Cool Nas Interview

[Crenshaw_blvd]

"Angie: It is time everybody for the in-studio series. We are going to do this big tonight. This has been long awaited, the new Nas album "Stillmatic". Hits stores tomorrow. We are here to celebrate it, talk about it, dissect, (and) build with the kid. Everybody please make some noise for Nas.

Nas: What up y'all? How are y'all?

A: Say hi Nas

(Crowd says hi)

N: What's up yo?

A: This is love in the room tonight baby.

N: Yeah, yeah I love it.

A: You love it? So, it's a big day tomorrow, "Stillmatic" is hitting the stores.

N: Yeah.

A: We should be with "Stillmatic" and why we are calling it "Stillmatic". That's where we should begin.

N: For like a long time after I made my old album, a lot of people was like bring it back to "Illmatic" and I was just traveling with different albums and trying to elevate and so now since I have been through the beginning of my travels, it's like I come back into perspective where I was at a little bit with "Illmatic", but then I tried to go beyond.

A: But you are a different person now right?

N: Most definitely. I was like a trapped little kid, little man.

A: How old are you? How old were you when you started working on "Illmatic"?

N: I was like 18. I was working on it, and I did it and I was a trapped kid in Queens Bridge and the hip hop media was telling me, they lied to me. They told me it was no world outside the projects. So stay here, stay in the projects talk about this don't grow. So I went outside the projects, found the truth, brought it back to the projects and that's what I do everyday. Every time I do an album.

(Crowd claps)

A: All right we are going to talk about a bunch of tracks today. Talk about what's going on with Nas. We are going to let you guys ask some questions tonight. That's a good thing right? And we are going to start off, I know some of y'all heard this, but this is a hot joint off the album it's called "Got Yourself a Gun". We are going to talk about what this means in a second, but we are going to get into this joint right now. So once again you are tuned into the Nas "Stillmatic" HOT 97 In-Studio Series. In stores tomorrow.

Song #1: Got Yourself a Gun

A: Yeah baby, it's HOT 97 Nas In-Studio Series. Album in stores tomorrow.

N: Tomorrow y'all.

A: Everyone in the building got theirs already though right? It's very important to have this in your collection. Classic album already. I am feeling what your doing. That was "Got Yourself a Gun", little Soprano sample on there.

N: Yeah, in case you all didn't notice. We took the hook from the Sopranos theme song. It's like my #1 show. Do any of y'all here like the Sopranos?

(Crowd screams yes)

N: That's why I did it. I knew some of y'all would probably like that and I'm feeling Sopranos. It's crazy.

A: Is that your favorite show?

N: Yeah on HBO yeah. It's crazy!!

A: So, "Got Yourself a Gun", so the video's out. You know we need to talk about this video during this In-Studio Series. First before I saw it, people were hollerin' did you see Nas' video. Making such a big deal. Then I saw it and I wasn't sure what the big deal was. But I also was a little confused about what the meaning was. Or why you picked that route to big up Big and Pac. You know?

N: Well, to me, videos are important. And everyday if I do see somebody's video or hear about it, it has girls in it, champagne and cars. And that's cool, but every video can't be like that. So, what I tried to do with "Hate Me Now'" was put two brothers on the cross to show that Jesus died for everybody not just black or white or this one. But two brothers could be on the cross and show how we are being crucified on a daily basis even in the streets, today by the police and just drugs in our community. So I just wanted to get people something more than just champagne and jewelry and all of that. And with me putting Big and Pac in there was like hip hop to me. It was the epitome of hip hop. And I see so many people take songs from Tu-Pac and so many things from B.I.G and you kind of forget it was B.I.G's. You think this brother made the rhyme that was Biggie's rhyme. So I put them both and then I buried them at the end. I buried their crowns back with them. Nobody deserves the crown but them and that's what the video is about.

A: So who's your favorite rapper of all times?

N: Y'all are gonna laugh. I mean I see a lot of people say who's the best and by us putting a rapper today being the best is like erasing all the people who died, all the names on the Vietnam wall and putting all the people who died yesterday on that wall and I think it's wrong. You have to put things in order and it's never really order. They don't say in Rock n' Roll, Lymph Biscuit is better than Elvis Presley or Chuck Berry. Let's get it in perspective. My favorite is Melle Mel because he's from the old school man. That's Melle Mel and he was our parents Rakim, and he talked about the songs the message "White Lies" and he was prolific and he really was the first one that was incredible. And after that I love Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Rakim, Slick R and Doug E. Fresh and KRS-1, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap. Those are the ones that made me what I am today. So there's no way in the world you could put me before none of those brothers period. Word up. They not old school, they icon's word up.

A: What about right now?

N: What about right now?

A: Your best right now?

N: It's too many man. I got love for a lot of different dudes.

A: You wouldn't say you?

N: No, I wouldn't say me. I just like to do the music. I'm not hung on me being the best. I like to represent hip hop as pure as I can and inspire other people the same way they inspire me. You know what I'm saying, I don't want to be on a pedestal and where a crown. I don't want to do that. I want to be the best at what I do, but it's too many to name. I like X, I like Jay. I like Lox; I like Mobb Deep, Outkast. Everybody for real.

A: O.k.

(Audience member screams that's love)

A: She said that's love. That's love. We are going to get into the next joint from the "Stillmatic" album that is in stores tomorrow. We are going to play this "Rewind" joint. Do you want to say a little about it and introduce it?

N: Yeah. This I wrote backwards. It's a story but it starts at the end. It goes to the top of song. But it's called "Rewind" because the whole thing goes backwards.

A: It's a backwards story.

N: Yeah.

A: And it's called "Rewind", and you are checking it out on the Nas In Studio Series baby, on HOT 97 Blazin' Hip Hop and R&B.

Song #2: Rewind

Announcer: It's the HOT 97 In-Studio Series featuring "Stillmatic",
the new album from Nas.

Song #3: If I Ruled the World

A: It's HOT 97 In-Studio Series. "Stillmatic" in stores tomorrow. Nas is in the place. Did that (song) take you down memory lane?

N: Yeah that took me back man. Lauryn Hill man.

A: Where is Lauryn?

N: Where is Lauryn? You know I saw here a few months ago, I was trying to get her on this album, but she just disappeared on me. But we sat and we talked and she had a guitar in her hand and she was talking to me. And in between the conversation she would start playing a song. Like you want to hear a song and it was so beautiful, tears just started coming out my eyes. The stuff she was saying was blowing me away. So it was deep man. Lauryn is to me, like the greatest rapper there is
today. To me. Word up.
...

[Crenshaw_blvd]

A: I haven't heard any of her new stuff. I know she's been doing some new stuff like revolutionary.

N: Crazy, it's beautiful.

A: O.k back to Nas. Because you know "Stillmatic" is in stores tomorrow. So Nas let's talk about this man. Let's get up in this a little bit. We are not going to play "Ether" yet. We are going to play that in a little while during the In-Studio Series but we need to talk about the status of this beef or rap beef or battle thing that's going on and how you feel about it, and what it means to you, and where you think it's going to go.

N: What do you think about it?

A: Me?

N: Yeah.

A: I have mixed feelings about it. As a fan when the joints come out and the mix tapes come out my ears are glued and I am like oh, oh, oh. But then as a responsible person who was on the radio when Biggie and Pac was going through it, I have this protective little scared feeling like I hope this never gets physical. So, I am not really sure, I think you and Jay are both grown men. That if anybody can handle this without getting crazy it would probably be you two.

N: Yeah, I mean. My man was saying when he put his joint out, it's only music. But this truly the essence of hip hop and when you think about back in the days dudes where battling all the time. Cool Moe D, Bizzy Bee, Cold Crush Brothers all the way up to KRS-1 and MC Shan. Roxanne Shante, UTFO. So this is just a part of hip hop. It's healthy for hip hop. There's been a lot of changes in music for the past few years and I think people tend to forget what the music is about because it's become like a trillion dollar industry and we forget where it's come from. It comes from the street. I'm from the projects and he's from the projects and we represent street music. But at the end of the day we are grown men and we ain't trying to take it to the streets and be killing each other up for nobody's enjoyment. This is a battle of the minds. To me it's over. We did what we had to do; it's over let's move on.

A: No more responses? Do you think this is going to keep going on?

N: I am done. I didn't want to bring it to him like that anyway. I'm in the cut and I'm like I don't be on the TV screens all the time, and I'm not always on the radio that don't mean that I'm slacking. I am just chillin'. I think that you should step away from the mic for a while so that when you come back to it you have something to talk about, instead of just making party records all the time. They are good. Party records are good but I like to hear people who can inspire me and talk about something good. And that's what I do. So when I was brought to a battle with homes. Homes got a different style then I do. So he talks about one thing that represents our people, I talk about something else that represents our people but we are all striving for the same thing so when we clashed it was like night and day, two different artists. I think it was good for hip hop overall.

A: Did it inspire you?

N: Yeah definitely. And it's time for me to move on. I dropped "Ether" and it's a wrap. I don't see how nobody can come back from that personally. Word. So, it's a wrap. Hov is over in that sense. But we are going to move over and do something….

A: But wait let me ask you a question. What if he does a song tomorrow that's crazy and everybody goes ohhhhhhhhh. Are you going to do another record? Because I feel like you didn't want to do the first one really but you had to right?

N: It's bugged y'all, because I knew Jay for a while and all his albums he either mentioned my name or a song or mine or something like that. So to get in a battle with him and you look at the history and he's mentioned my name even up until "Dynasty" up until this, it's like homes you are really paying me too much attention. I mean you got a lot of paper, go on a yacht and have fun. Don't bother Nas, because I not bothering nobody. I don't bother nobody. I don't want to make another rap record about another rapper. I don't want to do that to sell records. I don't need the attention. I am cool. If you like my records I love y'all, if you don't, I still love y'all. I just want to be here to keep pumping out more joints. That's it.

(Crowd claps)

A: We are going to play "You are the Man" right now.

N: Oh and for the record, Hova's over.

A: See….

N: "The Dynasty" is dying nasty. But on the real I got love for the brother and it's all love.

A: How you gonna do that?

N: You know because he called me out and I had to do it. I had to do it, it's a wrap. Straight up.

A: All right, let's get into the song, this conversation is not over. Nas is here. His album is in stores tomorrow "Stillmatic". "You the Man". This is crazy. This is one of my favorite joints on the album.

N: Large Professor big up baby.

A: Let's do it baby. HOT 97 Blazing Hip Hop and R&B.

Song #4: You The Man

A: We are at the Nas In-Studio series. We have been waiting for this for a long time. "Stillmatic" is in stores tomorrow. How do you feel about that?

N: I am excited, it's crazy.

A: More than usual?

N: Yeah, it's crazy.

A: Why?

N: It's been a long time doing this thing and it's like it's come full circle so I am really like it.


A: Do you feel like you have something to prove?

N: Yeah you always do. You always do, because you are only as good as your last hit. So they say. So you always have to come back to the table something that's going to the next level.

A: You definitely do. So the album is in stores tomorrow. We are going to take you back to a classic joint and we are going to get some questions going on later too. I know some of you got questions in the audience. So we are going to do that. We are going to take it back to a joint. I know y'all remember…"You Owe Me". You feel that. A little classic Nas. "Stillmatic" is in stores tomorrow. It is the In-Studio Series…HOT 97 Blazin' Hip Hop and R&B…let's go!!

[Crenshaw_blvd]

Song #5: You Owe Me

A: A little classic joint. Nas "Stillmatic" in stores tomorrow man. It's HOT 97 of course Blazin' Hip Hop and R&B. We are going to go back and I really want to get into this because I listened to the whole album before we did this and I was really surprised, and you said this too when you were talking about Jay before. And you don't really be going at nobody but you are going at some people on this album beside Jay that I was really surprised about. Prodigy and Cormega, Nature. All of them. Where did that come from? Why?

N: If you listen to the song, it's saying destroy rebuild. When I first came on the scene I was reppin' my projects and I always rep where I'm from. On the strength of that a lot of brothers started coming out representing too and I was proud of that. One thing I didn't like is when they use the hood name just for credit. And say I want you to buy my records because I'm from Queensbridge or I'm from Compton or I'm from Marcy or buy my records because I'm down with Nas. And then in the next breath say Nas ain't nobody man, Nas wasn't out there I was out there; he wasn't running with me I was the real gansta out there. And it shouldn't be about that, it should be about unity and that's what the song is about. I was reading magazines and I was seeing these dudes talking about me kinda crazy. And I said wait a minute….

A: Sideways or directly?

N: Directly, sideways. And I am like damn...didn't I just plug this brother into a record deal or didn't I just do this for this brother and not ask for nothing in return? So, I felt like brothers want to come in the business and be like this is how it works and they want to blow up over night and it don't happen for you, don't always blame the person that tried to help you. It's not always his fault if everybody don't love you. I introduced the world to Nature, and if people was feeling Nature and if his record don't sell platinum…don't bring the guns to me y'all. It ain't my fault. I am trying to show love. So….


A: Everybody knew who Cormega was before Cormega came out because of the stuff Cormega did on your joint…

N: Exactly. He came straight out of jail and I got him in there with Def Jam. And it was straight like, it was love and dude all of a sudden like I'm Nas, I'm the one who influenced Nas and I am like dog. What did I do to you man? And I am tried to ignore it but it just kept messing with me. So I said y'all ain't reppin' my hood right, so it's time to destroy and rebuild. Same thing with Prodigy, on records with Mega and records with another brother that he signed saying my name and dissing me on a K-Slay tape. And I was like yo', this is crazy. And it was really time to address these issues cause when they see me its all smiles and handshakes. So I can't do that. I can't act like I like you and then turn away and talk about you. Either we are not going to speak, but it's got to be real. So I said it's time to destroy and rebuild. Destroy the old mentally of what y'all was doing and let's rebuild it with some realisms. So I got love for Prodigy, Cormega and Nature, but you can't misrepresent something that's real.

A: I feel that. So, I remember one time when I interviewed Pac when he was going through it with Biggie. He said to me, he said I know I am wrong Angie, but I can't front, cat's that's rhyming for Big I got a problem with right now. This is when he was really mad and in the mist of all of that. He took like a personal offense if like someone was in the Biggie video he was looking at them crazy. Do you feel like that? Like a lot of people show Jay love. Is it that deep, is it to that point?

N: Nah. I mean, in the beginning when I first heard the joint with him coming at me, anyone that was playing the song I was like what are you doing playing that song. But then I had to realize come on man just chill. But I think with Pac his was a little different because it was a real gangster situation. It was probably some dudes around Biggie he probably had real beef with. So that's a little different with me.

A: And the last thing I am going to ask you about this before we get into the "Ether" joint is, at some point in this battle of words it has gotten really personal. I mean at the end of the Jay song it makes reference to your baby's mother. Now how do you deal with that in your personal life when that kind of stuff that people have a hard time dealing with privately is put out there for everybody's business?

N: That's the art of war. I mean you supposed to come like that. That's what wars about. I mean I already knew about their situation. She wasn't my girl at the time and all of that. So I kinda knew. And I don't really know the true situation. I just heard that she talked to him, she told me she was. I am not clear on the situation, and we didn't talk about it like that. But that's my home girl and that situation right there kind of reminded me of Pac when he was saying he got at Biggies wife Faith. I was like yo' is this is the same thing over again. It kind of blew up, and I was like yo' people talking about me man this is cool. So it worked out pretty cool because everybody behind the scenes was calling, so it kind of worked out cool.

A: Everything's fine?

N: Definitely fine.

A: O.k. So shall we get into the "Ether" joint? Are y'all ready for this?

N: Yeah we got to do this. This is what happens when you pick your fight and you don't do it right. Things like this happen. You know?

A: "Stillmatic" is in stores tomorrow. It's the HOT 97 In-Studio series. Let's do it baby!!

[Crenshaw_blvd]

Song #6: Ether

Song #7: It Ain't Hard to Tell

A: It Ain't Hard to Tell baby. Shout out to Queens. It's HOT 97 Blazin' Hip Hop and R&B. It's the In-Studio Series. "Stillmatic" is in stores tomorrow. All right, Nas is here obviously. I want to thank everybody again. We are going to get to you guys in a second we want to get some listener questions going on. We are going to play a couple more joints from the album. "Stillmatic" in stores tomorrow. So hurry up and buy. It's the Nas in studio series. Run out and buy!!!

Song #8: One Mic

N: "That's All I Need is One Mic"

A: That's it ... you and your mic and your good?

N: I'm good.

A: Nas "Stillmatic" in stores tomorrow. You are tuned into the HOT 97 In-Studio series with Nas. We got a bunch of lovely beautiful people in the crowd. Why don't you give yourself some love for coming out. Supporting Nas. We want to get some questions now from you guys out there. So step up to the mic, say your name and where you from and shoot.

N: Much love to everybody in here.

Audience Question #1: My name is Maria and I am from Jersey and the question I have for you is: what is the best advice that you would give to any upcoming rapper and any rookie rapper in the game now or is starting to get into it? And don't just say hard work, because I know it's hard work from the door, but compared from the way it was then to the way it is now and beside from that also, what is your religion? If you have one.

N: At this point no. I don't deal. It's too confusing, fighting over Gods. Between the recent attacks of September 11, religion is really taken those things to another level and I am not clear where my head is now on that at this moment. As far as rap, getting in the game is a lot easier now then it was back then cause I remember going up in clubs with all the dudes wrecking the club trying to get on the mic. Traveling to places like to Gavin, they had a lot of outlets for us to try to get on. But how could you get on when the kings were like NWA. But it was no way to get on, it was really hard. Today is a better day, because the independent thing is real open. You can do it yourself, like Master P and all those dudes and do it yourself. Because you don't want an A&R to tell you, yeah I like you, I don't like you. Maybe tomorrow kid. You don't want to hear that subject. You want to do it on your own. The way I took it upon myself was, I took my money and I went into the studio and that's how I got people to hear my stuff.

Audience Member #1: I am saying in general there's mad people that have been out there doing it and like especially for a female. What's your opinion on that? Aside from doing the hardworking and like going out there doing battles and getting your name out and….

A: She needs a separate In-Studio Series seminar.

N: All I can say is I know how society is, they try to play the women in the back but don't ever let them stop you. Make your challenge make you stronger. That should only make you stronger. Look at Lauryn, she got so much more to say then most of the male rappers out. So you just have to take the challenge head on and be a trooper.

A: Next question. Hi.

Audience Question #2: My name Farrah and I am from Jersey. With all the publicity and everything how do you feel when you hear these rappers badmouth you and everything? How do you feel?

N: I mean I kind of express it all through out the album. I have been reading magazines and I think it's disgusting for one, when you have to mention another rappers name, it's kind of. I mean what is that. So I sit back and I say there is something I am doing to these brothers that I am touching these brothers lives in a way they have to express it, they have to talk about it. I like that. But I talk about what I feel about it my album.

Audience Question #3: Big up Nas. Wayne from Queens. Was there a lot of preparation involved in going back to your old style or was it more of a split second decision?

N: What I did was I got me a crib away. I went away and I just said I don't want to listen to radio for a while, I don't want to watch video, I don't want to watch nothing. I just want to buy the classic albums that I really love, listen to it and say I have a chance to get on the mic and say something that could touch people. I want to do that. I don't want make an album when every song is the same thing…I'm a gangster. Every record, I'm a gangster, I'm this and I'm that. I am not scared to make an album where I am being truthful. So many artists like compromise who they are to make catchy songs on every album. It's cool, but not on every album. Not every song, were supposed to inspire. So, I said let me step away from what they are doing and let me do me. Let me come back and do me and that was important.

A: Thank you. O.k on that note we are going to get into the next joint off the "Stillmatic" album, "Salute Me".

N: "Salute Me" is not on the album. It didn't make it. That record right there is….

A: Wait who decides it's not going to go on the album?

N: That was me. I just put the record out because I've been away for a while and when your gone people are fickle and they start to think, whey he ain't come out. So I just threw it out, just to warm it up a little bit.

A: And then you didn't put it on the album, so people can't get it anywhere?

N: I might put it out on something I don't know.

A: Ok, well you can hear it hear. On the In-Studio Series...

N: On HOT 97

A: Exactly. "Stillmatic" is in stores tomorrow. It's HOT 97, once again Blazin' Hip Hop and R&B.

Song #9: Salute Me

A: Nas the General is in the place. The album "Stillmatic" is in stores tomorrow.

N: Yeah, I want to thank my man Large Professor. He really helped me out on this album. He was chillin' in the studios. He has this collection of like Ebony Magazines from like the 60's and 70's. And we were just checkin' out how life was back in the days and just zoning. The sessions were good and he helped me get started.

A: We should get into the "Destroy and Rebuild" song huh? Let's do that.

N: No doubt, no doubt. This is an important record man. This is for my homies. This is for everybody. You have to destroy and rebuild, the cowards lay and the real ones stay and I want to shout out my whole projects because this is really dedicated to them. Queensbridge.

A: All right man let's do it. Nas In-Studio Series. Once again "Stillmatic" in stores tomorrow. It's HOT 97 baby.

N: "Destroy and Rebuild"

A: "Destroy and Rebuild", off of "Stillmatic" in stores tomorrow.

N: It's a new day people. NY, NJ, CT, Queens, Brooklyn, Harlem.

A: This is hip hop.

N: Man, Bronx, and Staten Island. This is hip hop. Hip hop is back for sure.

A: Hip hop is back. Go out cop this album tomorrow. We want to thank all you guys for coming down.

N: Yeah, I want to thank all of y'all man. That's love. I love y'all man

A: It's a lot of love in the room.

N: Y'all been holding me down for a long time. I love that.

A: Is there any finals words? Anything you want to tell the tri-state? Anything you want people to know? Want to clear up? I mean anything?

N: Hip Hop is back. I just want to thank everybody who has been down with me since I have been doing it. You know ups and downs and everything and there are a lot of things on this album that's political. Things on this album addressing the state of hip hop today and you know "Brave hearts" is on there. It's probably going to be my next single. Make sure y'all look out for that "Brave heart" album. The new Nas album probably going to come out just in case I have to get back at dudes. And um….

A: You told me you weren't going to do that.

N: No, no not rappers. It's a bigger battle now, because it's a lot going on in this world I need to address and it's not about rappers. I'm stepping on to something else. And probably some flicks and stuff like that and you know what we do.

[=[Euthanasia]=]

Man, that was one long ass read, lol, but interesting, nice one, thanx. Nas has got to be one of the realest mofo's out there right now, he knows where he's from & I love that about him.