Nas Interview

[complexity]

Nas' mission isn't over. Hip Hop is Dead has moved appriximately 355,000 units according to SoundScan and blessed him with his third Number One album in the 12 years since many of us pulled the plastic off Illmatic. Fans and critics still talk about whether or not the genre is actually deceased, which has offered a healthy amount of self-examination. AllHiphop.com chatted with Nas about the state of affairs, some of the reactions to Hip Hop is Dead and even engaged in answering some of the rumors surrounding his own life.

AllHipHop.com: First of all, you're projected to do some pretty big numbers. How do you feel about that?

Nas: I don't like to hear that. I just like to hear that people is likin' it, and I don't wanna know what it is [selling]; I don't care. I just want people to like it, yo.

AllHipHop.com: A lot of people are considering [Hip Hop is Dead] a classic – within the best two or three albums of your career. How do you assess it?

Nas: Um…man. With each record, I don't…I can't…I don't know what it is or how it is until at least a year. I'm like that. That's not just me, that's everybody. I need to hear they stuff [and I can] kind of get a sense of it. Then, a year later, I put that joint in, and just get stuff from it; I like doing that. It's just a whole new day, yo. As far as the other s**t, the other s**t was the other s**t; it's a new time and day.

AllHipHop.com: You started a lot of debate, at the grassroots level and even in the industry level. Do you still feel Hip-Hop is dead?

Nas: To me, right now, yeah, it's what I'm feelin'. It's like politics, how we say “Vote or Dieâ€

[complexity]

"AllHipHop.com: There are rumors about you signing Royce Da 5'9 to your label. Is that true?

Nas: I would like to. [Pause] I would like to.

AllHipHop.com: Have you guys been talking?

Nas: Not as of yet.

AllHipHop.com: Where did this start coming up from?

Nas: I think he's nice. [Pause] It was just some thoughts I said out loud.
"

Fucking Sick