NEW YORK (AP) — When a teenage Nas opted out of street hustling to chase his musical dream, those around him found it amusing.

"When I chose to get in rap, my friends chose to do other things and not all great things. They chose to be in the streets and kind of laughed at me in a way about taking rap so seriously," said the rapper, who hails from the New York City borough of Queens. "I "m glad I stuck with it because I believed in it from day one."

No one laughs about Nas now. Considered one of music "s most celebrated lyricists, he "s a top contender at next month "s Grammy Awards with four nominations. The 39-year-old rap veteran reached new heights last year with the release of his album "Life Is Good," which made several critics " end-of-the-year lists. It is nominated for best rap album, competing with records by Drake, Rick Ross, The Roots, Lupe Fiasco and 2 Chainz.

"The album was just such a piece that really told you about my life, about my divorce without doing too much, without telling too much," said Nas, whose split with singer Kelis was finalized in 2010.

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