Roundup PT III
Around the way for more Nas-related news:
- You may have heard that Nas has so far decided to name his next album, "Hip-Hop Is Dead." This is different from the one-word-many-reactions choice of "Nigger" or the even earlier and equally questionable "Nasdaq Dow Jones". We'll see what happens.
- It has been reconfirmed that Nas will be working with Will.i.am, of the Black Eyed Peas, in some capacity in the future. Oh, I get it, Hip-Hop is dead.
- How's progress going so far on the disc? Well, DJ Premier said Nas is "flowing like crazy." Wait, Premier is still on board! Progress indeed. "'Nas knows what he has to do,' Premier explained."
- Although the show came and went and it's been some time since, perhaps the most lasting impression left on Hip-Hop audiences after the day one Roots concert at Radio City Music Hall was not what happened but what really could have. While Nas did show up, as billed, and, by most accounts, represented well enough, that was not supposed to be the end. According to The Roots' own ?uestlove, Nas was also to be reunited on stage with Pete Rock for a special The World Is Yours performance. Then, later in the night, Ghostface and Raekwon were scheduled to grab the mic, with Nas again, to perform Verbal Intercourse. Unfortunately, Pete Rock didn't show up, nor did Ghostface, nor did Raekwon. Way to let her go, guys!
- In that same confessional post, ?uestlove also broke down how, after all these years, Nas and The Roots finally linked up on stage and Nas was shown the light that so many satisfied fans could have attested to all along, "he shrugged but sheepishly admitted like...damn...these 'niggas was real'."
- Nashawn's album, Napalm, featuring the previously-posted Level 7, was released earlier this month. Nas is credited on three tracks: Level 7; about 1/8 a bar on Money Machine; and the hook of Choir Song. Money Machine is trash, Choir Song is about three years old, Hip-Hop is dead.
- Rap Beef: Now 95% less filling! Loon has words for Nas. Jim Jones is always talking. No pulse to be found.
- DMX has announced that a sequel to the hate-it-or-tolerate-it Belly is still on its way. According to Mr. Dark Man of the Unknown, his character, Tommy, makes a trip to Africa to locate Serious (Nas). DMX says that, "we got a sick story and all that." DMX also has a history of being on crack.
- Busta Rhymes' The Big Bang came out today. While two songs featuring himself and Nas were leaked in recent months, only the Dr. Dre produced Don't Get Carried Away made it to the retail. On 106&Park yesterday, Busta remarked how the beat gave him this instant throwback, New York summer nights vibe, whose call could only be answered by one other rapper. Rough Around the Edges is strictly for mixtapes it seems.
- Going over some earlier entries, those from before I really had a sense of where this blog was headed, I see I might have missed an opportunity or two to up a couple worthy links, some supplemental material. For instance, I would like to get in the way-back machine, to the very first post, and edit in a clip of the unreleased Live at the Barbeque rhyme, as heard on the Living Legends mixtape. However, that would be like admitting I've been slipping up since the start.
Rap radioactiveNas: Leftover Barbeque
Attractive, hyperactive
I drop bombs, my rhymes are massive
I work fantastic, realistic
My raps are drastic, not simplistic
BONUS: Nashawn f/ Nas: Choir Song
posted by Fletch at 5:48 PM
5 Comments:
One more thing about Nas' new album. It's tentatively scheduled for a September release date, which will also coincide with the final days of this blog (or whenever the LP does get released). So heads up . . .
Great post, Fletch. I chuckled at your comment about Nas working w/ Will.i.am. I am one of the few who still believes that hip-hop lives on, but BEP is definitely evidence of its imminent demise.
Does the blog really have to die when the new Nas LP is released? That's sort of disappointing...
Nice post again fletch.
The irong of Nas working with Will I am, BPE are the epitome of hiphop sell outs and highlight the death/what is wrong with this genre.
Scholar, I guess the Will.I.Am comment was made partially for humor's sake (glad it worked, ha). I don't think he's the filth of the earth or even near the worst thing the genre has going for itself right now, but as much as I'd like to say it's good for artists to leave their box, Nas' past escapades into the world of more pop dance-sounding records have often been poor. On the other hand, who knows if that's what he and BEP dude will do. Also, I gotta say, "Lay Me Down", off some BBE release, which Will produced, is one of my favorite non-rap songs of the past couple decades. At the very least, as seen on the Busta track too, he seems good at arranging vocals.
And yeah, the album release will equal to death of escobar theory. I don't wanna drag it out past quality, plus that seems as good as time as any to bow out gracefully. Maybe the LP will get pushed back and I'll extend my stay as well.
Mith, yeah I do remember my Daddy Yankee "promise". What do you think I'm gonna be doing when I end the blog? . . . I don't plan on deleting any of the posts, because they may, for whatever reason, prove to be useful to someone. And I guess I'll do a final post to let whoever know it's the final post. Beyond that, nothing major planned.
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