Nas interview.

Orizio

Nice interview,although there's little new.Nas defends SD,says Premo is working with him on his next album and talks about his new label.Best lines in bold.

MTV News: We've been hearing for a while that you're working on a new album. What's the status?

Nas: The album is ... I started working on it. I had to pause to go back and look at it, because what I'm doing has hardly ever been done: taking a career to the next level. Usually artists don't make it this far. It's never been seen that a street artist go as far as I've gone — keep consistent without wanting to do a bunch of ventures outside of music to keep my face out there. I had to look back and pat myself on the back and really prepare to do what's not been done: to go for another few years in this thing and make it historic, the way it's supposed to be.

MTV: "Looking back" has meant contemplating leaving the only record company you've known, Columbia. There've been rumors about you going over to Def Jam — and we've had conversations in the past about how much you admire the company's chairman, L.A. Reid.

Nas: On an executive level, L.A. Reid is somebody who stands out and somebody who I truly admire and have been wanting to work with for a while, just based on what he's done and where he comes from. He interests me a lot right now.

MTV: So you two have talked?

Nas: There have been conversations. I've been exploring other possibilities for a long time. I loved my situation where it's at, but you have to look around and see what other shows are in town so you can expand your horizons. It's not just one place where you have to stay forever.

MTV: Hey, 50 is signing a bunch of folks to G-Unit!

Nas: They don't got enough paper for me.

MTV: Your last album, Street's Disciple, received a lot of criticism, but I think it was one of your best joints.

Nas: Absolutely. That album was a milestone period for me. It was my triumph in this business. The focus for that last record was definitely not about what was going on at radio at the time. It was about me doing different stuff. With the next stuff I'm getting at, it's gonna be right up that alley, but a huge project. I want to get to back to doing real big sh-- for the streets.

MTV: I heard you was doing it real, real big on the new album: There's a rumor that you outbid a few MCs for some multimillion-dollar Neptunes beat?

Nas: Nah. That's very untrue. I don't know where that came from.

MTV: If you go to Def Jam, obviously, you'll be working with Jay-Z. A few years ago that was unfathomable, but I just saw a show in San Francisco where you told the DJ to not play Hov's name at the beginning of "Ether" where everyone goes "F--- Jay-Z!" You actually told the crowd you "love" Jay.

http://www.mtv.com/bands/n/nas/news_feature_101905/

ubu

MTV: You and Kanye have great chemistry. Who are you working with on your new album?

Nas: Me and Premier is in the works. That's all I can say right now.

Primo and Nas, good stuff
i had my doubts about the Neptunes beat thing aswell so good thats its been cleared up. Primo beats suit NaS better anyway!

Orizio

I'm not a big fan of the Neptunes either(more like hate for Pharrell really)but a lot of there latest beats have been nice.Primo on the other hand has fallen off a bit,most of his last few beats for Nas were disapointing and has track on AZ's newest album is pretty pedestrian.

ubu

Which track did he do on A.W.O.L?
Either way i think id prefer to hear primo beat than any other on a NaS album, i just hope Kanye doesn't take over and it all ends up sounding the same.

Orizio

Which track did he do on A.W.O.L?

The come up.Nothing wrong with the track or anything,but its really very forgetable.

Either way i think id prefer to hear primo beat than any other on a NaS album, i just hope Kanye doesn't take over and it all ends up sounding the same.

The truth is he has fallen of,maybe not as bad as Pete Rock,but the majority of his new stuff isn't particurly good.His stuff on Illmatic and the Nas is Like's beats were brilliant but I Gave You Power,2nd Childhood etc were just alright to me.Right now,I would rather see the likes of the Alchemist,Kanye(who in fairness can mix up his beats and suprise),9th Wonder etc.In fact listen to the Lost Tapes,with no Primo,its Nas's second best album flow and production wise.The beats on My Way,Nothing Lasts Forever,No Ideas Original are the kind beats Nas should be rapping over now.

ubu

The Come Up i like, but yea nothing special either.

9th Wonder id agree with, have you heard God Stepson? Its the 9th wonder remix of gods son, im quite fond of it, but 9th can sound a bit repetitive at times but in general i think he's the shít.

Some vintage Lord Finesse, Large Professor and L.E.S would be nice, take it back to where it all started, but i wouldnt be up to date on what they've been producing lately.

Orizio

BTW what did you think of A.W.O.L.?

9th wonders beats can be a bit samey,but he's on form now,and his kind of beats along with the Alchemist for example are the kind of stuff I want to see on Nas' new album.Large prof again has kind of fallen off,which is the problem the producers that were on Illmatic just aren't up to it right now L.E.S. can be kinda hit and miss,a bit like Remi.Lord Finesse I haven't heard of for a while,whats he been up to?Any new albums?

I can see Kanye working with Nas,and he has put out two of the best albums of the year.Neptunes and Nas would at least be interesting.Whatever happens,Nas needs fresher and better producers.The majority of the stuff on God's Son and SD were just boring.

ubu

A.W.O.L is damn good, I know your favourite is Aziatic but A.W.O.L is a class album, id almost put it on a par with Doe or Die, theres some great songs on it.

Agree with the 9th wonder comments, id definitely like to hear a song or two done by him on this album, same goes for alchemist.

Lord Finesse hasnt done anything in a long while that i know of.

NaS definitely needs to step it up a gear for this next album, and i think he will, the way he's been talking about it gives me hope that he will.

Im sure Kanye will work with NaS on this album but just hope its not to the same extent as he did with "Be", whilst a great album, it just had Kanye plastered all over it which is not something i would like to hear from a NaS album.

I wouldnt agree that SD and Gods Son were boring but yea they could have been better, and at the end of the day, that will come down to the beats, NaS is generally very consistent lyrically its the production that needs to be right for the album to get a good reception.

Orizio

A.W.O.L is damn good, I know your favourite is Aziatic but A.W.O.L is a class album, id almost put it on a par with Doe or Die, theres some great songs on it.

Woah Doe or Die standard???Its certainly not Aziatic standard(flawless production and flow wise imo),nor is it Doe or Die standard which again had no weak songs.Frankly its only better then 9 lives to me-there is some brilliant tracks like Never Change and the excellent Can't Stop but some of the beats drag the album way down(I'm looking at AZ's Chillin and some of the Final Call tracks here).He also tries to do the Jay-Z whisper gimmick on Bedtime Story,which is beyond irratating.Basicaly the beats are a massive let down,although that maybe because of my continous listening to RZA of late...;)

Agree with the 9th wonder comments, id definitely like to hear a song or two done by him on this album, same goes for alchemist.

Lord Finesse hasnt done anything in a long while that i know of.

NaS definitely needs to step it up a gear for this next album, and i think he will, the way he's been talking about it gives me hope that he will.

Im sure Kanye will work with NaS on this album but just hope its not to the same extent as he did with "Be", whilst a great album, it just had Kanye plastered all over it which is not something i would like to hear from a NaS album.

I wouldnt agree that SD and Gods Son were boring but yea they could have been better, and at the end of the day, that will come down to the beats, NaS is generally very consistent lyrically its the production that needs to be right for the album to get a good reception.

Yeah he does need to step his beat choice up,hopefully we'll see more Kanye and Alchemist beats and less of Remi and L.E.S. on the new album.

ubu

I think you're being a bit too critical of the beats, AZs' chillin' isn't bad, but yea i think i gave it a bit too much praise, its not as good as Doe or Die, but definitely one of the best albums released this year.

Orizio

There is about 5 excellent tracks on it but his last album was Aziatic and its just a real step down in quality.A 3.5 mic album and I can think of at least a dozen or so albums out so far this year that are better then it. :shrug: