I'll never forget the time I met Nas.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
'Twas a bright NYC afternoon. I was in the office of a record company exec who had a tv that folded into the wall with the push of a button.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
"Hey," he said, looking into my eyes with the focus and precision of a wild leopard, "You wanna meet Nas?"
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
"Yes, please," I said.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
So the record exec led me, a skinny Canadian lad of sixteen years, to a giant steel elevator.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
We traveled with great speed through the belly of the building.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
The doors opened. There he was. The legend himself. @Nas. Standing alone in a large room. Early cell phone in hand. Possibly a Motorola Razr
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
The record exec dropped me off like a father drops his son off at soccer practice and, as the elevator doors closed, screamed with joy:
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
"Talk amongst yourselves!"
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
I shook Nas' hand. We stared at each other, he with great confusion in his eyes. "Who the hell is this kid?" he seemed to wonder.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
I smiled and shook my head as if to say, "Here we are. The great musical duo the world has been waiting for."
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
We stood in the silent collision of two very different worlds.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
Suddenly, we both noticed a giant portrait of Bob Dylan looming over our non-conversation. Nas pointed. "Now THAT guy is cool," he said.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
I agreed.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
We stared at the image of Dylan, considering the breadth and beauty of his artistry. Now we were both shaking our heads.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
He continued to stare at the image of Dylan for several minutes, seemingly mesmerized.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
I said, "Well, nice to meet you." He may or may not have said, "You too."
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
I walked back to the elevator.
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
And that's the story of the time I met Nas. At least that's the way I remember it. #TBT
— Kyle Riabko (@KyleRiabko) February 19, 2015
