Throughout the history of Hip Hop, few lyricists have offered more intricacy, honesty and skill than Nasir Jones. It should come as no surprise that Harvard University now offers a fellowship in the Queensboro legend’s name, and has begun working with the rapper to break down his lyrics.
In conversation with poetry professor Elisa New, Nas discussed the lyrics of his track “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” from his revered 1994 debut album Illmatic, which is one of the first albums selected for the Hip Hop archive at Harvard’s library. Professor New was particularly interested in lines such as “Wisdom leaks from my grapefruit, troop,” and “I dominate break loops.”
Explaining the origins of his style, Nas spoke on the nature of different language emerging from the different neighborhoods of New York City.
“Before there was rap music, there was this different way of using the English language. Certain neighborhoods spin the words around different than others. Italian say different things, Irish say different things, Jamaicans, forget about it. They’ve got a whole different way of spinning words around.”
“Everything is rhythm, everything is always moving everything. The world’s always rotating, nothing ain’t still. So, you know, I talk from that point of view. That language around my neighborhood…”
Watch the conversation in full below:
Damn, Nas do not age! The GOAT right there… you know you have made it when they want to know about your lyrics and rhymes… Harvard! Damn, Nas! illmatic have you stamped forever…
Another reason Nas be broke all the time. Always advocating colleges where people graduate and still work under somebody else, like Nas himself has his entire career. Be your own boss like King HOV, and be a multi-millionaire. Smarten up, Nas.
Do you not know the work and deals Nas has been doing inside of silicone valley? Nas is one of the top Angel Investors out in Silicon Valley. Do a quick google search and get updated because what you’re saying is inaccurate. I remember CNN Money doing an article about him little over a year ago. Update your information.
SMFH. Yeah, because no ever got ahead by going into post secondary education.
HAD THIS CONVO WITH A KID AT WORK LAST NIGHT…. TALKING ABOUT NAS, AND OTHER 90’S NYC RAPPERS….THEY WERE EDUCATED MAN…. THEY GREW UP LISTENING TO JAZZ AND STRONG VOCABULARIES AND MOST HAD A FAITH IN SOMETHING, ISLAM OR SOMETHING ELSE, AND INCORPORATED KNOWLEDGE INTO THEIR RHYMES…. TODAY….. ALL I CAN SAY IT’S SAD AS HELL…THE KIDS ARE DUMB AS FAAAK AND THE MUSIC WILL MAKE THEM EVEN DUMBER…. IT’S LIKE THEY DON’T HAVE A STRUGGLE TO RELATE TO… THEY JUST WANT TO SKIRRRRTTTTT
One of the God MCs. Nas has several investments, venture capital type investments and others. Nas gave donations off of his Distant Relative project to help people. He’s a very intelligent brother. Anybody dissing Nas is a dickriding bitch. But I digress
Whox
Amazingness.