I heard Nas released a new album titled, “Hip-Hop is Dead”. I could not believe the title! So, I am not the only one who thinks hip-hop is dead. I purchased it at the nearest HMV and ran back to the car. My hands were shaking like a fiend trying to rip-off the wrapper. I slid the CD in my stereo and skipped to track five: “Hip-hop is Dead”.

   It began with a ‘rock-sound’ . . . an electric guitar . . . drums . . . yes! The beat is off-the-hook! “If hip-hop’s to die before I wake, I put an x in the clip and body ‘em all day. Roll on any station, record, DJ . . .” Damn! That is exactly how I feel! “If Hip-Hop’s to die, we die together, bodies in the morgue layin’ together . . .”

   I grew-up in the early nineties with Nas, EPMD, CNN, KRS-One and I understand hip-hop as being ‘revolutionary music’, journalistic music out of the ghettos and these days that is no longer the case. Most of the hip-hop artists are flooding the industry to get rich. It is no longer about the music – it is all about that money!

   Nas does not have to bother with making that money though – he has it all: the only rapper to close center Manhattan to shoot a video. At this point one can be certain that he is making music for the love of it. And this can be seen from his work (his music).

   “Hip-Hop is Dead” is a genuinely crafted album! It is a story, a message that Nas wants you to listen to and it all builds slowly, track by track. In ‘Money Over Bullshit” Nas comes out like a lion, ready to battle “afraid of none of you cowards”. He continues on “You Can’t Kill Me” by saying that: “Niggaz always on that bullshit / To make a nigga wanna open up a full clip”. Then, on the next track he turns around to say: “Now everybody tryin’ to get rich” and “When they crown you – and you rise up to your position / Carry on tradition”. Therefore, the message pretty much is that making your money is all good but when you do: “carry on tradition”.

   If you were wondering what Nas means about ‘tradition’ you have to listen to track four. “Redhead Kingpin, Tim Dog . . . Spice 1, Positive K, Father MC, the Skinny Boys”, these are the sort of MCs that represent the hip-hop tradition. The track is entitled “Where Are They Now” – not around! So with that in mind Nas set up the next track “Hip-Hop Is Dead” followed by “Who Killed It”. The story continues . . .

   “Black Republican” was needed to show the rowdy youngsters that ‘beef’ is not worth it! As Jay-Z says: “It’s kill or be killed . . . To the pressure for success . . . yes it could bring / Out the worst in every person”; so at this point it is good to celebrate with Naz and Jay the overcoming of their ‘differences’ from earlier days.

   On “Not Going Back”, Nas focuses on his love for “the projects” but he is at the same time saying that there is a lot more out there than just the projects (“Real millionaires spend 60 mil on paintings”). “Still Dreaming” is clear and straight-forward: “Some dreams stay dreams some dreams come true” and it is really up to each one of us whether our dreams will stay dreams or come true.

   Nas returns to his journalistic lyrics, describing the struggle in the ghettos on track ten (“Anytime brothers can’t get jobs, then they rob”). From the struggle on the street, Nas moves on track eleven to his personal struggle within himself: “I’m askin’ did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy? / Did I?”. “Let There Be Light” follows; Nas is on a more up-beat tone than the previous track, spitting the conscious word “Focus on good things man, good times”.

   The next two tunes (“Play On Playa” and “Can’t Forget About You”) are there to show Nas’ celebrating his success (“sip Dom, tip waiters / Do the yacht thing, ménage swing”): “Nas, the millionaire, the mansion”! And success also comes by having Dr. Dre on this album on track fifteen, “to sprinkle, a little Heaven for your ears”. This was all deviously put together – to have Dre drop-in, almost by the ending of the album to give it that ‘west-coast flavor’ and change the rhythm!

   If you have not thought about the fact that Nas did change hip-hop “like Jimmy Hendrix changed Rock and Roll”, he tells you on the second last track; by the end you can only agree with him when he says: “Don’t hate me now, congratulate me now”.

   This album is rich in meaning and everyone perhaps can learn one or two things in general about life, by listening to it. The most important message that comes out of this album though, is the fact that ‘hip-hop’ does not have to die. An album with meaning or a creative album can still be put together – there are some who are still in the industry for the love of the music and not for the love of the money. So, is “Hip-Hop” dead? Are we letting it die? Nas is certainly proving otherwise!