Jay-Z Shows Support for Nas' Controversial Album Title
Nas' effort to detoxify the N-word by titling his upcoming album Nigger enjoyed a major boost from a familiar name this week. Def Jam President Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has joined the likes of Akon and Alicia Keys in expressing support for Nas' album. Jay echoed the sentiment of many in the hip-hop community that Nas always has a purpose attached to his ideas, no matter how provocative they might appear.
"He's not just doing it for the sake of being provocative. Of course we're going to support his art," Jay-Z told MTV News. While he predicts that the concept is "coming from a great place," Jay added that the attention to Nas' album title is "misguided."
"People give strength to words, power to words. If your remove 'Nigger,' then you have 'jiggaboo' and 'porch monkey,' 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."
Photo © Getty Images/Scott Gries
Comments
Actually, Jay sounds like he’s against the album instead of being for it, although he said he’d support it. Man, Nas better bring it this time hard or he’ll be a victim to some vicious criticism.
“Actually, Jay sounds like he’s against the album instead of being for it,”
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How’s this?
Jay meant Nas won’t be bringing any signification change because people will only come up with new words and all. He said he’s supporting him because Nas is signed to Def Jam. That means he doesn’t believe that concept will work but supporting it because Nas is doing with good intentions and not for false publicity.
Hmmm…interesting point. I still think he was referring to the attention the word itself has attracted. He’s saying it’s a waste of time for people to continue to strengthen the word when there are much deeper problems to address.
hay love u so much Jay-Z!!
Jaz Z was a drug dealer, who’s selfish dealings ruined many lives in those same neighborhoods. Let’s stop putting the mic in front of Jaz Z face. He’s not in the hood…The hood is dying. Period. How many more kids need to die before Nas company wakes the fk up. Get rid of the guns and the thugs…
Nas is a seriouse RAPPER, when he spits, or break down his ideas the usually make echos. I don’r care what happens i’m gonna buy the,Nas probably chose the wrong person as collabo (Jay-Z) people like Kanye, Chamilionaire, probably 50, can be great help, instead of coward Jay-z who’s not doing sh*t for his community prior than spending mad cash for b*tch b-day, while he could donate them 4 books, PCs, and more.
Nas is slipping and although I dig many of his records (one of the best lyricists ever) and have all of his records,I see this as just another desperate attempt to promote a forthcoming album by creating controversial hype that will only increase the sales and profile of everybody else(other rappers who respond with records, folks like Michael Eric Dyson, etc.)but Nas. I’m not convinced that he will bring anything new to the public discourse about using the n-word and other derogatory words. I think, contrary to what he intends, most people (like sheep) will just be distracted by the title and never even cop the album to hear what he has to say but they will have 50 million opinions.
I THINK NAS IS A GOOD DISCIPLE OF HIP HOP, SO HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING.LET US HEAR WHAT HE GOT TO SAY BEFORE POPING HIS HEAD OFF OK.BIG UP NAS