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The wizardry of Nas
By Billy Schear
wschear@mscd.edu

Photo courtesy of defjam.com Nas knows he can be what he wants to be.

Do not let the Scarface references, mafia themes, urban clothing line endorsements, or his own brand of sneakers fool you. Nas is a man with designs to bring integrity back to hip-hop.

With a flow as smooth as melted butter and a host of first-person narratives depicting a dark and introverted view on urban poverty, Nas is at his best when he is opening up the wounds covering his life, exposing every raw nerve to the scrutiny of public opinion. The more personal he gets, the better his delivery becomes, choosing just the right samples and fitting them perfectly with happening beats.

It has never been solely about perpetuating black urban stereotypes for Nas, whose 1994 debut album, Illmatic, gave a new criteria for judging hip-hop by both hard core fans and music critics alike. The album’s streetwise themes stray from the guttural, cursory observations of street life by putting an insightful, poetic spin on what was quickly becoming a stagnant genre.

Throughout the years Nas began to slowly but steadily allow himself to be embraced by the mainstream. Acting on the coaching of his management, his albums began to take on a more commercially friendly vibe while the budgets and exposure of his music videos grew larger by the project. Cementing his ascension into the realm of popular music was his 1999 collaboration with Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. The single “Hate Me Now” off of the album I am… resulted in the controversial music video in which both Nas and Combs were crucified in typical Roman fashion.

The live spectacle that is hip-hop will not be absent from Nas’ performance. Energetic and introspective, the set list is likely to include many songs from later albums such as the 2006 release Hip Hop is Dead, an album many consider to be a return to form for Nas, going back to his noncommercial politically incorrect self. In fact, many in the South’s burgeoning rap scene raised up in arms over the album, claiming that it’s deliberately antagonistic to their scene.

It’s probably best to see him now, before management once again decides that credibility isn’t important, a point that will soon be evident in Nas’ upcoming MTV reality show Mr. And Mrs. Jones. As long as pumped crowds continue in their support, live hip-hop will become more hopeful, and instead of remaining dead it will be re-animated with vigor and an insatiable craving for fresh voices and new perspectives.