Audio: Killer Mike Still Strongly Disagrees w/ Nas Changing His Album Title
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Artist:
I know the "Nas changing his album title" discussion died down a good three weeks ago, this was a damned good interview with Killer Mike regarding the subject. Mike seems to think Nas had a grand opportunity to make an event by standing up to Def Jam & Universal Music Group by refusing to alter his title. Instead Nas backed down in fears that the LP would be buried. Here's Mike's response to that (you can hear everything in the video, I'm just providing quotes of his main gist at the bottom.)
Killer Mike on Nas Renigging his Album Title from 2dopeboyz.com on Vimeo.
"Ultimatly, Im disappointed in Nas - I'm not disappointed in him like "I don't like him, he's not my brother". I'm disappointed that he didn't make a grand sacrifice on that end and he wasnt willing to say "you know what, fuck it, we're only gonna put the record out though mom and pop stores, it may never do a million but fuck it, its gonna be called Nigger. If Wal-Mart doesnt carry it, we're only gonna sell it online and do mom and pops. I think Nas had the power to make history and maybe he said "Ah, not yet". You know, and again, that isnt a criticism of Nas, thats only a critique of the situation because I believe Nas has the power to drive a million people to the internet [to buy his album]."
"If my name had not been "Killer Mike" my career would be a lot further now. I was told by people who wouldn't give me endorsements "We don't like your name", but these same people gave endorsements to bands like "The Killers". I don't know what separates one black man from being Killer Mike and five white men from being The Killers, but I wo uld be more afraid of five killers than one."
"But as a man, once I've made a decision if I believe that decision is right and noble then I have to stand by that decision or I risk being not credible in front of people....and I can't do that. So even though some days it hurts me that I can't be Killer Mike and The Killers can be the Killers, or that people don't wish me to be Killer Mike, even though that hurts, I made my decision and I must stand by it"
"Like, imagine if they would've told Kanye you cant name your album Nigger. Like, I love Kanye, he's a protester; he gonna raise some hell, even if he goes to jail you're gonna know Kanye's being arrested, you know what I mean? So I think Nas could have used a little more "Kanye" on this one"
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Comments (2)
I found this quote the most interesting: “I think Nas has the power to make history and may be he said, “Ah, not yet.” You know, and again, that isn’t a criticism of Nas, that’s only a critique of the situation because I believe Nas has the power to drive a million people to the internet. You get what I’m saying?”
Personally, I think it was a good decision; no matter who's using it, it's a nasty word best left behind.
I think Killer Mike is right and makes some very good points, but in the end I have to side with Nas on this one. I think Nas had a message he wanted to get out to the people. At the end of the day, he was left with the options of 1) sticking to his guns and seeing the message be delivered to a smaller audience (or not delivered at all), or 2) sacrificing the title in order to get the album into the hands of the people. If he had stuck it out and refused to change the title, it would have been just to prove a point. And to him, reaching the wider audience was more important than proving a point. I don't think it was to sell a million albums. I think it was to be heard.
And anybody who looks at that album cover knows what the album is called. It doesn't have to be plastered across the front. At this point, it's bigger than what's printed in black & white. I think Nas made sure of that.