Nas just ethered FOX news, Jesse Jackson and the NAACP (new album title!)

[Shallow]

What a lot of shit, he's simply just trying to sell a couple more records by giving the album a controversial title. I don't believe there's any deep meaning behind it at all.

Then you haven't been paying attention.

I think he could be right. I see the album filled with more Nas bullshit propaganda and hating. Just Nas pretending to be smarter than he really is offering up simple solutions to complex problems that play to the lowest common denominator. I could be wrong.

[jeromechickenbone]

What a lot of shit, he's simply just trying to sell a couple more records by giving the album a controversial title. I don't believe there's any deep meaning behind it at all.

Then you haven't been paying attention.

I think he could be right. I see the album filled with more Nas bullshit propaganda and hating. Just Nas pretending to be smarter than he really is offering up simple solutions to complex problems that play to the lowest common denominator. I could be wrong.

You are.

[smegma]

Great idea. Give white people the freedom to say "man I love that Nigger album".

hahaha

"what album are you looking for sir?"

"NIGGER!"

hahaha

[LyRiCaL_G]

What a lot of shit, he's simply just trying to sell a couple more records by giving the album a controversial title. I don't believe there's any deep meaning behind it at all.

Then you haven't been paying attention.

I think he could be right. I see the album filled with more Nas bullshit propaganda and hating. Just Nas pretending to be smarter than he really is offering up simple solutions to complex problems that play to the lowest common denominator. I could be wrong.

You are.

word, i wouldnt play much attention to shallows opinions on nas, we already know shallow doesnt know how to grasp his intelligence...maybe if he was white, he'd be a huge fan...

yo shallow i need to know something...you think its cool for people everywhere to go arouns saying "nigga" after all the history the words hold upon it?....i'm sorry but people should enough intelligence for themselves as to kno wwhat to say and what not to say...not just with a word...but sentences and so on..and not just nigger, many different sayings...im sure ppl of little intelligence will never understand but people who have a good mind should be able to understand the difference between what one should say and not say without needing to have such overblown debates about it. i know you are a cat of decent intelligence so im pretty sure you undestand what i am saying....and i agree that black people (im black by the way) partly have themselves to blame for how the word is used today...BUT that is not the only problem with the word....it is how it was first used....people need not worry about using the word nigga and need to learn more about acting with some RESPECT...

biggest problem with black people is the role models, nuttin else....we have amazing musicians, amazing producers, amazing talkers, people of great intelligence and people who are and have been great leaders....and whilse you may disagree because what i said can be argued as subjective, i think most people who can get beyond skin colour and appreciate talent and greatness whether it or does not relate to them can agree with what i am saying....however who do black cats look up 2?

not the rappers who be talking and teaching in their music....but no name rappers with bitches all flying in the background....

say you what u want about nas, but nas is a great artist...he will deserve his spot as one of greatest of all times....but do lil "niggaz" wanna be like him....nah....they rather be slingin crack with nasty ass hoes who be fuckin there best friend too....real talk

back on topic....

nas is very very smart with using this as his title....and yes some of it is marketing and getting people to talk...but thats just part of the genius because everyone wants people to talk....if u want deperation for marketing and music...look no further than your boy eminem....but as with hiphop is head and this....his getting people to talk about shit that requires thought rather than nuttin.....and if anyone thinks naming his album "nigga" will help his sales need a slap....because many people who cop will not feel comfortable copping an album whos title is "nigga".....infact i would change the name for the sake of sales....and i'd be suprised if his album is allowed to stay as "nigger" but either way....props to nas

pz

[Shallow]

What a lot of shit, he's simply just trying to sell a couple more records by giving the album a controversial title. I don't believe there's any deep meaning behind it at all.

Then you haven't been paying attention.

I think he could be right. I see the album filled with more Nas bullshit propaganda and hating. Just Nas pretending to be smarter than he really is offering up simple solutions to complex problems that play to the lowest common denominator. I could be wrong.

You are.

word, i wouldnt play much attention to shallows opinions on nas, we already know shallow doesnt know how to grasp his intelligence...maybe if he was white, he'd be a huge fan...

yo shallow i need to know something...you think its cool for people everywhere to go arouns saying "nigga" after all the history the words hold upon it?....i'm sorry but people should enough intelligence for themselves as to kno wwhat to say and what not to say...not just with a word...but sentences and so on..and not just nigger, many different sayings...im sure ppl of little intelligence will never understand but people who have a good mind should be able to understand the difference between what one should say and not say without needing to have such overblown debates about it. i know you are a cat of decent intelligence so im pretty sure you undestand what i am saying....and i agree that black people (im black by the way) partly have themselves to blame for how the word is used today...BUT that is not the only problem with the word....it is how it was first used....people need not worry about using the word nigga and need to learn more about acting with some RESPECT...

biggest problem with black people is the role models, nuttin else....we have amazing musicians, amazing producers, amazing talkers, people of great intelligence and people who are and have been great leaders....and whilse you may disagree because what i said can be argued as subjective, i think most people who can get beyond skin colour and appreciate talent and greatness whether it or does not relate to them can agree with what i am saying....however who do black cats look up 2?

not the rappers who be talking and teaching in their music....but no name rappers with bitches all flying in the background....

say you what u want about nas, but nas is a great artist...he will deserve his spot as one of greatest of all times....but do lil "niggaz" wanna be like him....nah....they rather be slingin crack with nasty ass hoes who be fuckin there best friend too....real talk

back on topic....

nas is very very smart with using this as his title....and yes some of it is marketing and getting people to talk...but thats just part of the genius because everyone wants people to talk....if u want deperation for marketing and music...look no further than your boy eminem....but as with hiphop is head and this....his getting people to talk about shit that requires thought rather than nuttin.....and if anyone thinks naming his album "nigga" will help his sales need a slap....because many people who cop will not feel comfortable copping an album whos title is "nigga".....infact i would change the name for the sake of sales....and i'd be suprised if his album is allowed to stay as "nigger" but either way....props to nas

pz

I never use the word. I think it's stupid to use it, black or white. It's an insulting word no matter how you slice it. I just realize that the power is in the reaction. If black people didn't jump up and down every time some white guy said something racist then racism would play out in the mainstream. The Don Imus issue was defended mostly by people that enjoy getting under other people's skin. They like to get a reaction. Take away that reaction and you'll defeat them. Going back to Imus; the reaction by idiots like Al Sharpton just made him more popular. He got out of his contract, got a bag of money, and now he's restarting his career more popular than ever. If no one said a damn thing then no one would have known about what he said, he would have stayed on the air with shitty ratings for a bit longer and then he'd drift away.


As for Nas, I think he's a great rapper. If I had to choose between his 7 or 8 albums or Eminem's 5 albums I'd take Nas's. But his words suck, just like Eminem's. There is too much drivel in between. I mean take a look at his guest spot on Puffy's Forever album. Beanie gets a nice cameo and that get's followed by Nas's first line "The Bible has words that Christ wrote, Evil men sacrifice goats". It just seems silly to me. Like I said, Em isn't any better. When I was talking of Nas's pseudo intellect I was speaking with regards to I Know I Can and that song hating on Tiger Woods from Street Disciple. Those songs were tedious and not as smart as they wanted to be.

If I want to hear good words I'll put on Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen open the lyric booklet and enjoy. Enjoy a level of lyricism, poetry, and passion that Nas, (or Em) cannot reach. If I want to hear witty lyrics that make me go "hey that sounds cool" I'll put on Nas.

[jeromechickenbone]

What a lot of shit, he's simply just trying to sell a couple more records by giving the album a controversial title. I don't believe there's any deep meaning behind it at all.

Then you haven't been paying attention.

I think he could be right. I see the album filled with more Nas bullshit propaganda and hating. Just Nas pretending to be smarter than he really is offering up simple solutions to complex problems that play to the lowest common denominator. I could be wrong.

You are.

word, i wouldnt play much attention to shallows opinions on nas, we already know shallow doesnt know how to grasp his intelligence...maybe if he was white, he'd be a huge fan...

yo shallow i need to know something...you think its cool for people everywhere to go arouns saying "nigga" after all the history the words hold upon it?....i'm sorry but people should enough intelligence for themselves as to kno wwhat to say and what not to say...not just with a word...but sentences and so on..and not just nigger, many different sayings...im sure ppl of little intelligence will never understand but people who have a good mind should be able to understand the difference between what one should say and not say without needing to have such overblown debates about it. i know you are a cat of decent intelligence so im pretty sure you undestand what i am saying....and i agree that black people (im black by the way) partly have themselves to blame for how the word is used today...BUT that is not the only problem with the word....it is how it was first used....people need not worry about using the word nigga and need to learn more about acting with some RESPECT...

biggest problem with black people is the role models, nuttin else....we have amazing musicians, amazing producers, amazing talkers, people of great intelligence and people who are and have been great leaders....and whilse you may disagree because what i said can be argued as subjective, i think most people who can get beyond skin colour and appreciate talent and greatness whether it or does not relate to them can agree with what i am saying....however who do black cats look up 2?

not the rappers who be talking and teaching in their music....but no name rappers with bitches all flying in the background....

say you what u want about nas, but nas is a great artist...he will deserve his spot as one of greatest of all times....but do lil "niggaz" wanna be like him....nah....they rather be slingin crack with nasty ass hoes who be fuckin there best friend too....real talk

back on topic....

nas is very very smart with using this as his title....and yes some of it is marketing and getting people to talk...but thats just part of the genius because everyone wants people to talk....if u want deperation for marketing and music...look no further than your boy eminem....but as with hiphop is head and this....his getting people to talk about shit that requires thought rather than nuttin.....and if anyone thinks naming his album "nigga" will help his sales need a slap....because many people who cop will not feel comfortable copping an album whos title is "nigga".....infact i would change the name for the sake of sales....and i'd be suprised if his album is allowed to stay as "nigger" but either way....props to nas

pz

I never use the word. I think it's stupid to use it, black or white. It's an insulting word no matter how you slice it. I just realize that the power is in the reaction. If black people didn't jump up and down every time some white guy said something racist then racism would play out in the mainstream. The Don Imus issue was defended mostly by people that enjoy getting under other people's skin. They like to get a reaction. Take away that reaction and you'll defeat them. Going back to Imus; the reaction by idiots like Al Sharpton just made him more popular. He got out of his contract, got a bag of money, and now he's restarting his career more popular than ever. If no one said a damn thing then no one would have known about what he said, he would have stayed on the air with shitty ratings for a bit longer and then he'd drift away.


As for Nas, I think he's a great rapper. If I had to choose between his 7 or 8 albums or Eminem's 5 albums I'd take Nas's. But his words suck, just like Eminem's. There is too much drivel in between. I mean take a look at his guest spot on Puffy's Forever album. Beanie gets a nice cameo and that get's followed by Nas's first line "The Bible has words that Christ wrote, Evil men sacrifice goats". It just seems silly to me. Like I said, Em isn't any better. When I was talking of Nas's pseudo intellect I was speaking with regards to I Know I Can and that song hating on Tiger Woods from Street Disciple. Those songs were tedious and not as smart as they wanted to be.

If I want to hear good words I'll put on Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen open the lyric booklet and enjoy. Enjoy a level of lyricism, poetry, and passion that Nas, (or Em) cannot reach. If I want to hear witty lyrics that make me go "hey that sounds cool" I'll put on Nas.

It seems like a lot your beefs with more "conscious" rappers are when they speak on religion.  Nas isn't flawless by any means, but note that picking apart versus from the Esco era is picking from his worst time creatively.  Besides, I'd pick apart "Oochie Wally", you don't have to dig as hard.

And what do you mean that those songs aren't as smart as they wanted to be?  "I Can" was a sing songy moral / history / positivity lesson for black kids.  You think it should have been "smarter"?  He released the fuckin song as a single while everybody else is slangin rocks.  Releasing that song was a hell of an accomplishment in my opinion.  I honestly don't understand your critique at all.

"American Way" from Streets Disciple:

Rap guys get bank and think they messiahs, but they liars
Vote fo who now? You're red, white and blue?
I'm American too, but I ain't with the president's crew
What you peddlin' and who you peddlin' to?
You ain't got the ghetto with you
Try'na lead my sheep to the slaughterhouse
Talkin 'bout +Rap the Vote+, you ain't thought about
The black vote mean nathan, who you gonna elect
Satan or Satan? In the hood nothin is changin, uh
We ain't got no choices who to choose
Ten-years ago they were tryin to stop our voices
And end Hip-Hop, they some hypocrites
Condoleeza Rice - I don't really get this chick
Tell her if she ever really cared about poor schools
About poor children, then she gotta prove that she
ain't just another coon Uncle Tom fool
Like these MC's, gotta give 'em the rules
Lie to the youth, Uncle Tom you confused
Might as well give the Hip-Hop community a noose
Need a truce with the gangs and some food for the hungry
On Kerry nuts, he look at you like a monkey
You MC's on that old slavery path
The Bushs'll look at yo' ass and laugh
See, it's all about community, let's help ourselves
Cops brutalize us get dealt with with shells
It's our turn, it's 'bout time we win
Need somebody as the hood as my councilman, uh

his man leans in, his boys laughing
Now I'm the spokesperson for Black men, this always happens
Says, "Since all Black women care about is who got dough
And all we do is call them either bitch or a Black hoe"
I say first brotha you ain't gotta be that cold
Since you ignorant, I'ma show you how the facts go
The biggest example in scandal of history
Were Monica Lewinksy or Donald Trump's pimping spree
Most woman who love Jeevanji of Gucci
Are pretentious non-Black groupies or floozies
But who are we to blame, not the dames
It's a man-made game, in essence our woman the same
Beautiful creatures, Black girls birthed the earth
So they deserve to earn man's purse
Matter fact, I'm about to go shopping with my dime
Catch you cowards the next time, the next rhyme, uh

I don't care about the runaways
I don't care about who's gay
I don't care about dying of AIDS
But I care if I got paid
Who even cares about the president?
I think they're making a mistake
I don't care about the hurricane
As long as my family's safe
I don't care about the candidates
They burnt this country to bits
Yeah I think about this everyday, that's the American Way


Should this song have been smarter?  Is he being pseudo-intellectual?  If anything, he's not being pretentious trying to use terminology to sheerly impress people.  He's more concerned with getting his message across.

And lastly, when he makes a crack at Tiger Woods for cooning, you take issue with that?  Did you even listen to the song or just focus on him dissing Tiger because most white people deem him an acceptable negro?  I don't think you remotely understand the song.

[Makaveli's Food & Liquor]

I own every Nas album and i plan to get this one, but its gonna be hella awkward going to HMV and asking if they have 'Nas new album Nigger', bad choice for an album name, he's just trying to create hype....

[Shallow]

What a lot of shit, he's simply just trying to sell a couple more records by giving the album a controversial title. I don't believe there's any deep meaning behind it at all.

Then you haven't been paying attention.

I think he could be right. I see the album filled with more Nas bullshit propaganda and hating. Just Nas pretending to be smarter than he really is offering up simple solutions to complex problems that play to the lowest common denominator. I could be wrong.

You are.

word, i wouldnt play much attention to shallows opinions on nas, we already know shallow doesnt know how to grasp his intelligence...maybe if he was white, he'd be a huge fan...

yo shallow i need to know something...you think its cool for people everywhere to go arouns saying "nigga" after all the history the words hold upon it?....i'm sorry but people should enough intelligence for themselves as to kno wwhat to say and what not to say...not just with a word...but sentences and so on..and not just nigger, many different sayings...im sure ppl of little intelligence will never understand but people who have a good mind should be able to understand the difference between what one should say and not say without needing to have such overblown debates about it. i know you are a cat of decent intelligence so im pretty sure you undestand what i am saying....and i agree that black people (im black by the way) partly have themselves to blame for how the word is used today...BUT that is not the only problem with the word....it is how it was first used....people need not worry about using the word nigga and need to learn more about acting with some RESPECT...

biggest problem with black people is the role models, nuttin else....we have amazing musicians, amazing producers, amazing talkers, people of great intelligence and people who are and have been great leaders....and whilse you may disagree because what i said can be argued as subjective, i think most people who can get beyond skin colour and appreciate talent and greatness whether it or does not relate to them can agree with what i am saying....however who do black cats look up 2?

not the rappers who be talking and teaching in their music....but no name rappers with bitches all flying in the background....

say you what u want about nas, but nas is a great artist...he will deserve his spot as one of greatest of all times....but do lil "niggaz" wanna be like him....nah....they rather be slingin crack with nasty ass hoes who be fuckin there best friend too....real talk

back on topic....

nas is very very smart with using this as his title....and yes some of it is marketing and getting people to talk...but thats just part of the genius because everyone wants people to talk....if u want deperation for marketing and music...look no further than your boy eminem....but as with hiphop is head and this....his getting people to talk about shit that requires thought rather than nuttin.....and if anyone thinks naming his album "nigga" will help his sales need a slap....because many people who cop will not feel comfortable copping an album whos title is "nigga".....infact i would change the name for the sake of sales....and i'd be suprised if his album is allowed to stay as "nigger" but either way....props to nas

pz

I never use the word. I think it's stupid to use it, black or white. It's an insulting word no matter how you slice it. I just realize that the power is in the reaction. If black people didn't jump up and down every time some white guy said something racist then racism would play out in the mainstream. The Don Imus issue was defended mostly by people that enjoy getting under other people's skin. They like to get a reaction. Take away that reaction and you'll defeat them. Going back to Imus; the reaction by idiots like Al Sharpton just made him more popular. He got out of his contract, got a bag of money, and now he's restarting his career more popular than ever. If no one said a damn thing then no one would have known about what he said, he would have stayed on the air with shitty ratings for a bit longer and then he'd drift away.


As for Nas, I think he's a great rapper. If I had to choose between his 7 or 8 albums or Eminem's 5 albums I'd take Nas's. But his words suck, just like Eminem's. There is too much drivel in between. I mean take a look at his guest spot on Puffy's Forever album. Beanie gets a nice cameo and that get's followed by Nas's first line "The Bible has words that Christ wrote, Evil men sacrifice goats". It just seems silly to me. Like I said, Em isn't any better. When I was talking of Nas's pseudo intellect I was speaking with regards to I Know I Can and that song hating on Tiger Woods from Street Disciple. Those songs were tedious and not as smart as they wanted to be.

If I want to hear good words I'll put on Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen open the lyric booklet and enjoy. Enjoy a level of lyricism, poetry, and passion that Nas, (or Em) cannot reach. If I want to hear witty lyrics that make me go "hey that sounds cool" I'll put on Nas.

It seems like a lot your beefs with more "conscious" rappers are when they speak on religion.  Nas isn't flawless by any means, but note that picking apart versus from the Esco era is picking from his worst time creatively.  Besides, I'd pick apart "Oochie Wally", you don't have to dig as hard.

And what do you mean that those songs aren't as smart as they wanted to be?  "I Can" was a sing songy moral / history / positivity lesson for black kids.  You think it should have been "smarter"?  He released the fuckin song as a single while everybody else is slangin rocks.  Releasing that song was a hell of an accomplishment in my opinion.  I honestly don't understand your critique at all.

"American Way" from Streets Disciple:

Rap guys get bank and think they messiahs, but they liars
Vote fo who now? You're red, white and blue?
I'm American too, but I ain't with the president's crew
What you peddlin' and who you peddlin' to?
You ain't got the ghetto with you
Try'na lead my sheep to the slaughterhouse
Talkin 'bout +Rap the Vote+, you ain't thought about
The black vote mean nathan, who you gonna elect
Satan or Satan? In the hood nothin is changin, uh
We ain't got no choices who to choose
Ten-years ago they were tryin to stop our voices
And end Hip-Hop, they some hypocrites
Condoleeza Rice - I don't really get this chick
Tell her if she ever really cared about poor schools
About poor children, then she gotta prove that she
ain't just another coon Uncle Tom fool
Like these MC's, gotta give 'em the rules
Lie to the youth, Uncle Tom you confused
Might as well give the Hip-Hop community a noose
Need a truce with the gangs and some food for the hungry
On Kerry nuts, he look at you like a monkey
You MC's on that old slavery path
The Bushs'll look at yo' ass and laugh
See, it's all about community, let's help ourselves
Cops brutalize us get dealt with with shells
It's our turn, it's 'bout time we win
Need somebody as the hood as my councilman, uh

his man leans in, his boys laughing
Now I'm the spokesperson for Black men, this always happens
Says, "Since all Black women care about is who got dough
And all we do is call them either bitch or a Black hoe"
I say first brotha you ain't gotta be that cold
Since you ignorant, I'ma show you how the facts go
The biggest example in scandal of history
Were Monica Lewinksy or Donald Trump's pimping spree
Most woman who love Jeevanji of Gucci
Are pretentious non-Black groupies or floozies
But who are we to blame, not the dames
It's a man-made game, in essence our woman the same
Beautiful creatures, Black girls birthed the earth
So they deserve to earn man's purse
Matter fact, I'm about to go shopping with my dime
Catch you cowards the next time, the next rhyme, uh

I don't care about the runaways
I don't care about who's gay
I don't care about dying of AIDS
But I care if I got paid
Who even cares about the president?
I think they're making a mistake
I don't care about the hurricane
As long as my family's safe
I don't care about the candidates
They burnt this country to bits
Yeah I think about this everyday, that's the American Way


Should this song have been smarter?  Is he being pseudo-intellectual?  If anything, he's not being pretentious trying to use terminology to sheerly impress people.  He's more concerned with getting his message across.

And lastly, when he makes a crack at Tiger Woods for cooning, you take issue with that?  Did you even listen to the song or just focus on him dissing Tiger because most white people deem him an acceptable negro?  I don't think you remotely understand the song.

I don't care what Nas says about religion. That line was just stupid. I don't even know what it meant. I don't think he knew what it meant. One Mic is one of my favourite songs of his but;


"Jesus died at age 33, there's thirty-three shots
from twin glocks there's sixteen apiece, that's thirty-two
Which means, one of my guns was holdin 17
Twenty-seven hit your crew, six went into you
Everybody gotta die sometime; hope your funeral
never gets shot up, bullets tear through the innocent
Nothin is fair, niggaz roll up, shootin from wheelchairs
My heart is racin, tastin revenge in the air
I let the shit slide for too many years, too many times
Now I'm strapped with a couple of macs, too many nines
If y'all niggaz really wit me get busy load up the semis
Do more than just hold it explode the clip until you empty
There's nothin in our way - they bust, we bust, they rust, we rust
Led flyin, feel it? I feel it in my gut
THAT WE TAKE THESE BITCHES TO WAR, LIE 'EM DOWN
CAUSE WE STRONGER NOW MY NIGGA THE TIME IS NOW"


Makes no sense and is stupid. But is sounds really nice to listen to.


As for American Way.


It suffers from what most rap suffers from in my opinion; it's too literal. It's just Nas complaining about what he thinks of politics. He may as well just speak on it. Why bother with beat? That's how I see it. He's just going on as Nas about what he thinks of American politics. Kerry sees blacks as monkeys. Condie Rice needs to prove she's not an uncle Tom. It's just stupid opinion part of a rant. I want songs I have to study and figure out. I don't want something just presented to me as is, particularly when it's factually wrong, like Wheezy never winning an emmy.

A good political song is to me Springsteen's Born in the USA.

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said "Son, don't you understand"

I had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there, he's all gone

He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.


Springsteen plays the role of a Vietnam vet who was turned on by the government. Bruce was never in the war. That's implied. He creates characters, sometimes narrates them, sometimes acts as them. He uses those character to unviel a greater message, often truth, and reveal what he feels. He could have just came out and said "fuck the government for using the soldiers and not taking care of them" but he's an artist. It also has layers to it. It's not just about a down and out man who ended up getting drafted because of his social situation and returned home to an America that didn't take care of him. It's just about the man remembering the war and his brother and realizing it was fought for nothing in the end. It's also about the man's blind patriotism that leads him to prause his country no matter what. It's also about the indifferent nature of the yuppie generation. The music tells a large part of the story. On the surface it sounds like a jingo anthem but hidden in the music, like the lyrics are hidden in chanting, is a deep sadness. America at that time was spend spend spend, me me me, oblivious to the suffering in the world. It's a perfect definition of America in the 80s. This is a man who despite all his hardships wants to love America even though he knows it's turned on him, and the rest of America is just pumping their fists on wallstreet thinking everything is positive. Just a handful of stanzas and a repeated chorus and I can take so much from it. That is the kind of song and music I like. If you don't then that's fine.

[R1ZE]

L.A. Reid Stands 'Firmly Behind' Nas Over LP Title; Al Sharpton Says MC Is 'Helping Out' Racists
Common, Method Man also offered support for Nas in New York on Friday night.

NEW YORK — There is no divide at Def Jam: They are fully onboard with Nas. At the Manhattan premiere of "American Gangster" at the Apollo Theatre on Friday night (October 19), Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid balked at reports that his company isn't supporting Nas' decision to title his December 11 album Nigger.

"Really, who'd you hear that from?" Reid said, acting as if he were surprised. Earlier this week, Fox News reported that someone from his office said the company did not want to release an album with such an explicit name.

Reid said that is not the case.

"We support everything our artists do, everything!" he added. "We stand firmly behind and beside our artists with pride and with pleasure. Anything Nas wants to do, I completely stand beside him. Nas is prolific, he's prophetic, he's a genius, an amazing artist of respect. So, while I'm not sure exactly all that [the title] entails, I know it's smart, so I stand behind him. That's real."

Common, who is in "American Gangster," was also vocal about his support for Nas Friday night.

"I love Nas," he said with a grin. "Nas is always bringing something new, bringing something for us to think about. He's one of the best ever. If it wasn't for Nas, a lot of cats, including myself, wouldn't be rhyming the way they do. So I mean, I know [the title] is something behind what he's doing, he's making statements. That's something we need in hip-hop. Last Poets did it, Gil Scott-Heron did it, Marvin Gaye did it. We gotta keep making statements."

And while many in the hip-hop community are showing their faith for God's Son, despite not hearing his full explanation for why he gave his opus the controversial title, civil-rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton has condemned his choice of LP moniker.

"Again, I'm opposed to anybody using the term," Sharpton, who has called for total abolishment of word, said on the red carpet. "We're in an age where they are hanging nooses, they're locking our kids up in Jena and Florida. We do not need to be degrading ourselves. We get degraded enough. I think we need artists to lift us up, not lock us down."

Nas told MTV News on Thursday that he wanted to take the power out of the N-word.

"I wanna make the word easy on mutha----as' ears," he explained. "You see how white boys ain't mad at 'cracker' 'cause it don't have the same [sting] as 'nigger'? I want 'nigger' to have less meaning [than] 'cracker.'"

"It has all the sting in the world when people are writing it on boards," Sharpton answered when told of Nas' quote. "What they're doing is, as we're fighting to make [using the N-word word] a hate crime, they're making it not a hate crime, which is helping out the racists. You don't see [people from] any other race trying to take the power out of names being called to them. People [who use the term in their music] wouldn't put out a record against whites or cops or Jews because they ain't got the guts to do that. They only got the guts to beat up on their own."

Method Man, meanwhile, opined that there's too much over-analysis going on.

"Nas knows what he's doing. He's a smart brother. He keeps his name in the game," Tical offered. "Last year, when he put out Hip Hop Is Dead, I was being interviewed, everybody was asking me what I thought about his album. ... I think it's too much emphasis on just the word. I know a word worse than 'nigger': Darfur. Real talk. I'd like to see Reverend Al take a walk out there. Let's stop focusing on the wrong sh--."

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1572402/20071019/nas.jhtml

more shit

[jeromechickenbone]

^^^^See that article?  That is proof right there about what Nas is trying to do.  He's not playing Sharpton / Jackson's game.  He got fuckin Method Man to mention Darfur, saying that there's a real fuckin problem and yet these self annointed black leaders are camera whoring about what Nas is naming his album!

This is great, can't fuckin wait to hear this album.

[Shallow]

^^^^See that article?  That is proof right there about what Nas is trying to do.  He's not playing Sharpton / Jackson's game.  He got fuckin Method Man to mention Darfur, saying that there's a real fuckin problem and yet these self annointed black leaders are camera whoring about what Nas is naming his album!

This is great, can't fuckin wait to hear this album.

Just because I agree with his stance doesn't mean I prefer that style of art (of course one mention of whites not being allowed to say it in his lyrics and his whole message is shot to shit.). I gave you my reasons in the post you seem to ignored. I don't like the way rappers approach topics. A lot of rock singers do it too but I'm not boasting about NoFX or Good Charlotte.

[7even]

^what took you so long to admit that you don't like hiphop? wasn't so hard now was it.

[Shallow]

^what took you so long to admit that you don't like hiphop? wasn't so hard now was it.

Seriously man, take some more english courses. Maybe some logic courses too.

[7even]

^what took you so long to admit that you don't like hiphop? wasn't so hard now was it.

Seriously man, take some more english courses. Maybe some logic courses too.

still in denial, fatso?
were you not the one who said "I blame society for hiphop, not hiphop for society"...

[Shallow]

^what took you so long to admit that you don't like hiphop? wasn't so hard now was it.

Seriously man, take some more english courses. Maybe some logic courses too.

still in denial, fatso?
were you not the one who said "I blame society for hiphop, not hiphop for society"...

I'm not fat.

That was a play on words. Learn more english please. And who is denying that hip hop is in a sorry state. Didn't I also say hip hop is Rock and Roll? A number of times.

I prefer the Springsteen approach any punk rock or metal approach of song writing. That doesn't mean I think those two genres are with out merit. I don't htink hip hop is incapable of writing lyrics as well as the Boss does. Bob Dylan wrote a fine rap in It's Alright Ma. Springsteen himself nicely rapped Open All Night during last year's tour. I thought Tupac's Me and My Girlfriend was superior lyricism at it's finest.

There is nothing wrong with hte sound hip hop creates. The words just usually suck and the background music is usually uncreative.