S. Samuel
Rap veteran Nas recently discussed hitting the road alongside former labelmate Lauryn Hill for their Life Is Good/Black Rage tour and what the experience has been like thus far.
Despite ample time apart, Nasty Nas said it feels like their pre-fame days again sharing a nationwide tour billing.
“I couldn’t ask being on tour with a more talented artist, she’s someone we don’t see tour too much in the states,” Nas said referrring to Hill. “I don’t think she’s toured like this in 15 years, if I’m not mistaken. It’s a big deal for me and to be a part of it is something I’ll always remember and the fans and the people out there get a great show. Other tours are great, I get to work with all kinds of artists, this is different because of the back history of knowing Lauryn since the early 1990’s when we were both labelmates and going to promo tours together, her, the Fugees and me to the point of establishing our names and then touring again. Now, she’s become something else. She’s evolved.” (VIBE TV)
Nas and Hill officially announced their citywide tour around mid-September.
Lauryn Hill will join Nas on the “Life Is Good/Black Rage” tour this fall. It takes its name from Nas’ new album Life Is Good and a new song Hill plans to release this fall called, you guessed it, “Black Rage”. The song is about “the derivative effects of racial inequity and abuse,” according to a press release. (Pitchfork)
Earlier in the month, Nas and Hill both graced the stage for an annual Rock the Bells concert.
Hill, 37, came on the scene midway through the set of headliner Nas for “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That).” It was the same 1996 song that Hill joined the rapper for at Hot 97’s Summer Jam back in June (they were both surprise guests). At the MetLife stadium show, which came before news of Hill’s tax debacle, the South Orange native gave a quick medley. At Rock the Bells in Holmdel, however, Hill’s guest spot was nearly a full set. And this was not a diminished Lauryn Hill. She glided on stage in long grapefruit-colored culottes and a leathery black jacket, letting Nas fall to the side after their duet as the crowd roared for her, and for “Fu-Gee-La” and “Lost Ones” and “Doo Wop (That Thing).” (NJ)
A few months prior, both hip-hop artists linked up for radio station Hot 97’s Summer Jam event.
“No disrespect to Nicki, but I need to clear up an inaccuracy. I was not scheduled to be a special guest on her set at Summer Jam, I was invited by Nas to perform with him. I don’t have details on exactly what transpired between the station and the artists, but I do support artists standing by their beliefs, and walking with integrity,” she wrote June 4th. “We have to find a better way to commercially exploit music, while giving artists their proper respect. This cannot be done while taking their contributions for granted, or trying to control the scope of their growth and power through threats and fear tactics. We can do better than this, there is a better way, or else ‘we’ (the proverbial we) find ourselves in danger of being hypocrites!!!” (Statement)
Check out Nas’ interview:
