Hip Hop Is Dead

Nas is blaming himself in commercialization of Hip Hop culture

When Nas announced a phrase Hip Hop Is Dead to be a name for his new album in May 2006, the whole rap community began to buzz around this quite vital from the Nas's point of view question like a hive of bees. Moreover, lately, in one of his interviews, he even gave a brief explanation why did he choose this phrase as an album's title: "Hip-hop is dead because we as artists no longer have the power". That sounds gloomy, scandalous and deadly curiously. If the statement is true then his new album which was released no further than on December, 19 must be a boring and dull thing that no one needs, but, take it easy, Hip Hop is not dead and will never be while there is Nas on this planet. Despite its discouraging name a new album from Nas Hip Hop Is Dead seems to breathe some new life giving forces in the whole rap culture. It is a scorching critic of modern Hip Hop as an incentive to its rehab. Nas doesn't claim to be a savior, on the contrary he is ready to blame himself in commercialization of rap culture which originally was a voice of ghetto.

Nas likes to rap over a simple beat

Though the album offers works of such famous producers like Dr. Dre and Scot Storch, Nas mostly prefers to rap over rather simple beats, laying more emphasis on the lyrics rather than on almighty studio sonic effects which have recently become a necessary part of modern rap albums. One of those rare songs that use wide studio possibilities here is Hip Hop Is Dead produced by Will.Am.I from Black Eyed Peas. However all the sampled sounds and fuzz guitar arrangement serve only as background for Nas who gave all he had for this track showing everyone where the very grain of Hip Hop music lie. Following the old tradition Nas doesn't rap all alone. Jay-Z appears to support him on Kanye West produced track Black Republican. This one became probably the most sincere song of the album where both rappers lament about the current affairs in the rap industry against the main musical theme from God Father II. The Game joins Nas on Hustlers and one can even here Snoop Dogg's cameo on Play On Playa. Nas finishes Hip Hop Is Dead with Hope, which is a composition that cannot be called a song in a traditional sense as Nas performs it alone almost without a support of any arrangements.

Hip Hop Is Dead is a true Hip Hop album

Hip Hop Is Dead is a pretty controversial record. Nas feels that the whole subculture starts contradicting to itself and fall into pieces and he just can't stay silent about it. He doesn't adhere to some concrete position, he loves Hip Hop, he knows what it is and the way it should be done and so he speaks out everything accumulated in his soul. His discourse about Hip Hop music sticks to very diverse points. He refuses to believe in its demise on You Can't Kill Me, where he raps not only for himself but for the whole subculture. He tries to re comprehend his role in the industry on Black Republican. On Where Are They Now he recollects the names of former, not so popular rappers who's influence has made Hip Hop something that it represents nowadays and blames newcomers in disrespect to their roots. He promises to stay devoted to the rap culture on Carry On Tradition and says that it is gone on Hip Hop Is Dead. But for the first place this contradictions speak not about Nas's uncertainty in his opinion but about real problems of the modern Hip Hop scene that have nothing in common with talent of Nas. Hip Hop Is Dead became a new milestone in his entire career which is no less important than his over popular album Illmatic; a record that will make many rap fans think.