The Pharoahic image of Nas, which appears on his I Am LP cover, has been receiving an onslaught of negative criticism in a Dutch art exhibition, with the Queensbridge legend being depicted as King Tutkenhamun.
The image has been shown in the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities recently opened exhibit called “Kemet: Egypt in Hip-Hop, Jazz, Soul and Funk,” which explores the connection between Egyptian culture and Black music. David Cortes’ statue, which is titled “I Am Hip-Hop,” shows Nas as King Tut, sending many critics into a frenzy for daring to depict Egyptians as Black people.
An Egyptian antiquities expert the museum, claiming that it made a “grave mistake by insulting Egyptian civilization by portraying Tutankhamun as Black.”
Museum director Wim Weijland had to go as far as defend the exhibit after receiving the immense amount of criticism, saying that while the Kemet exhibit “does not have an Afrocentric perspective on ancient Egypt” but it does help to “critically examine ideas presented in Black music.”
Weijland said in his statement, “The exhibition does not claim the ancient Egyptians were Black, but explores music by Black artists who refer to ancient Egypt and Nubia in their work: music videos, covers of record albums, photos, and contemporary artworks. This music often reflects on the Black experience in the West and tells stories about the African diaspora and pre-colonial Africa, including ancient Egypt.”
He added, “The exhibition explains that the representations of ancient Egypt are imaginaries: artistic interpretations of ancient Egypt, not realistic images of ancient Egyptians. For example, the exhibition contains a modern sculpture that represents the musician Nas, modeled after the mask of Tutankhamun. The exhibition explains that it is a contemporary artwork, not a replica. The exhibition explains why and when it was made and clarifies that it is not an ancient Egyptian artifact.”
On this day in Hip Hop history, Slick Rick released his final studio LP, The Art of Storytelling.
Produced mainly by DJ Clark Kent and Kid Capri, this album featured guest verses from Redman, Rev Run, Outkast, Nas, Raekwon, and Snoop Dogg.
Critically the album has been hailed as the only proper sequel to his breakthrough debut album, The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick. Due to continuous run-ins with the law, the public could never fully experience Slick Rick as an artist. For the same reason, the world will never know what his outstanding ability and outspoken persona could have done for Hip Hop culture. What is apparent is that when the master storyteller has the time, he can pen and deliver a masterpiece.
The Art of Storytelling was Slick Rick’s most commercially successful album, peaking at #8 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop charts. The album even went gold during its first week of sales. True to the title, the album is full of narratives that could only be crafted by the pen that scribed the famous “Children’s Story.” And although he has not strayed away from his signature rhetoric, The Art of Storytelling shows improvement and Slick Rick’s ability to stay relevant as far as his style blending with the popular sound of the time. This album is deserving of all accolades and is a proper farewell to Slick Rick as an album rapper.
Carmelo Anthony announced his retirement from the NBA on May 22. While the 38-year-old had not played since the 2021-22 season, the news still came as something of a shock to many. In his prime, Anthony was one of the best shooters in the NBA. Furthermore, he finishes his career as the 9th all-time scorer in the league.
After a stellar career at Syracuse University, which included a national championship in his freshman year, Anthony was the third-overall pick in the 2003 draft. He spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Nuggets. before being sent to the Knicks in a blockbuster 2011 trade. After six years in New York, Melo was once again traded, this time heading to Oklahoma City. Less than a year later, he was infamously traded to the Hawks only to be waived five days later without ever suiting up for the team. However, the final years of his career were defined by bouncing from team to team. He played what would become his last season with the Lakers in 2021-22.
Hip Hop Reflects On Melo’s Legacy
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 23: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts in the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on November 23, 2021 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 106-100. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
In the wake of the announcement, many big-name stars in the sports world and beyond have shared their thoughts on Melo. First, there was Nas, who narrated an Air Jordans video about Melo’s career. “He didn’t do it for the accolades or the Hall of Fame votes,” Nas said over footage of Melo’s many jerseys. “Boy did it for the kids from Red Hook, the crew from the block, Murphy Homes projects, San Juan, those with hoops dreams, dreams of hope and beyond. So when they look up, they see the sky for what it is: just another place for them to fly.”
Meanwhile, diehard Knicks fan Fat Joe shared his thanks to Melo. Anthony helped the team reach the second round of the playoffs in 2013. Additionally, it had been the first time the Knicks had done so since 2000. “Well done brother well done @carmeloanthony Congratulations you deserve all the glory,” the rapper wrote on Instagram. Furthermore, other tributes came from the likes of Metro Boomin, Ludacris, and 9th Wonder. What is your favorite Carmelo Anthony highlight? Let us know in the comments.
Based on the high-energy trailer alone, Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts is expected to be one of the biggest action movies of the summer. The forthcoming film is angling to merge the franchise’s beloved automotive characters along with a ton of fresh new blood. Apparently the soundtrack is doing the same.
Grammy Award-nominated rapper Tobe Nwigwe, critically acclaimed hip-hop titan Nas, and Jacob Banks join forces on the film’s featured track, “On My Soul.” Produced by Nwigwe’s collective, The Good Stewards, the song skillfully embodies the climactic essence of the movie. With the song’s instrumental ebbs and flows, the musicians put a show lyrically as they playfully try to one-up each other.
Outside of his musical contributions to the film’s soundtrack, Nwigwe will also appear in the movie. During an appearance on Sway In The Morning, he shared how he landed the onscreen role.
“One of [the director Stephen Caple Jr.’s] best friends was a fan of [my] music. And his best friend — as they were getting ready to start shooting the movie — passed [on the role], and he had Paramount Studios reach out to me to try to play the best friend’s role in Transformers. They kind of emulated who his best friend is in real life,” he said.
Listen to the full track above.
Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts is set to hit theaters on June 9.
This year marks the 13th anniversary of Nas and Damian Marley’s collaborative album, Distant Relatives. The album was released on May 18, 2010, via Universal Republic and Def Jam. Damian Marley and his brother Stephen Marley almost entirely produced the project. Distant Relatives was Nas’s second collaborative album, following his group album with The Firm in 1997. It was Marley’s first full-length collaboration with another artist, preceding the Superheavy album with Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, and A.R. Rahman.
Nas and Damian Marley initially connected for “Road To Zion,” a song from Marley’s third studio album, 2005’s Welcome to Jamrock. Nas’s song “One Love” from Illmatic is inspired by a song of the same name from Damian’s father, reggae icon Bob Marley. Damian Marley had previously worked with many other hip hop artists, including Black Thought, Treach, and Eve. Distant Relatives followed Nas’s 2008 album, Untitled, which was polarizing for its political content and intense subject matter. Nas and Marley’s Distant Relatives album stands out among their catalogs, not only as a quality collaboration but as an album that fused genres and displayed the close relationship between hip hop and reggae. Here is a look back at the album for its anniversary.
A Fusion Of Two Genres
On the album’s opener and lead single, “As We Enter,” Nas raps, “My man’ll speak Patois, and I can speak rap star.” This lyric concisely summarizes the album as Nas and Marley dominate in two separate worlds of music but can make good music together. The album’s title, Distant Relatives, also speaks to this connection, as portions hip hop’s early musical origins derive from reggae influences.
Damian Marley is not considered a rapper, but he can effortlessly flow on a track like one and keeps up with Nas on a track like “As We Enter.” The song is one of the most exciting moments on the album as the two trade lines with ease. Their distinct voices complement each other nicely. Damian Marley’s Welcome To Jamrock incorporated some elements of hip hop, so it was no surprise that he and Nas worked well together. “As We Enter” samples “Yègellé Tezeta” by Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke. Most of the samples on the album come from African musicians such as Amadou & Mariam, Sara Chaves, Tunji Oyelana, and David Zé. The album also samples several Jamaican artists like Dennis Brown, Little Roy, and Damian’s brother Ziggy Marley.
Distant Relatives brought the worlds of hip hop and reggae together through the chemistry between Nas and Marley. The album’s guest list also combines the two genres, with Stephen Marley and K’naan appearing on multiple songs and features from Lil Wayne, Dennis Brown, and Joss Stone. Regarding production, some songs on Distant Relatives lean more towards hip hop while others lean toward Damian’s reggae background. With that in mind, Nas and Marley sound equally comfortable with each other’s style of music, which speaks to their skills as artists and their working relationship.
Distant Relatives Covered Serious Issues
The production of Distant Relatives and the chemistry between Nas and Marley were essential for the album’s success. The lyricism and messaging of the album played an integral role in making a memorable collaboration. Lyrically, hip hop and reggae share many similarities in the topics that artists tend to discuss in their songs. Distant Relatives sheds light on serious issues around the world, drawing comparisons between Africa and America. Songs like “Patience (Sabali)” and “Africa Must Wake Up” highlights the importance of proactively working towards change to solve problems, as well as the importance of unity in Africa in the face of adversity. “Dispear” speaks to underprivileged people, while “Friends” discusses the importance of real friends and distinguishing them from fake ones. “Leaders” with Stephen Marley pays tribute to significant Black leaders and how they inspired change.
An Uplifting Message
Distant Relatives also has many uplifting songs on its tracklist that preach uplifting and motivational messages. A prime example of these hopeful songs is “Strong Will Continue,” a motivational song about not giving up in times of hardship. “Count Your Blessings” is about being happy and grateful for one’s fortune, “In His Own Words” is about the power of God, and “Land of Promise” serves as a love letter to Africa.
The song “My Generation” is also an essential album highlight. The song features a soulful hook from Joss Stone and a chorus of children, making for an uplifting song about the hope for the next generation to make progress. Nas and Marley talk about how this generation can create change, paying respects to those that came before them and pointing out the issues that need to be addressed. Lil Wayne also raps about how change starts from within oneself. “My Generation” is a standout track that exemplifies how Nas and Marley fused their sounds to create a body of work that excels, celebrates the lineage of Black music, and spreads messages of unity.
Renowned rapper Nas took to Instagram to announce his participation in the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts soundtrack. The highly anticipated movie features Nas’s new single titled “On My Soul,” which also includes contributions from artists Tobe Nwigwe and Jacob Banks. The song was released at midnight on May 19th, kicking off a hip-hop blackout […]
There’s plenty to check out this New Music Friday (May 19), though hip-hop heads, in particular, may be interested in a collaborative effort from Grammy-nominated artist Tobe Nwigwe and legendary lyricist Nas. The duo came together along with Jacob Banks to share the lead single from the forthcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts film, and certainly didn’t disappoint. While Tobe starts off strong on the chorus and first verse, the singer lends his talents to the bridge, crooning out, “Bring me the smoke and I’ll build you a fire / To burn my desire, burn my desire.”
Afterward, it’s Nas’ turn to shine. “Don’t slander all the banter / Just one answer, I’m an animal,” he begins the song’s second verse. “I’m just one man, outstandin’ though / Part wolf, part king, part Hannibal,” the New Yorker’s rhymes continue. To close out “On My Soul,” all three creatives come together on a final chorus, showing off their respective talents and generating buzz for what else is to come from the soundtrack.
Tobe Nwigwe, Nas, and Jacob Banks Team Up For “On My Soul”
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in April, director Steven Caple Jr. hinted that some other noteworthy names will appear as well. “We have A Tribe Called Quest, we have Wu-Tang [Clan],” he revealed, also hinting at Nas’ appearance by saying, “We have a legacy artist who’s blessing us with a new track for our film, and I’m so excited about that. … He’s from the ‘90s, but I would say that he’s arguably one of the top three rappers to ever live.”
Stream “On My Soul” from the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts soundtrack on YouTube above, or add it to your playlist on Spotify/Apple Music. Who contributed your favourite part to the collaboration, Tobe Nwigwe, Nas, or Jacob Banks? Let us know in the comments, and tap back in with HNHH later this weekend for more release recommendations.
On this date in 2010, Queensbridge king Nas and reggae royalty Damian Marley dropped their collaborative album Distant Relatives on the Universal Republic/Def Jam imprint.
This Hip Hop/reggae collabo album was the first of its kind, with its release coming after Nas’ controversial Untitled album and Marley’s landmark Welcome To Jamrock LP. The production was very organic and exempt of super producers except for Jr. Gong and Stephen Marley, having Marley explain , “We’re trying to have a sound that’s reminiscent of both of us, but not exactly like either… A lot of charity albums come off corny. We want this to be something you’d play in your car.”
The album did daily well commercially, entering the Billboard 200 at number five and selling over 125,000 in its premiere month. Distant Relatives also served as a refreshing alternative that coupled as a vehicle of consciousness to younger listeners who were captivated by the more popular gangster themed music. Features boasted the likes of Joss Stone, Junior Reid, Lil Wayne and others.
Salute to Damian and Nas for this pivotal piece of Hip Hop history!
After nearly 40 years in the entertainment industry, expanding into film and television following a triumphant run in hip-hop, LL Cool J plans to make his return to the booth. The legendary rapper confirmed that he’ll release a new album – his first in 10 years. However, he’s bringing along a slew of MCs to join him on the project. AllHipHop reports that Eminem, Nas, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, and Saweetie will appear in the project, which is reportedly going to be produced entirely by Q-Tip.
The upcoming project aligns with Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary and the string of features reflects the genre’s evolution. Fat Joe stands as the only artist that LL Cool J worked with in the past. The two previously connected on “I Shot Ya (Remix)” in 1995. However, the appearances of Nas and Eminem are certainly the most anticipated, especially since LL hasn’t locked in with either in the past. Although a collab with Em was supposed to arrive on LL’s now-shelved The G.O.A.T 2, LL continued to ensure fans that they would come out with something in the near future.
LL Cool J Confirms Heavy-Hitters On New Album
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
LL has continued to tease the upcoming effort since the beginning of the year. During his appearance at the Grammys, where he performed in the Hip Hop 50 segment, he confirmed Q-Tip’s involvement. “The album, I think, is really, really special,” he told E! News. “I think it’s something modern without chasing. It’s a whole new thing. I can’t wait for the people to see it… I think honestly and sincerely that Q-Tip as a producer is unbelievable and what he did on this record for me, I think is amazing. So the world will decide.”
It seems like the upcoming album will align with LL Cool J’s upcoming The F.O.R.C.E tour. The tour kicks off on June 25th in Boston and will include The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip. Additionally, they plan on turning it into a hip-hop extravaganza in each city as they plot on different guests, including Rakim, Queen Latifah, Rick Ross, Jadakiss, and more. We’ll keep you posted on anymore updates surrounding LL’s upcoming album.
