Tim Fite

“I was really hoping the whole album was going to be, `Bam! Bam! Bam! We’re not going to try and make money anymore! We’re really going to [mess] up the system!’ But I guess you gotta ease into death. One of the great things Nas is doing is creating a challenge to a lot of [rappers] to really step up and see who can slip a couple of socially conscious lyrics into their songs. If the end result is that the money takes a back seat to the message, then we won’t have to wonder whether hip-hop is dead or not.”

Cap D

“I don’t even know where to start with that one. If hip-hop is dead, he needs to be brought up on charges. There are countless rappers who’ve been passed by, forgotten about or aren’t as large as they used to be. Hip-hop has moved beyond them toward the whole Dirty South [sound] that they don’t want to have anything to do with. So now that they aren’t at the forefront of the movement they want to throw up their hands and say, `Hip-hop is dead!’ Really? It was cool for you two years ago.”

Rhymefest

“It’s a very strong charge. People need to realize that culture doesn’t die. People used to say rock ‘n’ roll was dead. I do think rap music is in danger of losing its authenticity. Nobody believes in it. No one believes that when a rapper makes a statement we mean it. We’re looked at as clowns. It’s almost embarrassing to tell people I rhyme. Did you see Karl Rove do his hip-hop thing [at the Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner]? … Karl Rove doesn’t listen to no hip-hop. He doesn’t like rap. What he did was emulate what the world sees and thinks of rappers.”

Jean Grae

“People have been saying, `Hip-hop is dead,’ for years. Nas wasn’t the first person to ever say it. We’ve all felt like that at times. But I rap for a living, so it’s kind of not an issue for me. If I show up at the studio and the doors are locked or I’m doing a show and no one is in the audience, then I might have to reconsider.”

Gregg Gillis, a.k.a. Girl Talk

“I’m not into statements like that, personally — those claims of ‘punk is dead,’ ‘rock is dead’ or ‘hip-hop is dead.’ For me, music is always changing. I think too often people hold this nostalgic connection to what they believe to be the true era of music. I love Nas and I think the album’s great, but hip-hop is alive and well. It’s just a lot different than it used to be.”

El-P

“I didn’t take Nas’ statement literally. I took it as him posing a hard question about something he loves. Nas knows hip-hop music isn’t dead. It’s just in need of rediscovering its bravery. It needs a few artistic victories. It needs to discover its underdog qualities again, which clearly it will considering how excited everyone is with the idea of it being dead.”

YES

Sage Francis

“I think the reason people think hip-hop is dead is because artists as well-known as Nas and rappers as good as Nas continuously lowered their bar through the years to appeal to the lowest common denominator. When I heard his album was called `Hip-Hop Is Dead,’ I thought it was probably the best publicity move he’s made since [his feud with] Jay-Z. If he had a true interest in revitalizing the integrity of hip-hop he would just make the albums that kind of kick-start that rebirth of awesome.

He should have called the album `Lyricism Is Dead.’ That’s closer to the truth.”

Double-O and Naledge of Kidz in the Hall

Naledge: “Hip-hop itself isn’t dead. It’s the industry that’s dead. You can look on MySpace and there’s a million different MCs doing a million types of styles. I think it’s just the major record labels, which really have the money to promote an agenda, that aren’t taking those chances. They’re more interested in pimping the lifestyle of urban ghettos.”

Double-O: “The one thing about hip-hop that is dead — and Nas is probably even late in mentioning it — is that idea that you’re doing something just for fun, with no concern beyond being the dopest on your block and rocking the party on a Saturday night. It wasn’t your life and livelihood. Now so much of it is business.”

Will Brooks of Dalek

Well, on a lot of levels I can’t disagree. It’s actually a little refreshing hearing it come from someone as well-respected as Nas. As much as you want to be respected as an artist or as a musician of color in this country, it seems that minority music is always going to be looked at as entertainment. We can never be looked at as artists. Hip-hop used to be a voice of youth, a voice of anger and a voice for the people that didn’t have a voice in this country. Now it’s become a minstrel show. In that regard, yeah, it’s dead. That’s the beauty of what [Nas] is doing. It’s a wake-up call.”

Brother Ali

“When [Friedrich] Nietzsche said, `God is dead,’ he was saying that religion as a means of upholding morals and decency was extinct. Religious people freaked out, but they couldn’t deny the reality that the church had lost its grip on the people. Nas isn’t saying hip-hop doesn’t exist anymore. He’s saying that it’s lost its power to educate and empower people. I think he made that statement to the people in the industry to let them know that, as a whole, they’ve lost their way.”

Source: Click Here

Nas Daily is back up, it has been moved to a new host. So now the site won’t be down as much as it used to during the last few weeks. If you notice any problems, please contact us. In other news, upcoming singles by and featuring Nas will be released in the upcoming weeks. Singles from Hip Hop Is Dead “Hustlers” featuring Game and Game’s Doctor’s Advocate “Why You Hate The Game” featuring Nas will be released soon.

1 Mcgraw*tim Let It Go 209 325,009 155406.7% 325,258
2 Various Now 24 147 229,998 156361.2% 230,145
3 Young Buck Buck The World 565 140,250 24723.0% 141,083
4 Mims Music Is My Savior 247 77,596 31315.4% 77,849
5 Akon Konvicted 68,567 66,844 -02.5% 1,998,950
6 Daughtry Daughtry 76,231 66,456 -12.8% 2,105,793
7 Good Charlotte Good Morning Revival 372 65,956 17630.1% 66,341
8 Stone*joss Introducing Joss Stone 118,039 58,105 -50.8% 176,319
9 John*elton Rocket Man-number Ones 26 49,153 188950.0% 49,179
10 Lopez*jennifer Como Ama Una Mujer 260 48,149 18418.9% 48,411
11 Modest Mouse We Were Dead Before The Ship E 128,564 48,084 -62.6% 176,903
12 Winehouse*amy Back To Black 47,667 46,300 -02.9% 144,922
13 Redman Red Gone Wild 185 44,356 23876.2% 44,564
14 Lil’ Flip I Need Mine (2cd Set) 151 43,296 28572.9% 43,447
15 Stefani*gwen Sweet Escape 25,813 42,367 64.1% 1,070,242
16 Underwood*carrie Some Hearts 37,663 39,245 04.2% 5,155,202
17 Timberlake*justin Futuresex/love Sounds 41,881 37,144 -11.3% 3,038,716
18 Fergie Dutchess 39,678 35,404 -10.8% 1,677,716
19 Musiq Soulchild Luvanmusiq 53,807 35,152 -34.7% 238,733
20 Nicks*stevie Crystal Visions:very Best Of S 114 33,828 29573.7% 33,944
21 Lloyd Street Love 55,492 33,220 -40.1% 233,384
22 Nickelback All The Right Reasons 34,678 32,536 -06.2% 5,156,389
23 Hannah Montana Soundtrack 33,195 32,358 -02.5% 2,354,353
24 Rich Boy Rich Boy 48,715 31,778 -34.8% 192,744
25 Thicke*robin Evolution Of Robin Thicke 40,119 31,175 -22.3% 883,829
26 Fall Out Boy Infinity On High 37,644 31,007 -17.6% 695,005
27 Disneymania Disneymania 5 130 30,474 23341.5% 30,605
28 Yamin*elliott Elliott Yamin 90,439 29,550 -67.3% 120,061
29 Mika Life In Cartoon Motion 32 29,511 92121.9% 29,555
30 Furtado*nelly Loose 33,873 29,204 -13.8% 1,621,686
31 Jones*norah Not Too Late 38,742 27,632 -28.7% 1,192,481
32 Prodigy Return Of The Mac 434 26,768 6067.7% 27,209
33 Alabama Songs Of Inspiration Volume Ii 23 26,480 115030.4% 26,211
34 Ingram*jack This Is It 23 26,425 114791.3% 26,449
35 Rae*corinne Bailey Corinne Bailey Rae 32,271 26,153 -19.0% 1,355,677
36 Young*neil Live At Massey Hall 33,520 25,065 -25.2% 116,512
37 Hinder Extreme Behavior 20,646 25,002 21.1% 2,192,313
38 Houston*marques Veteran 68,647 23,755 -65.4% 92,515
39 Gray*macy Big 23 22,859 99287.0% 22,893
40 Swift*taylor Taylor Swift 20,387 22,849 12.1% 547,274
41 Rascal Flatts Me And My Gang 21,594 21,878 01.3% 3,884,084
42 Allan*gary Greatest Hits 25,654 20,363 -20.6% 154,091
43 Mayer*john Continuum 19,603 18,340 -06.4% 1,571,170
44 Arcade Fire Neon Bible 26,001 17,682 -32.0% 172,606
45 Kaiser Chiefs Yours Truly Angry Mob 45 17,495 38777.8% 17,558
46 Celtic Woman New Journey 29,174 17,275 -40.8% 304,567
47 Young Jeezy Inspiration: Thug Motivation 18,446 15,824 -14.2% 983,844
48 Gym Class Heroes As Cruel As School Children 17,105 15,810 -07.6% 261,486
49 Notorious B.i.g. Greatest Hits 24,955 15,548 -37.7% 178,702
50 8-ball & Mjg Ridin’ High 25,589 15,158 -40.8% 91,127
51 Dixie Chicks Taking The Long Way 18,136 15,154 -16.4% 2,183,403
52 Clutch From Beale Street To Oblivion 49 14,974 30459.2% 15,025
53 Fray How To Save A Life 14,842 14,875 00.2% 1,976,229
54 Machine Head Blackening 105 14,788 13983.8% 14,901
55 55 Jump In! Soundtrack 13,837 14,409 04.1% 364,293
56 Kidz Bop Kids Kidz Bop 11 14,683 14,249 -03.0% 179,886
58 Allen*lily Alright Still 15,757 14,210 -09.8% 206,892
59 Aguilera*christina Back To Basics 14,621 13,860 -05.2% 1,468,120
60 Baby Boy Da Prince Across The Water 25,660 13,690 -46.7% 39,400
61 Third Day Chronology Volume 1 1996-2000 140 13,668 9662.9% 10,134
62 Relient K Five Score & Seven Years Ago 17,648 13,332 -24.5% 93,223
63 Pink I’m Not Dead 11,686 13,136 12.4% 652,534
64 Crime Mob Hated On Mostly 22,071 13,091 -40.7% 35,269
65 Los Tigres Del Norte Detalles Y Emociones 228 13,020 5610.5% 13,248
66 Levert*gerald In My Songs 15,633 12,904 -17.5% 326,877
67 Various Radio Disney Jams V9 13,572 12,681 -06.6% 40,388
68 Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Don’t You Fake It 12,241 12,654 03.4% 536,673
69 Beyonce B’day 14,001 12,561 -10.3% 2,373,272
70 30 Seconds To Mars Beautiful Lie 13,473 12,170 -09.7% 893,482
71 Devin The Dude Waitin’ To Inhale 24,909 12,105 -51.4% 37,738
72 Shins Wincing The Night Away 14,491 12,034 -17.0% 348,143
73 Various 2007 Grammy Nominees 15,428 12,020 -22.1% 474,401
74 Turner*josh Your Man 11,623 11,929 02.6% 1,741,057
75 My Chemical Romance Black Parade,the 12,945 11,857 -08.4% 1,019,609
76 Killers Sam’s Town 11,588 11,716 01.1% 1,090,397
77 Tha Dogg Pound Dogg Chit 222 11,615 5132.0% 11,837
78 Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium 12,679 11,373 -10.3% 2,009,633
79 Evanescence Open Door 13,511 11,331 -16.1% 1,661,888
80 Atkins*rodney If You’re Going Through Hell 11,264 11,326 00.6% 863,420
81 Urban*keith Love Pain & The Whole Crazy T 13,094 11,319 -13.6% 1,243,631
82 Sugarland Enjoy The Ride 11,641 10,979 -05.7% 943,461
83 Dreamgirls Soundtrack 13,396 10,814 -19.3% 929,068
84 Pretty Ricky Late Night Special 13,419 10,707 -20.2% 395,661
85 Happy Feet Soundtrack 4,047 10,611 162.2% 300,661
86 Three Days Grace One-x 11,422 10,538 -07.7% 654,898
87 Insane Clown Posse Tempest 33,297 10,537 -68.4% 44,038
88 Various Now 23 15,216 10,537 -30.8% 2,147,173
89 Korn Mtv Unplugged 14,584 10,454 -28.3% 99,590
90 Beatles Love 8,310 10,419 25.4% 1,378,902
91 Tobymac Portable Sounds 11,187 10,385 -07.2% 55,575
92 *****cat Dolls Pcd 12,137 9,965 -17.9% 2,653,705
93 Mcphee*katharine Katharine Mcphee 11,270 9,863 -12.5% 279,472
94 Nelson/haggard/price Last Of The Breed 12,615 9,792 -22.4% 22,497
95 Tisdale*ashley Headstrong 10,260 9,683 -05.6% 169,958
96 300 Soundtrack 12,547 9,637 -23.2% 47,275
97 Grupo Bryndis Solo Pienso En Ti 115 9,622 8267.0% 9,737
98 Marley*stephen Mind Control 19,734 9,527 -51.7% 29,314
99 Bentley*dierks Long Trip Alone 9,959 9,498 -04.6% 385,310
100 Paisley*brad Time Well Wasted 9,797 9,369 -04.4% 1,885,179
101 Morrison*james Undiscovered 14,272 9,321 -34.7% 47,244
102 Williams*lucinda West 10,899 9,301 -14.7% 148,473
103 Blue October Foiled 10,249 9,263 -09.6% 926,515
104 High School Musical Soundtrack 8,003 9,217 15.2% 3,881,286
105 Queen*ivy Sentimiento 211 9,162 4242.2% 9,373
106 Mcgraw*tim Vol. 2-greatest Hits 9,145 8,900 -02.7% 1,723,128
107 Hudgens*vanessa V 8,243 8,713 05.7% 428,585
108 Diddy Press Play 9,524 8,501 -10.7% 592,393
109 Sevendust Alpha 10,538 8,377 -20.5% 76,355
110 Butler*john Trio Grand National 45 8,373 18506.7% 8,418
111 Guerra*juan Luis La Llave De Mi Corazon 11,209 8,369 -25.3% 19,784
112 Spektor*regina Begin To Hope 14,163 8,304 -41.4% 353,152
113 Fratellis Costello Music 9,968 8,132 -18.4% 33,002
114 Breaking Benjamin Phobia 8,904 8,071 -09.4% 549,308
115 Groban*josh Awake 9,841 8,037 -18.3% 1,581,305
116 Morrison*van Van Morrison At The Movies 9,067 8,005 -11.7% 96,359
117 Blige*mary J. Reflections: A Retrospective 9,660 7,938 -17.8% 651,348
118 Eminem Presents: Re-up Eminem Presents: Re-up 9,295 7,878 -15.2% 942,431
119 Buckcherry 15 8,215 7,802 -05.0% 655,328
120 Birdman & Lil’ Wayne Like Father Like Son 9,369 7,712 -17.7% 685,945
121 Snow Patrol Eyes Open 9,417 7,704 -18.2% 951,005
122 Ludacris Release Therapy 8,778 7,639 -13.0% 1,148,485
123 Nichols*joe Iii 7,363 7,620 03.5% 616,357
124 Brooks & Dunn Hillbilly Deluxe 8,330 7,421 -10.9% 1,337,998
125 Legend*john Once Again 8,262 7,326 -11.3% 1,014,115
126 Hellogoodbye Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Din 7,674 7,257 -05.4% 322,457
127 Adkins*trace Dangerous Man 7,629 7,216 -05.4% 602,244
128 U2 U218 Singles 7,828 7,076 -09.6% 670,053
129 Bow Wow Price Of Fame 8,433 7,061 -16.3% 477,087
130 Unk Beat’n Down Yo Block 5,679 6,899 21.5% 120,276
131 Saliva Blood Stained Love Story 7,352 6,877 -06.5% 115,873
132 Omarion 21 8,461 6,869 -18.8% 337,604
133 Carroll*jason Michael Waitin’ In The Country 7,645 6,868 -10.2% 147,553
134 Silversun Pickups Carnavas 7,248 6,776 -06.5% 113,276
135 Lcd Soundsystem Sound Of Silver 14,989 6,676 -55.5% 21,665
136 Incubus Light Grenades 7,281 6,656 -08.6% 538,038
137 Blige*mary J. Breakthrough 7,695 6,558 -14.8% 2,891,085
138 Bennett*tony Duets: American Classic 9,190 6,549 -28.7% 1,457,188
139 Mana Amar Es Combatir 5,090 6,515 28.0% 394,783
140 Various Wow Gospel 2007 7,106 6,494 -08.6% 114,774
141 Wreckers Stand Still Look Pretty 7,130 6,492 -09.0% 708,059
142 Nas Hip Hop Is Dead 7,633 6,472 -15.2% 695,659
143 Bynum*juanita Piece Of My Passion 1,633 6,450 295.0% 245,991
144 Wow Hits Wow Hits 2007 5,867 6,374 08.6% 268,085
145 Lawrence*tracy For The Love 5,575 6,325 13.5% 68,476
146 Aldean*jason Jason Aldean 5,895 6,264 06.3% 932,302
147 Finger Eleven Them Vs. You Vs. Me 7,395 6,260 -15.4% 42,010
148 Strait*george It Just Comes Natural 6,056 6,219 02.7% 996,765
149 Wow Hymns Wow Hymns 6,415 6,204 -03.3% 16,814
150 Pickler*kellie Small Town Girl 6,748 6,139 -09.0% 484,021
151 Augustana All The Stars & Boulevards 9,017 6,073 -32.7% 219,268
152 Fantasia Fantasia 6,212 6,003 -03.4% 335,647
153 All-american Rejects Move Along 6,324 5,960 -05.8% 1,850,834
154 Madina Lake From Them Through Us To You 13 5,923 45461.5% 5,944
155 Cars Soundtracks 5,804 5,910 01.8% 859,231
156 Various Totally Country V6 6,887 5,839 -15.2% 132,705
157 Cash*johnny Legend Of Johnny Cash 6,320 5,798 -08.3% 2,370,084
158 Bird*andrew Armchair Apocrypha 11,251 5,757 -48.8% 17,073
159 Nutini*paolo These Streets 6,253 5,716 -08.6% 64,902
160 Game Doctor’s Advocate 7,381 5,706 -22.7% 899,238
161 Tunstall*kt Eye To The Telescope 6,060 5,689 -06.1% 1,019,373
162 Type O Negative Dead Again 8,334 5,592 -32.9% 36,253
163 Snoop Dogg Blue Carpet Treatment 6,961 5,562 -20.1% 835,629
164 Don Omar Presenta-el Pentagono Don Omar Presenta-el Pentagono 216 5,547 2468.1% 5,764
165 Solis*marco Antonio La Historia Contin¡¤a.parte Iii 6,093 5,529 -09.3% 37,562
166 Brown*chris Chris Brown 5,592 5,521 -01.3% 1,888,055
167 Aventura Kings Of Bachata 6,220 5,422 -12.8% 106,251
168 Jackson*alan Like Red On A Rose 5,464 5,403 -01.1% 661,932
169 Currington*billy Doin’ Somethin’ Right 4,850 5,400 11.3% 773,386
170 Jay-z Kingdom Come 6,501 5,385 -17.2% 1,407,793
171 Various Glory Revealed 5,636 5,308 -05.8% 5,590
172 Kearney*mat Nothing Left To Lose 7,440 5,106 -31.4% 186,882
173 Flyleaf Flyleaf 6,830 5,026 -26.4% 565,293
174 El-p I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead 11,197 5,008 -55.3% 16,425
175 Tool 10000 Days 5,102 4,924 -03.5% 1,457,534
176 Bullet For My Valentine Poison 5,010 4,895 -02.3% 230,024
177 Chesney*kenny Road & The Radio 4,752 4,870 02.5% 2,745,340
178 Jackson*alan Precious Memories 4,606 4,841 05.1% 1,260,776
179 Williams*hank Jr. That’s How They Do It In Dixie 5,173 4,829 -06.7% 356,587
180 Elizalde*valentin Vencedor 5,587 4,793 -14.2% 152,796
181 Daddy’s Little Girls Soundtrack 5,787 4,733 -18.2% 135,304
182 Carpenter*mary-chapin Calling 6,080 4,659 -23.4% 33,030
183 Deanda*paula Paula Deanda 6,027 4,647 -22.9% 193,192
184 Benson*g/a Jarreau Givin’ It Up 6,917 4,613 -33.3% 124,304
185 Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere 5,300 4,541 -14.3% 1,275,963
186 Anberlin Cities 5,325 4,519 -15.1% 64,776
187 Stone Sour Come What(ever) May 4,914 4,518 -08.1% 549,256
188 Music & Lyrics Soundtrack 6,513 4,498 -30.9% 62,183
189 Tomlin*chris See The Morning 4,651 4,435 -04.6% 100,733
190 Eminem Curtain Call 4,799 4,435 -07.6% 2,713,610
191 Waters*kim You Are My Lady 81 4,397 5328.4% 4,478
192 Disturbed Ten Thousand Fists 4,571 4,395 -03.9% 1,391,914
193 Muse Black Holes And Revelations 4,079 4,382 07.4% 291,975
194 Casting Crowns Lifesong 4,355 4,360 00.1% 406,988
195 Engvall*bill 15′ Off Cool 4,293 4,286 -00.2% 28,523
196 Rise Against Sufferer & The Witness 4,466 4,251 -04.8% 291,457
197 Various Interpretations:celebrating Ew 18 4,247 23494.4% 4,271
198 Haste The Day Pressure The Hinges 9,584 4,207 -56.1% 12,845
199 Los Caminantes La Historia Lo Mas Chulo Chulo 5,469 4,185 -23.5% 51,044
200 Jones*jim Hustler’s P.o.m.e. (product 4,309 4,162 -03.4% 370,203

I have been working on new content for Nas Daily since there hasn’t been any in a while. Right now, there isn’t much news going on about Nas so I decided to make a “Upcoming Nas Features” & “Songs Sampling Nas” page. It isn’t much at the moment but it will be grow in time. Also plan to edit a few of the current content we have here.

Songs Sampling Nas: Click Here
Upcoming Nas Features: Click Here

JamBase: What is the meaning behind the title, Hip Hop Is Dead?

Nas: The title is just about the rap game and what I love about it so much. It just shows how much I love it in a weird way. It feels like when this album is over, hip-hop as we once knew it is no longer.

JamBase: I read where you said that hip-hop is particularly vulnerable today. What makes you say that?

Nas: Because it’s so international and global and big, people don’t know what it is. And of course me being from New York, I really know what it’s all about, so who better to speak on it?

Comparing the new album to your other work, how do you feel it stacks up to previous records?

Well Streets Disciple [the last record] was a double-album that was more about my personal life. It was a record that let you inside. My father [Olu Dara] is on one of the cuts [”Bridging The Gap”]. Hip Hop Is Dead has a lot to do with the current state of rap music and stuff like that.

On the song “My Country” from Stillmatic you talked about how our country can’t come together until our lives are threatened. In the aftermath of 9/11, where our lives as a country were threatened, do you feel this country has come together at all?

[Long pause] No.

Do you think there’s any opportunity for us to come together as a nation?

Yeah, definitely. America is going through what hip-hop is suffering from. Everything is suffering. We could all use a burst of energy and apply that energy to our creative juices to be more creative in politics, science and loving God.

So, thinking about the relationship between hip-hop and society, how do we do that? How do we make this change happen?

Music has always played a serious, important role in bringing all different kinds of people together. I think that gives hip-hop a chance to breathe life into a dead society. When you have more creative writers who can speak on things they can influence politicians and people. Hip-hop started out as something that society shit on, that America shit on and ran from and buried. Now it’s like America’s cousin that acts up [in ways] you don’t really want. But, that’s a long way from just something that was shit on. I think hip-hop has a chance to go to the next phase and help things.

How did it come about that you signed with Def Jam?

Working with Sony, Columbia Records for so many years has been one hell of an experience; good for the most part, but with any record company there are issues because art and business is the weirdest relationship I’ve ever heard of. But, it happens and it has to happen. That being said, Def Jam is mainly hip-hop and began from hip-hop. It’s the only existing legendary rap label, and the first label I tried to shop my demo to years ago. The fact that I wound up label-mates with Billy Joel, Michael Jackson and Sade, I don’t know how that happened. At the same time, it’s something I’m very proud of, [having] a serious catalog there. I never had the chance to work with a Russell Simmons [at Def Jam] like so many rap artists have. Not that there’s anything wrong with non-black executives who deal with rap but you get a different relationship [with] black executives who specialize in black music. Obviously, there should be a better relationship in this [black executive run] artist friendly environment. This is our shit. We all know what this is about. The timing was impeccable, being that the executives I had been with for so long [at Sony] were on their way out. I would have been left in a company that was not really prepared for the continuation of a Nas career. In order to survive in this world you have to play games. So, I learned the game and Def Jam was the place to shop the new record.

Have you experienced any affect on your work by being at Def Jam?

There’s a difference of just trying to get to know each other. I have a certain way I’ve been doing my records for a long time, so do they, and because there are deadlines we are trying to understand each other. This record is us getting to know each other in a hurry. That’s the only thing that’s been a little awkward.

And how about working with Jay-Z?

It’s cool man. We’re peers in rap, and that’s what makes it fun.

How has wealth and success affected the way you do your thing?

Once you make money life changes. The hunger goes and things change. So, in a way, it’s a lot harder.

Are you still as angry today as you were when you were young?

No. There’s still anger, we’re only human, but the anger has changed, probably for different reasons.

What are your goals now? What does Nas want to do in the future?

I want to do what no rap artist has done and that’s put out eight, nine, ten well received records. I want to continue to be on the brains of the hip-hop maniacs. I want to continue to do that and break new ground by doing that.

Although you dropped out of school your music and style is very well educated. How did you achieve education while dropping out of school?

It was the teachers on the street. It was my mom. It was my pops. It was books. I think having an imagination like mine at a young age and getting inspiration from words of wisdom from my parents are what made me want to go out and there and go all the way. My pop being a musician taught me a lot just by watching him. There wasn’t a lot he had to say, it was just watching him and seeing how he lived. And my mom [had] morals and values, so it was that combination.

In a press release you say, “If hip-hop doesn’t change it’s gonna die.” What do you think needs to change?

I think there are too many people copying each other, and people don’t have any integrity, self-respect or self-esteem when it comes to just jacking somebody’s style or ideas. They’re willing to say anything just to get attention. There’s no heart. It’s like KRS-One said, “Here’s where the problem starts, no heart, because of that a lot of groups fell apart.” People are scared to say what they want to say, scared to be who they want to be and scared to even learn how to be what they could be.

Your name in Arabic means “helper and protector.” Do you feel in any way that you are a helper or protector of hip-hop?

[Laughing] Yeah, at least with this record and a few [others]. I don’t think that’s my full time job but I do rise to the occasion when I have to.

What do you want people to take away from your new record and from Nas in general?

I want them to know that I’m embarrassed when I have to go out in public and meet people from different walks of life that ask me what I do and I say I make hip-hop music. I’m embarrassed because if they Google “hip-hop” or turn on BET or MTV the majority of what they see misrepresents the good guys. At one point it wasn’t this easy to get a video played on MTV or a song on the radio. Now that everybody can do it, it’s not something I’m very proud of all the time. I’m proud to do the record and I’ll represent it anywhere in front of anyone. But, a lot of the examples that people see don’t make me look good. Damn, I had to get that off my chest.

Specifically for non hip-hop heads, what do you want them to take away?

The majority of stuff they see is not rap music. It’s bullshit. When I say “Hip Hop Is Dead” it means it once was alive and it’s not alive now. It should spark some interest and make them want to know more about rap music and figure out what’s good and what’s bad.

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