Thug Life Army

After years of verbal jousting followed by a shocking public truce, bitter legendary hip-hop rap MC rivals Jay-Z and Nas have sealed their peace with a recording deal.

According to The New York Times, the long-rumored deal bringing NY rap icon Nas to the Jay-Z lead Def Jam Recordings label has been completed, turning the former foes into business partners.

Though Sony and Def Jam representatives would not comment on the story, the Times quoted unnamed sources describing a scheme that would have Nas'' longtime label, Sony Music, and Def Jam split the profits, or any losses, from Nas'' next two albums.

The Times reports that Jay-Z, president of Def Jam and himself an icon in hip-hop culture, has agreed to have his label pay the cost of producing and marketing the albums and then divide the profits with Sony after expenses are recovered. The labels will work together to plan and execute the marketing campaigns for the records.

The deal pays Nas around $3 million, including a recording budget, for each of the two albums, and has a clause providing for two additional albums for Def Jam.

The deal comes three months after the rappers staged one of the most surprising public truces in the history of hip-hop and sets the stage for Nas'' next album to potentially include the first significant collaboration between the two iconic rap legends.

On October 27, Jay-Z headlined the Power 105.1 "Powerhouse 2005: Operation Takeover" show at the Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey, dubbing his portion of the gig "I Declare War". But instead of blasting his rival as expected — and as he did four years earlier at a Hot 97 concert that kicked off his beef with Nas — Jigga announced, "All that beef sh-- is done, we had our fun. ... Let's get this money," and called Nas onstage to perform with him.

In an October interview with MTV Nas had this to say about Jay-Z

MTV: If you go to Def Jam, obviously, you''ll be working with Jay-Z. A few years ago that was unfathomable, but I just saw a show in San Francisco where you told the DJ to not play Hov's name at the beginning of "Ether" where everyone goes "F--- Jay-Z!" You actually told the crowd you "love" Jay.

Nas: Yeah. I was saying that in the middle of the battle, back in ''01. I mean, it was a heated situation at the time, but I''m definitely not the type of person ... I don''t have to live off of [beefs] like other artists. I didn''t have to make a career off of that. My career is based off a solid foundation. It's not based off of calling out names like a 50 or whatever.

MTV: So are you and Jay going to ever do a song together?

Nas: Who's to tell? Who knows?

Appearently if these reports are true we all ‘know’ now. Big Ups – that’s how legends handle things – maybe that’s why they are legends in hip-hop culture. Much respect.