Hip-hop legend N.O.R.E. has a new title—grandfather! Earlier this month, the rapper’s son, Zay, welcomed a baby boy, and the Queens rapper couldn’t be happier.
In photos and videos shared on Zay’s Instagram page, Noreaga was visibly moved, even shedding tears in one touching clip.
Zay revealed the personal significance of the moment, writing, “My dad didn’t get the chance to name me, so I allowed him to name my son. He didn’t get to hold me, so this meant the world to me.”
Noreaga chose the name Nasiah Noel Santiago for his grandson, a decision that clearly carried deep meaning for the family.
Taking to his own Instagram, N.O.R.E proudly shared photos of the newborn, captioning the post, “They calling me PAPA!!!”
Fans wasted no time celebrating with him. “Aaaaaaaaawww Papa holding back tears! This is beautiful,” one person wrote. Another added, “Papa looks beautiful on you! What a blessing.” Someone else pointed out the strong family resemblance, saying, “Them genes strong—he looks like his grandfather .”
Born Victor James Santiago Jr., Noreaga first rose to fame as one-half of Capone-N-Noreaga before becoming a media personality. These days, he’s best known for hosting Drink Champs alongside DJ EFN, where they sit down with rap icons like Capone, Busta Rhymes, to name a few.
Outside of music, N.O.R.E. has been married to Neri Santiago since 2009, and he credits their lasting relationship to balance. “I’m loud and boisterous. I’m always into something, and she’s quiet,” N.O.R.E. said in a previous interview. “A lot of times people want to marry you know, the person, that best friend or the person that acts like a best friend.”
But, he added, “Really, sometimes, it’s really, really just about making your life work. Like you know, in a lot of ways, she’s like the opposite of me. And we balance each other out.”
The couple shares three sons—Nahki, Noah, and Naseem—and now, with the arrival of Nasiah, their family has grown even more.
