Nas Declares 'Hip Hop Is Dead'
May 19, 2006, 11:00 AM ET
First Def Jam Disc Due In September
Clover Hope, N.Y.
Recent Def Jam signee Nas will deliver his first album for the label in late September. The rapper made the announcement last night (May 18) while performing on the first leg of labelmates the Roots’ two-night stand at New York's Radio City Music Hall.
The album is titled "Hip-Hop Is Dead,” according to a Def Jam representative, who also confirmed the September release to Billboard.com.
Nas capped off his roughly 15-minute set by pronouncing, “I'm working hard for y’all. I got an album coming out in September.”
Def Jam president Jay-Z added Nas to the label’s roster in January, two months after the pair mutually dissolved their longtime feud.
As previously reported, the new disc will be one of two albums to be jointly marketed by Def Jam and Columbia, Nas’ previous label.
During a live chat on the Roc-A-Fella Web site in February, Jay-Z said that plans were underway to begin working on the project. Black Eyed Peas leader will.i.am also told Billboard.com that he was scheduled to record with Nas.
"Hip-Hop Is Dead” will be the follow-up to 2004’s “Streets Disciple,” which peaked at No. 5 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 694,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. In his 11 years with Columbia, Nas' catalog has sold 12 million units.
The Roots concert also featured Common, Talib Kweli, Big Daddy Kane and saw a brief cameo from comedian Dave Chappelle, who billed many of the same artists for his 2004 Block Party in Brooklyn, N.Y. Tonight's second round of performances will feature Erykah Badu, Mos Def, J. Davey and Angelique Kidjo.
May 19, 2006, 11:00 AM ET
First Def Jam Disc Due In September
Clover Hope, N.Y.
Recent Def Jam signee Nas will deliver his first album for the label in late September. The rapper made the announcement last night (May 18) while performing on the first leg of labelmates the Roots’ two-night stand at New York's Radio City Music Hall.
The album is titled "Hip-Hop Is Dead,” according to a Def Jam representative, who also confirmed the September release to Billboard.com.
Nas capped off his roughly 15-minute set by pronouncing, “I'm working hard for y’all. I got an album coming out in September.”
Def Jam president Jay-Z added Nas to the label’s roster in January, two months after the pair mutually dissolved their longtime feud.
As previously reported, the new disc will be one of two albums to be jointly marketed by Def Jam and Columbia, Nas’ previous label.
During a live chat on the Roc-A-Fella Web site in February, Jay-Z said that plans were underway to begin working on the project. Black Eyed Peas leader will.i.am also told Billboard.com that he was scheduled to record with Nas.
"Hip-Hop Is Dead” will be the follow-up to 2004’s “Streets Disciple,” which peaked at No. 5 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 694,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. In his 11 years with Columbia, Nas' catalog has sold 12 million units.
The Roots concert also featured Common, Talib Kweli, Big Daddy Kane and saw a brief cameo from comedian Dave Chappelle, who billed many of the same artists for his 2004 Block Party in Brooklyn, N.Y. Tonight's second round of performances will feature Erykah Badu, Mos Def, J. Davey and Angelique Kidjo.
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