Nas verse is memorable, but people at the time who didn't have the album were still rocking out to the singles. There were 3or 4 singles from the album (notably "looking at the front door") and the hip hop fans loved these songs. "looking at the front door" was getting play on the mainstream station in my area 2 or 3 times a week during the day which was rare for rap back then. The hardcore hip hop heads, like me and you, had the album and were talking about Nas' verse because BBQ wasn't a single. Then 92, Serch put Nas on a single with Chubb Rock(who was hot at the time due to Treat em right) and that gave him a bit of mainstream exposure to the casuals.