Have a news tip? Email us.
Read more vibe.com news headlines.
May 19, 2006 @ 1:32 pm
Nas Says Hip Hop is Dead ... The N
On Thursday night (May 18), while performing at the Roots’ show in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, the Illmatic One announced that his first album off Def Jam - Hip-Hop Is Dead … The N – will hit stores in late September.
The N is a play on words signifying ‘the end' of the genre of music.
right "I didn't name it that. Fans named it that; rappers named it that," Nas told MTV.com about the title. "It's been the talk for years, so here's an album that brings ... not even the rebirth, it's just an album with that thing that everybody is talking about.
“I got a street look coming real soon, and more soon after. Summer time is definitely going to be Nas time."
Although guest appearances and producers assisting on the new album have been kept a secret thus far, Nas and Jay-Z did say that they would do a song together, only if it feels right. The pair also hinted that if the feeling is apt, they would welcome a collaboration with Dr. Dre, arguably the best hip hop producer of the last decade.
Nas' alliance with Def Jam and its president Shawn Carter, should help the Queensbridge native reach bigger numbers than his last effort. His 2004 double-album, Street’s Disciple, sold 694,000 copies in the United States.
Article tags: Nas Says Hip-Hop Is Dead ... The N, Nas' Album In September, Def Jam, Jay-Z
del.icio.us
digg
Furl
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Page printed from:
http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2006/05/nas_says_hip_hop_is_dead_the_n/
Comments
1.
nicolexue says:
view profile
I like HIpop!
and my friends on STDromance.com also love it
January 18, 2008 at 12:18 am
2.
GArY MiLLER says:
Nas is right...good hip-hop is dead, and no longer talks about anything but bullshit...I don't ever want to listen to today's mainstream shit unless it's good in quality...
Peace out.
August 29, 2007 at 5:21 pm
3.
yo momma says:
yo, hip hop ain't dead...NO FUKN WAY!!! i luv hip hop. most of my life has been based on hip hop reali. wot i reali thnk is da way evry h8r talks bwt it, dats wots killin it.
August 8, 2007 at 7:12 pm
4.
sheejord says:
hip hops not dead but da way all u pplez r talkn ur startin 2 kill it
August 8, 2007 at 6:53 pm
5.
Stonetruth says:
Turn off your t.v -throw away the glamour mags - ignore all the hype.
What are you left with? Spraycan.Turntables.Microphone.B Boying.AND YOUR OWN BRAIN. ALL MAINSTREAM HIP HOP IS RUBBISH,BUT IF YOU DONT LIKE IT,GROW A PAIR AND MAKE SOME YOURSELF!!
June 11, 2007 at 5:32 am
6.
YO MINUS says:
Let Hip-Hop be anything and everything and watch that mother grow.
-YO MINUS
June 9, 2007 at 10:12 pm
7.
jett says:
yea hip hop is dead farel becuz that lip gloss shyt and otherz is so rediculous..can u imagin rappin about lipgloss during the timez of tupac???
May 28, 2007 at 2:50 am
8.
Taranique Perkins says:
Nas is that really what you think about hip hop?
May 9, 2007 at 12:37 pm
9.
prodigy says:
Nas is right about hip-hop being dead. U never really hear the real shit anymore, all u hear is shit like "walk it out". Hip hop is not jus music, its a lifestyle, and the way most rappers are portraying now is bullshit. They want to talk about all the money they got, and all the hoes they f**ked, but they should be really talkin bout how them hoes gave them an STD, and even tho' they got this money, they still feel a great deal of depression. Yea, im not gon lie tho, that bullshit sells, but dont label that hip hop.
Hip hop is a lifestlyle and a diverse culture, u gotta actually live it and feel it. Bottom line, even tho rite now most of these current rappers have slayed hip hop wit these nursery school rhymes, rappers like nas, jay-z, and kanye west will resurrect it.
May 3, 2007 at 11:03 am
10.
ed says:
no doubt it's dead in the mainstream. f*ck listenin to the radio garbage anyway! the real stuff now is all grassroots. you want to see real hip hop? come to a b-boy event and support!
-freestyle session
-bboy unit
-battle of the year
-mighty 4
www.undergroundhiphop.com
March 16, 2007 at 12:51 pm
11.
PERRY says:
f**k NAS b**ch ASS HE IS A HATTER HE,S MUSIC IS OUT DATED NOW HE WONTS TOO b**ch. ATLANTA IS ON TOP BECUASE WE GRIND f**k ALL THAT BEEFIN IF THAY STICKET TOO MAKEIN SONGS NEWYORK WOULD BE ON TOP
March 9, 2007 at 9:26 am
12.
YO MINUS says:
If Hip-Hop is dead to the media, then that's great news. Maybe then rappers will stop rap'n about their shoes.
- YO MINUS
March 6, 2007 at 2:12 pm
13.
Mr James Addicott says:
sorry - Edit: Public Enemy "Rebel without a pause"
January 7, 2007 at 2:54 pm
14.
Mr James Addicott says:
Hip Hop is dead, downloads have killed the record stores, myspace has replaced the face to face battles that helped to shape the art form of Hip Hop and material wealth has replaced skill.
I started listening to Hip Hop with Public Enemy "Rebel with out a cause", Hip Hop back then was a voice of rebellion, KRS edu-tained us with the philosophy of Hip Hop. Naz, Wu Tang continued to "edu-tain" us. Hip Hop was the voice of hungry ghetto talent, the best rappers were the ones who kept it 'real'. Now in 2007 were left with Jaz Z throwing us the Freemasons "Great Seal" in a celebration of new found wealth, don't get me wrong, props to Jay Z for coming from Marcy Houses project and successfully climbing the ladder of capitalism to a stage where he can shake hands with Bill Gates. But that ladder of success has led Hip Hop to the same level of success that Hip Hop rebelled from when Hip Hop started. Hip Hop is now a way to conform with the rules of capitalism, money, greed, selfishness and materialism rules Hip Hop, so therefore Hip Hop is dead.
Big up to Naz for keeping it real, I agree Hip Hops dead. Bring on the next era!
January 7, 2007 at 2:53 pm
15.
xzaec says:
Hiphop died wen hoodrums wit platinum teeths and fake blings started spittin gibberish,they killed and Nas is bringing sanity to the game thro'righteous steps.His lyrics r like diamond in the dark many still dont notice.Big up Esco am ur no:1 fan in this Eastern world region-KENYA,wen u decided to bury the hatchet wit Jay u potrailed the greatest virtue that leaves alot for upcoming rappers n those to follow n we still believe u was one of own stolen during slavery bigup n welcome home
January 4, 2007 at 4:31 am
16.
Jae Supreme says:
Nas Is From My Hood "Queensbridge" and I can say as a "Real Hip Hop Veteran" since the days in riverpark, we need to Bring Back Da Boom Bap - that's whats missing in the game right now - real beats and rhymes. I'm a DJ and I don't even get excited about spinning records anymore - I still gotta play what people think they wanna hear though.
If any of yall real hip hop heads are parents like me, please do me a favor - teach your kids the real meaning of Hip Hop - my kids know da deal....
Peace
December 28, 2006 at 12:13 pm
17.
Nasir Jones says:
I'll bring it like this , its a rare chance to see and hear rapper like Nas rime(as Biggie said it , its miracle). If you want the greatest gangsta rap album check out the Illmatic that's it peace !
December 27, 2006 at 7:14 am
18.
H. Marie says:
Hip hop isn't dead anymore people. That's the point of the album.
December 23, 2006 at 1:04 am
19.
aura says:
well its good to see yall have minds of ur own...yal just cant seem to move on from just complaining...hello solve dont just restate the facts. And I think the spirit of Hip Hop is still alive we just need to bring it back into the limelight rather than letting these guys sell death (crack)to our black community then control how hip hops money is brought in and distributed(or lack there of). Not to say that we dont still DO have our greats...Too bad they robbed us of TUPAC!!!
December 22, 2006 at 8:11 pm
20.
Kyle says:
Hip hop is dead! ALl rappers today talk about is bling, girls, sex, weed etc. All negatives being black i am appauled to thing that this is an expression of our culture. However they are good rappers out there Nas is definitely one. Jay Z is one too (when he and nas had that beef my heart sank), Kanye West, and a few more. The reason for the downfall of rap is in part caused by America's( White and black) consumption of its negatives. Everywhere you go you hear little white boys talking about their crib and dawg and all that. It's now lost its uniqueness and is just another fad.
Mayube this song will wake some up.
P.S. Young Jeezey, 50 cent, GAme, Young Joc and all the other frauds can go to he11.
December 22, 2006 at 5:45 pm
21.
Chris says:
Nobody competes with Nas, he's a master mind. His Lyrics are on another level from the rest, it takes even the most intellectual people a couple of times to understand in detail what Queen's King is talkin about. Hip Hop is garbage right now. How can people be so out of touch that they think their chains and ugly ass platinum teeth define who they are?
December 22, 2006 at 3:40 pm
22.
aura says:
Ok ok so it seems everyone agrees that hip hop is dead...but then what?! I mean hip hop is SUPPOSED to be an expression of the streets, of the black community. Its 2006 not 1986 streets change and ergo so has the music. How do we change the music brought on by the crack epidemic when thats what the streets UNFORTUNATELY are saying? And would it be fair to say Hip Hop is in a coma rather than just dead?! Hip Hop is a "young oldie" change is inevitable for better or for worse. So what do we do now?!
December 22, 2006 at 11:17 am
23.
THC30 says:
As of December 19, 2006 --HIP HOP has begun resurrection! I urge every hip hop head to go cop Hip Hop Is Dead! It really is beautiful shit. I can play the CD all the way through! I have not been able to do that in AGES! Bravo Nas! Encore!
P.S. Another album (it's been slept on) I also urge you to cop, is Game Theory by The Roots! Beautiful! Happy Holidays folks! Peace!
December 21, 2006 at 7:45 pm
24.
No_Name says:
NaS, I am proud of you!
hip hop has been dead, and no one had the balls to admit it. puffy took the first shot at killin it, enter the bling-blung era, the hip pop era of absolute ignorant garbage. young buks with no sense or culture talkin about nuttin.
phase 2: the sound of wak-ness
Jay-Z, the no talent Hawaiian Sofi MC. the 'Black Republican' took over at the time Bush hijacked the presidency of the UNited States. Jay-Z'zzz with his asthmatic out of breath 'rhymes' (for lack of a better word) has been in 'office' since the turn of the millennium. a militant take over, however, is underway lead by none other than NaS.
HIP HOP IS DEAD
WHO KILLED IT?
the BLACK REPUBLICAN (feat. Jay-Z) did.
resurrect come back!
onelove.
peace.
December 21, 2006 at 12:23 pm
25.
Trevor says:
Everyone seems to see it the same way as I do. I agree with you guys, But dont tell young Cheezy, he might cry! lol
December 21, 2006 at 1:33 am
26.
bladestar says:
NAS is the only rapper out there with enough lyrical skill to bust out an album titled HIP HOP IS DEAD!!! Hip hop has been long dead ever since these clowns only talk about how they're gangsta, bang madd chicks, kill snitches and then end the song talking about they chillin at grandma's crib. Not to mention they put a title to their songs but the name to the song has nothing to do with what they are rapping about. Cam'ron comin out with the pink shirt and all these clowns walking in the streets with pink shirts tryin to look hard, DOG ya'll clowns need to be placed in check real quick along with talkin all that smack and still gettin robbed on the puerto rican day parade and gettin punked at Rutgers from Katz in brooklyn in your own hometown, son sit down you and the dipset crew take your pink shirts and hats and hit 34th street and hand out tickets for the circus.
NAS albums all have a deep sense of rap and laced with the fundamentals along with a story that anyone from the street can relate to. When was the last time you said "word I feel that Sh!# he just said", from these new breeds.... Silence... I thought so.
December 20, 2006 at 7:34 pm
27.
a.FLoW says:
isz tru dat hip hop bein dead hasz been talk fo a couple of yrsz now..isz bout time sumwun took tha strength to make a album sayin hip hop isz dead..cusz it'll be tru...afta BIG died & pac disapeared..hip hop hasnt been tha same..all we got rite now isz Nas n Jay-Z
December 20, 2006 at 12:06 pm
28.
Dawgear says:
Let's face it folks , Hip-Hop is so wack today, sincerely sometimes I'm really embarrased to say that I'm a Hip-Hop fan to the fullest cause non-hip-hoop listeners have a tendance of saying that rappers don't say sh*t on their songs , all that because of fake a*s punk as 50Cent, those pus*ies even corrupt the originality of Eminem , back in the days that dude was so raw , but today just cop an Encore album to see how garbage and phony that sh*t is.Hip-Hop really needs some true lyricist as Kanye , Jay , and the godfather Nas to give mouth to Hip-Hop. Personnaly , if Nas wasn"t alive since Pac died , it would be teh end of Hip-Hop and the era of "Deep-Flop".
December 18, 2006 at 11:20 pm
29.
Cathy says:
Hey T you need to shut up. U understand
what she saying. That shit rubbed off u
December 16, 2006 at 10:17 pm
30.
T says:
Wow, zephaniah.
While I agree with you, I'm surprised you ended by calling gangsters "ignent" and yourself writing in horrible grammar and spelling. Maybe some of that "ingent b.s." rubbed off on you. It sure doesn't help.
December 14, 2006 at 3:33 pm
31.
zephaniah says:
naz is right hip hop is dead.ive been sayn this 4 so many years and finaly some one else is speaking on this issue. lets face it the only reason y rappers still make paper 2 day is cuz they got good beats and some of them have unique rhyming styles and lyrical capabilitys,but they dont spit rlevant stuff. back when gangster rap 1st started they raped about wat was going on in america and wat they had 2 go threw.like KRS-1 said it is the CNN of rap.but they took it 2 far when they started calling themselves gangsters constantly.and all dat other ignent bs.
December 13, 2006 at 10:48 pm
32.
Brian says:
Nas is the greatest, I am so tired if ignorant rappers talking about rims and teeth and woodgrain and bull$hit. They all garbage and don't say anything relevant, just nonsense and ignorance. Nas is a real artist talks about real ish and drops real knowledge and speaks real ish. He is one of the last real rappers left. Who else do we have? Kanye West, Jay-Z, talented lyricists like papoose, canibus, common, Taleb Kweli, who else is going to be real and stop all of that other ignorant hip hop thats only tight becase of the beat. Anyone who only listens to that crap is too ignorant to know real hip hop and real talent. Leave that ish in the club! that ish is poison to our people and does nothing but help our beautiful black folks already bad image.
December 10, 2006 at 11:52 pm