Jermaine Baxter (born September 15, 1979), better known as Nature, is an American rapper, best known for his association with fellow Queensbridge-born rapper Nas. Nature went to school with Nas, who first took notice of his talent for rhyming. is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... The Firm included four New York rappers -- Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature -- but was actually the pet project of its producers: Nas Escobar (as he referred to himself at the time), Steve Commissioner Stoute, Dr. Dre, and the Trackmasters. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Rapping is one of the elements of hip hop and the distinguishing feature of hip hop music; it is a form of rhyming lyrics spoken rhythmically over musical instruments, with a musical backdrop of sampling, scratching and mixing by DJs. ... Queensbridge Houses is the largest public housing development in the United States. ... For other uses, see Nas (disambiguation). ...

Career

Nas introduced Nature to the public in 1997, as a member of his supergroup The Firm, whose members also included AZ and Foxy Brown. Nature was brought in to replace rapper Cormega, who had a contractual dispute with Nas' manager Steve Stoute. The Firm's first and only album, Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature Present The Firm: The Album, was not as successful as planned, and the group disbanded shortly after its release. It did show Nature's incredible promise, and he seemed to really click with Super-Producer Dr. Dre on the standout tracks "Firm Family" and "Five minutes to flush". The Firm included four New York rappers -- Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature -- but was actually the pet project of its producers: Nas Escobar (as he referred to himself at the time), Steve Commissioner Stoute, Dr. Dre, and the Trackmasters. ... Anthony Cruz (born March 9, 1972 in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York), better known as AZ, is an American rapper currently residing in Englewood, New Jersey. ... For the 1974 blaxploitation film, see Foxy Brown (film). ... Cory McKay, better known as Cormega, is an American rapper noted for his street topics and style representative of Queensbridge. ... Steve The Commissioner Stoute is an American record executive, most famous for being rapper Nass off-and-on manager since 1995. ...

In 2000, three years after stepping away from the Firm crew, Nature released his first solo album, For All Seasons, through Columbia Records, which was a moderate success in the underground hip-hop market and critically acclaimed. The album was not promoted because of Nature's Label, Trackmasters, a subsidiary label of Columbia, leaving the label and giving them the rights to the Nature's album in order to be released from its contract. Things continued to go bad for Nature, a diss from Nas on the song "Destroy and Rebuild" eventually led to a lyrical battle between the two. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... Trackmasters Entertainment is a successful record production company, run by Jean-Claude Poke Olive and Samuel Tone Barnes. ...

In 2002 Nature released "Wild Gremlinz" after a falling out with Nas and his record label - Trackmasters/Columbia. It was released on Independent Sequence records.

Currently, no plans for a new album have been released. However, Nature is often spotted on other Queensbridge Artist mixtapes and CDs. Recently he collaborated with Mike Jones and Ron Artest on Artest's debut single "Get Low".In the summer of 2006, Nature appears on the song, 'Boss Of All Bosses', alongside fellow Queens MC P-Dap and Detroit Rapper Phat Kat. The single was taken from the U.K Independent label DMB Records 12" single release, 'Vendetta Presents......Bored Of Education Part 1'.

Discography

• For All Seasons (2000)
• Wild Gremlinz (2002)

For All Seasons is the debut album from the Queensbridge hip-hop artist, Nature. ... Wild Gremlinz is the second solo album by Trackmasters rapper, Nature, released in 2002. ...

References