Review of Nas’ “Be A Nigger Too” Video- From Private 5/29 Tribeca Screening
Check out an exclusive review of the Rik Cordero-directed “Be A Nigger Too” Video from last night private Tribeca screening
“Nas doesn’t offend anybody, because Nas offends everybody” Rik Cordero
Last night Real Talk NY attended the exclusive private screening for Nas’ “Be A Nigger Too” video. In attendance were artist like Q-Tip, Consequence and DJ Green Lantern, and industry insiders Angie Martinez, E-Bro (Hot 97 Program Director), Shaheem Reid (MTV News, the MTV “Hip-Hop Brain Trust”) and others.
Director Rik Cordero addressed the crowd and explained how the video’s theme came from the Spike Lee flick “The 25th Hour.” He cited how the political nature of Lee’s films was a perfect fit for the tone both he and Nas wanted to set for the visual representation of the controversial song.
The video opens with audio clips of Malcolm X and Paul Mooney against a visual background of lower Manhattan. The opening bars of the song begin acapella leading into a montage of shots with people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds (presumablely emphasing the “anybody can be a nigger” idea). This included cameos by many from the cast of The Wire (”Daniels”-Lance Reddick, “Bubbs”-Andre Royo, and “Chris Parlow”-Gbenga Akkinagbe), Hip-Hop writer and actor Danny Hoch, actor Michael Rappaport, spoken word artist La Bruha, and from “Harold and Kumar,” John Cho.
Other strong political messages in the video were reenactments of conflicts between Blacks and Whites (including a White man pulling out a gun on two young blacks), and the chilling scene of a Black man in the process of being lynched.
After the video Nas confirmed that the album’s name had been changed and that it would remain “untitled.” “My fans know what the name of the album is, and I think the picture on the cover speaks for itself,” he said. When asked about Al Sharpton and others who have been taking credit for forcing the title change, Nas responded, “They saying they wanna take credit for changing the name of my album, they didn’t change shit. I coulda still put my album out in a bunch of Mom and Pop stores and been cool.”
Speaking further on older Black leaders and their relationship to the Hip-Hop industry, he says, ”See you gotta understand these older Blacks make a lot of money outta stoping these record companies from using the word nigger. So they can’t let me jeopardize how they make their money by allowing an album called ’Nigger’ to come out.”
Fielding questions from the audience, Nas futher explained some of his thoughts on the word nigger, its affect on Black culture, and on himself: ”We made a culture outta something they never expected us to come out of, ” refering to nigger and Black culture. “We made a beautiful culture from it. We had people like Richard Pryor, N.W.A., and Dr. Dre help make this. ”
Nas also spoke about his relationship to politics, and how it affects his music and himself: ”I’m not into politics. It be cool if Barack won, but I don’t support the political system. I’m in a world of my own. That’s why when they had the ‘Vote of Die’ shit I wasn’t apart of it.
“Ain’t no President ever effect me personally,” he responded when asked about U.S. Presidents who have affected Black community. “But now that we all seeing in front of us what’s going on. We all seeing it now. So if nigger means ignorant, then we all niggers because we seeing now in America how we all getting played.”
Nas’ political statement and political album will be either another notch in the belt, or another controversial offering that complicates Nas’ legacy in Hip-Hop. Best exhibiting this is Nas’ mimicing of Ed Norton’s memorable scene from 25th Hour: “Fuck you Nasir Jones, you fucked it all up for yourself.”
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21 Comments so far
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“Nas doesn’t offend anybody, because Nas offends everybody” Rik Cordero
Damn
this is going to be interesting
ps.i have nas back on this@
perfect album cover
It will be mediocre
Nas ain’t had a classic since Stillmatic and it took Jay-Z to slay that ass in order for him do that.
Now he just a nigga who gone have a new gimmick every time his album comes out.
Any guesses what his next albums gimmick is?
I’m stumped?
I think this album will be interesting but i don’t think the album will sell or get it respect and prop. I think white folk will definetly be a lil scare to cope the album. I mean amagine a white person coping the album which is one step but to actually buy it is another.. ”can i please get that new Nas album call NIGGER”.. then all hell brake loose. but i do have nas back on this album but will it be the most smartest idea he’s ever thought of i don’t know. I mean nas is none for being a very educative and intelligent dude. But i guess at the end of the day i guess we will have to see the outcome of the album.
So if nigger means ignorant, then we all niggers because we seeing now in America how we all getting played.” - NAS
NAS is one of my favorites, definately one of the greatest of all time (# 2 on my list after BIG). He’s a dope lyricist who’s lyrics are more than just shit talkin they are his views of the world. Most rappers talk about the same shit, but son addresses issues than most are scared to. He contradicts himself so much because he’s human ya dig, ie Black Girl Lost vs. OOCHIE WALLY, but who doesn’t do that.
“Ain’t no President ever effect me personally,” he responded when asked about U.S. Presidents who have affected Black community.
”We made a culture outta something they never expected us to come out of, ” refering to nigger and Black culture. “We made a beautiful culture from it. We had people like Richard Pryor, N.W.A., and Dr. Dre help make this. ”
I disagree with these statements cause its bullshit to say no president ever affected you personally, cause whatever these presidents sign into law relating to the economy ie gas price, judical ie rico law etc, etc affects him and all of us personally. And I wouldn’t say hip hop is a beautiful culture, it may have started as one back in the days of KANE, RAKIM AND THEM BUT WHEN GANGSTA RAP STARTED AND THE CRACKERS AND CORPORATIONS STARTED TO MAKE IT A BUSINESS INSTEAD OF AN ART, HIP HOP TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORST. Instead of reality rap and being real, muthafuckas started glorifying shit that shouldn’t be glorified ie gang culture, drug game. Back in the days it was about who was nice lyrically now its about who’s gangsta, THAT ISN’T WHAT HIP HOP SHOULD BE ABOUT MY G.
Co-sign #5. I’m a Nas fan, very proud of his accolade of achievements for hip hop and black people. However, I think he can find better ways to market himself rather than trying to spark controversy pertaining to him dropping a new album. He did his thing easily with “The lost tapes,”, Nostradamus and shit. But now home boy had to pull attention to himself by saying hip hop is dead, now he is on some Malcolm X shit. I mean its cool, we need to be reminded of our past sometimes, but i think there an alteria motif behind his action, which his to improve his record sales.
seriously i m embarrased of the fact that hes doing this. Seriously the only reason why he’s naming it nigger is because he has nothing else to rap about. The only way this guy can find something new is when he raps about things that ppl don’t wanna hear. Its unnecessary. I can’t stand that word…even when black ppl say it ..am black so don’t trip. But still u know i dono why ppl make a big deal out of it.
#9 thats the dumbest thing ive ever heard!!
how can you say hes rapping about this cos hes got nothin else to rap about? would u prefer if he just rapped about cars, coke and gats like everyone else!!??
the discussion about wether the word is right or wrong has been going on in the bak ground for ages now and by doing this nas has brought the discussion to the fore ground and is meant to get the main stream hiphop audience talking about an important issue and an issue other than jus car, guns, n coke.
personally i dont have a problem with the word but it depeneds what context it is being used in.
its a very difficult subject and your never gona please everyone. i jus hope the albums is up to the standards of hiphop is dead, one of the best hiphop albums ever made in my opinion!!
”We made a culture outta something they never expected us to come out of, ” refering to nigger and Black culture. “We made a beautiful culture from it. We had people like Richard Pryor, N.W.A., and Dr. Dre help make this. ”
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Beautiful culture my ass whats so beutiful about gun violance and black on black crime and drugs this is rediculous and n.w.a and doctor dre glamorized this gun violance n shit this is so stupiddddd wake up yall
com on dude i cant believe ya cant even pay respect to da last real nigga alive.its da wackes thg i’ve ever heard in my whole life.nas has a million of thgs to rap about.i wonder if u actually knw da meaning of hip hop-ya never regret wht ya spit………………………….so if ya think datz all he can rap about then slick back greasy haired son of mischief ya got NASIR jones really wrong.
he is da best ever since big and pac left da scene.he represents hip hop.pay respect to him else ya wake up with ya soul kidnapped.
goodlooking on the writeup
looks like it should be interesting.
@whoibeTeEthasme..
Nas has run out of things to rap about? Please grab his catalog and then grab YOUR favorite rappers catalog and tell me who’s run out of material?
And what does the dislike of the word, nigger, has to do with addressing some of the social ills and other effects surrounding the word? Stop being emotional, we have to discuss it to get over it.
I bet you don’t even understand why you “dislike” the word but it’s not just on you, most people don’t
But please continue to pick up those other rap albums where nigger is in every other bar….oops I forgot it’s with an “a” right, so it’s different? We can’t be this washed…..
Yeah and I have to disagree with his beautiful culture statement…..he needs to take a second look
well I wasn’t trying to offend anybody but thas just my opinion.
I thought we are all intitled to our perspective. The reason why i said that is cus from his previous album he said hip hop is dead and cost alot of khaos from that remember how the south took it personal. Now i know what yall gonna say the south killed hiphop and that just started a whole nother discussion.My point is is that the only way he can think of ways to rap is to rap about things that offend ppl. It’s creative but thats what he does.
I dno why u gettin mad lol like honestly this artist is intellieient but is this really necessary to make an album called nigger. Too me it’s too much of a publicity stunt.
wtf is doing…nas is lost 4 real…this slave shits old man get over it.. we know the fuckin story already… whiteppl brought blacks in from africa as slaves ..beat them treated em like shit ..we know the story ..it sucked it affected the future of black americans.. everyboby knows wut happended why does he think hes shocking the world i dont get it..dis nigga’s retarded 4real
and why does he think it’s shoking to say nigger…rappers been sayin it 4 the past 15 years ..muthafuckers say it everyday .. ppl just playin dumb right now 4real… let im name his album nigger i aint buyin it cuz hes lame
To all these people saying that NAS has nothing to rap about. See where your favorite rapper is after 10 albums. You have people like 50 that start stumbling after 2 albums. Todays rap artists suck. NAS’s longevity alone and being relavent says everything. To every person that says he’s doing it for record sales, the last time I checked he debuted at #1 and sold 900,000 units in the US. If that’s falling off you’re dillusional. PEACE!!!
the picture makes my skin crawl
Always a good read Partis.
ESCO!