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.”

Michael Partis

http://my.rawkus.com/profile/ForeThought

michaelpartis.blogspot.com

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