Nas spent months trying to keep the N-word as his new album's name. But with the untitled disc set for release July 15, he's just glad it's finally getting out.
"I didn't want to push it back any more," says Nas (aka Nasir Jones), 34. "People are pointing at hip-hop, saying, 'Why are you using this language?' I wanted to go to the root of the problem."

Both outrage and praise greeted his announcement of the title last October. The NAACP, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were critical, while Island Def Jam chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid and Jay-Z, Alicia Keys and Akon voiced support.

But the marketplace and the public determine if a title is acceptable, says David Ehrlich, an entertainment lawyer who works with hip-hop stars. "With the sale of CDs dominated by large mass merchants, the record labels tend to be restrictive in terms of what they allow as not to alienate customers," he says.

There's precedent for the title, though the word invariably attracted controversy. In the '70s, comic Richard Pryor twice used the word in album titles. Two decades later, rappers Tupac Shakur, N.W.A. and Ol' Dirty Bastard used variations. These days, the N-word is used liberally in rap lyrics and song titles — but it hasn't been a major artist's album title in years.

It's hard to gauge how well it will sell: Seven of Nas' previous studio albums went platinum, though 2006's Hip Hop Is Dead fell short with sales of 759,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Nas says he didn't change the album's content in exploring the racial epithet. On single Hero, he rhymes: "I'm hog-tied, the corporate side … Try telling Bob Dylan, Bruce or Billy Joel they can't sing what's in their soul/So Untitled it is."

The word "has an ugly history and that's the point," says Nas, who'll perform the music live on the Rock the Bells tour starting July 19. He says negative publicity could cut both ways.

Certainly, few will miss the album's allusion to slavery: The cover shows his bare back scarred with whip marks in the shape of an "N."

The image "shows nothing has changed. Even as life has gotten better, the reality is we're still in the struggle."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/n...ed_N.htm?csp=1

BE A NIGGER TOO, REMIX:



NAS AIN'T MAD AT PRODIGY!

King Magazine recently released some lost excerpts of their interview with Nas. While most of it had to do with Nas discussing his early years in Hip Hop, one question and accusation proved to be a bit eyebrow raising.

"I ran into Prodigy last week and asked him, 'What should I ask Nas?' He said, 'Ask him, ‘What happened backstage at the Central Park show in 2004,’” Thomas Golianopoulos inquired.

“Man, that was some classic Mobb Deep shit. They was rumbling,” Nas replied regarding a fight that took place backstage between Mobb Deep and others. But Prodigy thinks that those involved were Nas’ people.

“He thinks you set him up,” Golianopoulos responded.

Nas went on to discuss his relationship with Prodigy and addressed the situation.

“I did hear that. Nah, I would never do that to him,” Nas retorted. “We had our differences, which was really just hyped up bullshit. I wish everything for Prodigy. They caught a lot of bad breaks. I just wish the best for him. I wish he didn’t have to do this time. And I would love to see them come back again. I would be the first person in the record store buying a Mobb album. I want to see them give it to us however many more times.”

Nas also revealed how he felt about Mobb Deep joining G-Unit.

“I was really happy to see 50 embrace them. I thought that was G because that’s something that doesn’t happen from the higher ups. All these big companies, they don’t care about us. They don’t care about the talented ones that aren’t given a fair shot and I thought it was a good move on 50’s part to give them a deal.”

Nas' Untitled drops July 15th.
www.hiphopdx.com

BIG UP FOR THIS VIDEO. (YOU HEAR THE LIL MINDBENDER SHOUTOUT? I BELIEVE WHAT I WANT, LOL)
'SLY FOX' IS ONE OF THE ILLEST SONGS OF THE YEAR, AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE ON THE AMAZING ALBUM THAT IS THE 'NIGGER' ALBUM. PEEP IT:




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SPIKE LEE DROPS A JEWEL:

The fallout behind Jesse Jackson’s remarks about Barack Obama continues this weekend, with veteran filmmaker Spike Lee saying that “jealousy” may have fueled the now infamous “I want to cut his nuts off” comment.

"I’m very disappointed in Jesse Jackson. These old heads, I don't know why they're doing this stuff," Lee told EUR Web.

The comment, which was caught by Fox News during a break surfaced earlier this week. Jackson says he did not know his microphone was still on.

"I think jealousy has to be somewhere in there. I read today that even Jesse Jackson's son, Jesse Jr., is upset about his father's comments. There's no place for that and I think it's really making Jesse look bad. I haven't heard anybody say cut the man's nuts off but Jesse,” Lee added.

Lee’s most telling comment came later, saying what many have been thinking—and saying—for years: that Jackson’s time in the spotlight is coming to a close.

"In life, sometimes you have your moment,” he says. "You have your window that lies upon you and then it leaves. This is not Jesse's time right now. This is Barack Obama's time, and I think he's having a problem with that."

Jackson offered an immediate apology for his “crude and hurtful” remarks and Obama accepted.

www.hiphopdx.com

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TORONTO PRIDE PARADE PICTURES! (NSFW!!)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=131548&id=860975116#/album.php?aid=131548&id=860975116

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KOBE AND SHAQ'S BEEF IS ON THE NEXT LEVEL, LOL!!!



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