Nas & Pharrell Discuss Why Rappers Rarely Perform In Africa
Nas and Pharrell were asked why Hip Hop artists don’t perform more frequently in Africa during Smirnoff’s Experience press conference. Nas stated, “People are scared, there are horror stories about Africa.” Nas spoke on his trip to the motherland, “I went there and I figured out there has been a lot of lies told to American people about whats is going over there.” Nas talked about the big divide between the U.S. & Africa:
“African Americans and Africans don’t communicate, we don’t talk, we don’t even get along. We’ve been pulled apart for years. Some Africans need to make an effort to show us that when we come there we’re going to be alright. It’s beyond Hip Hop, but I think Hip Hop is an answer to get us to start communicating and rebuilding our long last family between Africa and America.” - Nas
Pharrell added that the high prices artists charge reflect their hard work and had this to say about how Africa is portrayed, “There are a lot of rumors and there are a lot of myths, but you have to understand a lot of that is supported by the images we see on T.V.” Earlier this year 50 Cent had a chain snatched while perfoming in Angola. African countries have been under great turmoil for decades and the volatility has deterred artist from performing in African countries. It is great to see Hip Hop’s international popularity and in the future hopefully more artist will be able to give their African fans a chance to see them live.
Photos by Nigel D.
Suggestion Box
October 8th, 2008 at 5:25 am
who cares, akons african y dont he take his konvict label and artist to africa to set up shop lol
October 8th, 2008 at 5:52 am
it’s true. China is recolonizing africa slowly but surely…http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7047127.stm
it is an essential part of their move into the role of global superpower as the dollar goes down the tubes (anyone heard of the Amero?) and our military power diminishes because of all our righteous crusades around the world
October 8th, 2008 at 5:57 am
yo veraci0us, its excatly what Nas said “we dont care about each other!” you’re a typical example & thats sad!
Akon is in America to make a living from music, and I dont blame him cause in Africa our market isnt big!
I repect what Pharrel said, our African leaders & us residents in Africa we need to build Africa…. My man Nas was in Durban this year in July & it was good seeing him for the 1st time in South Africa, i’m glad he enjoyed his time here….
I’m from South Africa & I respect Americans… cause a few people like Pharrel & Nas shows us not all Americans are full of the selves!!!
October 8th, 2008 at 6:11 am
America is hated for these reasons…Main Stream Media portrays countries the way they see them. My brother has been in the service for 20 years and he always told me that TV and America is wrong because until u go somewhere yourself you truly don’t know what it like. We need the light in life instead of always being in the dark. If you rely on the Media and the Government to show and tell us everything your gonna always gonna be scared an thats what they want. McCain says that Obama is an Agry Blackman? How true is that? America don’t want us meaning black ppl to get too fimiliar Africa? why? Natural Resources and better understanding of ourself.
October 8th, 2008 at 6:14 am
i dont see the correlation between 50 chain getin snatched in angola as the reason y rappers dont go to africa. That fear talk is garbage coz when nas was performin in my hometown of london and his concert got lockdown coz of gunshots, i dont see nas sayin rappers are afraid of london…
The reason y rappers dont perform in africa is purely down to money, hiphop is a business..
@3 maybe africa needs to start caring about africa first and then u wil c change.. I dont c south africa which is the continents super power doin enough for africa.
October 8th, 2008 at 6:46 am
People think Africa and think of the issues in Zimbabwe IMO you never see or here about the good things of Africa and you proabaly won’t unless you go out to Africa and see it for yourself. But these phony ass rappers are scared to go out their.Americans like to lie alot and think their country is so great because its what they have been told and the super white leaders don’t want black americans mixing with africans. If Zimbabwe had oil America would of done somethink about Mugabe and his goverment.
@ 1 what a stupid comment
October 8th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Most of u Yanks are brainwashed. America iz where it is nw coz of africa. Do y’all realize hw many millions of lives of africans were lost during slavery????
Do ur research ppl! Respect 2 NAS & CO 4 bringin awareness on dis issue.
LONDON STAND UP!
October 8th, 2008 at 8:20 am
y doesnt south africa do something about mugabe??.. Africans are to quick to blame everyone else instead of lookin at themselfs..
@ 8 And i think americans are aware of slavery..
And africans never want to talk about how they also contributed to the tapestry of slavery by sellin some of their own people to the white man…
And i say that as a black man of afro carribean heritage..
October 8th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Nas sounds real ignorant. . . . . as always. . . .
October 8th, 2008 at 9:21 am
@veracious I don’t think nas is afraid to go to Africa cause 50’s chain got snatched. I think he was just bringing up an embarrassin moment for 50 cause hes always sayin his name.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Nas is one of those out of touch dudes that tries so hard to be political and ends up saying some dumb stuff.
Rappers and singers go to Africa all the time. The one’s that don’t go, don’t go because no one invited them. You have to be a mega star to get invited over there and the money is ridiculous over there for entertainers.
Nas please just stop.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:31 am
w
What did Nas say that was so bad?
October 8th, 2008 at 10:38 am
who cares if 50 got his chain snatched in angola. rappers get their chains snatched here in the states all the time (young berg). whats the difference. Nillas gotta eat.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:55 am
*STATIC* A FEW THINGS TO CLEAR UP:
-50 GOT HIS CHAIN SNATCHED AND GOT IT BACK.
-YOU HAVE TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL STAR TO GET SHOWS IN AFRICA.HOW MANY US RAPPERS DO YOU THINK HAVE APPEAL ACROSS ALL THE MAJOR CONTINENTS?LESS THAN 10.
-AFRICA IS POOR.AFRICA IS BEAUTIFUL.THE MEDIA WILL NEVER SHOW THE LATTER SINCE THEY PROFIT FROM THE FORMER.
-I NEED TO GET BACK TO MY TRAFFIC DUTIES,OVER *STATIC*
October 8th, 2008 at 10:59 am
“Y doesnt south africa do something about mugabe?”
Why should they do something? Mugabe is not the problem…its the people in the UK/US who want “regime change”. They want to put their puppet in charge of Zimbabwe so they can rob the natural wealth of that country. [i.e. Iraq's Oil]
1. Mugabe is not torturing people Guantanamo Bay.
2. Mugabe is not committing genocide in Sudan.
3. Mugabe did not invade Iraq.
“And africans never want to talk about how they also contributed to the tapestry of slavery by sellin some of their own people to the white man…”
During those times you either were a slave or a slaver. Africans fought the Europeans in the early stages. However, in the course of time, they managed to trick us into selling our own people. God knows what could have happened if we didn’t cooperate because they had guns, we had arrows.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:04 am
yeah that is true african people meaning people born in africa and african american people meaning people born in america dont even get along or barely know anything about 1 another y would they expect that 2 be different but its ridiculous and sad
October 8th, 2008 at 11:10 am
A lot of Caribbean artists travel to Africa quite frequently…why aren’t they scared?
October 8th, 2008 at 11:23 am
sometimes i listen to nas and think nigga shut up you wife up whores you got no respect for yourself while you preach on topics suck as africa your wife is getting her back blown out on camera by the next nigga.
October 8th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Nas’ Comment:
“People are scared, there are horror stories about Africa.”
“Some Africans need to make an effort to show us that when we come there we’re going to be alright”
_________________________________________________________
Those aren’t “horror stories”, those are FACTS. In response to Nas’ second comment,they (Africans) are not going to do that because of the number of Africans whose predatory behavior are set against that
Pharrell’s Comment:
“African countries have been under great turmoil for decades and the volatility has deterred artist from performing in African countries.”
____________________________________________________________
In addition to artists peforming, citizens from the U.S and a few other countries from comming in general albeit for business or vacation (and I am not referring to tourism for philaderers).
October 8th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
lol. thats understandable, my parents are from there, ive heard stories. But damn how can you say we dont talk, we dont get along like yall got beeflol. they didnt do nothin to u
October 8th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
# What does Nas wife have to do with anything? What, are you saying that it speaks to Nas’s credibility, or what? What’s your point. Stick to the topic dumbass.
October 8th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
@#8
October 8th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
You mite have heard stoies, but you still need to go and find out how they recieve YOU and not just go off what you think. damn open your minds…….. lol.
October 8th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
@#18
October 8th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
There are many beautiful countries in Africa such as Angola Senegal Nigeria Kenya, Ghana Mozambique..etc with great cities like Lagos, Accra, Maputo, Dakar..etc Ignorant comments about african countries come from people that never been there in the first place. Take a trip to Lagos go out meet people enjoy the culture resturants and the nightlife and just have a good time.
October 8th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
@ awelo
Because nas comes out with something doesnt mean its true, its just his opinion..
Rap artist are about getting money if they think theirs an audience for their music and finacially the trip is rewarding then they will go..
Zimbawe used to be the bread basket for a large portion of african countries, the economy was good.. Mugabes regime has ended all of that.. For you to blame the uk and the u.s. For the state of zimbawe without portionin any of the blame on mugabe then i think your dellusional..
October 8th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
ah Nas said he’s scared cause when you get off the plane, “you get bit by a mosquito”
nas, “Kill Kill KIll, Murder Murder Murder” yourself please.
October 8th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
There are horror stories about America aswell. There are people overseas who are scared of American society and all the violence that’s going on that they’ve seen in media and on TV, thinking they’re gonna get shot if they walk down the street of New York lol. There are people scared of African Americans because of how the media potrays black men and the many stories they’ve heard about African Americans.
October 8th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Let me start by saying this I’m an African from Sudan to be exact,but I reside in the U.S. now..Nas is my nigga tho,but I disagree with him.when he said Africans dont like Africans Americans..the the opposite way..A/A don’t like us Africans for some reasons I don’t know..they think we came from the jungles and shit like that,I see that shit lots of time,I been to few countries in Africa and they are beautiful..I repp the Motherland to the end…
if you disagree or agree bout my comments,let me know
October 8th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
i think the problem is the same all around the world, their is always friction between african born black people and non african born black people..
As a londoner of afro caribbean heritage their has always been a clear devide between africans and afro caribbeans…
In england in the 1960s black people from the caribbean came over to work (including my grandparents who are of guyanes and st lucian decent).. Caribbeans who came over where treated like sh#t by white people, with signs like no dogs and black people the racism was extreme…
So african caribbeans went through decades of hardship and racism..
African people came over to england after the struggles of african caribbean people.. They never went through what my granparents and people of their generation went through in england…
African people dont recognise that struggle, the same way africans in america dont recognise the struggle that african americans went through..
Until the day comes when certain africans are no longer ignorant to that then nothing wil change.
This is my analogy
How would you feel if you spent time and effort making a cake for your mum, and then when the cake was done you and your brother waited til your mum got home. And even tho your brother played no part in makin the cake he took all the credit for it??
Of course there is gonna be friction between the two brothers..
October 8th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
50cent done did alot of shows in Africa.. no one ever gave him props..
wtf
October 8th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
@veraci0us
With your attitude nothing gonna change because you basically blame Africans for all the friction between africans and Black caribbeans. Ignorance goes both ways. You have to do your part and stop being negative and stereotype Africans. They are not all the same, just like caribbeans are not all the same. I mean if you treat people the way you wanna be treated then you’re gonna met a lot africans that you get along with. It’s as simple as that.
October 8th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I know many Jamaicans don’t like Africans but many Jamaicans don’t like black Americans. But at the same time, You have black Americans who don’t get a long with Africans and black americans who don’t like people from the carribean..especially the Jamaicans. LOL
And the relationship between Haitians and African-Americans is not always great. African Americans hating and look down on Haitians because they’re different and Hatians hating on African-Americans cause they feel African-Americans think they’re superior and have attitude problems.
In other words…Blacks love to hate on other blacks because of silly generalization SMH
October 8th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Nas is saying he had to go find out for himself that Africa is not what he heard, he’s not agreeing with the “horror stories.” He is right when he says people are scared also, we hear stories all the time of tourists gettin chopped up, the animals and insects being problems that here in America we aren’t used to. I don’t see why so many of you are hating on Nas for pretty much calling Africa a beautiful place and saying come see for yourself. Someone told him not to go to Nigeria and he went to see for himself what it was about, yall are acting like he said the exact opposite.
He was dead on with the Africans and African Americans topic also.
October 8th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
LMAO AT THIS BITCH ASS NIGGA NAS
HE THERE WITH PHARELL DONT HE KNOW PHARELL GOT A SEXTAPE WITH KELIS THATS SHOPPING AROUND?????????? THAT NIGGA STAY LOSTING
October 8th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Nas comes accross as pretty smart in his raps but when he gives interviews he never makes sense especially when talking about deep issues.
LOL @ getting bit by mosquitos soon you get off the plane.
October 8th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
#36, did you even listen? he said that’s what people think of when going to Africa..i swear, realtalkny is home to some of the most incoherent mothafuckas
October 8th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
veracious u always gettin clowned on this site cuz of ur stupid ass comments, saw a comment from u sayin u from UK LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO no one takes ur opinion seriously dumbass brit
October 8th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
@ rockwilder GTFOH your named after a Dog so your mum is obviously a BITCH, y dont you go and lick her Ball bags..
Mans from LONDON and what!! how dumb are you? You come on a post and you dont even have an opinion on the subject matter. Your to thick to formulate one. Dont watch me you DICKHEAD.
October 8th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I’m Nigerian and I think AA ’s are mostly stuck up and believe too much of what they see on TV, also hey really have no culture come to think of it, My kids are heading back home to NIgeria once they are born cause this enviroment in America is too wrong for a kid to grow up in, calling thier elders by thier first names and stuff, We look at AA like they are confused really.
October 8th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I know many Jamaicans don’t like Africans but many Jamaicans don’t like black Americans. But at the same time, You have black Americans who don’t get a long with Africans and black americans who don’t like people from the carribean..especially the Jamaicans. LOL
And the relationship between Haitians and African-Americans is not always great. African Americans hating and look down on Haitians because they’re different and Hatians hating on African-Americans cause they feel African-Americans think they’re superior and have attitude problems.
In other words…Blacks love to hate on other blacks because of silly generalization SMH
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
True!
October 8th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Some of you are the dumbest ass bloggers in the world….Nas said nothing wrong here, but you continue to try and disrespect him….talkining about his wife! This is how miserable people are accusing Kelis of being a whore and you don’t even have proof of that….rumors are very dangerous and it is a shame that people feel so lost in their own life that they create a rumor to be true…just to discredit someone else ….this is how people get killed, because no one bothers to look at facts …they use internent rumors to destroy someone’s character!
This shit is out of CONTROL!
October 8th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
We as black’s need to learn from each other just like people go on line looking for a woman why can’t we go on line and teach each other I’m sure myspace is in Africa and the Carribean because who better to teach you?
October 8th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Jay-z about to drop a single, I feel it in my bones like the cold weather.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:10 am
I got mad respect for Nas..African Americans don’t like African I dont know..they always talk shit bout us Africans.I live in the U.S. so Im speaking with an experience,any black male/female agree or disagree let me know?..or If you are black tell me if Im right or wrong?????
thanks
October 9th, 2008 at 3:30 am
I am African
Its not that i dislike AfricanAmericans.
I refuse to believe that there is any such thing as AfricanAmericans.
We are Africans,in the east,west,north,south.
Rastafari
Holy I Marcus Mosiah Garvey, AFRICA FOR THE AFRICAN AT HOME AND ABROAD. 7 Miles of BlackStar liner Take us Home
Rastafari I Say
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth
HolY I Selassie I JAH RASTAFARI King Alpha Queen Omega
October 9th, 2008 at 3:50 am
nas
October 9th, 2008 at 5:52 am
Black people wake up! We are all AFRICANS no matter where u were born or where u live. As long as we stay divided and continue to hate each other we will never rise. Divide and conquer was the tactic used on AFRICANS and judging by our current situation, whether its in Africa,America,The Carribean and Europe, it has been successful. We remain divided and that is why we are conquered! Its time to stop the ignorance! We are all children of Africa. We are all brothers and sisters!!
October 9th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Off topic…does anybody know what type of eyeglasses Pharell is wearing…they look like those Ray Ban’s but the side arms are different, it doesnt have the logo…anybody know??
October 9th, 2008 at 10:37 am
It looks like those glasses that Urkel used to wear.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
this has gotten wayyyyyyyy too deep Mugabe? I gotta light up!
October 12th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
“African Americans and Africans don’t communicate, we don’t talk, we don’t even get along. We’ve been pulled apart for years. Some Africans need to make an effort to show us that when we come there we’re going to be alright. It’s beyond Hip Hop, but I think Hip Hop is an answer to get us to start communicating and rebuilding our long last family between Africa and America.” - Nas
This statement was extremely condescending. The article was condescending.
this is coming from someone “from Africa”, like you say. Until you learn that africa is not a country & that not all places are falling apart, don’t give us this imperialist point of view, please.
Nas can’t say informations are corrupted & at the same time have such stereotypical ideas.
& to answer an ignorant comment I read up there. Akon is not doing hip-hop in senegal, because this is not what the studios produce there. the hip-hop scene has a local signature he doesn’t have. he has his fan base, but it’s definitely not the right place to do albums for him, unless he wants to do something more local.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Akon goes to Africa on a regular basis and has even signed artists from the continent so that’s first off.
Secondly, the problem between Africans and African-Americans goes both ways and anyone who tries and says it’s one way is not helping the situation.
African-Americans need to have their own institutions and not rely on white people or europeans to communicate and connect with Africa.
Pharrell was right yes infrastructure needs to be upgraded but Black-Americans also need to creat their own media outlets so that they can get an accurate view of Africa rather than the CNN/FOX/CBS news, etc.
October 20th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Fuck the stories! Before I came to the U.S I heard all types of shit about black people, but still went out of my way to connect with them. I was at a Talib concert just the other day and asked him why we don’t see many collabos between Africans and African Americans and I didn’t get an answer.
Basic point is that ALL Americans are ignorant and this hurts black people most because as long as they bite on white propaganda about Africa they will NEVER have a history. In Swahili there’s a saying “Mwacha Mila ni Mtumwa” and when translated it means “The one who loses their culture is a slave”. Africa Americans will always be slaves to white people unless they realize their roots - real culture.
October 20th, 2008 at 9:00 am
This Africans vs African Americans vs Carribeans is a sad thing. If a white person was following this thread they’d be like, “Yippee Jimney Christmas we are safe! These NIGGERS will never be united!” If Africa is as scary as the white propaganda (TV) portrays, why aren’t white musicians scared to go to Africa? Oh my this is making me sick!
Wake up people…. Big ups to all the African American musicians who have dared travel to the “dark continent”. next time bring more people along. Matter-of-fact Imma start a free vacation program for African Americans to journey back to the motherland. Who’s with me?
Maybe Obama will unite us