It’s been nearly 10 years since Nas famously put Hip Hop in a casket on his 2006 record, “Hip Hop Is Dead.”
A decade after the song dropped, Nas was asked if he still shares the same sentiment during an appearance on HBO’s “Any Given Wednesday With Bill Simmons.” Thanks to the likes of Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake, the Queensbridge lyricist revealed that Hip Hop is now in a “better” place.
He added that not only is the trio of emcees he mentioned “great artists,” they’ve also inspired him as a musician.
“Better,” Nas replied when asked if Hip Hop is in a better or worse place. “Because it gave birth to Kendrick and J. Cole. Drake and a few other great, great artists … They inspire me. Drake said something on his first album about me. In the liner notes. And J. Cole made an interesting song about me. And Kendrick has said some really positive words. He gave me a shout out when he won his Grammy. So, they inspire me.”
Back in 2010, Nas shared a similar viewpoint during an interview with the Wall Street Journal, stating that Hip Hop “died several times, but I do believe in the heartbeat of it right now.”
Nas later touched on his past feud with Jay Z, which he referred to as “a healthy rap rivalry.” He explained that what he learned from his beef with Hov was that such feuds can quickly spiral out of hand.
“It was a healthy rap rivalry,” the rapper said. “It went a little too far. But look at the results. Things can go really too far. Things can get out of hand. And we’re expected to be leaders. Especially coming from communities that we come from. We gotta do better. It’s up to us. We’re responsible for these kids that’s looking at us. For our families. It’s not just sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. And nothing matters. Yes, it matters. We learned. I learned from losing Biggie and Pac.”
Watch Nas speaking on Hip Hop being better than it was 10 years ago and his rivalry with Jay Z below.
Lil Wayne saved hip-hop back in 2008 with Tha Carter III. He saved hip hop when it was dying and revolutionised the game. It’s like he died for our Hip Hop sings. swag
still waiting to see your icy butthole bruh.
Seriously, is it icy or?
One day later & still no icy Bhole, what da fuck man? Show me!
Lil Wayne saved hip-hop back in 2008 with Tha Carter III. He saved hip hop when it was dying and revolutionised the game. It’s like he died for our Hip Hop sins. swag
No. No he didn’t. Haven’t EVER listened to Wayne and Hip Hop was still alive and well throughout. Maybe to you?
Show me your icy butthole!!!
BS YES C3 WAS GREAT BUT GAME WAS HOT JEEZZY TI 50 SO MANY RAPPERS FROM THAT ERA ARE STILL DOING IT TODAY. UNLIKE NOW WITH SOFT ASS DRAKE AND KENDRICK JCOLE. WHAT HAPPENED TO GANGSTA RAP? ITS GONE THESE NEW CATS ARE NOTHING AND NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND THEM
Because weezy study the rap game and i totally agree he did save hiphop
With his mumbling dumb shit. Sho you right.
50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Kanye West and a few others kept hip-hop going and replaced some of the greats. When Nas said hip-hop was dead he was being bitter that his career was actually dead. He lost the Jigga beef and his music has been trash since Illmatic. When I look at it, I say hip-hop is at it’s prime and hasn’t been better than now. You have innovative artists like the ones mentioned above, Future and Young Thug just changing the game. We’re witnessing the greatest era in hip-hop.
Future & Young Thug ? Damn , sorry Nas , hip hop is already dead.
“Future and Young Thug just changing the game. We’re witnessing the greatest era in hip-hop.” <- Um? No the f**k we're not. Lmfao! Put down the lean and check yourself into rehab asap.
That’s why niggas buy this shit. They’re so strung out even dumb shit make sense.
To Jay? Please. Jay Z has no lyrical ability. It’s just that everyone else is even wacker than him.
So, because they mentioned him, they’re great artists? I’m not saying he’s not entitled to his opinion, but base it on their talent, not whether or not they gave you a shoutout on their album. You know who should inspire you? The millions of fans who have supported you for 25 years. He’s always been a great MC but has always been too impressionable. You get the feeling his songs and visions change based on whoever is in the studio with him that he’s trying to impress.
FACTS! I also noticed he only co-signed the dudes who shouted him out. Good observation bruh!
Did you watch the interview?
That’s not what he was saying at all. He said the were great artists, that mentioned Nas as inspiration. Therefore, having great artist mention him as an inspiration actually inspires him as well. No where did he say that the are great artists because they mentioned him.
Oh how cute! Nas trying to be conscious. Conscious don’t sell records that’s why he always be broke. Only King Hov can’t relate to this kids with his DDA flows. Look King Hov beat Nas with facts with best diss record of all time, can still pretend to be a drug dealer even after 30 years of being out of the game, married to Beyonce, running Tidal and still releasing lyrics that the kids can relate too(Damn Daniel!). What’s Nas done? get divorced, pay Kelis and be broke. Lame.
Lived a real life unlike hov’s sellout ass running his career like a flipflopping politician
Jay gay and Bey has a test tube child and a closet full of pregnancy padding. He paid Foxy to hype him up, but this nig on some ED type shit. IVF’ing Ingrid Jackson? What a loser. HH is fake. All of it. Gay men pretending to be heterosexual because black mfs scare them. Kenyatta the Krusty Kardashian hoe is the first one with that closet mo shit goin on. Beards are not wives.
And then you got mfs who have all their material written for them because they have no skill. Drake getting an awrd for writing when he writes none of his stuff is beyond dumb. How you need 30 writers? Are you THAT stupid? Bey not smarter than a 5th grader. This why she hang with all these low grade nigs. Most black people stupid enough to buy their shit cause they straight up ignorant and know no better.
Please Nas is not the ambassador for Hip Hop he named Pop radio cats they have nothing to do with what real hip hop is. Nas has one Classic album and I luv it but he’s a pop star to. Real hip hop has not been on your radio since 1994 period ! All these mumble rappers are horrible and yall sheep keep following that garbage. Nas sold out in 1996 so what u sayin !
i wonder what he did when hiphop was alive when its dead man?
who killed hiphop? all do respect but he is one of the murderer
nas thought he would be able to kill it but now hes dead while hiphop is still alive – irony
who follows kprince=kasinova tha don=pfunk?i mean who listen to his songs
i know this is spam but sorry i jus wanna know anybody knows him
rap is far beyond repair. the only good rappers are dolph, troy ave and migos. And these rappers get no buzz
eveyone else is soft or a wanna be gangster
rap died with meek mill
you trolling? cause those 3 artist u just typed are the reason hiphop needs to be repaired amongst other things
well known fact is that everything must die. sooner or later. that is suicide 101 nothing last forever everything must die/end. don’t be so high on life, cuz death is always 100% there for you. you not gonna live forever. it’s on you if you end it or you let it end you. choice iz yourz.
I’m glad Nas taking his place amongst the Vet O.G.s looking out for the Lil youngstas. But it’s actually quite worst.
Actually, Hip-Hop is better IMO. But it’s just different now because you don’t have to depend on the radio to tell you who you should be listening to. There are quite a few of very dope artists out here that represent Hip-Hop very well.
Hiphop have three or four mainstream rappers that can really rap, and tons of mumbling clowns. That autotone thing ain’t rapping. Stop calling them rappers but ‘autotoners’.
Nas, stop lying. You know hip hop is worse. The only good people in hip hop right now is Big Krit, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, YG, (he’s an okay rapper but his beats are so West Coast that I have to put him on this list), and Joey Badass. Big Krit gets overlooked too damn much.
Hip hop died on September 13th 1996 when the truest realest tupac amaru Shakur was killed, and after his death the whole rap game started jacking his style Niggaz got tattoos n getting shot became cool, fools started throwing West side, some started getting into pac records just to get that fame,tupac was tupac is tupac will be hip hop so rest in peace hip hop
Must be flattering Hearing your Name, Nas. “Hip-Hop” is a pedophile trap for Little Kids, so it´s better off dead.
which drug ru on? holy ghosts? ever thought of the meaning? ghosts doesnt excist, holy ppl neither. infact they (holy religios ppl) have abused million of kids all over the world and also let them die of hunger and/or war. hiphop had nothing to do with that. go back to church clown thats the right trap for sheep like u