Nas

Big Sean Reminisces On The Past ‘Brotherhood’ He Had With GOOD Music And Says He Can ‘Out Rap’ Anyone

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Earlier this week, Big Sean stopped by Power 106’s LA Leakers show to lay down a blistering freestyle. The Detroit native rapped over Kanye West’s “Hurricane,” on which he originally had a verse, Drake and Jay-Z’s “Love All,” Jay-Z and Memphis Bleek’s “Dear Summer,” and Nardo Wick’s “Who Want Smoke??” for nearly nine minutes. He tackled a number of topics throughout the freestyle from NBA players sliding into his girlfriend’s DMs and spending time with Kobe Bryant on New Year’s Day in 2020 to his days before signing to GOOD Music.

Just a day after that freestyle was released, Sean returned to Twitter to share some more thoughts and get a few more things off his chest with fans.

“I take pride in being versatile but I can also see how’s its helped and hurt me in my career,” he wrote. “Cause some people hear a song n think I’m just that, or a certain type of artist when I actually have many sides. I can Out rap anyone, but sometimes I just wanna jus vibe or have fun.”

He added in another tweet, “So I’m a just get back to having fun, cause trying to please everybody ain’t it! If you rock wit me, you rock wit me n if you don’t then… you just don’t have good taste.”

He also revealed comments Nas shared with him after he heard the freestyle. “Nas just txt me saying ‘you murdered these freestyles thanks for pushing us all,’” he tweeted. “That’s crazy AF to me when I really thought about Nas txt’n me that, I’m at the crib right now in Detroit n I’m just feeling grateful I actually am doing what I said I would. Sh*t feel like a dream.”

The rapper also admitted to being offended by some comments from fans that claim he “can’t rap.”

“I do get tired of being judged n take personal offense when someone thinks I can’t rap,” he wrote. “I literally have proven myself over and over and over, but maybe I should just stop caring so much what people think and stop taking things personal and just get back to having fun…” Sean also reflected on his pat “brotherhood” with his GOOD Music team. “I also really miss the brotherhood I use to have with GOOD music, I don’t know what happened,” he tweeted. “Guess those the GOOD ol days. It’s all love, but we use to really be clique’d up.”

You can view more tweets from Big Sean below, including one that teased an upcoming single laced with an SWV sample.

Nas Explains That Voice On ‘Who Killed It?’ From ‘Hip-Hop Is Dead’: ‘I Was Bingeing James Cagney Movies’

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Although its premise has long since been disproven, Nas’ album Hip-Hop Is Dead was one of his most successful albums commercially and remains in the upper half of his catalog in fan esteem — except for one song, the 1930s gangster movie-influence “Who Killed It?” While it’s technically a creative and innovative approach to the storytelling tracks for which Nas is known and loved, the song does find the Queens icon employing a cartoonish, film-noir detective voice that still puts off hip-hop fans to this day.

On Sunday night’s episode of Desus & Mero on Showtime, the two New York natives finally confronted the rap legend to find out why he chose to go with such an eyebrow-raising technique. Surprisingly, Nas is game; he’s probably far too deep in his career to be defensive about 15-year-old albums, but he still has a pretty good sense of humor about it as he admits, “I wilded out. I was bingeing on James Cagney movies at the time… It was like a joke to do that record and then I left it on the album — it happens.”

This leads to a broader discussion about the importance of details in Nas’ storytelling over the years, as well as a light flex about Nas having time to watch Regis And Kathy Lee in the morning. Also discussed during the interview: Nas’ relationship with DMX, his restaurant chain Sweet Chick, and his latest endeavor, a brand of cigars.

Watch Nas’ interview with Desus & Mero above.

Common Opens Music Program In Correctional Center, Nas Teaches Masterclass

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Common

Rapper Common is making sure his love for Chicago, Illinois is felt. The rapper has opened a music program complete with a new recording studio for inmates at the Stateville Correctional Center. Common Gives To Chicago Chicago native Common has opened a music studio within the Stateville Correctional Center complete with mixing boards, musical instruments, […]

Nas Reflects On His Life Changes In The Gravity-Defying ‘Big Nas’ Video

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Nas is going from rapper to teacher thanks to MasterClass, where he’ll be directing a lesson on hip-hop storytelling available for streaming on October 14. In addition, he shares a new song, “Big Nas,” produced by Hit-Boy, with a video directed by Ben Dean. In it, a dancer defies gravity as they tip-toe and levitate through the locations near and dear to Nas’ heart, including the Queensbridge Housing Projects where he grew up and started his rap career over 30 years ago.

In an interview with Complex, Nas explains why he partnered with MasterClass to present “Nas Teaches Hip-Hop Storytelling,” which will spin off into other lessons including “Writing an Original Rap Song” and “Recording an Original Rap Song.”

“MasterClass is a great thing for people to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with artists, producers, actors, and people,” he says. “I think the whole thing is a great concept.” Although he calls his process “too much to say in one MasterClass,” he notes that it’s still important to watch experts in their respective fields because you can always learn something new. “You might see things that you do that are similar or that you didn’t see before in yourself,” he muses. “You might find that I gave you something that could add to what you’re doing, and I think that’s important. I think that’s where we’re at in the business: it’s to share.”

Watch Nas and Hit-Boy’s ‘Big Nas’ video above.

Nas Was Honored With A Key To Queens And His Own Official Day In The City

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Nas has had a great year. The rapper kicked things off by winning his first-ever Grammy Award in the Best Rap Album category thanks to last year’s King’s Disease. Months later, he reconnected with producer Hit-Boy to release King’s Disease II, which boasted 15 songs and guest appearances from Eminem, EPMD, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, YG, Lauryn Hill, Charlie Wilson, and Blxst. Now Nas has become the recipient of a unique honor thanks to leaders in his hometown of Queens, New York.

Nas was awarded the key to Queens as well as his own official day in the city, namely September 23. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and his Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor Franck D. Joseph both used social media to share the news and celebrate the rapper.

“Nothing but love for this son of #Queens who never forgot where he came from. September 23, 2021 is forever @nas Day in this borough — now that’s A Queens Story,” Richards wrote in his post. Joseph added, “September 23, 2021 is now officially Nas Day in Queens, New York. Nasir Jones is not only God’s son, but he’s Queens’ son. That’s why @drichardsqns presented him with not just a proclamation, but also the Key to Queens borough tonight…”

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.