In an interview with MTV several months before the album’s release, the veteran emcee explained the motivation behind the album’s title: “I think hip-hop could help rebuild America, once hip-hoppers own hip-hop. … We are our own politicians, our own government, we have something to say. We’re warriors. Soldiers.”
So, 10 years later, does Nas still feel the same way? Have hip-hop’s frontline soldiers helped to rebuild America through their music?
On Wednesday evening, the Queens native was a guest alongside Kevin Durant on HBO’s Any Given Wednesday with host Bill Simmons. During their interview, Simmons asked Nas if hip-hop is in a better or worse place a decade after his bold proclamation, to which he replied it’s better “because it gave birth to Kendrick, J. Cole, Drake and a few other great, great artists.”
While Nas giving credit to Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole—who we remember let Nas down but was granted forgiveness—shouldn’t be surprising, neither should the credit he dished out to Drake. Nas might be a living lyrical miracle, but he’s also a fan of non-lyrical music. Earlier this year, he revealed his fandom of Future and said the ATL hitmaker is “pushing flows forward.”
Read the full story (source): Nas Confirms Hip-Hop Isn’t Dead, Credits Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole & Drake | DJBooth Article
