As the Senior Vice President of Marketing at Def Jam Records and Nas’ product manager, Chris Atlas played a pivotal role in leading “Life Is Good” to the No. 1 spot on this week’s Billboard 200 album chart. With more than 149,000 copies sold in its first week, the album’s success was a result of stellar reviews and a pre-album release schedule for Nas that included an appearance at the 2012 ESPY Awards, the “Late Show with David Letterman,” the Moet Rose Lounge tour, and Rucker Park. I spoke with Atlas in between staff meetings to ask him about how he helped the rap legend land his sixth No. 1 album and how he hopes to maintain its momentum.
Q: Chris, you are the product manager for Nas but you also work on other projects as well. Is that correct?
A: Yes, I also work on Rick Ross, Ludacris, and Big Boi. I am also working on the G.O.O.D. Music compilation with Kanye West just to name a few.
Q: How do you manage everything since every project needs attention and some of them overlap like Rick Ross dropping next week?
A: It’s definitely a lot of multitasking. We have a great team in place here so I think having the right support team and infrastructure allows us to be successful in terms of balancing the different needs for the different projects we have. We really try to take a different approach to each project because each artist is different and we don’t try to come up with a cookie-cutter formula for each record.
Q: What was your role in the “Life is Good” project?
A: My role is coming up with the strategy for the overall campaign and working with management [at Emagen Entertainment Group] and the artist to execute a lot of the ideas that we collectively presented which is the ideas that Nas and his management had as well as what the label brought to the table.
Q: How do you work with his management considering you may have different ideas? Are you always notified of what Nas is doing?
A: In this case, we were really hand in hand on this project and I think that’s why the roll-out and the execution was almost flawless in a sense where we spoke daily and weekly about what we wanted to do and what Nas was doing. I don’t think at any time that we were out of step in terms of not being aware of plans that we had and vice versa.
Q: How long have you been assigned to this project?
A: I have been on this since the beginning of the process. I have been at Def Jam for over four years now and I got the privilege to work with Nas on the last record and based on the relationship with Nas and working with his management we walked through this process closely from the beginning. I find a lot of pride and enjoyment in working this project.
Q: Nas performed a few songs from the album at this year’s ESPY Awards and the show has re-aired on ESPN numerous times. How did that unique opportunity come about?
A: Well, it actually started through just an ongoing conversation and openness from Kevin Smith from ESPN to work with and support Nas. It initially started by us giving them some Nas music to use on the channel for promos and a lot of the comp reals that they create. ESPN does a great job of using music to highlight the athletes. It started from there to us having more of a dialogue and Nas actually being part of the NFL draft campaign that they did in April. Nas recorded special bumpers and promos that ran around the NFL draft on the network and online. He did a collaboration with them with some original lyrics and that went so well that the conversation of the ESPY’s was had. They usually have only one music performance throughout the show but given Nas’ catalogue and his stature we were able to have him be that main musical guest throughout the show which was a great look. 
Q: Nas also partnered with Moet for their lounge tour. Please explain what that partnership means.
A: Moet Rosè is one of the most distinguished champagnes in the world and Coltrane Curtis and his agency Team Epiphany presented an opportunity for us to be a part of the Rosè Lounge and given the status of the brand and Nas’ status as an artist it was almost a hand in hand combo if you will. All of Nas’ friends from artists, to childhood friends in Queens, to the label came out to celebrate with him. The lounge tour will continue in Los Angeles and Miami and they are still confirming the exact dates and details for those. That’s an ongoing program for Moet Hennessy which is a successful initiative for them.
Q: Nas has released three videos from the album including “Nasty,” “The Don,” and “Daughters” prior to the release date. How many more looks does Nas get?
A: We are committed to continuing to work this project. The response from the community and the sales reflect that people are excited about Nas. He is excited in continuing to work this record. So you are going to see more looks from the album. We are setting up for the next single which could be “Bye Baby” which is getting a huge response from the album. “Reach Out” featuring Mary J. Blige is another record getting a huge response as well. We are going to continue to creatively support and promote the project. Nas and his manager Anthony Saleh are working on great opportunities for the fall and additional TV opportunities. On December 31, 2012 people are going to look back and say “Life is Good” is one of the best albums of the year.
Q: With “Life is Good” the fans get three bonus tracks if they buy the deluxe version of the album. Will we hear any leaks in the future of songs that were recorded that did not make the final cut?
A: It’s tough to say. That’s definitely a management call. I know Nas recorded a lot of tracks for it but they are pretty tight as a team. I don’t think there will be any unplanned leaks just because the tracks released are already a lot of great music for people to absorb. But you never know. Nas has a lot more collaborations coming up.
Q: For the fans that love this project and want memorabilia there are some limited edition Nas items that they can get including a notebook and a t-shirt. What does the book consist of and where can they find it?
A: We call that Nas’ book of rhymes and in that deluxe pack not only do you get the album but you get this custom t-shirt, some of them even autographed by Nas. We made this book of rhymes for him which was one of the ideas that Anthony had come up with which is a way for fans who either write rhymes themselves or write notes. It’s something they can use and appreciate and feel a closer connection to Nas as an artist. Fans can go to nasirjones.com and see the link to purchase it there. There are only about 175 left and once they are gone that will be it.