Nature

Fans know Jermaine Baxter by the stage name Nature, and he attended school alongside rapper Nasir "Nas" Jones. Nas was the first to recognize Baxter’s commanding rhyming approach, one that surfaced naturally for the emerging hip-hop talent.

Rather than following the usual path through demo submissions, Nature moved directly into recording guest intros for established acts. His next major opportunity arrived in 1997 with the East Coast hardcore rap crew the Firm, whose lineup also featured AZ, Foxy Brown, and Nas. The four artists released the album titled The Album, which reached platinum status in short order and drew widespread notice.

Three years after parting ways with the Firm, Nature completed his debut solo project, For All Seasons, in 2000 under the Columbia Records imprint. The thirteen-track collection centers on urban-life reality cuts such as “We Ain’t Friends,” “Young Love,” “Nature Shine,” and “The Ultimate High.” While the lyrics are explicit, an edited edition exists for younger listeners.