S. Samuel
Rap veteran Nas has announced that the release of his upcoming Lost Tapes 2 compilation has been postponed indefinitely.
According to Nas, he is mainly focused completing the solo follow-up to 2008’s Untitled.
“I record a lot of sh*t. I have recorded a lot of sh*t over the years, and the sh*t that I ain’t put out on albums should be on the Lost Tapes,” Nas said in an interview. “Because my album, my studio album, my new album is a priority for the label and of course me. To find the time to put out Lost Tapes and then my record, my real record, is what we’re up against. It’s all this material and trying to get it out…I got no release dates right now. Nothing to tell people about, just inner workings hopefully to get the sh*t out right and get it out soon — I’m in the studio, taking it step by step. It’s not ready yet. I’m taking it step by step because it’s so important for me and myself. I’m in a huge fight with me, so it’s important that I get this one right. I don’t want to leave no stone unturned on anything I say on this sh*t.” (The Boom Box)
Last week, Nas discussed his conflict with Def Jam and the company’s unwillingness to release Lost Tapes 2.
“You record a lot of records, and things that don’t make the album, they get put to the side and you don’t know what to do with them,” he explained. “They sit around and they start taking on a form of their own and it belongs [on] an album. That’s what I’d like to do. So of course my new album is priority for the record company people and even me, but [I’m] just trying to find time to put Lost Tapes and then this out–’cause everybody drops mixtapes and stuff like that and they don’t have a problem with it, but my sh*t comes and it’s like they’re holdin’ it with gloves…I’m like, come on, guys, I just wanna go out and play with the rest of ’em; with the n*ggas out their putting their sh*t out…We’re working that out.” (XXL Mag)
In October, Nas penned an e-mail to Def Jam, calling out the label’s marketing practices.
“I won’t even tap dance around in an email, I will get right into it. People connect to the Artist @ the end of the day, they don’t connect with the executives. Honestly, nobody even cares what label puts out a great record, they care about who recorded it. Yet time and time again its the executives who always stand in the way of a creative artist’s dream and aspirations. You don’t help draw the truth from my deepest and most inner soul, you don’t even do a great job @ selling it. The #1 problem with DEF JAM is pretty simple and obvious, the executives think they are the stars. You aren’t…. not even close. As a matter of fact, you wish you were, but it didn’t work out so you took a desk job. To the consumer, I COME FIRST. Stop trying to deprive them! I have a fan base that dies for my music and a RAP label that doesn’t understand RAP. Pretty f*cked up situation.” (Karen Civil)
In September, Nas said his now-delayed compilation would drop December 14th.
“I’m unloading records I want the streets to hear,” the Queens rapper said in an e-mail. “Cleaning out my hard drives. Gonna do this [Lost Tapes 2], then start fresh. I’m dropping my solo LP before the summer of 2011. I love the energy the world has been giving me over the last two years. But now it’s time to focus on owning the streets again.” (MTV)
Check out some recent Nas footage down below:
