Nas opened up about his battle with COVID-19 in a cover story for Ebony. The New York native discussed his experience with the virus, among other topics, for the magazine’s upcoming October issue.

“I caught COVID in late October,” Nas revealed to the outlet. “This is the first time [I’m] mentioning it. It was a tough time.”

“It was mentally and physically hard,” the 48-year-old added. “It’s just today’s world, with chemical warfare, crazy politics, racism, food shortages, police malpractice, Black-on-Black murder. The human spirit is being tested. I think that God has a plan for all of this. But right now, we’re in a serious time.”

Nas also spoke to Ebony about growing as an entrepreneur, creating generational wealth and how fans now stop him for investing advice. The King’s Disease II spitter most recently became a co-owner and equity partner of Escobar Cigars. In 2014, he co-founded QueensBridge Venture Partners, which has invested in tech companies, startups and more.

“I got people that stop me in the street to ask me about investment tips more than music,” Nas said. “It’s really crazy, man. I met another Black man named Nasir; he’s doing his thing. He told me how I’m inspirational to him in that world of investors and fundraising. That’s what I get a lot now. That’s really rewarding. It used to be only, ‘I’m inspired by you to rap,’ which I still hear and I still love it. But it’s about letting people know, ‘This is what I’m doing. You do it, too.’”

“Black wealth was always important,” he continued. “… Hip hop has created more Black millionaires than any other industry in America. Being able to invest in startups and invest in people’s futures, believing in them, welcoming them into what we have to offer, for them to trust us, for us to trust them, that friendship — that’s what America is all about. In this country, I see the adversity, but I also see the opportunity. I see the obstacles; I also see the opportunities that have been kept from Black and brown people, poor people. That day is over.”