Nas apparently jumped the gun. He didn't exactly have clearance last weekend when he announced that his next album would be called N****. His label, Def Jam is denying it. Def Jam Music Group chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid even said there are no Nas releases on their schedule at this point.
He also asked, "How would that look at Wal-Mart?" Who says they'd carry it Mr. Reid? He should look into it though, cause it'd be huge for Nas if he was able to carry through with the title. Tons of free publicity.
Anyway, the other day I wondered how the language morality police would respond to Nas' decision to title his next album N****, and now some of them have. Take it away Rev. Jesse Jackson:
The title using the 'N' word is morally offensive and socially distasteful. Nas has the right to degrade and denigrate in the name of free speech, but there is no honor in it. Radio and television stations have no obligation to play it and self-respecting people have no obligation to buy it. I wish he would use his talents to lift up and inspire, not degrade, making a mockery of racism.
The NAACP spokesperson:
We will not support and we will not continually be assailed by other individuals who want to use that type of term in our presence. This has gone on long enough ... The NAACP believes in free speech. We are not a censorship organization. But we think [the N-word] is pejorative, no matter who uses it , even if it's to sell records. It shows a real lack of creative imagination.
The "Don Imus' camp" (wtf?):
It's a good thing. Words like that should be deprived of their meanings, and then they can't hurt.
