Present QB's Finest was a 2000 collaborative album; the first release from rapper Nas' new Ill Will Records imprint, distributed by Columbia Records. It featured Nas and a number of other rappers from the Queensbridge housing projects, including Mobb Deep, Nature, Nashawn, Littles, The Bravehearts, and Cormega, who had briefly reconciled with Nas. The album also featured guest appearances from QB hip-hop legends Roxanne Shante, and MC Shan and Marley Marl, both of whom appeared on the lead single "Da Bridge 2001" (based on Shan & Marl's 1986 classic "The Bridge"). "Da Bridge 2001" also featured a response from Nas to Memphis Bleek, in which Nas calls out most of the Roc-a-Fella Records roster, including Bleek, Damon Dash, Beanie Sigel, and Jay-Z. The album's biggest hit single was "Oochie Wally", a club anthem recorded by The Bravehearts.

The album stands as one of the few successful attempts at a collaborative album of a communal from the same area.

Queensbridge Hip Hop:

Queensbridge has historically proved to be a hotbed of hip-hop musical talent. Marlon “Marley Marl” Williams was the first in a long succession of acclaimed rappers from “The Bridge,” which became one of the most prolific rap-producing neighborhoods in the country. Marl, MC Shan, Roxanne Shanté, Nas, Blaq Poet, The Bravehearts, Mobb Deep, Cormega, Nature, Big Noyd, Blitz, Tragedy Khadafi, Lakey The Kid and both Victor "N.O.R.E." Santiago & Kiam "Capone" Holley of the rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga, were all once residents of the Queensbridge Housing Projects. .