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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Nas

  • At The Wrecka’ Sto’: 11/6/07 Edition

    Novembers usually bring what the recording industry likes to call “Super Tuesdays”, when tons of “A”-list acts compete against one another for chart supremacy. With the industry in the state it’s in, the star quality of this November’s releases is slightly dimmer than usual, especially later in the month. But that’s not to say there’s not a couple of releases that have the capability of doing boffo business. To wit:

    It wouldn’t be the end of the year without a Jay-Z album, and 2007 is no different, but this one’s a doozy. His American Gangster is based on the movie of the same name, and comes with tons of pre-release hype calling it Jay’s best album in quite some time. This should be the album that reconnects him with his “street” audience, considering the glossy, mature “Kingdom Come” went over a lot of folks’ heads. For those who can’t get enough “Gangster”, the film’s official soundtrack comes out today, merging Seventies classics with new songs by the pristine-voiced soul singer Anthony Hamilton (whose new album comes out in February…I can’t wait).

    http://www.jayzonline.com

    In today’s game of Six Degrees of Separation from Jay-Z, there’s also a greatest hits album from former nemesis Nas. This album rounds up the biggest hits from his Columbia years, along with a new song called “Surviving The Time”. Considering this, is it really going to make sense to release a new album from Nas just a month from now?

    There are two albums that might challenge Jay’s cruise to the #1 spot next week. If you have a daughter under the age of 19, you probably know who Chris Brown is, although you’ve probably not heard his name unaccompanied by an “OMIGOD!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”. Filling in nicely for Usher during Ush’s prolonged absence, Brown is the latest of teen dreams. His sophomore release Exclusive, already contains two huge hits: “Wall To Wall” and “Kiss Kiss”, which is currently the #1 single in the country.

    http://www.chrisbrownworld.com

    Speaking of country, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you about a release from a little guy named Garth Brooks. After 1999’s Chris Gaines fiasco, Brooks has been remarkably quiet, but the heat is being turned up. Not only was he recently awarded as the biggest selling American solo artist in HISTORY (sorry Elvis and Michael), but his new single “More Than A Memory” became the first to enter the U.S. Country charts at Number One. The Ultimate Hits is a 2-CD/1-DVD Hits compilation released and distributed by Garth himself (like he needs more money) and contains 4 new songs.

    http://www.garthbrooks.com

    And that’s not all, folks! There’s a new album from Blink-182 side project Angels & Airwaves, the comeback album from rapper Cassidy (following an overturned murder conviction and a near-fatal car accident) and, for those who are reissue crazy, a plethora of live albums (Jimmy Buffett, Bright Eyes, Barenaked Ladies, Five For Fighting…who the hell wants to see THEM live??), hits compilations (the 675th greatest hits album from Aerosmith, plus new comps from Van Morrison and Teddy Pendergrass), and…Christmas albums (from The Captain & Tennille and Rick Springfield!)

    Get a complete list of this week’s new releases here: http://www.pauseandplay.com/cdfront.htm

    Happy shopping!!

  • N****, Please!!!!

    So, Nas has incurred the wrath of Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and…uh, no one else, honestly, by proposing to name the title of his new album “N****r” (for those who are blissfully unaware, it’s the infamous “N-word”). Now, it’s not like I don’t have a problem with it (because I am apparently one of the few young black men who is bothered by the prevalence and overall acceptance of a word whose usage could once be compared to getting spit in the face), but what bothers me more than the proposed album title are the people who act like this is some sort of revolutionary, artistic act and NOT a publicity stunt:
    First of all, Nas is far from the first album to use the “N” word in it’s title. Old Dirty Bastard’s last studio album was called “N*gga Please”, and damn near every Richard Pryor album in the Seventies used the “N” word in it’s title. If we go back and watch Sanford & Son and Jeffersons reruns, the word is used with some regularity, and I don’t think the attention was paid as much then (back when the word was much more of a fireball) than it is now. Considering all these albums sold relatively well, I can’t imagine that this would even become a censorship issue. No one is going to refuse to stock Nas because of his album’s title.
    Which brings me to my second point, it’s just an album title. No one decides whether to buy or not buy an album strictly based on it’s title. What will ultimately decide the album’s fate is the music included within. Nas bounced back last year with the excellent “Hip-Hop Is Dead”, it would be a shame to see him succumb to a silly gimmick when he is undergoing a creative renaissance.
    Check out Nas’s official website at Def Jam here (although it doesn’t look like it’s been updated in a minute)