Nas' New Album

[Roast]

For those of you who haven't heard, Nas is releasing a new album on Dec. 11. The name of the album is stirring up quite a big of controversy because he plans to name the album "N****r." Jesse Jackson, of course, is up in arms about this. As far as the music industry goes; LA Reid has said that Def Jam will indeed release the LP, and he has received support from Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, LL Cool J, Common, Akon, Reverend Run, and Method man while drawing criticism from 50 Cent (who cares?) who says he's only doing it for "shock value."

 

Jesse Jackson says:

"The title using the 'N' word is morally offensive and socially distasteful. Nas has the right to degrade and denigrate in the name of free speech, but there is no honor in it," the Rev. Jesse Jackson said in a news release. "Radio and television stations have no obligation to play it and self-respecting people have no obligation to buy it. I wish he would use his talents to lift up and inspire, not degrade."

 

Nas says:

"We're taking power from the word," he added. "No disrespect to none of them who were part of the civil rights movement, but some ... in the streets don't know who (civil rights activist) Medgar Evers was ... they know who Nas is," the rapper said, referring to the Mississippi civil rights leader fatally shot in the 1960s outside his home in Jackson.

 

"And to my older people who don't know who Nas is and who don't know what a street disciple is, stay outta this (expletive) conversation. We'll talk to you when we're ready. Right now, we're on a whole new movement. We're taking power from that word."

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/19/music.nas.albumtitle.ap/

 

Jay-Z says

"I know he's very intelligent and there a reason behind what he's doing," Jay told MTV News. "He's not just doing it for the sake of being provocative. Of course we're going to support his art. ... I hope [the concept] is coming from a great place. I believe it's coming from a great place. I just think it's misguided. People give strength to words, power to words. If your remove ',' then you have 'jiggaboo' and '[expletive],' the words will keep continuing. How many words you gonna take out? People give the words power. I think we need to direct that [energy] towards the community.

 

"The first thing you do when you sit with a psychiatrist is they go back to your childhood. It all stems from there. So all these things that's happening in these neighborhood, the worst schools, drug-infested areas ... of course people are going to be hostile. So if you fix that, you fix self-esteem, you fix hope. ... Then they'll be another thing. But you can't remove a word and think all the problems don't exist. Like I said, it's misguided."

 

Anyway, I'm interested to know what you guys think about this. I brought this up in the music thread but nothing really came of it and I'd really like to hear some responses. So here we go.

[Skyballer]

you need this option:

 

They're despicable and shouldn't be making music but if they chose to then they can call their album whatever they want to.

[Guest]

you need this option:

 

They're despicable and shouldn't be making music but if they chose to then they can call their album whatever they want to.

 

They're?

[Roast]

you need this option:

 

They're despicable and shouldn't be making music but if they chose to then they can call their album whatever they want to.

 

They're?

 

I REALLY hope that he's talking about "rappers."

 

Even then, however, that's a completely ignorant comment.

[treebird]

AGREED, I WANT TO VOTE FOR THE "BLACKS AND/OR RAPPERS ARE DESPICABLE" OPTION

[rocket]

i agree with murtonfan it's time we stop these people

[wekse]

damned rappers.

[Guest]

Nas is no Nickelback.

[Derwood]

Nas is no Nickelback.

 

Nickelback would never name their album "Honky". NEVER

[imb]

All in favor of making MurtonFan a mod over the Poll forum say aye!

[sethuel1]

aye

[rocket]

AYE

[Derwood]

All in favor of making MurtonFan a mod over the Poll forum say aye!

 

psh, just mod of Polls? i want him as my moral compass for all of life's decisions

[wekse]

aye

[wolf stansson]

AYE

 

Here, here, Murton Fan!

[Skyballer]

aye!!!

[Skyballer]

AGREED, I WANT TO VOTE FOR THE "BLACKS AND/OR RAPPERS ARE DESPICABLE" OPTION

Why do we gotta turn this into a racial thing?

[B]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/bnance82/jesse.jpg

[Roast]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/bnance82/jesse.jpg

 

Damn; played the race card on me.

[seanimal]

I'm not really sure I understand Nas' explanation.

[jersey cubs fan]

Nas says:

"And to my older people who don't know who Nas is and who don't know what a street disciple is, stay outta this (expletive) conversation. We'll talk to you when we're ready. Right now, we're on a whole new movement. We're taking power from that word."

 

What a jackass.

[Careless]

I'll go with

Don't care

Mostly shock value

Misguided

 

In that order

[Roast]

I'm not really sure I understand Nas' explanation.

 

 

I believe what he's trying to say is that if he takes that word, and not only acknowledges it, but promotes it as his album cover, he is accepting it. And thus, that word no longer has any power because it no longer hurts him. At least, that's what I got from it

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I'm fairly positive I don't know what the hell a "Nas" is.

[Roast]

I'm fairly positive I don't know what the hell a "Nas" is.

 

His name is Nasir Jones, therefore, it's just a short version of his first name.