Def Jam Stands Behind Nas' Decision To Title His New Album Nigger

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Site Last Updated: 12:58 AM EDT, August 29, 2008	Make BallerStatus Your Homepage

Published: Monday - October 22, 2007
Words by Allen Starbury

Nas (Photo: BallerStatus.com / Dave Goodson)

While reports by FoxNews.com have claimed that Def Jam is not supporting Nas' forthcoming Nigger album, Def Jam Chairman, L.A. Reid, says differently.

While appearing at the Manhattan premiere of "American Gangster" on Friday (October 19), Reid responded to the report by Fox, claiming he had no knowledge of the reported comments.

Fox reported last week that a Def Jam rep, close to Reid, said that Nas' album would not be coming out. "There is no album release by Nas on the release schedule at this point," a source told FoxNews.com. "And they would be unlikely to release an album with that title. How would that look at Wal-Mart?"

Reid however, says that is not true and that they stand by Nas' decision to title his album with the controversial word.

"We support everything our artists do, everything!" Reid told MTV. "We stand firmly behind and beside our artists with pride and with pleasure. Anything Nas wants to do, I completely stand beside him. Nas is prolific, he's prophetic, he's a genius, an amazing artist of respect. So, while I'm not sure exactly all that [the title] entails, I know it's smart, so I stand behind him. That's real."

Nas also responded to the claims a few days after they surfaced. He even changed the title from Nigga to Nigger.

"None of us knows where that came from," said the rapper to MTV last week, then defended his choice of title. "If Cornell West was making an album called Nigger, they would know he's got something intellectual to say. To think I'm gonna say something that's not intellectual is calling me a nigger, and to be called a nigger by Jesse Jackson and the NAACP is counterproductive, counter-revolutionary."

So far, Nas says he's worked with producers Salaam Remi, Diddy, Jermaine Dupri and DJ Toomp on the album and it is almost complete.

Nigger is slated for release in December, following the release of a Greatest Hits album in November.

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COMMENTS (7)

Ehis Says:
Saturday - November 24, 2007 at 8:20am

Fuck all yul. Nas is the greates t MC out there. This racism, i don't see anything wrong with NIGGER. All rappers mention that in their lyrics anyway. Fuck 5o cent, His album title is SHOOT TO KILL and he condems Nas. I think all Nas critics are crazy.

Genral Says:
Wednesday - October 24, 2007 at 6:16am

Co-Signed!! Dumb ass leaders Anyone with an average IQ could see that an artist of Nas' caliber entitled and able "Nigga" there is a statement or meaning behind it that means something dealing with the social state of the word NIGGa and the mantality of the people how are imbedded in its contraversy. ThatS why rap is fucked up now because artistic expression is discouraged and simplicity is encouraged. Fuck so called blAck leaders. Why do we need leaders. White people and Asian people dont have "leaders" that serve as the spokes people for their entire race. And especially fuck balck leaders that are puppets that recieve personal gains to imbedd them selves in contraversy. DO FOR SELF AND STOP WAITING FOR A FUCKING SAVIOR Yeahhhh Nigger ! What he said!

El-B Says:
Wednesday - October 24, 2007 at 12:52am

Haha this iz gonna be hilarious... Whitey: God dam niggers... Blackey: Whatchu say, dawg!?! Whitey: Oh, uhh...Nas' album? Blackey:......Oh i seez you, i seez you!

Krazy Says:
Tuesday - October 23, 2007 at 12:52am

Yea, I think he really needs to sit down and rethink this one.

I'M SO ON! Says:
Monday - October 22, 2007 at 11:01pm

Wow can't believe he's really gonna do dat. Guess he trying 2 get some sells really bad, its a shame 2 me and he said hip hop was dead. I mean nas is a positive dude in all but I feel disrespected as a black man by this tite white people are really gonna think its ok now to say nigger.

CHUPAME EL HUESO, PERRA...... Says:
Monday - October 22, 2007 at 3:48pm

MAN, IS JUZ PUBLICITY... "HIP HOP IS DEAD??? N.I.G.G.E.R.???" WUT'Z NEXT "I'LL SUCK YO DICK IF U BUY MY ALBUM..." IS JUZ LAME... HE JUZ USING THA MEDIA 2 PROMOTE HIS ALBUM, I MEAN IF U SAY SUM CRAZY SHIT EV'ONE IZ GON TALK 'BOUT IT GET IT "FREE PUBLICITY" CAN'T BE MO GANGSTA??? CAN'T BE MO' REAL??? LET'Z SAY SUM CRAZY SHIT... AT THIS PACE NAS IS GON HAVE AN ALBUM CALLED "I FUCKED KELIS IN THA AZZ" OR "JAY-Z MOLESTED ME" COME ON I MEAN WUT HAPPENED 2 HAVING A SMASHING STREET SINGLE THAT EV'ONE JAMMED WITH NO RADIO AIRPLAY??? GET BACK ON THA BLOCK AND DO IT FOR THA STREETS DO IT FOR HIP HOP....

Kevin Lyles Says:
Monday - October 22, 2007 at 3:08pm

Them niggaz is crazy...