Monday Morning: The Compulsory Grammy Edition
GENERAL By Gotty™ on February 11, 2008 at 9:25 amI did not watch or really care about the Grammy’s. Instead, I watched The Wire and then a few minutes of Shaq sitting on the sidelines for the Suns-Wiz game.
I’ll do the obligatory Grammy post since we are “inspired” by music-related content. Thankfully, the power of the innernuts & Youtbubey freed us all of having to endure the four hour event because now we can simply Google the performances and everyone’s recap of the events.
So Nasty Nas, Nas to Escobar decided to wear a Nigger tee across the red carpet.
To which, Mi Nina said…
Kelis’ face at the end before she came back? Fucking priceless. The gum chewing. The stance. All of which screamed “Bitch, I will cut you” lol. I love them as husband & wife. She had on a jacket that had “NIGGER” bedazzled on the back. I think ride or die chick of the year so far would be Kelis.
Personally, I’m kinda salty Nas has stooped to such tomfoolery. You have an eagerly anticipated album. You have hip-hop’s collective eyes & ears once again, waiting to see what you drop (and critique it of course). Some will love it; others will hate it.
But now you’ve got the full media’s attention (i.e., not just Black folks & bloggers; white folks too now.) While they may have smiled while filming you on the red carpet, you can bet your bottom dollar they’re waiting to demean your work, no matter how great it may possibly be. Now, they’ll stone you & your work as an indirect way to help “fight racial prejudice.”
Smarten up Nas – Jay.
You’re bigger than petty promotional tactics. As one of the avant-garde of the art, you don’t need to make frail attempts to grab attention. That’s the way of younger cats, still striving to get attention, word to Frosted Flakes “medallions.” Let your music speak for you.
Anyways, here’s Kanye’s performance @ said celebratory function last night…
If it floats your boat, OnSmash has a few other vids up, including A. Dub’s performance of “You Know I’m No Good/Rehab.”
Anybody see Amare block dude’s shot twice in one possession? Methinks we’ll be seeing that highlight more than any news about these Grammy’s in the long run.
Complete list of Grammy Award winners [AP News]
Grammy Awards: Amy Winehouse Wins Big, Kanye West Loses Album Of The Year To … Herbie Hancock? [MTV]
Posted in GENERAL, SMOKE BREAK
Tweet This
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
52 Comments
hot version of stronger!
Was anyone else touched by the end of that peace?
Don’t really care for the grammy’s.
I watched the Suns game. I havent quite caught up with my Wire yet so I’m avoiding all episodes, spoilers etc….
SMH @ Nas. Dont most revolutionaries get frowned upon before their sniped….his future is either grim, or grimmer at this pace.
Congrats to Lupe, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah & Stephen Marley though..
My 2 pence…
Sorry Gotty, I wouldn’t call Nas’s actions “tomfoolery” but rather smart. There’s a difference between begging for attention and making a statement; and I believe that Nas was doing the latter. Look at what happened when he said “hip hop is dead”, people are STILL on that statement and debating it. If you ask me Nas has the right idea going into this album. NIGGER IN STORES SOON!!! SUPPORT THAT WHEN IT DROPS!!!
Sorry, but Nas isn’t the most articulate if you ask me. Depending on how high he is, he’s fumbled thru various ways of explaining his whole science behind “hip-hop is dead.” Even when he appeared to be sober, I still haven’t heard or read anything to say “ohh, so that’s what he meant.” I don’t expect him to handle this any better.
Leave on it on wax. Leave all the shirts, red carpet events, fake beefs, publicity stunt shootings & arrests, etc to lesser artists/entertainers.
Nas’ ‘queens’ fitted > ‘nigger’ T-shirt. I’m coppin.
That was one of the better Grammy show’s I’ve seen. More performing and less corny-ass jokes. Thank God for the writer’s strike.
Morris Day & The Time and Rihanna was tight. And Beyonce was looking wow. And Amy killed it to, trying to dance and all.
@ Gotty: Nas doesn’t need to articulate shit, the music does it for him; not to mention the fans and the streets. Somethings you just don’t have to explain, you just know and feel.
p.s.
I wasn’t up on that Kim Kardashian chick; I never heard of her before but I did a quick Wiki check and all I can say is DAAAAAAAMMMMMNNNN!!!
@ Tres: Fo’sho’ my G, that outfit is a definite must have!!!
^ Disagree. You can’t make huge proclamations w/o clarifying them.
Kim K. got that prosthetic donk behind her. Muwaah!
^ Disagree. You can’t make huge proclamations w/o clarifying them.
————————————-
agree.
Secondly, does anyone have mp3 rips of the performances? The ‘Stronger’ version was on point, and the ‘Hey Mama’ is pretty historic for a Kanye fan, plus more than a little heartbreaking. He fucking ran the performances, it’s too bad the Grammys keep robbing his ass. Did anyone even listen to that Hancock album? He’s a legend and all, but still…. move over.
And The Time repped MN to the fullest on ‘Umbrella’. I was toooo psyched when I saw that shit.
50 said it best about Nas, “He is too smart for his own good.”
I don’t mind what he did yesterday. He was already getting attention cause of the album title. Plus everyone was talking about it. If you are not a Nas fan or really into hip hop like that, it is hard to understand what he means.
Nas was never great out giving his own opinion. Most of the time you have to drag it out of him. Look at the interview he did with Jay and Shay. You could tell Jay coached him a bit on that one.
The Grammy’s was a decent show. First time in years I watched the whole thing.
^I totally agree with you on the Nas issue. This dude is the epitome of a 17 year old know-it-all. He thinks hes such a scholar and so intelligent. Like Jay said, he just makes this shit up, he thinks hes some kind of historian, but in reality he comes off as an ignorant mothafucka who really has no idea what hes talking about.
*agree as in ‘I agree with Gotty’
I meant I agree with Gotty.
^i don’t care if that shit is prosthetic…i’d worship it like i was a hiri-krishna if given the chance.
Nasir>
Rich…. word!
Maybe I’m just too old school, but prosthetic asses?
This IS the future…
========================================
@ MPG
“he just makes this shit up, he thinks hes some kind of historian, but in reality he comes off as an ignorant mothafucka who really has no idea what hes talking about.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say all that. Dudes always had a problem
a) with interviews— being high, ‘acting’ inarticulate, etc…
Lauryn added ‘muthafcuka’ so did ig’nint could hear her, but it’s never been a good look on Nas… IMO, he shoulda stepped that part of his game up a long time ago.
and
b) balancing ’street poet’ w/ the SHOW business side of entertainment….
=====================================
and yes, as a ‘fitted snob’, that Queens hat WAS rather fly.
so did ig’nint = so the ig’nint
in Deer speak
Kelis is so thorough. YEA NAS!!!!!!!
Nas is making an ASS out of himself; he should let his talent as an MC do the speaking. Whatever message he is trying to get across with the Nigger album is going to get lost with his desperate attempts at gaining attention.
Y’all need to shut the fuck up because when that shit drops all you dudes will be right-clicking & saving it. Clarify smarify, why do yo guys need lengthy explanations for everything? And the dude who said Jay is right about Nas “making shit up” just goes to show how many Jigga dick-riders are out there. Real recognize real my niggaz.
he better come wit’ it…
I’m surprised none of you crackhouse fans have mention her HORRID performance… She looked like she really didn’t want to be there, sounded awful, off key, missed lyrics just to name a few…
Nas & Kelis:
http://i30.tinypic.com/34etk6p.jpg
I’m not a Jay dickryder…Jay is a better artist, but thats not the arguement I’m trying to make…he just sounds stupid in alot of his songs like when he talks about the Roman empire and other scholarly topics but I think he just sounds retarded.
@ MPG100: Jay a better artist? I think Jay has made waaaaaaaaaay more stupid songs than Nas. At least Nas makes songs with substance and hasn’t lost his skills; Jay-z sounds like he’s struggling lately and needs to retire. Hop of Jigga’s dick and pick up a Nas album and LISTEN to it.
I can only listen to Illmatic, Stillmatic and Lost Tapes in full.
Every other album despite a few jems suffers from a poor beat selection and boring songs especially that double disc he put out…thats a fuckin double weed tray right there.
Jay’s last two efforts are still very entertaining to me and I relate way more with his music…Jay talks about relevant shit, sure hes a hundred millionaire but I can still feel his music.
Nas is broke and he talks about some fairy tale shit. Substance? Shoot ‘em up? Nas doesnt know what a .44 looks like. I Can? Seriously? You fall for this load of nursey rhyme wanna-be inspirational bullshit?
God’s Son? That song get down? That story about someone shooting up a court room? The first time I heard it I’m like yea alright nice beat, but once I heard the lyrics I’m thinking this dude is just full of nonsensical bullshit.
Wtf at Jay being the better artist? Undying Love, Rewind, I Gave You Power, Who Killed It? and on and on and on.
This is obviously an important album to Nas, he thinks it is important for our society as a whole as seen when CNN interviewed him on the carpet. Why wouldn’t he try to get people who know nothing about it to learn about it. What better way then to come on their screen wearing a shirt that says Nigger. Even if his motives truly were “tomfoolery” I’d rather see it that way than in a Budweiser add.
All Nas is doing is trying to HYPE HIS ALBUM. Don’t you get it? This is what us business majors call “Marketing”.
Herbie Hancock won for the same reason McCain’s gonna win in November. Young people like to cheer and chant and shit but at the end of the day it’s the old folks that bother to register and vote, if only to make sure the other guy loses. The recording academy is still a bunch of old guys. Could you imagine if every member of Dem Franchize Boyz, et. al actually joined the academy (they’re eligible!) and voted? Ok maybe not.
MPG, you know what your sayin? Nas broke???? Do me a favor, show me one Nas album that hasn’t gone platinum. Get Down, it’s a story of fiction, what is wrong here? Street’s Disciple is clustered with good ass songs, especially on the first disc. I’m assuming here so I’ll probably look like an ass but fuck it. To me people who choose Jay over Nas….”The dumb are mostly intrigued by the drum.” Masta Killa sums it up for me.
Nas only sounds “retarded” if you have no idea what he’s talking about.. he represents the intelligent side of this music… it’s like would you rather be enlightened on history or the present day gun and sex talk??.. did he go too far by wearing the jacket?? as we can see some feel yes some no… so yes, he is creating commotion.. but i guarantee the album will be a source of information.. and like Biggga said “whatever message he’s trying to get across will get lost..etc”… this statement shows where we’re at mentally when it comes to music.. the music we need to listen too is being overshadowed by a bunch of nonsense…
all platinium, but
‘hiphop is dead’ is gold nah!? i think!
but i think too Nigger will be a masterpiece!
with a tittle like dat, it’s an obligation for him ;
he can make a revolution… but it’s difficult …
plus real hard, but tell me which emcee can make this today ??
peaceyall
Why are u guys mad at NAS for what he did… Macy Gray did they same thing at the Grammys years ago on her dress to promote her Project… its all about creating BUZZ
Wiki says Hip Hop Is Dead went Platinum. I had to check to make sure, heh.
all together now…. hahahahahahaha @ mpg… you got everyone in a knot for the day over your foolishness.. you happy now
can’t really judge him until you here it but I get what you’re saying. he really hasn’t articulated what his title means — we’re all niggers, what the hell is that? but could just be a generalizing theme like H.H.D. was, i.e. a publicity stunt of sorts. Bust H.H.D. wasn’t half bad and judging by who I’ve heard he’s working with, and how H.H.D. was a big career boost and relative success, I think he deserves the benefit. But yea, I think we’re all a little skeptical, but when is that not true of Nas??
@ MPG: Can’t be mad at you for liking what you like; but give Nas credit for actually keeping his music artistic and true to the artform. I like some of Jigga’s material and I own some of his albums, although that doesn’t take away from the fact that most of his songs are shallow and transparent with no depth to them. Hey, I can’t blame Jay he TOLD cats on Hard Knock Life vol.#1 that he was purposely going to dumb down his music; I guess no one was paying attention though.
@ flea.. yeah, he did say that… but in all honestly i never thought of Jay as being a so called “deep”.. he’s always been a very crafty mc… that’s why it never mad any sense to compare he and Nas… Jay is much more crafty and slick while Nas was always the thinker and poet… which is why many people prefer Jay over Nas.. no need to re-visit that topic again.. let’s just wait for the Album and judge afterwards…
Ummm…when then Jay say that? P.S. it’s In My Lifetime Vol. 1
Nas-publicity that’s all, get it whenever, however, and as much as possible, Kelis-downazz B
I still want whatever”crackhouse” had last night
“get your mind off primative thoughts and get your cash right”-Cormega
Heres my arguement in a nutshell:
Nas thinks hes a thinker, but his thoughts arent as intellectual as he thinks, in reality his ideas he manifests in his rhmyes are similar to the imagination of an 8th grader.
Cormega = what Nas wishes he was…a real dude capable of speaking on life’s issues, the street hustle and captivating the soul.
Mega > Nas
Jay > Nas
Sorry guys just my opinion.
Funny how every Nas discussion turns into a Nas vs Jay-Z shit…gotta love it.
Anyhow, shout out to Herbie Hancock.
boogie what isssss you talking about?! amy’s performance was fuckening awesome. she seemed hella nervous though and wasn’t it like 4am over there?
did you see when she won the grammy on camera? just stood there stunned staring at the screen for a good 20-30 seconds. so cute.
I think Nas is getting his hustle on with this one. The less DefJam has to market and promote, the less Nas has to recoup. Last night was the equivilant of 3 months street-teaming and creating a buzz, posters, etc. Free-press, gotta love the media.
Plus people who care are forming opinions and debates that all end in “we’ll see when the album comes out”. According to his interviews, he just wants to be heard.
Speaking of Nas here is a commercial for his new album. Thought it was pretty funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjfc8AuVTys
I dig Nas.
He’s in the top five of my all-time favorite MCs.
But he should have thought about what his response would be BEFORE he put the shirt on. He came across as if he didn’t know what he was talking about and although I understood what he meant, he’s going to have a lot of people who have no fuckin’ idea.
props to Gotty for pointing out the obvious when it comes to Nas. Love Nas but he really does need to smarten up or just shut up.
Let me play devil’s advocate here.
I will agree that the ‘n’ word was a derogatory word, and today it has become controversial because our young people, and some older people use that word as a term of endearment in street talk. Those who are my generation and the generation before me, and before that, find that word to be extremely derogatory and demeaning. But only when a white person uses it.
But what if the word is changing for this generation. Why can’t it be as acceptable as saying “waz up dawg”? Remember the south park episode where the word was used 40 times!! At no time was that word used in a derogatory manner. Even the naacp approved.
When that word is used by youth, there are two reactions. One – the group that fought or remember the fight against the use of that word and think it’s awful that our young people have to use that word
Two- White people who point and say “see, they call themselves that, but whoa if I use the word”
Maybe we need to let go what the word meant during jim crow. Maybe we should turn the word into our own, take away it’s negative connotation and make it positve.
I think what nas is saying is this. If a person says, work like a “n”, it just means that the person works damn hard, it doesn’t matter who says it to whom
I get what he is trying to do and I applaud him and his wife. We need to move on.
I turned to CNN when that shit came on and was just buggin off that shirt, and KNEW you guys would write up about it.