Nas Declares 'Hip Hop Is Dead'

May 19, 2006, 11:00 AM ET
First Def Jam Disc Due In September
Clover Hope, N.Y.
Recent Def Jam signee Nas will deliver his first album for the label in late September. The rapper made the announcement last night (May 18) while performing on the first leg of labelmates the Roots’ two-night stand at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

The album is titled "Hip-Hop Is Dead,” according to a Def Jam representative, who also confirmed the September release to Billboard.com.

Nas capped off his roughly 15-minute set by pronouncing, “I'm working hard for y’all. I got an album coming out in September.”

Def Jam president Jay-Z added Nas to the label’s roster in January, two months after the pair mutually dissolved their longtime feud.

As previously reported, the new disc will be one of two albums to be jointly marketed by Def Jam and Columbia, Nas’ previous label.


During a live chat on the Roc-A-Fella Web site in February, Jay-Z said that plans were underway to begin working on the project. Black Eyed Peas leader will.i.am also told Billboard.com that he was scheduled to record with Nas.

"Hip-Hop Is Dead” will be the follow-up to 2004’s “Streets Disciple,” which peaked at No. 5 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 694,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. In his 11 years with Columbia, Nas' catalog has sold 12 million units.

The Roots concert also featured Common, Talib Kweli, Big Daddy Kane and saw a brief cameo from comedian Dave Chappelle, who billed many of the same artists for his 2004 Block Party in Brooklyn, N.Y. Tonight's second round of performances will feature Erykah Badu, Mos Def, J. Davey and Angelique Kidjo.

and there i was hoping itd be called NASdaq dow JONES

I didn't really like that name (Nasdaq Dow Jones) because Nasdaq Dow is a stock or some **** like that.

And I was doing a little research and it turns out that the album will actually be called 'Hip Hop is Dead...The N'.

I didn't really like that name (Nasdaq Dow Jones) because Nasdaq Dow is a stock or some **** like that.

Nasdaq and Dow Jones are the markets stocks are listed on :p

yeah nasdaq, dow jones, ftse 100 are all different stock markets

i liked that name

what you think his new album names gonna mean for the album?

it's a play on words. And obviously by naming it that he is putting a lot of pressure on himself, but I truly think he will save hip hop with this album...let's hope!

it's a play on words. And obviously by naming it that he is putting a lot of pressure on himself, but I truly think he will save hip hop with this album...let's hope!
Man I hope and if he don't I think Papoose may when his joint comes out.It is really getting bad though......You should hear the **** they play on so-called Hip-Hop stations down here....... :eek:

i dont think real hiphop is in trouble

i jsut think commercial stuff is a blessing and a curse

it means we getting exposure and more artists, but they all the same and less talented

just gotta watch channel u over here to see that

but i think fresh artists like pap and tech n9ne mean the games in safe hands

hip hop is dead whether you want to believe it or not. With guys like D4L, Mike Jones, and Paul Wall getting all the airplay it's obvious it's dead.

Hip Hop has been on the decline for years.Too much mainstream exposure and selling out going on.Its all about the dough after the first album, Can't really blame artists though I guess.

i said mainstream is killing it

but...if you look at the real artists and not the commercial record sale artists then theres still some hope

if im honest i dont even really consider 50 cent hiphop cos his style is too much like pop music

i know you meant that but anyway you look at, the hip hop that the casual fans see is crap. back in the day, the radio was bumpin C.R.E.A.M., Illmatic ****, etc but now they only bumpin the girly songs or the pop songs. You gotta make an effort to hear good ****.

SOME OF The Radio's do some underground local **** sum types it just depends on the DJ.

Hip Hop is in a bad state right now. Thats why I love rappers like Papoose and Nas, they bring quality rap. Not just club music but quality lyrics and good messages. I think Nas's album is going to be a classic...

Hip hop will be dead if he doesnt get Premo to produce at least 3 tracks on there.

i know you meant that but anyway you look at, the hip hop that the casual fans see is crap. back in the day, the radio was bumpin C.R.E.A.M., Illmatic ****, etc but now they only bumpin the girly songs or the pop songs. You gotta make an effort to hear good ****.


i guess you have a point

lots artists just releasing what sells to make £££

i mean twista only blew up by turning rnb

its reducing what people see to pop music

just think about this ****...back maybe 10 years ago, the popular rappers were actually extremely talented and were perfecting their craft for years. Nowadays, guys like D4L have rapped for less then 2 years and they are making 'hits' on the radio.

All in all, Nas better produce a classic with a name like that.....

yeah i see your point

the music in the charts is generic as the formula to commercial success and selling big to those people has been cracked so people scared to do different

and yeah nas has to do well under that pressure or hes open to attcak

if he doesn't make a classic with that title, and the rakim, jay, face collabo's then I am going to be one angry canadian.

as hes my fave rapper and is finally getting the backing he deserves

if he doesnt live up to it, especially after incinuating hes about to save the game

ill lose faith in everything lol

hip hop is dead whether you want to believe it or not. With guys like D4L, Mike Jones, and Paul Wall getting all the airplay it's obvious it's dead.


True, it's dead on the radio, has been for years.

hip hop is dead whether you want to believe it or not. With guys like D4L, Mike Jones, and Paul Wall getting all the airplay it's obvious it's dead.

I disagree. The artists you've just mentioned are part of a much larger picture. There's loads of decent hip-hop out there, especially in a production sense. For me, rap music remains at the forefront of electronica-based music.

i still think that whilst the music with exposure is turd, thats because it sells, but for true hiphop fans theres still a lot out there

in a sense, having to look for it through word of mouth may help as it keeps a hiphop community small enough for the music not to be poisoned further