For over 20 years Nas has been building a lasting legacy and powerful hip-hop influence. The strength in his words can change lives for his fans and the young MCs that look up to him, just ask Fresno, California rapper Fashawn.

Fash, who has been building a serious underground rap rep since 2006, was growing disheartened with hip-hop; that was until Nas called him with an offer for a record deal.

"Before this whole Nas thing happened, I was really discouraged with rap," Fash told VladTV.com of the deal which was first announced earlier this year. "I was not excited about the future of hip-hop. I was doing other things. But, getting the call from Nas just lit the fire again. Really just got me ready to kill everything in my path."

Nas is heading up Mass Appeal Records, a new independent label which shares it's name with the magazine Mass Appeal. Back in May, the veteran rapper announced that he will be dropping his long-awaited The Lost Tapes: Vol. 2 as well as a label compilation and albums from new signees Boldy James and Fashawn.

Fash believes his next LP, The Ecology will drop on September 30. He didn't open up about the album's creative scope, but it's clear that he'll be looking to push hip-hop's creative envelope. "This is what I want to tell rappers to do.I want to tell them to stop rapping about four things: money, weed, bitches and clothes," Fash said. "Stop rapping about that and really go inside. Really talk to society. Not just talk about society but talk to them."