WHO ROBBED Nas of “NIGGER” album title, sales, and HISTORY?!!!
WHO ROBBED Nas of “NIGGER” album title, sales, and HISTORY?!!!
FACT: The original title of Nas’ most recent album, Untitled (pictured second), was to be Nigger (pictured first), according to Nas, Jay-Z (the CEO of the album’s publisher, Def Jam Recordings), as well as Def Jam Records Chairman LA Reid. This controversial album title was supported by these industry execs as well as high profile artists such as Ice Cube, Common and Alicia Keys. It was brought under fire by civil rights activists such as Rev. Jesse Jackson and the NAACP, but received probably the most impacting opposition from Brooklyn Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries who requested New York’s Controller to withdraw $84 million worth of investment from Def Jam’s parent company, Universal if the album title was not changed. Nas (eventually) released the album, Untitled, under Def Jam Records on July 15, 2008.
OPINION: If Nas was allowed to voice his “free speech” and keep his album entitled Nigger, his album sales increase drastically, media publicity expands, content discussion escalates, and Nas’ place in history is sketched in history forever. Controversy sells. So with the current (national) debate over this “N-word,” people of all races would be curious to see what the profilic Nasir Jones has to say about it. Untitled, just doesn’t raise that same curiosity and thus hurts his sales. First Degree Robbery. At the time of this posting, Nas’ album has been out over a month in the states, and longer overseas. There was far more publicity a year ago, when he mentioned the title of his upcoming album was to be Nigger; than now, after it was released named Untitled. Nigger gets more media attention than Untitled. Second Count of (Armed) Robbery. Furthermore, and most importantly, a lack of sales and decreased media attention leads to his HISTORICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL, CRITICAL AND POWERFUL messages being discussed less often. My boy, Chief, says this is a modern day Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison). It is literature. A landmark piece of work. It should be mandatory listening and reading for all American high school sophomores. No deep title, no deep conversation. Third Degree Robbery. Lastly, because of all these negative effects of robbery, Nas’ rightful place in history is compromised. Of course, he will go down as a top three emcee, top ten music artist, hip hop pioneer and a/the King of New York, but he is being robbed of going down as a revolutionary, an American poet and thinker and an author of a masterpiece. Guilty. Four counts of Robbery. Another Hip Hop Heist,
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Cause Opinions Might Mature and Advance
