Posted on 07/15/2008
In the wake of a controversial album title and numerous leaks of cuts from the Untitled Disc, Nasir Jones in undaunted. He's awaiting the release of what he calls "one of the most important albums that I've made since Illmatic."  Nas walks a different walk, and has different tastes, be it producers, or his favorite MCs. He's definitely comfortable with his art, his position in the hip-hop game, and his opinions. Who else could style on 50 and be totally unfazed and unscathed? None other than God's Son, The N. He recently sat down with OKP's Mel Blunt to chop it up about his new CD, his producer/beat selection process, and his place in the hip-hop canon.

OKP: What statement are you trying to make with this title and project as a whole?

Nas: Hip-hop gets pointed at, it gets disrespected, it gets blamed for all of the problems that America has. It gets blamed for girls (exploitation) for violence and everything that's wrong. So, see, the record was like a middle finger back at all of those people who were trying to shut it down.

OKP: Did the potential shock value of the CD title play a role in its selection?

Nas: Umm yeah, yeah.

OKP: Did you expect the extensive backlash from the original title?

Nas: I felt like if an artist like Eminem touched on a racial issue, or an intimate social issue, it wouldn't have been as extreme. I felt like yeah, the backlash was more. I knew that people would get to talking. That's what I wanted them to do, to state their position or whatever. I felt like I was able to do an album like N and get their attention, but I didn't know how far it would go. You never know what people are watching. I got more than I expected.

OKP: Will the backlash affect the way that you develop future artistic concepts?

Nas: Like Hip-Hop is Dead and N, that's how I felt at that time so moving forward any future titles would have to be just as real as Hip-Hop is Dead or The N Album.

OKP: What does this project mean to you compared to your entire body of work?

Nas: This is one of the most important albums that I've made since Illmatic. The first album was my "hello world, I'm here." So that's obviously important. But outside of that I think this is the most important record that I've made in my life. Probably one of the most personal records that I've ever made.

OKP: How come you don't work more with Preemo, Q-Tip, and Large Professor, who were all instrumental in building the classic Illmatic soundscape?

Nas: I think I wanted to do something different from early on, you know it's like how BIG didn't use producer Easy Mo Be on Life After Death, although he did use Mo Be on his debut Ready To Die. You know, just growing and looking to see what else is going out here and to see what I sound like on other things.

OKP: When you select a producer or a track, what makes a good beat?

Nas: The drums.  The drums have to be hard hitting, they have to be accurate or they've got to be unorthodox - even sloppy and grimey, or sometimes real crispy. But the drums, it starts with them.

OKP: I know all of the songs on Untitled are meaningful, but which ones are the standouts in your opinion?

Nas: Probably "Testify."

OKP: On "I Know I Can" you reference the glory of African Kings, but on the new disc, you speak about the disconnect between black Americans and Africans. Can you elaborate on that?

Nas: I recently went to Africa, South Africa, and someone asked me why do African Americans want to cling on to their Afrocentricity so much?  And why do Africans want to be Americans?  They dress like you, talk like you, and act like you.

I said, first of all, many African Americans do not know their bloodlines, where they go to because, of course, of the slave trade. And that's why we want to learn and hold on to our African roots. And as far as why Africans want to be like us, that's because we're the coolest, we're the coolest mofo's on the planet. I think we've got a communication gap--we're not connecting. We don't talk, we don't share a religion together, we don't do anything together, really, that we feel is naturally ours, so there's a big gap.

OKP: What's up with the verse from the project aimed at 50?

Nas: I thought I shot that over everybody's heads, I didn't think they'd get anything that I said, cause I was using old styles on him like stuff from the Five Percent Nation, and I didn't think people would get it. It was just acknowledging 50's alleged retirement (after losing the first week's sales battle to Kanye) --I've had this for a while. Talking about it's really like.... he was an understudy or apprentice of mine, a friend of mine before. I haven't been able to see him lately. I'd love to talk to him. It's just me saying my piece. It wasn't like I was saying me and him should battle right now. It was just writing, it came in my writing. I didn't even plan on this now.

OKP: I was just wondering why you didn't hit 50 with a three-verse special and just go ahead and Ether that dude?

Nas: I think he's got to put out more than just 3 albums. They've got to put out a body of work--survival. [It takes going through] hard times, and grinding and then coming back on top for somebody to really put it down. It's too early, they're still freshmen, you know? So they've got to put out a lot more work out before that happens.

OKP: How does it feel to still be relevant in today's hip-hop world?

Nas: Its like life. I mean if I were still in the streets, I'd like to think that I would still be relevant. If you put me in any situation, I'll survive. It's the drive to live to be alive--I'm just excited about life. I'm excited whether I've got two pennies to rub together or if I've got a billion pennies to rub together. I'm happy with life, I love the challenge. It is what it is.

OKP: I know how you feel about the need to destroy to rebuild. Do you think that GZA's, and then Ice-T's critiques of Soljah Boy follow the "destroy to rebuild" philosophy?

Nas: I can't say, I can't speak for another man, I don't know.

OKP: Do you think that Lil' Wayne deserves all of the hype?

Nas: Yeah, I think he put in work, and when people wanted a show--he gave it to them. When people wanted an event-- he gave it to them. He built anticipation.

OKP: Who are your top 5 alive?

Nas: I don't know, I've got like three No. 1's, three No. 2's, several No. 3's... you know I don't really have...

OKP: Just give it up, rattle off some names.

Nas: Scarface...Eminem...Game.

OKP: What was your favorite collaboration on the Untitled album?

Nas: With the producers, man cause I got down with Game, I got down with Busta, those are my homies. But my favorite collaborations were with the different producers.

OKP: How did you hook up with Pollow da Don?

Nas: Kelis, she had worked with him before and introduced us.

OKP: Well alright Nas, cool talking to you--much success.

- Mel Blunt