Raekwon. Ghostface. Mos Def. Method Man. Redman. The Pharcyde. Rakim. De La Soul. Nas. A Tribe Called Quest. A bunch of younger cats who would probably start YouTube beefs with certain teenage rappers if Ice-T hadn't beaten them to it. Truly a line-up to cause spontaneous pants-moistening/maxed-out credit cards among certain message board habitués.

It was a weird (yet enjoyable) day. For one thing, very little has changed since David Toop wrote this in the second edition of Rap Attack back when we were all using BBSes and Usenet: "On stage, their music was a massive boom, Rakim's menacing voice devoured in the jaws of bass." (Which I always took to mean you can't always hear the words so good at hip-hop gigs.) For another, excepting regional and/or indie and/or under-35 show-openers like Wale and Immortal Technique and Dead Prez, none of these guys have released anything close to their freshest (or even most iconic) material this millennium.^* And no one quite seemed to know where they were, which made all-important shout-outs difficult. Raekwon, for instance, refused to acknowledge any city other than Baltimore. Nas, on the other hand, was so convinced we were in D.C. he might as well have had a go-go band or a phallic monument on stage. (For the record, Columbia is situated somewhere between Baltimore and Washington, in a place with some trees and a lot of mini-malls disguised as "shopping districts.")

Things got off to a slow (yet antsy) start. Self-aggrandizing Murs and Washington-area fave Wale had a few Red Bulls before figuring out what to do with the big ol' festival stage other than pogo. Conversely, and in addition to being hobbled with that name, rap nerd blog pick Jay Electronica had the heart-on-sleeve presence of the very earnest fellow who shows up at your kegger wanting to talk about how society's going to hell in a gas-guzzling handcart. Actual rabble-rousing was handled by Dead Prez and Immortal Technique, and the latter's OTT fuck-the-police silliness aimed at a bunch of P.G. County kids made Stic.man and M1 seem positively pop-friendly by comparison. Rakim was dressed like Batman^** to Soulja Boy's Robin during a perfunctory "I'm still here/new album coming soon" set. Perhaps that's why he was eager to keep things clean for the kids in the audience, leaving it to Redman and Method Man to compliment the Maryland/D.C. area on the quality of its genitalia. (Well, the female genitalia, anyway.) De La Soul is fat and cuddly and engaging as ever, and Nas stole a flagging show (thanks to Mos "look at me, I'm an artiste" Def) with a rousing rendition of his anti-Fox News diatribe "Sly Fox" (live it almost goes from admirably embarrassing to enjoyable) and a super-hammy "One Mic." He's matured into quite a charismatic performer, that Nasir.

I avoided the second stage—containing such blog-friendly acts as the Cool Kids and Ninjasonik—because I couldn't deal with seeing Afrika Bambaataa's face when he realized he'd been billed second to Spank Rock. Sorry. Speaking of Baltimore (which we kinda were?), Mos Def brought out club DJ Blaq Starr for a tune that is supposedly on Mos' new album? I couldn't hear what Mos was saying clearly because his new (?) "Cutty Ranks with styling by Ed Banger and your grandma's hope chest" routine had forced me to flee the stage area. And then, after 12 hours of enough "if you love real hip-hop say hell yeah" to turn the heartiest brains and strongest legs to humidity-addled mush, we waited for a half-hour in near total darkness for... a solo set by Q-Tip! At least he didn't sing? Much? For this I missed the Mad Men premiere? I needed to go put my feet in a mineral bath.

Nah, it was fun. If I sound cranky, it's because my out-of-shape self is still sore. You should go, especially if you can also scam your way in via "blog credentials." (Judging by the amount of cell phone cams in the photo pit, this shouldn't be too hard.) And if the "platform" hasn't rolled through yr burg already. And if you're crusty enough (like me) to mistake Hotstylz for the "Get Silly" dude in conversation while complaining about pubescent pop fans in a Walter Matthau voice that might not be a joke. (Sigh.) And thus ends Idolator's weekend of pretending-we-can-still-hack-outdoor-festivals, as I've gone on long enough considering I didn't even take notes because I needed my hands free to eat pigs-in-a-blanket in the hospitality shack. (Thereby pissing off Ghostface/the NOI. Though I suppose they coulda been teeny little all-beef wieners?)

Rock The Bells [Official Site]
[Photos by Frank Hamilton]

^* Except Ghostface. Maybe.
^**I realize that description doesn't make much sense since Batman and Robin's costumes don't look anything alike, but really I just felt like sharing that linked Batman pic.

The TV premiere of her concert film, which chronicles a show on the Best of Both Worlds Tour, is this Saturday. The movie was shot in 3-D, and the glasses needed to view Hannah/Miley in her illusory glory are exclusively available at Wal-Mart, where they're likely stocked somewhat near copies of her new album. Top that, Sugarland!

In other news, Nas' untitled album looks to make the now-standard second-week slide down the charts, while the improbable run of that ABBA covers album featuring Colin Firth continues. Speaking of improbable runs, thanks largely to people in my neighborhood, I believe, Kid Rock looks to grab a somewhat distant fourth place. Of course, as last week showed, these numbers can change rather quickly between now and the week's official close on Sunday, so place your chart-related wagers wisely.

The current projections:

1. Miley Cyrus (Hollywood) 360-380k
2. Sugarland (Mercury Nashville) 340-360k
3. Mamma Mia (Decca) 130-140k
4. Kid Rock (Atlantic) 85-90k
5. Coldplay (Capitol) 75-80k
6. Lil Wayne (Cash Money/Universal Motown) 75-80k
7. Nas (Def Jam/Columbia) 60-65k
8. Camp Rock (Walt Disney) 60-65k
9. Taylor Swift, Beautiful Eyes (Big Machine) 40-45k (Wal-Mart exclusive)
10. Now 28 (Capitol) 35-40k

Rumor Mill [HITS Daily Double]

Nah Right also has video of Bill O'Reilly responding to Nas. You can probably guess whose flow is better.

Video: Nas On The Colbert Report [Nah Right]

Biggest Debuts: Fresh off waking me up with his soundcheck, John Mellencamp enters the chart at No. 7, selling 56,000 copies of Life Death Love & Freedom; right behind him is David Banner, whose Greatest Story Ever Told moved 52,000 copies. Taylor Swift sold 45,000 copies of her Wal-Mart-exclusive Beautiful Eyes to enter at No. 9. O.A.R., Randy Travis, and the soundtrack to The Dark Knight also had top-20 debuts.

Notable Jumps: Bolstered by its attached film debuting in theaters last week and attracting a lot of people not interested in seeing the latest Batman installment, the soundtrack to the movie version of Mamma Mia! enjoyed an 89% jump, leaping to No. 3—ahead of Coldplay!—and selling 91,000 copies.

Dropping Off: Beck's Modern Guilt, last week's No. 4, was off 66% week-to-week and dropped to No. 18 (29,000).

Nickelback Award For Inexplicable Durability: There's nothing really inexplicable this week, although it should be noted that Kid Rock's boasting about sales got more ammo this week, as sales for Rock N Roll Jesus were up 20% week-to-week; of course, that gain wasn't enough to prevent the album from falling one spot to No. 6. (And really, the true durability test is going to come a year from now, when we see how many copies of this CD are in the used bins.)

The top 20 albums, with sales totals in parentheses (an asterisk indicates a debut):
1. Nas (187,000)^*
2. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (105,000)
3. Mamma Mia! soundtrack (91,000)
4. Coldplay, Viva La Vida (90,000)
5. Camp Rock soundtrack (78,000)
6. Kid Rock, Rock N Roll Jesus (73,000)
7. John Mellencamp, Life Death Love & Freedom (56,000)^*
8. David Banner, Greatest Story Ever Told (52,000)^*
9. Taylor Swift, Beautiful Eyes (45,000)^*
10. Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad (41,000)
11. Now 28 (40,000)
12. Taylor Swift (35,000)
13. O.A.R, All Sides (33,000)^*
14. Randy Travis, Around The Bend (31,000)^*
15. Katy Perry, One Of The Boys (31,000)
16. Beck, Modern Guilt (29,000)
17. Disturbed, Indestructible (29,000)
18. Journey, Revelation (28,000)
19. Usher, Here I Stand (26,000)
20. The Dark Knight soundtrack (25,000)^*

The top 10 digital albums, sales totals in parentheses (an asterisk indicates a debut):
1. Nas (28,000)^*
2. Coldplay, Viva La Vida (23,000)
3. O.A.R., All Sides (17,000)
4. Mamma Mia! soundtrack (17,000)
5. The Dark Knight soundtrack (12,000)^*
6. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Magic Tour Highlights (12,000)^*
7. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (8,500)
8. John Mellencamp, Life Death Love & Freedom (6,900)^*
9. Beck, Modern Guilt (6,700)
10. Camp Rock soundtrack (6,400)

• "Of course, Nas is too talented to come up entirely empty. Jay Electronica's plaintive piano on 'Queens Get the Money' meshes perfectly with Nas' imagistic stanzas, while 'Fried Chicken' finds Busta Rhymes and Nas wreaking havoc over a throwback '94 NYC track tailor-made for the duo. More often than not, though, Nas offers windy whines instead of innovative ideas. Sadly, the onetime kid out of Queensbridge has become a cantankerous crank. " [LAT]

• "Untitled features an invigorated Nasir Jones, and showcases one of hip-hop's greatest emcees as still one of the most prolific acts in the game today. Lyrically, Nas challenges himself to be better, taking on serious subject matter and taking the time to tackle it with dense, well thought-out raps that do the music justice. Aided by a production line-up that is highlighted by lesser-known beat-makers such as stic.man of Dead Prez, DJ Green Lantern, and Jay Electronica, Untitled is another great achievement to add to Nas' already stellar catalogue." [RealTalkNY]

• "Only someone as stubborn as Nas would have chosen the tremulous, distant-sounding piano loops of 'Queens Get the Money' to open his album. But then again, only someone as stubborn as Nas could find a way to deliver such a firm, arresting, if occasionally nonsensical verse atop it. Just two minutes long, it sounds almost accidental, and it is transfixing. Perhaps not surprisingly, the best song on this album is barely a song at all." [NYT]

• "On Hip Hop Is Dead, Nas made the mistake of presenting that topic as a loose theme over the album and expecting listeners to pick up subliminal messages. With Untitled, he's able to not only cohesively explain his stance on the word n****r, but detail its use throughout history on social, political, and judicial levels. And despite the dense subject matter, Nas' varied lyrical presentations keep the opus from ever becoming preachy or condescending. Notwithstanding minor missteps in sequencing and production, Untitled has delivered on its potential as a cogent, intellectually honest piece of art. And like its predecessor The N****r Tape, Nasir Jones has crafted not only a career highlight in his catalogue, but the most thought-provoking and challenging mainstream Hip-Hop album in a long time." [AllHipHop]

• "Neither preachy nor overly polemical, Nas uses his lyrical gifts to keep us guessing: One moment he's addressing rap fans who 'live way out in safe suburbia,' the next he and guest Busta Rhymes gleefully play with stereotypes on the funky 'Fried Chicken.' Over a soul sample, 'Testify' starts, 'I just burned my American flag'— yet before the Obama-sampling 'Black President,' Nas declares, 'I love America.' In a summer of 'Lollipop,' it's refreshing to hear a complicated record that doesn't shy from grown-up ambition." [EW]

Even a few years ago, it would have been hard to picture Nas signing an endorsement deal since part of his persona was of the idealist, offended by encroaching commercialism. But, hey, those days are behind us! Let's sell some velour tracksuits.

Rapper Nas has broken his tradition of sidestepping brand partnerships and inked a one-year partnership with athletic apparel company Fila, Billboard.biz can reveal.

Fila will offer reciprocal financial support for Nas' print and TV ad campaign as well as his upcoming tour in support of his untitled album, due July 15 via Def Jam. In return, the MC will wear Fila products and co-create an apparel line that draws from fashions of the late '80s.

Nas would like you to know his sudden change of heart isn't tacky, it's poignant.

"My best friend Will and I loved Fila," Nas tells Billboard.biz. "It represented prestige and everything that was cool to us. When Will passed, we buried him in a black Fila sweat suit, so doing a deal with them has a lot of significance for me."

Oh well, let's just remember better days.

Nas Breaks Tradition, Inks Deal With Fila [Billboard.biz]

While he didn't get to officially name his upcoming album N—-—, Nas is not abandoning the concept entirely. The video for "Be A N—-— Too" was premiered for an audience late last week, and it's said to be based on Spike Lee's 25th Hour and star John Cho (presumably as a "c—-k n—-a"), several vets of The Wire (it's now mandatory in rap videos), and performance artist Danny Hoch, who is probably so into this shit that it isn't even funny.

Nas Unveils Spike Lee-Inspired Video, Cover Of Controversial New Album [MTV]

A representative for Def Jam has confirmed to EW.com that hip-hop artist Nas has made an eleventh-hour decision to change the title of his new album from N—-— to simply Nas. The Queens rapper sparked a heated debate last fall when he announced the provocative title for his upcoming ninth record, but last October, Island Def Jam Music Group chair Antonio "L.A." Reid publicly denied widespread reports that label execs were uncomfortable with his decision. "We stand firmly behind and beside our artists with pride and with pleasure," Reid told MTV News at the time. "Anything Nas wants to do, I completely stand beside him."



But in an interview with MTV News last week, Nas suggested that he was facing renewed pressure: "Everybody is trying to stop the title.... Record stores are gonna have a problem in this day and time selling a record with that title. Who knows what's gonna turn out and be on that title? Who knows what that title will be?"

Nas changes controversial album title [EW]

A Tribe Called Quest
Nas
Mos Def
De La Soul
Rakim
Pharcyde
Santogold
Spank Rock
Kid Sister
Jay Electronica
Wale
Flosstradamus
The Cool Kids
Method Man & Redman
Raekwon & Ghostface (Cuban Linx)
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Murs
Kidz In the Hall

[Billboard]

I'm a n—-—, he's a n—-—, she's a n—-—, we's some n—-—, wouldn't you like to be a n—-— too?

To all my k—- n—-—s, s—- n—-—s, g—-— n—-—s, c—-- n—-—s, that's right, y'all my n—-—s too.

I'm a n—-—, he's a n—-—, she's a n—-—, we's some n—-—, wouldn't you like to be a n—-— too?

They like to strangle n—-—, blame a n—-—, shoot a n—-—-, hang a n—-—, still you wanna be a n—-— too?

True?

Inspired and liberated by his appropriation of the ethnic slur? Bored senseless? Unsure what all the words in the second line are? Hear for yourself.

EXCLUSIVE: Nas Drops Controversial Song "Be A Ni**er Too"; Calls Out All Races [AllHipHop]

"I'm a freelance writer. I was assigned to write previews of the Black Crowes and Nas albums. I did that. When the issue came out, the previews were laid out as reviews complete with star ratings. I never at any point or to anyone claimed to have heard these albums in their entirety. Whatever decisions Maxim made after I turned in my work were beyond my control."

While anyone who writes professionally knows how little control you can have over your own words once they're in the hands of an editor, the Times does note that the "previews" Peisner was purportedly contracted to pen were written in a voice that sounded kinda like opinion, opinion rendered by someone who had at least given the albums a desultory spin or two, rather than a guy issuing an "educated guess." But surely that confusion merely confirms the more jaded responses to this (sadly not much of a) "scandal," that the Black Crowes getting uppity over a middling review just (needlessly?) re-underlined how little difference there is between one brand of generic music mag blurb and another these days, that the blandishments and limp digs passed off as "criticism" are largely differentiated from "previews" by that blurb's location in the publication and whether or not it's got little stars or a number grade with or without a decimal point. As this story drags on, the Crowes are rejecting Peisner's attempts to disassociate himself with his employer's actions, and Maxim has yet to issue an official response to its writer's claims.

Exclusive Maxim Scandal Updates: David Peisner Speaks! [LA Times]

Maxim has since apologized for the premature review, but Nas doesn't care. "I'd prefer [a review from] Playboy," the rapper said. "That kind of stuff doesn't reach my radar or effect anybody around me. I don't know what a music rating from Maxim is . . . I don't know what it even means really."

So wait, he's not worried about a 75-ish word blurb-icle in a glossy spank rag deterring its flighty readership from picking up an album from an artist with a compact but committed fanbase, an album that will likely be reviewed in somewhat greater depth closer to its actual release date by publications with an actual connection to that artist's culture and at least the appearance of an interest in music that goes beyond back-of-book space-filler? But if that half-filled circle had been fully filled it might have easily sent two or three more people to iTunes to buy an unfinished album!

JumpingThe Gun [NY Post]

Though Nas seems confident that his controversial title will fly, Reid is not so sure. When asked if the new Nas album will be released with the n-word title, Reid replied with, "We'll have to see."

According to Reid, the album, which was originally slated for a December 2007 release will drop sometime this spring. "Hopefully we'll get it in April or May," he told SOHH exclusively. "Something like that, somewhere around there. It's getting there, we're getting close."

Who knows whether it's boardroom wrangling over the title, a late-breaking tracklist change, or the now all-too-familiar "we're gonna keep pushing this hotly anticipated album back for no obvious reason" major label marketing strategy that's actually delaying Nas' button-pushing opus, but Reid notes that anxious fans can still snag Island Def Jam's upcoming Lionel Richie album in the interim between now and the second quarter of '08 '09 TBA.

Nas ni99a [sic] Album Title In Jeopardy [SOHH]

That's the word on the blogs anyway. Who knew this would be the classiest Nas cover since Illmatic? It's certainly the classiest album cover to ever prominently feature a racial slur. Can't wait to see the in-store merchandising options.

Rumored Nas Nigger Album Cover [Def Sounds]

"I have a song called 'The Fear,' " he said. "The full title of the record is 'The Fear of the Black Man's D—-.' That's some sh— you can get comedy [from], or you can get some seriousness from it when you talk about the barbaric castrations that happened in our past — which is very serious, nothing to laugh at..."

Nas clarified that he will be combating a myriad of racial slurs, not just the one after which he named his album.

"It's about the attacks that have happened to blacks, whites, all ethnicities," he continued. " 'Mick' niggers, 'guinea' niggers, 'kike' niggers. I have a song called 'You a Nigger Too.' "
"It's all over the place," he added. "Balance is so important because there's a fun level to the [album] too. There's an attractive, sexy, aspect to it; a stylish aspect, a flashy aspect. It takes negatives and makes them good."

Nas, we love you. You know this. But you're this close to turning into someone happy to manufacture controversy for the sake of it, which means this album needs to be the best thing you've done in years if you don't want it to be remembered simply as the record that allowed bloggers everywhere to use the uncensored N-word in as many headlines as possible.

Nas Reveals Details About Controversial LP [MTV]

A recent report by state Sen. Antoine Thompson (D-Buffalo) revealed that the New York State Pension Fund has $2.8 billion invested in 16 major entertainment companies, including Time Warner and Disney. That number did not include the state's investment in Vivendi.

Universal did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for DiNapoli, who manages the pension fund, said that the comptroller "is concerned about this issue and is intending to contact the company and urge them not to release the album."

The "state's investment in Vivendi," which owns Universal, which owns Def Jam, which obviously owns Nas' ability to title his album a racial slur while under contract, is a comfortable $84 million.

Hey wait, didn't someone already try this pension fund boycott once before? Ah, it's nice to know that New York's political/moral watchdogs can now hold our major entertainment conglomerates hostage by raising the specter of the misappropriation of government funds. You'd think Def Jam was as bad as the that evil NEA. Maybe Nas should take photos of him sticking objets up someone's hinder or peeing on the baby Jesus next.

Hakeem Hits Nas For "N" Word [Brooklyn Paper]

The name of the LP has changed slightly, though. He's going all the way there: It's now called Nigger, and it is set to hit stores December 11.



"I don't know where that [report] came from and neither does Def Jam," Nas said early Thursday morning (October 18) in a Manhattan recording studio when asked about a Fox News article published earlier this week. The story quoted a "source close to" label head L.A. Reid, who scoffed at the thought of the company supporting an album with such a title, and also claimed the album was not on the label's release schedule. "None of us knows where that came from."

Nas later takes on Fox News, which has been really serious about cherry-picking his lyrics for the purposes of hanging him out to dry ever since that Virginia Tech debacle, later in the piece:

"I'm a street disciple," Nas responded, quoting one of his earlier album titles. "I'm talking to the streets. Stay out of our business. You ain't got no business worrying about what the word 'nigger' is or acting like you know what my album is about without talking to me. Whether you in the NAACP or you Jesse Jackson. I respect all of them ... I just want them to know: Never fall victim to Fox. Never fall victim to the sh— they do. What they do is try to hurry up and get you on the phone and try to get you to talk about something you might not know about yet.

"If Cornell West was making an album called Nigger, they would know he's got something intellectual to say," Nas continued. "To think I'm gonna say something that's not intellectual is calling me a nigger, and to be called a nigger by Jesse Jackson and the NAACP is counterproductive, counter-revolutionary."

Nas said he hasn't talked to anyone outside his camp about the title, so he was upset to see that people are up in arms without knowing the story behind him choosing the name.

As well he should be, although really, that's been the Fox News stock in trade lately forever. (And yes, I know I'm a blogger, pot/kettle and all, but come on.)

Nas Explains Controversial Album Title, Denies Reports Of Label Opposition [MTV.com]
Related: AP wins the "worst lede of the week" competition singlehandedly. Congratulations, guys!

"There is no album release by Nas on the release schedule at this point," a source close to Island Def Jam Music Group chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid told FOXNews.com.
"And they would be unlikely to release an album with that title. How would that look at Wal-Mart?"

Good to know Def Jam's adventurous spirit lives on, eh?

Record Label Denies Rap Star Nas' Claim of Forthcoming Album Called 'Nigga' [Fox News]

He's calling it Nigga.

I guess that's slightly less confrontational than the proposed first title for 2006's Hip-Hop Is Dead—which was set to be the full-on N-word until his label demurred—but if he does manage to get this past Def Jam, props are deserved for at least taking it all the way out there. Somewhere Bill O'Reilly just squirted with glee at the angry editorial possibilities.

Nas Reveals Controversial Title Of New LP At NYC Gig [MTV]

I don't downplay nothing, that's who I am. When he wants to come holla at me, be ready for Hannibal Lecter. He don't deserve an intelligent explanation. I'll bite his nose off! He wants to talk to me like a animal? I will be — but only to him. With everybody else I'll be a gentleman, including his wife. That's right — I'm crazy. That's how we should be to him. He isn't here to help us, and we don't need his help.

Nas also said that he would indeed go mano-a-mano on The O'Reilly Factor if asked, and while I know he was just exaggerating for effect, I really wouldn't mind seeing someone gnaw Bill O'Reilly's face off on national TV. If not Nas, perhaps an uncaged grizzly bear.

Nas Sounds Off On Bill O'Reilly (Again!) [MTV]

"He's a racist," Nas said. "Everybody has a marketing plan; his marketing plan is racism.

"He doesn't understand the younger generation. He deals with the past," Nas continued. "The people he represents are Republican, older, a generation that has nothing to do with the reality of what's happening now with my generation. ... He's not really on my radar. People like him are supposed to be taught and people like me are supposed to let n—-as like him know. I don't take him serious. His sh— is all about getting ratings or whatever. I wouldn't honor anything Bill O'Reilly has to say. It just shows you what bloodsuckers do: They abuse something like the Virginia Tech [tragedy] for show ratings. You can't talk to a person like that."

Sadly, I think Nas underestimates the number of people in "his" generation whose reality O'Reilly speaks to very directly. But the basic thrust of Bill being, you know, a manipulative, exploitative asshole who you should not bother arguing with? Word, word.

Nas Lashes Out At Bill O'Reilly [MTV]

Isaac Cockburn, vice president of student issues for Carleton University's Student's Association, says that when the students confirmed Nas as the headliner, they were told they could no longer hold the event. According to him, Peter Seguin, vice president of food and beverage for the venue, said that the Center has a policy banning hip-hop and rap acts altogether. "He in fact said that he'd had over 200 requests for hip hop shows that he's turned down over the past couple of years," Cockburn said. "He said that it was an increased security risk and that it was a vulnerability that the Congress Centre was not willing to take on."

Cockburn says another venue official told him that it was indeed because of Nas' lyrical content, while the official PR response from the venue is that it was never intended for concerts in the first place and those other two dudes never said those things Cockburn is claiming they said. It is a bit curious that the venue would book a concert, cancel it immediately upon learning the headliner, and then claim the venue was not used for concerts. But then again it's also a little curious that these alleged anti-hip-hop comments are coming from the vice president of food and beverage, rather than a higher-up at the venue, unless the Coke and hot dogs guys hold all the cards in Canada. Meanwhile I just feel bad for poor ping-ponged Nasir, who has probably learned his lesson about trying to play benefits and/or colleges this month about a dozen times over.

Canadian Venue Bars Nas Performance [XXL]

I especially like when our Bill compares Nas ("he's got a gun conviction!") to abusive sleazebag Michael Vick because they both apparently have criminal records. Why didn't he compare him to Manson or the Enron guys or John Gotti? Oh, right, because they're not African-American men with even tangential connections to hip-hop culture. Eskay's right: Someone should email Bill Jay Smooth's wry, righteous point-by-point video takedown of O'Reilly's earlier anti-Nas rant. Not that it would probably do any good.

Bill O'Reilly Vs. Nas Continued [Nah Right]

Vincent J. Bove, who said he is a spokesman for seven of the victims' families, said yesterday that the parents are outraged that the Sept. 6 concert at the university would include the rapper Nas, who in one 1999 track chants, "Shoot 'em up, just shoot 'em up, what?" followed by whispers of "Kill, kill, kill, murder, murder, murder."

The lyrics "are indicative of the moral decay in our society that contributes to acts of violence," said Bove, a New Jersey security expert who has volunteered to speak for the families. "For a university official to condone it or to be clueless of what this person's track record is, it's unconscionable beyond belief."

"Clueless of what this person's track record is"? Pot, meet grammatically challenged kettle. The fact that the first lyrics cited by the anti-Nas faction are from a 1999 album makes me wonder if they were looking for lyrical trouble of some sort—the thinking being, of course, that all hip-hop is "violent," and getting Google results with mentions of killing and guns must be incontrovertible evidence that all of Nas' music is, too.

Later in the article, another relative speaks out about a song on Nas' Hip Hop Is Dead:

"My issue is not with Nas or his lyrics in any other place, but this is an opportunity for healing in the community," [brother of Virginia Tech victim Alicia] Farrell, 26, said from her home in Richmond. "It's the most inappropriate thing I could imagine hearing at such an event."

Of course, it's completely understandable that Farrell is still grieving, but it's hard to think that Nas would bust his way into an event and purposely perform songs with images that trigger traumatic memories in the minds of people who lived through the tragedy at Virginia Tech—in this case, the concert's entire audience. He has a wide-ranging catalog with a lot of anti-violence statements, and for people to assume that he'll pick the most aggressive songs from it is a troubling statement on how hip-hop is perceived in the post-Imus-controversy world.

Concert Lineup Angers Some Va. Tech Families [WP]

Only one awkward moment emerged during Prince's forays into the crowd. He approached the daunting bunch on what could have been dubbed the "hip-hop power couch" — it included Diddy, Death Row Records founder Suge Knight, Erykah Badu and Nas, among others — and tried to hand the microphone to Nas.

The rapper declined to ad-lib, however, simply muttering, "I love Prince," and handing back the hot potato. Prince then tried to work his charm on Badu; she gave up a half-hearted rhyme about sisterhood, but it fizzled out. About half of those seated on the couch then abruptly departed (although Nas and Badu both stayed).

This must have been one of the most terrifying moments in Diddy's life: With Suge and Nas by his side and Prince standing right in front of him, he's faced with the prospect of having to rap—in public! If only he'd sprung an extra $3,121 and grabbed an extra seat for his ghostwriter.

Prince charming at the Roosevelt [LATimes]

Anyway, the Mets have decided to open voting on this matter to the fans, listing 60 songs that will eventually be narrowed down to a final four. While some of the candidates are almost as horrific as "Our Team, Our Time," we came up with a four-pack that'll serve David through the season's doggiest days, and threw in a write-in for good measure:

Cassie - Me & U
WHAT IT IS: Chilly, almost-robotic track from Diddy protege.
WHY IT SHOULD GET THE NOD: Icy, barely-there beat will sound amazin' on blast, even coming from Shea Stadium's decrepit speakers.

M.I.A. - Galang
WHAT IT IS: Purple-hazy club banger.
WHY IT SHOULD GET THE NOD: The closest thing to "Buffalo Stance" on the list. Also, every person we showed this list to immediately replied, "WTF, 'Galang'?"

Nas - New York State Of Mind
WHAT IT IS: Not the Billy Joel song.
WHY IT SHOULD GET THE NOD: Yes, it's fierce, but imagine the hilarity that will ensue when it becomes obvious that this song was only chosen for its title.

My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade
WHAT IT IS: Gloomy, glammy epic that'll get many fists a-pumping.
WHY IT SHOULD GET THE NOD: Song about cancer infinitely preferable to presence of clubhouse cancer.

Super Mario Bros. Theme
WHAT IT IS: An 8-bit favorite that now serves as a ringtone for half of the cell-phone-owning population.
WHY IT SHOULD GET THE NOD: Will conjure up mental images of opposing teams actually being made up of Koopa Paratroopas.

Mets fans take swing for David Wright's at-bat songs at Shea [mets.com; hat tip to Jon Solomon]

It's been a few weeks since the throwback remixes of Nas' "Where Are They Now" floated around the Internet, but Jay Smooth at hiphopmusic.com has taken the whole concept to the next level; he's created a 1950s-themed video remix of the song that splices in performances by Little Richard, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. Here's hoping that this remix displaces that Jive Bunny song as the go-to retro track for sweet 16 parties across the land.

Nas "Where Are They Now " 1950s Remix [YouTube, via Notes From A Different Kitchen]

Not many people know this about Nas, but ever since 1996, he's been forced to spend his nights riding up and down the streets of Times Square on a flatbed truck, pausing only for the occasional Tad's steak. At least nowadays he gets to smoke a cigar and wear a nice hat.

Nas - Can't Forget About You (Feat. Chrisette Michelle) [Onsmash via Soul Sides]

Yesterday, we posted Nas' "Where Are They Now?" remix featuring a slew of '90s hip-hop stars; thanks to The Smoking Section, we've found its sequel, where Nas trips back to the '80s and collects verses by Kool Moe Dee, Dana Dane, Kangol and Doctor Ice from UTFO, and about 10 other stars from the earliest days of hip-hop.

Nas - Where Are They Now? ('80s Remix) [MP3, link removed; via The Smoking Section]
Earlier: Listening Station: Nas Loves The '90s

Nas feat. everybody else — Where Are They Now '90s Remix [MP3, link expired]
Epic [The Smoking Section]

Biggest Debuts: With the meager roster of new releases last week, the only other album to debut in the top 10 was Bow Wow's The Price Of Fame; it sold 262,000 copies and landed at No. 6.

Biggest Slides Gains: There wasn't a single album in the top 10 that took a dive from last week's tallies, thanks in part, no doubt, to the rush of last-minute holiday shopping. Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds nearly doubled its sales tally from the previous week, vaulting to No. 9 after a 98% sales gain. We're sure that the every-five-minutes airplay that "My Love" has been getting for the past few weeks (honestly, we heard it more than any Christmas song over the holiday weekend) helped. Another beneficiary of gift-list gaps was the Beatles mash-up collection Love, which saw a 58% sales increase and rose to No. 5.

Nickelback Award For Inexplicable Durability: We might ban Chris Daughtry (up 38% over last week) from this category, because clearly he's tapping into the bombast-loving market of people who have worn out their "Lips Of An Angel" ringtones, but we just have to say one thing—we're betting the bald Ed Kowalczyk fan is really glad that he didn't win American Idol this year, what with silver-haired Idol winner Taylor Hicks tumbling out of the top 10 after his No. 2 debut last week.

Nas Scores Third No. 1 Album With 'Hip-Hop Is Dead' [Billboard]

Nas, Hip-Hop Is Dead ... The N
The artist: Queensbridge's pride and joy, post-Jay-Z reconciliation.
The sound: Old-school beats, with the occasional Langston Hughes reference thrown in.
The first in line: New York hip-hop partisans.

Bow Wow, The Price Of Fame
The artist: Former child rapper has shed the "Lil" 'cause he's all grown up. Well, he's 20, anyway.
The sound: Beats by Chris Brown (!) and Jermaine Dupri, tempered by the sort of sullenness that only a reformed child star can bring.
The first in line: Trainwreck aficionados who can't wait to hear if Bow Wow has responded to being dissed by Lil Romeo. Er, we mean Romeo.

RBD, Rebels
The artist: Telenovela-spawned group that's outsold Madonna and the Rolling Stones in Latin America.
The sound: Sleekly saccharine pop with the slightest spice of Latin influence.
The first in line: Young ladies in the know who are so over Hannah Montana.

On The CD Front [Pause & Play]

Today's New York Times review of Nas' Hip-Hop Is Dead, written by Kelefa Sanneh, is a must-read for a number of reasons: It uses a recent anti-Nas rant by Young Jeezy to illustrate the regional/generational divide among rappers; it quotes a Pitchfork interview; and it clocks in at over 1,000 words, which ain't too shabby for a publication that years ago was still pumping out story after story about Bavarian opera houses.

Most interesting, though, is that Sanneh combines a critic's detached appraisal with a long-time fan's enthusiasm-slash-frustration: He calls the album "impressive" and "grumpy [and] lovable," but also notes that Nas grown into a "humorless scold"; clearly, Sanneh loves the guy, but you can almost hear his eyes rolling to the back of his head when Nasir pumps out his umpteenth bar of braggadocio (it makes a slow, squishy sound).

And if that's not enough to convince you to read it, it also uses the term "ghetto verisimilitude," which has not been printed in the Times since the Gay Talese era.

Nas Writes Hip-Hop's Obituary [NYT]