Nas recently addressed Chief Keef during an interview with REVOLT.
“What people gotta understand is in the street you don’t exist until you do something to put your name in some form in one of the history book pages,” Nas says in REVOLT’s “Nas Defends Chief Keef, Explains The Influence Of Street Life.” “People say, ‘Why would you go this way? Why would the guys do it?’ I say it, too. You saw how the movie Scarface end or you saw how Paid In Full end or you saw how that street story from your man, you saw how he ended up. So why go the same route? It’s because people need to find themselves. When you out there, when you think you have nothing, the smallest thing can give you some purpose.
“People don’t care about consequences because they feel like they’re starting from nothing anyway,” Nas adds. “If you feel like you’re a zero, if you’re nothing, then you’ll do anything because you don’t want to be nothing. You don’t want to have nothing. You want to do anything to feel alive and that anything could be the penitentiary chances you taking, but whatever it is you gonna do it.”
Keef has had legal troubles throughout his career, as well as a drug habit that has affected his profession. In February 2014, the rapper spoke about how an addiction to lean impaired his ability to make quality music. “My last two mixtapes were mistakes,” Keef said at the time, referring to Bang Part Two mixtape, which was released in August and the Almighty So mixtape, which was released in October. “I was on promethazine, all drugged out,” Keef added. “I was tweaking. I don’t sip the lean no more though.”
Nas is celebrating 20 years since the release of Illmatic, the rapper’s debut album, by releasing Illmatic XX today (April 15).
For more from Nas’ REVOLT interview about Chief Keef, view the clip below.
RELATED: Chief Keef Tweets About Stolen Marijuana While In Rehab
nas is like my old history teacher
Was your old history teacher half man, half amazing.
Your history teacher could rap?
Did your old history teacher fail to graduate highschool?
Did your history teacher get bodied by Jay-Z?
Did your history teacher married Kelis?
Did your history teacher sneak an uzi on the island in his army jacket lining?
Did your history teacher even lift ?
Did your history teacher ether Jay Z?
Is your teacher wack as fuck? Did your teacher take the most L’s in history? Is your teacher incapable of dropping quality music? Does your teacher owe money to Kelis and the IRS?
Nas, NO!!!! You’re supposed to be the defender of real hip-hop…not this pansy which you’ve become over the past couple years.
maybe you should listen to what he’s saying.
He didn’t say anything about being a “fan” Chief Keef. He simply saying that he understands that reckless mindset. Nas is clearly a superior artist and a GOAT. But he still came from a hostile environment like a Chicago and had one of his best friend die at a crucial point in his life. So he’s not defending Chief Keef’s music; he’s defending his problems with the law. Because regardless of color or gender, all Chief Keef really is is another teenage star who got lost. Bieber’s going through it, all of the other pop idols went through it etc. The difference is Chief Keef’s struggles spark from a street life that he’s still very well connected to and that a person like Nas can understand. Once again, he never said a thing about Chief Keef’s music. Just his legal issues.
^^^Very well said, exactly what I thought
the problem is that 80 percent of todays rap-listeners are some middle-class kids hangin around on the internet 24/7. most of them dont know what its like to hit the bottom rock, cause mommy and daddy will handle it for them.
I dont like Chief Keefs music at all, but I understand where hes from and why he does what he does.
“the problem is that 80 percent of todays rap-listeners are some middle-class kids hangin around on the internet 24/7. ”
You call that a problem? Where do you think the money these rappers flaunt comes from? Who do you think made Chief Keef rich before the age of 20?
the problem is that people are quick to judge other people, when they’ve never been in the same position…
it’s great that hip hop branched out, but, like lord jamar said, don’t be a guest in the house of hip hop and start thinking you can make the rules and that goes for ANYBODY.
nah Chief Keef wasn’t exactly poor he was probably middle class too he had name brand clothes a nice house computer and all that his neighborhood was just bad I call it hood niggas with wifi
Dude chief keef came from the DIRT! He lived in a low income housing project with his grandma he was also selling dope to thats how he had nice clothes probably! Do ya research
You saying because he had a computer he was middle class!?! Lol fucking idiot and the majority of the videos chief made before he got famous the kid was looking bummy .
he still look bummy
he still had a computer, internet and gear to record music on.
thats more than a lot of the kids from my old hood.
some real talk from an og wise man
Nas isn’t defending, he’s understanding. Big difference.
Notice how Nasir didn’t say anything positive about Chief Keef’s music output?
I bet Chief Keef never heard 1 Nas album in his life.
Lool
Good for him then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFQs29wcf2s
so many Nas articles this week how much is this old man paying HHDX to keep writing non news stories about him.
Nas sure likes wack rappers
My only problem with Nas’ statement is that this idiot Keef KEEPS getting attention put on himself. The guy flaunts a shit-ton of money all the time like he has no worries in life but keeps doing stupid shit. Kind of makes Nas’ point moot.
co-sign
kiss more ass nas
I don’t feel sorry for keef he makes what most people make in a year in one show and still acts crazy. I feel sorry for the victims of his wrath,
Pay no mind to this generic, once legendary rapper. He’s becoming senile. My client, Rick Ross, would’ve taken that ghetto urchin under his wing and transformed him into a capable emcee as well as a functioning member of society.
Rick Ross idolized Nas.
Nas rolls up Rick Ross’ blunts, delivers his weed to him, and maybe even gives him a little top for a job well done.
A little top? Can you clarify? I know you not saying what I think you are.
Rick Ross receives head from Nas as a job well done for being his royal ball scrubber.
This faggot Ross stan making up bullshit to make his hero look like Jesus.
Yes Man type of rapper nas turning into (jay-z redman ect) they don’t support good artists/rappers no more
because he knows they are good, nas supports j.cole for crying out loud
He’s exactly right. Most of the people who don’t understand are white kids who never had to grow up in these environments.
not just white kids….. any person that has no connection to the dark side of life will pass judgement. people love to make themselves feel special by bashing others.
oh so all black kids are poor and all white kids are rich
From the comments it is clear a lot of people commented based on the headline and and never took the time to read or watch the article
C’mon Nas this cat gotta 6 million dollar record deal, whether his music is shitty or not he don’t got nothing to prove. He don’t gotta be drunk driving, carrying dirty guns or stickin people on the L train. Don’t give this cat the “Hard Life” excuse, you had hard life & look where you were at at his age. This guy is just a dumb, ignorant, negligent, irresponsible hood ass punk that needs to take responsibility for his own actions good or bad.
“C’mon Nas this cat gotta 6 million dollar record deal,”
No he didn’t. He failed to sell the 250k in 1 year so that deal is not on the table.
You can’t speak for him Nas, it’s like when we did dumb shit we had a purpose,these kids don’t know themselves or understand their purpose. They have no identity they don’t even respect their craft. Like Black boys lost.
shut up nasir, stop tryna cater to a younger audience and go pay Kelis/IRS the money you owe them
that’s the most ive ever heard nas talk
chief sosa a real nigga
HE’S NOT DEFENDING CHIEF KEEF… HE’S EXPLAINING HOW IT GOES DOWN IN THE STREETS.
fuck does nas know about the streets he was hiding in his house reading books peaking out the window
You don’t know anything about the streets as well.
Chief has his own style and that’s what hip hop is all about.
Keef is the first nigga with Aspberger’s Syndrome to spit on the mic. Boy should be proud. He a pioneer for idiot savants everywhere.
Wrong titled I’d say, but of course they needed to drive social traffic toward this area….see how that trolls are eating this up? My point exactly
*Wrongly titled…
Only Future Vandross can withstand lean
he takes it all the time and he is fine.
Hail Future Christ the god of rap.
FREEEBANDDDZZ
Rozay O’Donnell:
Nas rolls up Rick Ross’ blunts, delivers his weed to him, and maybe even gives him a little top for a job well done.
Posted17 hours ago
Anonymous:
A little top? Can you clarify? I know you not saying what I think you are.
Posted16 hours ago
Rozay O’Donnell:
Rick Ross receives head from Nas as a job well done for being his royal ball scrubber.
Nas was bugging out
He didnt really “defend chief keef” , what he did was explain why chief keef acts like an idiot. IN other words…when youre a zero, or a loser, or failure at life..even the most ignorant shit wil make you feel like your something special. What he said wasnt coming to Chief Keef defense..but in essence making folks aware of why Chief Keef, and those like him, act like retards. AT the end of the day…the shit is kinda sad. He making a little money now..but the way he going he’ll either be dead or locked up and making no money at all. He’s a grown man now. He needs to chill with all the silly gang bang/disrespect shit for the sake of his child.