NAS on CNN- Open letter to warriors, Death of chicago honor student (Derrion Albert)

[SenszR]

KMT.

[shyadeny]

Even if it could affect them, just look around to see what the media has put our kids into before attacking the whole genre of rap. All that garbage you guys put on tv, magazines and the internet, the best you could blame is rap music? How is this any different than the old "Kids should stop playing video games because they're violent and its addictive nature will make the kids violent" crap? Stop insulting our intelligence and maybe plan a more reasonable, polite interview next time.

[SenszR]

@shyadeny Exactly.

[shyadeny]

other songs by Nas. They all reflect what Nas thinks and is talking about on that interview. The man had been backing up his opinion throughout his career in his own songs and they're doing this. Not only is this rude but it's a joke. Let's not kid ourselves, it's the 21st century. People aren't so stupid anymore. Just because kids listened to some so called "violent rap music," it doesn't actually dumb them down to commit those violent acts portrayed in the songs.

[shyadeny]

so I don't understand the attitude CNN has in this interview towards Nas. Throughout the whole interview Nas is pretty much being attacked, almost blamed for this incident because he wrote some "violent rap music." Who are we kidding here? Nas is the one and ONLY rapper out there, a public figure, making a statement on this incident and how kids should change their behavior and the way they set goals in life, and they're insulting him for writing rap music? I wonder if they even heard of any

[ChrisxXxNB]

they talk bout a song like shoot em up but not a song like rule smfh its like when they talk bout tupac and mention hit em up but not better dayz or thugz mansion again smfh

[TheEmeraldWraith]

Nas may do real talk, but the majority of you kids on the street just do not listen. I think that is why Nas kinda fell off, he is disappointed with the outcome of his personal journey. Street kids feel the need to prove themselves to street trash? More of you really need to ask yourself that question.

[LyricalKnight1]

You should've had all those war profiteers up there and interrogated them.

[dsi4life]

Nas u had that nigga scared as fuck. just look at tht mane composure.

[bigredog100]

haha this news reporter actin like he can't slang

[nomibe2911]

I think Don Lemon focused too much on Nas's lyrics than on the letter he wrote.

[newworldmind]

@nomibe2911 true, but he was just doing what he's assigned to...its provacative but its misrepresentative

[nomibe2911]

@KryptonDaVillain Rakim doesn't mess with this clown and that's why he made two songs with him. You are the clown.

[KryptonDaVillain]

Nas = Hip Hop's biggest fraud.

No wonder Rakim doesn't mess with this clown.

[vanducha100]

And what influences the rasism in America???

[ScotchW10]

Respect to Nas, BUT to say that violent lyrics like that don't influence at all is wrong. It COULD influence someone with a mental illness like schizophrenia. Yeah 99.9% won't be influenced, but 0.1% will. And we've seen stories in the papers about crazy people shooting up schools cus of what they see and hear on the radio.

[SilentBombr]

Nas' music covers all parts of life negative to positive!!!!

We all want to listen to a violent gangster song whilewe kick it on GTA, we don't go out and actually fucking shoot someone lol

[turtleboat]

To the dude called jessesam, cant reply directly cuz im looking at this through the phone, but just shut up man. What are you doing here ranting and raving about nas? If you dont feel what he's saying to each his own, but when i scroll down all i see is your continuous bitchings. Get off the internet dude you're embarrasing yourself.

[patsap84]

media is more influential for violence. im white and i say fuck white people cuz their the evils of the world. majority of whites always criticize other race and point the finger at other race. everything would always go back on whites takin over, along wit ur freedom. people just need to STOP judging people "team work makes the dream work" remember that

[BeatsOutDBricks]

For real tho,, rap ain't the biggest thing that influences violence, so you think rap influenced Adolf Hitler to kill all those ppl?

[csm07cb]

could you imagine wayne sitting down on a show trying to talk about real world issues HAHAHAHA

[misterrobocop]

First of Nas did very well against the media which is obviously trying to link rap and this crime. Nas grew up in a poverty stricken part of new york and made music to reflect the life he say day to day. For the person who thinks he is in a gang got that information from their head which says alot about what is in there. It hard to help people who are already convinced something is the truth just listen to the interview and then see the headlines cnn puts on the bottom of the screen.

[parkkbaby62]

the media go bring up a song from 1999 he was a young nigga rapping bout some gangsta shit he older and wiser now, why they aint talkin bout something new he made uplifting our people

[rowchdi]

@parkkbaby62

Did you see how they quickly put it on TV "Nas: won't make my music more positive" They got the point that he meant he is just making music about reality, positive or negative and he is gonna keep it real, but these stupid mind controllers in the media like to grab the goat from his tail.

I hate CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC... and the list goes on. They twist people's minds.

[FideTheProducer]

Nas handled this interview very well, but you simply cannot say that the music does not influence the masses.

[jessesam]

nas is a idiot

[money13579]

@jessesam How?lol

[jessesam]

@money13579

@money13579 imma copy and paste a paragraph from michael jai white wiki page cause its how i feel about rap music in a way

White is a former teacher.[6] He cites his history in education as the reason why, despite his personal love for the music genre on "a lot of levels", he cannot "in good [conscience]" have a positive opinion on hip hop or "excuse some of [its] pervasive and destructive elements",

[jessesam]

due to his experience with youngsters who had difficulty seeing the difference between it and real life.

now nas saying its bs how a rap song can influnce someone to be volient because volince has always been here is bs... volince will always be here with that attuide. people hiding from responsiblity. he also says that its outrageous a rap song can influnce someone in this day of age to be volient thats also bullshit cause thats all some of these young teens...12 to 16 listen to.

[jessesam]

to. they dont watch cnn or pay attention to in school they pay attention to music c ause it has nice beats and catchy hooks n nice girls in the videos and nice cars. come on nas smarten up.

people lie to themselfs all the times. and the reality that nas's music is more neg then postivie will totaly make this guy into a hypocrite and liar.... so what does he do? as in most humans...they lie to themselfs... nas is lying to himself.

[jessesam]

i used to like nas growing up. and his first album was cool. but hes been rapping a lot of bullshit. for some reason people have labled him some sort of genius cause he found some words in the dictionary that other rappers dont use and he believes that shit too. this guy thinks hes a genius. at least charles barkley kept it real..he said im not a role model...suck a dick nas

[money13579]

@jessesam I thought his responsibilty was making music. I thought the responsibilty of a parent is to monitar there kids, teach them whats right and wrong, so they grow up to be good men and women. It is like people don't think teens know this stuff is bad, well they do, they know whats against the law and morally wrong. You can't always blame someone, but thats just me.

[jessesam]

@money13579 how many teens have both parents from lets say where nas grew up..??? nas making music is his responsibility to who? now if dude just made music and didnt say nothing fine...but hes making these bs songs that have negitvie effect on kids and at the same time hes trying to kick knowledge in his interviews that his some kinda hero...fuvk out of here with that. and hes going to hide behind oohhh im just rapping about what i see..okay that explains illmatic.

[jessesam]

@jessesam hes 40 years old and hes still around gangs? thats sad.

[money13579]

@jessesam True true, i can't argue that.

[bandicoot2ps1]

@jessesam I agree,but you can't do what's not outside your door.I see flashes of join the army and navy and marines all the time,doesn't make me want to do anything.I hear on the news of troops dying and explosions and bombs all the time,do I do it,no,can I do it,again no.Why not,because none of it is outside my door.You know what is,guns,crack,fiends and police.I live in Newark and I can't do what my community does not provide unless I go to it,just saying.

[Bo12is]

the host of this show is illiterate

[29larron]

@don222able,i thought i was the only 1 that seen that shit

[29larron]

@don222able,u saw that coonery too fam!?Cam really dropped the ball on that 1,i thought I was the only 1 smfh!

[KoolGNasBlackThought]

Fuck these bitch nigga interviewers

[Curicua]

and to make it matters worst they have a black guy putting Nas on blast..

[xMPCxx]

@Curicua he just another field negro. 

[MrCommenterguy]

Perfect clip of how the news are biased pricks, of everything Nas said they quoted 4:56 'I'm not going to change my musicto make it more positive'. Honestly, if I was Nas, I woulda slapped the brother for being a kaniving backstabber.

[TheMustang9000]

Lol Its because of pricks like farrakhan nas and malcolm x and all these rappers kids like derrion albert are killed for "acting white" whatever the fuck that means

[superugly75]

Nas is gansta-leanin on that fool....lol

[superugly75]

Nas is gansta-leanin on that fool....lol

[420conejo420]

niggas high as fuck

[colacoco1]

He was talking to NAS like he was dumb or something.....so sad tho they need to step up for they city dont talk about whats brewing make something happen time is of the essence and another kid gone loose they life to some bull

[BxLxUxExxAxNxGxExL5]

This mothafucker is lucky Nas is pretty civilized and has a pretty good head on his shoulders that he didn't slap this dickhead anchorman -.- .....he just came off as talking down to Nas >.>

[509ECS]

Damn nas fucking blew my mind when he said "A rap in the 21st century influencing violence is a joke" Damn! Word up!

[TEACHYOUTEEWHY]

Rap doesn't have to be about VIOLENCE all the time. The more Rap becomes to be more about Violence, the more these kids will use that to their mentality, then who's going to take responsibility of being the influence for them to have that mentality?! Think about it you guys if you disagree with me.

[mrpapafunky7879]

@TEACHYOUTEEWHY its not about violence all the time what r u talking about?

[TEACHYOUTEEWHY]

@mrpapafunky7879 I didn't say it was ALL THE TIME!! I say the more it becomes violent.

[deadlyedley]

@TEACHYOUTEEWHY ummm where are the parents? a rap song raising your child? what about violent movies? what about wars countries start? all starts at home, what kind of household and values are taught, people blame rap because a bunch of brothers are doing it, just like they hated on the jazz, bebop and blues when it was introduced back then, we need teach our kids to use common sense and take pride in themselves

[deadlyedley]

@TEACHYOUTEEWHY ummm where are the parents? a rap song raising your child? what about violent movies? what about wars countries start? all starts at home, what kind of household and values are taught, people blame rap because a bunch of brothers are doing it, just like they hated on the jazz, bebop and blues when it was introduced back then, until it started becoming a money machine, art imitates life, shit is reality rap, change how we live and the music will change, ya dig

[deadlyedley]

@TEACHYOUTEEWHY ummm where are the parents? a rap song raising your child? what about violent movies? what about wars countries start? all starts at home, what kind of household and values are taught, people blame rap because a bunch of brothers are doing it, just like they hated on the jazz, bebop and blues when it was introduced back then, until it started becoming a money machine, art imitates life, shit is reality rap, change how we live and the music will change, ya dig

[TEACHYOUTEEWHY]

@deadlyedley That's not what I'm implying. All I'm saying is "Rap doesn't have to be about Violence all the time". That's all I'm saying. A Rapper can get respect by talking about himself more than talking about VIOLENCE all the time just to only sell records. Real chat.

[milesdevlon]

If more kids listened 2 Nas they would be virtual geniuses, Nas is a real Nigga, that's why he don't get the love owed 2 him, niggas rather listen 2 fake ass niggas like Lil' Wayne.

[londontopboy]

I ain't watching this and fuck that cnn reporter try'na make Nas look bad fuck cnn

[1skeeta4u]

As you grow and your lyrics grow ( Which means, you need to read more and expand your vocabulary) so will your fans... Nas is commercial!!!

[TSGS21]

If raps ends today or rap has never been here at all, violence will still be here.

[don222able]

Compare the clearly intelligent and thoughtful Nas to a dimwitt like Camron on Bill O'relliy. And the moderating nigga remids me of Tom on the boondocks

[jroccc823]

ITS FUCKED UP HOW THE MEDIA MAKE BLACK PEOPLE LOOK A SERTENT WAY.NAS IS A GREAT PERSON BUT THEY ALWAYS SHOW THE BAD AND NEVER THE GOOD

[AC1717171717]

Violence is what the world leaders feed the..... So this is to scare the white moms who run this country and its culture under the power of image NAS should not even have spoken on this joke of an issue! The .... love pain and suffering his boss knows about these spirits they worship! NAS should had laughed and made him answer his own Questions! (Not the country in the scence of true power but the media tool) We all know who runs this country and world! Scare a white lady it becomes LAW!

[AC1717171717]

Violence is what the world leaders feed the..... So this is to scare the white moms who run this country and its culture under the power of image NAS should not even have spoken on this joke of an issue! The .... love pain and suffering his boss knows about these spirits they worship! NAS should had laughed and made him answer his own Questions!

[MrMobinga]

stupid bitch asss CNN!!

[joeybanks18]

LOVE You Wont See Me Tonight.....but that's only cos my baby Aaliyah was in it, lol.

[blackien5]

Nas is a rare kind of rapper in that he's 1 of the only few who actually cares about others & does whatever he can to help others & does his best to be positive & do positive. You don't really see many other rappers do that much, particularly other black rappers. He's 1 of the few that will devote his time to do things for people.

[jessesam]

@blackien5 bullsshit. nas is a fraud 

[blackien5]

@jessesam A fraud how?

[roostersmillions]

Rap is an expression and an art form. The only problem with it is the way that rich white kids took the "gangsta rap" mentality and started to sell drugs and rob people while living with their parents in a mansion. That's what I grew up with. Kids with more money than my family running around acting like thugs. That's not raps fault, and you can't ever blame rap for that. But that is the downside of it, and always will be.

[westwest213LA]

@roostersmillions You do know it was rich people who brought drugs into the country and still do to this day right? Long before hip hop was even taken serious? Rappers want to be something they will never be, powerful. I'm not talking about Jay Z rich, he's only an influence in hip hop and hip hop only. I'm talking about powerful enough to change politics and buy out the government from time to time. Like powerful drug lords. Long before the gangsta rap.

[HybridD91]

@roostersmillions The down side are the idiot rappers who promote it, the problem existed before rap but rap became the first genre of music to glorify the problems.

[chargerz818]

Nas Goat

[sophisticatedplayboy]

nice try but nas aint dumb

an no nas music doesnt influence

negativly

dont try that shit man

[dirtyplaya]

i think music influences the weak minded...artist dont tell u directly to go an kill people u take it how u want it...an these young dumass kids today listenin to waka flacka, gucci mane an wat not take in dat influence an turn into sumtin horrible...which is violence smh

[iloveABP]

"Positive music" simply does not sell... A rappers number one goal is to "sell" (or any artist for that matter)... And we all know what sells right?

[message2blackwomen]

@iloveABP positive music does sell!! Check MJB / NAS/ Immortal tech/. What sells is what plays and if its not played and heard it will have lower sales.

Frome this interview you obviously can see that one of the most violent songs Nas did was on one of his LOWEST selling albums. The media (controlled by the devils) wants to have black communities full of fighting and anger.

[westwest213LA]

@message2blackwomen Positive music sells? LOL, music is one the worst outlets for positive influences because it's useless and plays out, no matter how much you like it you will change the song from time to time, books are far better.

[message2blackwomen]

@westwest213LA I disagree with you for saying music is "useless" just like pictures are a snapshot of visual history. Music, books could be biewed as snapshots of historical thoughts and social moods. The popular books and music tells the ideas and thoughts and even styles people identified with at that time period. I love books also & I don't think its effective to think of them in terms of competition with music because they relay information in different manners

[HybridD91]

@message2blackwomen I think you missed his/her point. He/she was saying using music as a positive outlet is useless. It doesn't change anything. Books have done far more for changing society than music ever has. People want to be entertained when listen to music, not get 'knowledge' (those who do are usually misled and become pseudointellects). Half of the time, mosts artists don't know what the hell they're talking about. It takes more research to write a book than write a song.

[message2blackwomen]

@HybridD91 This is one of those opinon differences that one is neither right nor wrong. It almost is a useless debate you just think differently I respect that. I think music has more of an influence because you don't have to learn to do it in order to appreciate it

[Trillmatic239]

Shyne said it best: "Hip Hop isn't responsible for violence in America, America's responsible for violence in America."

People need to stop using rap music as an excuse for their actions. If someone wants to steal/murder, they're gonna do it regardless of what Nas tells them.

[duodu2000]

@Trillmatic239 true words!

[Kuriousgorge87]

@Trillmatic239 Yeah i agree with you, but i bet some can argue that "some" types of rap music can promote the mentality to do wrong, not sayin rap music is the reason for all these crimes but it gives young listeners or just dumb asses the wrong idea. I love hip hop but all this gangster rap shit needs to go....Gangster rap died when Tupac died....

[RapperMaximum]

Why would Nas wear that? lmao.

[jakek16]

The banner at the bottom of the screen "Nas won't change his music to make it more positive." This is a classic case of spin in the media creating a story where there originally was none. Nas is one of the most influential artists of our time. His past three albums have been instances of uplifting his race ie Distant Relatives with Damien Marley. Grow up CNN.

[TEEYEASCHOOLS]

It really does Nas. Rap Lyrics with Violence made the Neighborhoods worst than the decade you was born in.

[SemiMusicGuru]

Man I didn't know Big Bro had haters. Music of any kind influences violence is just retarded bout as retarded as Bevis and Butthead making kids burn the house down, Eminem causing kids to do drugs kill their girl or commit suicide. Hell next thing you know pedafiles will be blaming Michael Jackson. Heavy Metal will make some crazy white kid shoot up a school right?

[yungdrastic]

Is it me, or there were a lot of little subtle hints or clues that but Nas in a bad light? I mean the questions gave a very limited responses.

[alyahenai]

@Rozyonnie ok i understand that but to know that positivity EXIST, Nas knows it exist, and refuse to make it his music to put stop to all this non-sense, he's only a contributor to the problem. Nas has an influence on people, including children lives which cannot be overstated. All i ask is why cant he be accountable for his rhymes. Gemstones one of few artists actually realize he was a role model and made a positive change to his music, why can't nas do the same?

[stopwhining1]

@alyahenai Have you not listened to his Untitled album or Distant Relatives? WTF are you talking about?

[Joesexy424]

why are upper class and middle class people convinced rappers have an obligation to put forth positive music, and not speak about what goes on in the ghettos?

[byanycost2]

@Joesexy424 Because rappers glorify it. Rapping about violence isn't the same as bragging about it. Every negative sterotype about blacks you can find it rap music.

[Joesexy424]

@byanycost2 true, but on another side, record labels to but immense pressure on rappers to glorify that, think there a couple documentarys on youtube about that

[byanycost2]

@Joesexy424 Yeah. Hip-hop was fine until it became more about the money than the message. Record labels really won't even look at a rapper now unless they can sell albums and violence and sex seems to sell.

[doublenum]

nas did bring up a good point. The song shoot em up btw is really more about the ridiculousness of what they do to "Prove" themselves to be the hardest niggas out ther. Fucking Cnn just sees violence and immediatly points to rap, video games and other BS.

Rap encouraged me to be less violent in a sense, and pointed out the past experiences of others and made me learn from ther mistakes

[alyahenai]

Nas said he not going to make positive music because its not real?? Music doesn't influence children?? is this dude paid off to say that! I mean Nas has his head in the and for real, I thought he was real but obvious not! You are responsible and to condone his actions is straight hypocrisy! smh!

[chychy1]

fuck the media nas was just describing a shoot out not promoting it god dam at the ignorance

[Jamez8888]

nas was susposed to get on cnn and talk about his letter and how bad the situation is , i mean damn this was a perfect time for rappers to draw the line and yet cnn switch the shit to make it seem like rappers are responsible. and then the nerve to have a black dude do the interview , fuck man! I hate this shit. Every black person knows right from wrong , thats like common sense.

[DillaWorld]

I loled at the him trying to read the letter.

[FEELGOOD34x]

NAS THE BEST RAPPER EVER, RAPPER NEED TO CHANGE WE TALK ABOUT CARS, BIKE, CALL ARE WOMEN ABC, MONEY, AND KILLING, DRUGS, WHAT'S NEXT WE NEED A CHANGE HIP-HOP DOWN SOUTH WHAT IN HELL YA'LL TALKING ABOUT, PLEASE STOP KILLING PEOPLE IT'S OLD AND PLAY OUT I'TS 2010 WAKE-UP RAPPER TALK ABOUT SOME TING. NAS KEEP IT REAL WE NEED YOU 1

[robmania11]

@mcdodirty2817 yeah man exaclty nas has been spitting for a while why dont they put this on others rappers who are putting out violence like that dumbass lil wayne now im not saying blame it on him but dont look at one individual but everything and they shouldnt just blame it on hip hop either

[StillTippin66]

For real shit pick a song that points out the positive. I Can is a perfect example; dissect Lil Wayne, a fucking joke of a lyricist.

[Inev8able]

bet u they will never have nas and or Jr gong on talking about distant relatives.

[bigsexyblondiedreads]

wow nas youre really in denial but hey who really cares right? yeah youve done some positive things but at the same time the seeds are already planted because all these kids look up to and wanna be just like what they see and hear

[Ostee1]

CNN - corporations puppet that suck money out of pple by pretending to bring the "news" or a very distorted superficial version of the news... then pointing fingers at artists like they often do... even though i thought don lemon was fair here...

[Finallythankyou]

Nas is a gangsters dick rider(Like most rappers) You can write about what you see then say that needs to end, but nooooo. Nas sees a gangster his little dick hardens (just a little) and he does nothing. I tell gangsters all the time... What your doing is worthless. They don't disagree. They just listen. Then they change for a few weeks.... I'm the shit so they listen at least for a while. Nas is bigger than me... Fuck Nas and all those other rappers who just don't really give a fuck...

[SilentBombr]

Just because Nas writes songs about violence and drugs... that is just a part of real life. He also writes about many positive things such as struggle and self-development.

You can't shade out the bad colours in life, you have to accept the 'bad' things along with the good things. Nas is good because he can do gangsta rap and he can do really deep hip hop as well, it all has an influence... how you choose to be influenced by something is your own choice.

[bestkeptsecretout]

A Video That Pleads With Our Youth To Stop The Violence!

Song No Brother's Blood Written By Tina Marie Clark Sung By the Late Bob Marley's Late Mother Cedella Marley R.I.P. To Get Your Own Copy Of This Song Go To i-tunes Under Songs Of Hope And Remembrance You'll Find Also Tributes To, Haiti, Darfur, Bob Marley, Those Who Are Grieving

my space tina maries original songs A Tribute To Derrion Albert Has Been Included In My Video No Brother's Blood

[Myimani]

Nas and his sexy raspy voice. I love him

[jesseclifton]

i hate how they make Nas to seem like he's one of the bad artist in hip hop...THEY NEVER GLORIFY HIS REAL SHIT...THEY NEVER QUOTED "I KNOW I CAN"...

[illexpreshun]

Growing up in Chicago and Nas being my favorite emcee, this meant a lot. Illmatic was the first cd I bought when I was 10 in '94. Derrion's death hit Chicago like a bomb. It was so savage and a raw testament to street life. I know first hand that Chicago is one of the roughest cities in the world. I'm grateful Nas acknowledged this incident when none of our own emcees did. Its rough all everywhere, stop chasing the cool and the need to hard. There's no finish line at the end of that race.

[Coilizebronze]

Nas is and will always be a cool dude

[ghettobirder]

Very smart dude. Respect to Nas.

[deadarm66]

Nasir should have lit into him the very moment that he asked the question the very first time. But, Nas was indeed a gentleman an did not allow himself to be baited. That Journalist needs to be check'd.

[gdep1]

nas is a true o.g.

[pong224]

This man speaks the truth man.

[S3cretSquirrel]

i agree instead of playing "shoot em up" why cant they sample "i can"... regardless nas is speakin the truth here he is a real deep individual... thank you mrLupend

p.s... Lupe is comin to take the game in 2010!!!!!!

[Jerryrig8]

Nas is a real American .

The Law of the Land ...... thats fucking right.

Rights are purchased on the battlefield.

Art portraying life not someones morality who has the luxury of not dealing with real life.

[kaveh1981]

they play a part of shootem up, which was like a story fiction. What about songs Like " I CAN"? The media is bullshit.

[RealDefentertainment]

Does this dude think Bryant gumbel is Malcom X?

[wiiboy555]

@RealDefentertainment

lmfao

damn i miss Chappelle SHow

[wiiboy555]

@wiiboy555

Show*

[pbra7178]

like nas said you cant blame hip hop or expect rappers to change their music.....when rappers do change their music it doesnt get played....and lastly people always blame rap its not music its the crack and drugs and the love of money....if rap wasnt around people still would be selling drugs because even if you are small time you can make 500 dollars a day or get a job where you may make 600 dollars every 2 weeks. Its simple math.

[letherden]

thats truth + nas was always spitting consciousness. whats there to change? the cnn insinuations r only to pull wool over the eyes of those who don't know hiphop. evryone who knows nas and knows hiphop knows its revolutionary knows its conscious. even and also the songs about violence. this is what hiphops about this what nas always about!!! thats why they try to discredit him

[lewchootrain]

wow, lemme show you songs that are the exact opposite of what you're sayin. I agree that mainstream hip-hop does, but not all hip-hop, and that's where everything gets fuzzy, that's where stereotypes and bias towards rap/hip-hop comes in.

Jadakiss- Why

Bronze Nazareth- Good Morning (A nice hell)

Wu-tang clan- A Better Tomorrow

Edo G.- Be a father

I can tell you're not a hip-hop fan, maybe these songs will get you interested. Also, I couldn't post links but hopefully u'll search these.

[ghettobirder]

mainstream rap*

[maverick2215]

u got some good taste in music

[lewchootrain]

Thanks if you want some more hit me up

[hagnuj]

3:30-3-56

[lewchootrain]

I believe that everyone has a hustle, whether its a minimum wage job, a middle class job, an upper class job. We all need money. It's not like these kids selling are like "yeah Nas is hard, I'm like that." It might be too late to save those kids and change their mentality. It's the kids who haven't entered that world that we need to worry about b/c all they know is the hip hop culture of drugs and guns before they experience the real thing.

[lewchootrain]

I never said I wanted communism. I'm just saying, why do CEOs cheat the system by stealing funds or insider trading? I think that goes to show that even if you're at the top making $, it never seems like enough, and that's the overall culture we live in, not just "their" culture.

[lewchootrain]

it is a crime, but honestly, selling drugs to ANY PEOPLE, B/C WE'RE ALL AMERICANS, ALL HUMAN BEINGS IS A CRIME. I'm Chinese, whether I sell to a white guy or a Chinese guy, both ppl/their families will suffer from that, no matter what. Young black kids, the ones that work corners etc., don't give an F about the quote on quote "hip hop culture", they're busy trying to grind and get money. It's capitalism's fault, b/c if the cost of living wasn't so high u wouldn't see people doing that to get by.

[lewchootrain]

I don't think selling it to your own ppl is a crime, u'd be surprised the spread of races that buy drugs. Violence is part of their line of work, in America a lot of the time ppl would rather run the risk of selling drugs over a minimum wage job to progress in this life. I do believe that they blame white people too much, if you read the book "Losing the Race"- by McWhorter it explains a lot of that. Not to say that a white system hasn't created social stratification to begin with.

[danielharmonizer]

I have all of Nas's cds. I can't believe what he said! These guys have no brains, and obviously cannot put together cause and effect relationships. I get it...Nas is just a truth trooper who talks about killing in his songs to show that it happens realistically. Okay... Anyone that believes that either hasn't listened to his cds, or just can't think. Nas is a violence-monger, nothing less and nothing more.

[riptor3086]

Nas suck balls, fuking loser!

[fartman10284]

Lemon needs to learn how to read the teleprompter better, like his hero, Barrack Obama.

Liberal activists always point out violence in popular culture is the reason, from video games to music.

[KMFCM]

"We need to unite as human beings, not just the black/african people, but ALL people!!

that's not going to happen . . . .

[negativepimpin]

The nicest and truest thing he said (from 1:45 to 1:55) he just murdered that question since he finally said it just like that the question does hip hop increase violence is dead you cant even ask that question no more cuz his answer was as accurate as the answer 10 to the question wat is 5+5.there is no other answer.His tounge has always n will always reveal the truth.

[ivan14wreck]

If ever I had any respect for Don Lemon...it could've been lost after watching this. They picked the same song that Fox and O'Reilly showed when the whole Virginia Tech thing came up. CNN format going the exact same way against Rap/Hip-Hop? but Notice how real Nas was throughout the interview. Even mentioning the word "media" against them in their own place. Nas doesn't have to say much..his music catalog speaks for itself! Anybody who's heard a full Nas album knows. We know who the real is here

[afrikkaunite]

I concur Don Lemon is a classic Need-To-Grow. Not only did he (CNN) use the same lyrics from the same song as Foxnews they chose to go back 10 years to do so. Nas has had 6 albums since then. And Nas has worked harder than any other Emcee to balance his lyrics across the spectrum of hood life, politics, religion, sex, war and economics. Peace!

[raghavaj]

hey both foxnews and CNN are owned by the corporate world...they never say their own opinion on anything....its all what upper management tells them.

these news networks should not even invite nas for interviewing because nas will just verbally rape them.

[MrNemy86]

They would choose that song to play! why didnt they play one mic, black girl lost, the message, memory lane or nigger. Yes there is violence in hip hop but there is also violence in the bible yet cnn doesn't asscociate violence with religion. hmmm! Nas makes violent and conscious music like spielberg makes violent and conscious film but spielberg's films aren't assiocated with stupid acts of violence. So why should Nas?

[afrikkaunite]

Word!

[JW2K3]

@MrNemy86

thank u

[selectajudge]

co-sign below

[mcdodirty2817]

NAS should have punched that house nigger in his face, CNN YOU dirty muthafuckas, PICK A SONG HE DID IN 99, ITS 2009, WHAT ABOUT I KNOW I CAN OR< WERE NOT ALONE, HES THE only one who cares about the people, that letter might have help a million kids, wht the fuck is CNN doing for the YOUTH< NOTHING, I WONDER how much dirt cnn have under the rug. EVERY rapper has a song like that stupid, ITS whats going on in our neigborhoods that the goverment doesnt see, ITS a call for HELP

[Ostee1]

@mcdodirty2817 BIG UP! AGREE 100%. LET THEM KNOW...

[moneyman237952]

@mcdodirty2817 i disagree i don't think most of the these really care they are just rapping about violence because that's what sells. So are we just supposed to forget about some of the violent records he's made just because he's made a few good songs? He's just as guilty as the other rappers out there.

[abraham1934]

@moneyman237952 Most are rapping about what sells, but Nas has a history of positivety to his music. Even in his hey day gangsta days.

[cbz54th]

@moneyman237952 Nas aint nobody to blame neither is any other rapper. mofos are wild out here in Chicago, if anything its mayor Daleys bitch ass that aint doing anything for the city. ur throwing the blame towards the wrong ppl.

[HOAX900]

@mcdodirty2817 he does'nt want to stoop to his level have you ever thought of it that way

[Gokiza]

@mcdodirty2817

You imply Nas ain't a marinney ass house nigga. His lyrics speak for themselves you can't be mad at the commentator. It was his music, his words, now like all artists he reaps them when trying to be socially conscious.

"When I was 12 I went to Hell for snuffing Jesus... I'm waving automatic guns at nuns..."

I wonder who said that. Corny ass lame rappers. They Should have interviewed Talib...

[HybridD91]

@Gokiza So scary, snuffing Jesus lol.