On a recent preview of the upcoming Drink Champs episode with legendary Queens producer and MC Large Professor, he revealed some of the early struggles that he and Nas endured.

"When Rakim wasn't coming through, Eric was like 'Yo Paul do something with that studio time,'" the "Looking At The Front Door" MC said.

"I had met Nas through Fatal and Queensbridge (Nas' home) is right down the block from Power Play [Studios] and we'd be in the lab waiting for Rakim who was coming from all the way East, and after awhile you knew he he might not make it. It would be like 2 or 3 in the morning and Nas was right down the block so I'd get on the horn to tell him the lab was open. Sometimes his mom would answer the phone."

Power Play owner Tony Arfi echoed Large Professor in a conversation with Rock The Bells. "Paul is telling the truth," he says. "Those are the same sessions that led to "live At The Barbecue" and Illmatic."

In other Nas news, he released Magic 2, his 5th collaboration with producer Hit-Boy today (July 21). Bishop Magic Don Juan, 50 Cent and 21 Savage make guest appearances on Magic 2 (21 Savage appears on the previously released bonus track "One Mic One Gun").

Nas has also partnered with Hennessy for a limited edition bottle celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop. In a press release, the company says that they are celebrating Hip-Hop's different flavors, styles, rhythms, and flows as well as the "Never stop, Never settle energy that embodies everything that both Hennessy and Hip-Hop do."