Nas Reacts to Fans Pitting Him Against Jay-Z Over NY Casino Bid

Nas and Jay-Z can still get the fans talking. Both hip-hop legends recently put in bids for New York City casinos — and the business moves were enough to reignite the public’s obsession with their decades-old feud. But in a conversation with Rolling Stone, Nas downplayed any business rivalry with his Brooklyn contemporary. 

“It is just a thing that some people are going to talk about,” he stated. “No one has any control over things like that. I still study Rakim and Big Daddy Kane. Some rap fans just like to go off on those things from time to time. That’s it.”

Nas partnered with Resorts World Genting to bring an expanded $5.5 billion casino project to Queens and the two moguls’ history became a talking point when Resorts World’s bid was approved by the Community Advisory Committee after Roc Nation’s proposal for a Times Square casino was denied by the CAC.

“New York City is the entertainment capital of the world, so the idea of a world-class casino here makes perfect sense,” Jay explained to New York City and State. “I’ve always looked at opportunities that can shift culture while uplifting communities, and Caesars Palace Times Square is exactly that.”

Genting Resorts World’s proposal includes a concert hall and a sports academy involving NYC basketball legend and NBA analyst Kenny “The Jet” Smith. Nas was part of a group that visited state lawmakers in 2024 to pitch the proposals. 

The fact that Jay’s Caesars Times Square bid was rejected was even mocked by Queens borough president, Donovan Richards, who referenced the Jay/Nas feud.

“Sorry Jay-Z. We win again,” Richards joked. “I just had to rub it in.”

According to Billboard, Resort World NYC received unanimous approval with a 6-0 vote from the CAC on Sept. 25. Resorts World officials are looking to open the revamped Southeast Queens casino by July 2026, and the Aqueduct Park project is slated to be one of the largest in the U.S. at 350,000 square feet.