Nas Says His 'Hip Hop Is Dead' Album Wasn't Meant For Southern Rappers

by Daryl Nelson

Nas recently told i-D magazine that he wouldn't mind changing some things on his I Am and Nastradamus LPs.

Now, the legendary lyricist is speaking about another one of his projects, 2006's Hip Hop Is Dead

At the time of the album release, Southern rappers were making a lot of noise and some seemed to take offense at the title. 

Ludacris, for example, was seen wearing a shirt that said, "Hip Hop ain’t dead … It lives in the South.”

Nas talked about the LP on his podcast The Bridge: 50 Years of Hip Hop with his co-host Miss Info and Jeezy, who was a guest. The New York artist then said the title wasn't meant for southern rappers at all, which he should've explained better. [Jump to 15:30 mark].

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“I didn’t think that certain people would think I’m talking about them," said Nas. "I’m talking about mainly New York. I’m talking to everybody, but I didn’t explain it thorough  enough.”

Do you think southern rappers were right to be offended by the album title?