Controversy Over Nas Pefroming @ “A Concert For Virginia Tech”
On September 6th, Virginia’s own Dave Matthews Band along with John Mayer, Phil Vassar and Nas will join together in “A Concert For Virginia Tech” at the university’s Lane Stadium. Free tickets will be made available to all current students, faculty and staff. Coming at the beginning of the 2007-2008 academic year, the concert was conceived as a way to help the university community move forward in the aftermath of the April tragedy at Virginia Tech.
Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Phil Vassar and Nas have waived their fees for the event. Corporate sponsorships and the sale of commemorative concert items will help to cover the expenses associated with the logistics of the concert. No funds from the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund will be used to cover expenses for this concert.
A lot of people appreciate the man doing a free performance for the concert, but some people are not feeling the idea. According to the Washington Post:
A free concert organized to lift the spirits of the shaken Virginia Tech community is instead angering some parents of the victims, who say the decision to feature a New York rapper known for his violent lyrics shows a blatant lack of respect for the people killed in the April 16 shooting rampage.
Vincent J. Bove, who said he is a spokesman for seven of the victims’ families, said yesterday that the parents are outraged that the Sept. 6 concert at the university would include the rapper Nas, who in one 1999 track chants, “Shoot ‘em up, just shoot ‘em up, what?” followed by whispers of “Kill, kill, kill, murder, murder, murder.”
Hmm, interesting story, I can see both sides of the argument. Nas won’t rap about shooting people at the concert obviously, but is the fact that he may on other tracks relevant?
Suggestion Box
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:00 am
I actually agree, it’s not the best choice for any musician who has violent music to perform for V. Tech considering what happened there. Even if he doesn’t perform the violent songs, it’s still not a good idea because people know what his other music is like.
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:00 am
YES DATS BULL ISH I AIGHT TRYIN TO RACIST BUT YOU KNOW IT THOSE WHITE BITCHES
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:07 am
Why are they acting like this show is being performed in front of children or high schoolers. These are young adults. There are a lot of artists out there that could be worse. Nas is smart and knows what he is getting into. They acting like G-Unit will be on stage with vests on and gun shots blasting over the speakers. This is Nas.
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:08 am
word i guess they have a point… but i think nas will play some NON gangsta songs…i dont think he’ll spit ”got urself a gun” or ‘’shoot em up”…they have a point..but nas has uplifting songs
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:11 am
i hope you got yourself a gunnnnnnnn
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:12 am
Yeah, I’m like you RTNY. I see both sides of the argument. But I also feel they are going a little over board because as mentioned about, I am sure Nas will pick more uplifting songs that he has. He playes both sides of the fence. It’s just sad that his past lyrics are getting in the way of something he is trying to do that is very positive and generous. I guess that is why my mother alwayz told me to be very careful what you do when you are young because you never know what kind of person you will turn out to be or what you will want to do in the future.
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:19 am
There is a slight point. However, having Nas perform at VA Tech is the least that the school should be worried about. Yes, Nas has some violent lyrics but he also has some of the more positive lyrics and songs in the rap game. Having recently graduated from VA Tech there is definitely more social issues and porblems to worry about that school than a rapper who is smart enough not to cause trouble by performing violent songs at a school that experienced one of the greatest acts of violence ever. It is a benefit concert and the protestors to Nas performing should show more respect for him and focus on the many, many, many social problems that plague VA Tech and many of the universities around the country and society as a whole.
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:32 am
Yes I would agree you can catch Nas lyrics to be very agressive but they don’t even look at his songs “I Know I Can”. People always want to bring out the worst out of a person. I see it as Nas is trying to make hip-hop not look so bad in the media. People are so fucking racist!! Look at how they are making out Michael Vick to be a heartless bastard but nobody is talking about that white NBA Referee Betting Scandal.
White Americans rather look for something small to accuse a rapper for but they don’t understand as humans we grow and as artists we grow. Far as I see it, why the fuck did Bush go to Va Tech after the massacre but he sending over your kids to Iraq to die and don’t want them to come home either. Now that is some hypcritical bullshit!!
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:54 am
wow thats bullshit…..nas is willing to use his own time to give out a free performance and these people wont even accept his help?????
nas has countless number of positive songs to perform, do they really think he’ll come on stage rappin lyrics to “Shoot Em Up”???
August 3rd, 2007 at 11:15 am
I see both sides of the fence but im on Nas’ side. He is a very positive artist in my opinion. They should be more worried about the school,the victims, and families rather than who is performing at the event. Nas isnt doing this to promote violence, hes trying to promote peace, they should give him some credit. i never heard of anyone going out and killing someone after they have heard a Nas song.
August 3rd, 2007 at 11:23 am
Dont call the family racist like that comment by @2 he a full blown faggot thats stupid tho there not being racist just hating on rap as usual Nas will obviously play songs that aren’t about killing people nonstop Nas does ALOT more then rap about killing people and bullshit he aint D-BLOCK
August 3rd, 2007 at 11:37 am
{*waving his white flag with the captions “BULLSHIT” on it*}
August 3rd, 2007 at 12:55 pm
It isn’t going to far calling out racism in this issue. The state of Virginia and Virginia Tech is a very racist. Nas is willing to do a concert for free and they are making a deal of it. Doesn’t look like the community is really focused on unity and coming together in a time of tragedy and recovery. People need to wake up and look at the real issue. These families that are complaining are out of line. PERIOD.
August 3rd, 2007 at 3:16 pm
How you like me now? I go blaow
It’s that shit that moves crowds makin every ghetto foul
I might have took your first child
Scarred your life, crippled your style
I gave you power
I made you buck wild
August 3rd, 2007 at 5:08 pm
“Nas does ALOT more then rap about killing people and bullshit he aint D-BLOCK”
lol.
August 3rd, 2007 at 7:44 pm
These parents are mad about an old Nas song while he was still gettin on that street ish. But all these parents got to do is listen to “Let There Be Light” off Hip Hop Is Dead. They will know Nas is a prophet, a truth-teller, a saint. They will witness the maturation of Nas. Just give God’s Son a chance. He is the truth.
sharin in the groove
August 3rd, 2007 at 8:55 pm
I agree with #2 Jon B. It says for Nas’s lyrics back in “99″….”99.” It is damn 2007, and the man has grown up since then. Rap is rap and people say anything to make a song as long as its tight. The man is trying to participate in a free concert for the people of VT, so evidently it shows that the man cares. GET REAL!!!!!!!!! Its not like he “Murder, Murder, Murdered, or Kill, Kill, Killed” those victims.
Thats complete disrespect to Nas!
August 3rd, 2007 at 9:54 pm
wtf???its a lotta undertones wit dis shit. wasnt the last song he came out wit the joint wit chrisette michelle? and the one before that the hip hop is dead joint? why the fuck did they go all the way back to 99 to find a song that was negative? and how many of the people complaining even like rap music? u know nas coulda came on stage and did a song about people loving each other and harmony and all that shit and it coulda been the best performance. it woulda touched everybody, not just the black people. woulda had white people that dont listen to rap wit tears in they eyes and shit. fuck it, its their loss. closed minded crackas. how much u wanna bet nas feel the same way as me
August 4th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Fluck Nas..Takeover The Breaks Over NIgga
August 5th, 2007 at 6:32 am
bullshit let him do it what would be a good idea is once the concert starts sum one should blow up all the fuckers
in the crowd.
violence is life fuck v tech big up chineese boy
kill all bastards yeeeeeah.
rip v tech
August 5th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
fuck this people they are the ones that lose haha they dont know the man and they want to judge him fuck it
August 6th, 2007 at 8:51 am
realtalk.. there is a crazy bastard loose on your blogspot. we dont get down like that, 20-23
August 7th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Same parents who probably listened to coke sniffing orgy participating rock stars back in their heyday while sniffing coke themselves. Like someone else said, its been 10 years.