S. Samuel
Rap mogul Nas is not worried about getting a little bit older, especially considering he has more than 20 years in the music industry, as he prepares to turn 40.
Instead of crying over gray hairs or looking at retirement, Nas said he is prepared for jokes about his age.
Nas says life has been really great since his 11th album, the critically acclaimed “Life Is Good,” was released last year. The album was nominated for four Grammy Awards, including best rap album, this year. He was honored with a Harvard University fellowship in his name. And he has a role in an upcoming movie. Nas said he’s working on new music, but he’s more eager to see himself in the upcoming adaptation of Langston Hughes‘ “Black Nativity,” which stars Forest Whitaker, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson. The film opens Nov. 27. He’ll celebrate his 40th birthday on Saturday, and he welcomes the jokes. “It’s only been a few jokes here and there, but I need to hear more,” he said. “It’s all fun.” (Norfolk Daily News)
Although he won’t turn 40 until tomorrow, Nasty Nas already popped open the bottles for some early celebrating last night.
Mariah Carey, Jermaine Durpi, Common, Melanie Fiona, Pusha T, Maino, model Tyson Beckford, actor Anthony Mackie, Estelle, actress Olivia Munn, Def Jam executives Karen Kwak and Shawn “Pecas” Costner, and our own Miss Info all made appearances as DJ D-Nice had the place rocking all night. Before the dance floor opened up, guests were treated to a five-course meal including Shrimp Scampi, Lobster Fra Diavolo, and Strawberry Shortcake. The memorable night was also a family affair, as Nas was accompanied by his father Olu Dara, brother Jungle, and 19-year-old daughter Destiny Jones. The man of the night was presented with a Hublot Classic Fusion watch as a gift from Hennessy Senior VP Rodney Williams. (Miss Info TV)
Recently, God’s Son spoke on older hip-hop artists having to adapt to the times.
“More than ever, entertainment is about self-promotion — using the power of your fans through social media to market live shows and new business ventures and move a few records. The direct connection to the fans is not just freeing artists from the old corporate structure; it’s redefining the relationship between creator and audience. When piracy hit the entertainment industry, artists were distraught and began distrusting their own fan bases. In truth, it was a response borne from confusion rather than logic. The passion the fans had for what we were creating never went away; we just had to evolve to survive in the new digital world. A huge aspect of that evolution is offering a glimpse into your lifestyle — being more accessible. The power that Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram offer is immense. Being an artist today is not only about being creative in what you produce, but finding creative ways to show people what you’re doing. Artists everywhere took notice when Louis C.K. sold his stand-up special and show tickets without a network backing him on the promotion and distribution. That truly was innovation at its best. [sic]” (Tech Crunch)
Much like last summer’s release, Nas recently revealed life is inspiring his next solo album’s content.
“Life. I feel like Alexander Graham Bell, knowing that he’s about to do something that’s never been done. I’m bursting with excitement, but focused more than I’ve been in the past. I’m at a place where there’s so many things that ain’t been said. Things I’ve seen that I never talked about that I wanna share. I’m so excited to tell this story because it’s real sh*t. It’s needed. I hate to sound like that–to say it’s needed for hip-hop–but f*ck it. It is.” (VIBE)
