Full disclosure: I’m a “Nas guy.”Â
What this basically means is that even though I recognize the fact that Jay-Z has had a (much) better career, better albums, and generally seems like he’d be a better person to be around, I’m more of a fan of what Nas represents. Now, what the hell does Nas represent? I have no f*cking clue. But, whatever it is that he represents, I’m more of a fan of that than I am of what Jay-Z “represents.”
If this makes no sense to you, good. It makes no sense to me either, but it helps explain why I still feel in my heart that “Ether” was a better song than “Takeover” even though I know in my brain that “Takeover” was better.
I’m bringing this up because, “Daughters” — Nas’ recent ode to fatherhood and raising a daughter — is not a good song, and it truly pains me to admit this. It’s pandering, saccharin, cringe-worthy, awkward, and just overall freaking annoying. Yes. Annoying. This is an annoying song. This song annoys me.
Thing is, although this song annoys the hell out of me, I appreciate it. I appreciate what Nas was attempting to do here. I appreciate his effort. This — the effort — is probably what it is about what Nas “represents” that connects with me in a way that doesn’t with Jay-Z. Basically, Jigga’s a chess player, a person who doesn’t seem to do or say anything without processing the dozen or so moves that will come afterwards. While this has definitely helped him craft the best career any rapper has ever had and become a true “business, man,” there’s a certain tinge of inauthenticity that permeates much of what he says and does. Jay-Z may in fact be a “realer” person than Nas, but Nas’ penchant for artistic implusivity makes him feel realer.
And, despite the fact that it’s pandering, saccharin, cringe-worthy, awkward, and f*cking annoying, ”Daughters” is a real song. It seems to come from a man genuinely concerned about the type of example he’s set for his child, and genuinely concerned about his daughter’s well-being.
Now, you can make the argument that this concern may be self-serving. Perhaps he cares so much because he’s aware of how a daughter’s (mis)behavior reflects on the father, and he wishes to spare himself the embarrassment of hearing rumors that his daughter is becoming the type of woman attracted to men who treat women the way he has. Even if this is true, though, this feeling comes from a genuine place, a real place, and it’s understandable and laudable.
Nas’ implusivity gives him huge blind spots though, and none are bigger than the fact that “Daughters” — a song Nas made to protect his daughter and profess his love for her — shits on his own daughter! He leads both of the song’s first two verses with information putting his daughter’s business and, ultimately, her reputation on full blast.
From verse two:
This morning I got a call, nearly split my wig
This social network said “Nas go and get ya kid”
She’s on Twitter, I know she ain’t gon post no pic
Of herself underdressed, no inappropriate shit, right
Her mother cried when she answered
Said she don’t know what got inside this child’s mind, she planted
A box of condoms on her dresser then she Instagrammed it
Forget about cutting off your nose to spite your face, “Daughters” cuts off his face to spite his face. Mind you, his daughter isn’t a seven year old who won’t quite grasp what her dad is rapping about or a grown-ass 27 year old who could deal with it, but a 17 year old girl — a person at the age where something like this has the best chance of having a negative impact on her life. Oh, and how do I know she’s a 17 year old girl? He leads the video with her f*cking birthday!
I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised by the cognitive dissonance Nas’ exhibited when creating this song and the accompanying video. It’s typical Nas (shit, it’s typical “rapper”) and, with all this being said, I do definitely appreciate the idea, effort, and (presumed) intent behind “Daughters.” As far as “rappers rapping about their kids” goes, it’s not in the same league as “Retrospect for Life,” but I do think it has a bit of a chance to eventually become (slightly) less annoying with repeated listens.
But, while I forgave Nas for “Braveheart Party,” “Nastradamus,” and “You Owe Me,” I don’t know if I can forgive him doing the ultimate disservice — making me agree with Carmen Bryan.Â
—Damon Young (aka “The Champ”)
On Saturday, June 2, 2012, we’ve got another edition of REMINSCE at Liv Nightclub coming up! Except this time, we’re gonna be celebrating Panama’s birthday! Please come out and hang the VSB team. Plus, it’s free before 11pm w/RSVP (reminiscedc.eventbrite.com) and $10 after. AND there’s an open bar from 930-10:30 WITH NO DRESS CODE. You can come in shorts because it gets HOT in there.
Ive gotta be honest though….I LOVE the song. I ran into this vid after watching the Celtics/Heat game just now. I feel like he’s spot on.
C’mon! Be authentic! Urrrrgh!
huh?
where are the dreadlocks?!
Thats not me. LOL
i know, i was like wha?
Theres also someone downthread posting as “Just Me” I was like…”…the f*ck?Why is JMTG all incognito today?”
hun, I KNOW—–>hence, the authentic memo! I was actually annoyed!
lol, jaymatic’s been around for a while. vsb nation is like 50,000 people (and screennames) deep
Right. I guess some overlap is to be expected.
@ The Champ
I get the 1 million plus Chinese style deepness you got going on, BUT still of alllllll the names to choose on earth!
@ JayMatic,don’t mind me oo. I’m known to be kray, around dis parts.
LOL…Im much more of a lurker than commenter these days, lol
LMAO
This article was annoying…
but how did he shit on his own daughter by that verse you quoted? You don’t think her pic spread like wildfire when she posted it on twitter? It was already out there.. everyone knew who she was.
Amen.
@ Anjela,
You do make a great, actually EPIC point, BUT why does he have to make a mountain hill out of the situation? As is, the situation is embarrassing enough. Or may be, I’m the only one seeing the embarrassment, matter of fact it is an abomination.
Ever heard of damage control ??? When you are a parent its your job to clean up after your kids.
“You don’t think her pic spread like wildfire when she posted it on twitter? It was already out there.. everyone knew who she was.”
i think a few more people are going to hear this song and see this video than saw her pics on twitter. i mean, it’s literally my job to keep up with shit like this, and i didn’t hear about it until nas put it in the song
I didnt hear bout it until Nas dropped the song either
i didn’t know about it until i read this blog…
Lol, this!
+1 Demondog
lol me too…..I heard the song but i didn’t think he was for real and didn’t care enough to look it up! I also didn’t realize his daughter was this old.
while it was already out there (i’m one of the ninjas who saw it an heard it all almost in real time on Twitter too), there is something about putting your family business out there for perpetuity. sh*t on twitter has a shelf life.
i get why he made the song, i’m on the fence regarding how i feel about it. and i agree with you, he didnt throw her under the bus since, well she threw herself under the bus via social media. Nas is mostly just recounting what happened. but it does come off as more as a flash in the pan reaction to it than a well thought out song about being a man with a daughter. i understand both arguments.
When your daughter throws herself under the bus, you’re supposed to scrape her off the concrete, not put it in reverse.
I like the song’s message I guess, woe is the man who gets the ultimate payback, but ease up on the kray kray specific details of your own damn daughter.
You know how you’d get in trouble when you were young, and take your punishment and talk it through with your parents and finally the worst was over…until your mom got on the phone rehashing the details with all her friends? Sucked, didn’t it? Well, that’s this song. Except these weren’t even friends, and this conversation happens in perpetuity.
D-bag parental move, no question.
Yeah, alot of ppl were already talking about her BUT that is her FATHER. Much more humiliating, and hurtful coming from him.
As an older brother who looks after and raises my little siblings as well as an older cousin who looks after all of my younger cousins….I may not be a parent but I get it
i get it too. i think we all get it, really. i just don’t agree with the approach
The approach seemed along the lines of “Maybe if I embarrass her in public, then she might clean up her act”. As we all know, that tactic has never worked.
How is it “embarrassing” her in public if everything she did was public (on Twitter)?
That’s why I said the embarrassment tactic never worked…
Champ, while we’re all entitled to our opinions, I diametrically disagree with you regarding the song and Nas putting his daughter on blast. First of all, the song is good. Is it the best Nas song? No, but Nas has a ton of bangers in his catalog. I’d give this song a solid “B” grading. Second of all, all that Nas mentioned about his daughter was ALREADY PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE to those who follow the Black gossip blogs and websites. So, Nas’ daughter put herself on blast way before this song and video.
For a man nowadays to even find fault in himself in his daughter’s actions speaks volumes for the type of mature man…not just a mature rapper that Nas is.
You can find fault, or act mature or whatever without putting your daughter on blast, how embarrassing. I’m not condoning her actions, but as a father, handle it accordingly. Making a song is not the way!
It was already out there…thats how HE found out.
What’s different than this Nas’ song and Maia Campbell’s late mother writing 72 Hour Hold? I don’t think much.
My question was posed to African Mami and whomever else wants to weigh in.
I am not aware of the Maia Campbell/mother situation. I feel that yes, she had this coming, I mean if it wasn’t Nas taking shots @ her behavior, someone else would have, BUT as a father, I feel that he should have addressed the issue privately. Not everything deserves a mic.
Ok. I see your point. We disagree.
That’s an excellent point! And I read 72 Hour Hold, and it was not only a great read, but a profound look into the hardships of mental illness.
I think celebrities get flack for sharing their personal business in cases such as this because they have a much larger audience to share their grievances with. If Nas wasn’t “Nas”, then he’d still vocalize his concern, but just on a much smaller and personal scale.
@ pe. riche.
*HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!*
I say, BS on Nas being vocal on a smaller scale. Who would listen?! His brother, baby mamas, son, daughter and himself? An audience, gives you superman or rather superhuman powers, almost invincible.
By saying he would’ve expressed them in a smaller scale anyway, I believe they’re talking about an interview or whatever potential blog entry the media would post about his comment, which alone would spread like wildfire. Lo’ and behold, some bold interviewer would have eventually asked him about this incident, and he probably would’ve expressed his concerns there as well.
I don’t think it’s really in anyone’s place or “business” to say “what’s right!” in accordance to someone’s parenting, for the fact being that they’re not that parent or a part of that family, and neither do they live in that household. You’re internet users just making blogs about someone else’s father, which would actually upset me as a daughter. To hear that an anonymous rager is saying “my father is shitting on me” would not make me feel any better. Thank you, but the second opinion isn’t needed, and that anger should only belong to me as that daughter, not you as the stranger of our lives or our possible relationship. That child is theirs, and so that issue is also theirs.
At the end of the day, if Destiny felt that violated and pissed off at her father the way people who aren’t even his daughter feel, then I don’t feel like she would’ve agreed to even be in the video or let him pass that video through without a fuss. It leads me to believe they DID handle the situation privately, and that she ALLOWED him to use this content of her to help contribute to a bigger message because they’ve probably both gotten past it. If she’s posted a tweet complaining about how offensive her father is, then I just personally haven’t seen it yet…but I’m just going off “if”‘s here.
All in all, as a father, continue to take care of your own daughter business and refrain from butting into everyone else’s. The time we waste complaining about their parenting skills is time lost with our own kids. And if we must complain, then let’s stop making remarks and actually take said parent to therapy to do something about it.
Thank you, pe.riche! I agree with you.
‘I think celebrities get flack for sharing their personal business in cases such as this because they have a much larger audience to share their grievances with.”
And the other 50% is to make a dollar at the expense of their family.
“What’s different than this Nas’ song and Maia Campbell’s late mother writing 72 Hour Hold? I don’t think much.”
I haven’t read this, but was maia 17 years old when it was published?
She was around that age, yes. Great book, by the way.
I take that back. The character in the book was a teenager, but I don’t know how old her daughter was at the time.
Maia was @ 27 when the book was published in 2003
Well, ten years ago Jon Voight put his daughter Angelina Jolie on blast- much worse than Nas ever did- and no one said a thing…
That’s because we (bl@ck folks) tend to be much more critical of our own. smh
Only when we’re doing wrong- or not doing anything…
10 years ago Twitter and social media didn’t also give everybody with an opinion and outlet.
“Well, ten years ago Jon Voight put his daughter Angelina Jolie on blast- much worse than Nas ever did- and no one said a thing…”
who’s no one? that shit was everywhere. it was in freakin people magazine, lol
Here’s the difference Champ. When Jon Voight went in on Angelina, the press was very silent about it. If anything, they joined in bashing her.
I mean, they were very silent on his criticism towards her.
I don’t remember exactly how voight’s words were received by the press, but there’s a difference between publicly criticizing a movie star in her late 20s and putting your teenage daughter’s business in the street
” I’m not condoning her actions, but as a father, handle it accordingly.”
Right! Parenting shouldn’t be tit-for-tat. If the child is acting irresponsiblely, it is the parent’s job to be the rational one.
“First of all, the song is good. Is it the best Nas song? No, but Nas has a ton of bangers in his catalog. I’d give this song a solid “B†grading’
i’ve softened on my opinion of the song. it still annoys me, but I don’t think it’s a bad song. just not a good one.
I think the post rambled and failed to make a coherent point. If I have to think hard to figure out what you’re trying to say, you didn’t write it well enough.
lol, you’re 100% right and 100% wrong. admittedly, it did ramble quite a bit (and could have used an editor), but “a reader having to think hard to figure it out” doesn’t equal “not written well.” two completely different things.
Yeah, I could just be mentally challenged. LOL
Champ,
Did you get enough sleep? Were you trying to write while the effects of the alcohol wore off?
:-/
I LOVE Nas, for the mere fact that he is FOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE, and he is a poet!—->errytime, I saw the name Jay-Z, I became blind.
Onto the matter @ hand, oh miiiiiii gosh, my poooooor CELTICS! What the fuggers, they so under performed tonite which leads me to, Nas under performing in this song as a father.
Instead of putting your daughter’s business in the front line, why don’t you take the time to TALK to her. This is some BULL! I do not agree with business that needs to be kept under wraps being blasted for all and sundry! He still, hella FOIIIIIINE, he could get from Monday to Saturday and keep the Sabbath day holy and sanctified, as a rightful passage of making it to heaven on time.
“he could get from Monday to Saturday and keep the Sabbath day holy and sanctified, as a rightful passage of making it to heaven on time.”
bwhahahaha…iCant. I do agree that there is a better way to speak to her without calling her out on her sh*t. le sigh. i wasnt motivated to hear the song and when i did it wasnt that bad but it def wasnt the best either.
In conclusion…he wont be getting an award for this. And can we jus all agree that when ninjas wanna produce a song AFTER Jay-Z produced Glory featuring our prophet reincarnated…i mean his daughter Blue Ivy that it needs to be FIRE or just not be. at. all. Like is there a clause where rappers (obvi excluding Kanye) cannot outshine Jay. Or can they just not outshine him. Makes me go hmmmm…
Hey girrrrrrl!!!! *waving KRAYzily*
I don’t even know why Nas bothers to compete with that other one. He IS already on that level of untouchableness———>Jay STANS—–>go hump a bridge!
“And can we jus all agree that when ninjas wanna produce a song AFTER Jay-Z produced Glory featuring our prophet reincarnated…i mean his daughter Blue Ivy that it needs to be FIRE or just not be”
AGREED, to the infinite power of not looking back lest I turn into salt like Lot’s wife.
bwhahahaha…your analogies. Im not a Jay stan either. (He got the right people and I can respect that). Nas been eatin at the table with the elders. He can jus do better i think…
that’s the only thing that Jay will ever get from me without any kind of intentional shade, he is a BUSINESS MAN! that is actually hella friggin SEGGAZZZY.
Agreed. I understand the world knows what she did but sometimes I wonder if celebrities even know how to communicate with their own families without the aid of a studio or camera crew.
I’m pretty sure they do, as cameras aren’t always on 24/7, but when they are off, it takes some time to get used to. *shrugs*
Exactly, while it’s certainly not my favorite, but it also gave us his perspective. It’s interesting to watch entertainers (used loosely), deal w/parenting issues in the public eye, from Lawrence Fishburne to Luke (yes, 2 LiveCrew).
I like his ridiculously out-dated part.
I feel the whole “If you embarrass me, I’ll SHOW you what embarrassment REALLY means” approach to parenting. Like the mother who made her daughter wear the “I’m a thief, keep yo shit away from me” t-shirt.
LOL
Haven’t seen that one yet, social networking has become the best tool for the ultimate punishing of a child.
Or the worst. People out here getting themselves into trouble for the punishment they put their children through. You want to spank your kids, cool. You turn on a camera and post it on facebook, twitter, or FB then you better be ready for what comes your way.
Kinda like that judge named William Adams in Texas, huh?
““If you embarrass me, I’ll SHOW you what embarrassment REALLY means†approach to parenting. Like the mother who made her daughter wear the “I’m a thief, keep yo shit away from me†t-shirt.”
If someone is reduced to embarrassing their children like this, they’ve already failed as a parent at this point.
Whoa, failed as a parent? You fail to realize that they are children, they are their own person. No matter what you teach your child they will, as they come into their own, do things that parents might not agree with. Who do you know that was the PERFECT parent or child? They obviously aren’t human. Because although my mother did a great job, I still irked her nerves being a teenager and it wasn’t her fault. Her embarrassment was on a way smaller scale if I ever did embarrass her but those really were different times. And I can recall countless times my friends got in the same or worse trouble, by just being a teenager. Scientifically teenagers lobes of the brain aren’t even fully developed so half the stuff they do they REALLY don’t know why they did it! They are going to make mistakes. This is a new day and age where this stuff is “cool” in school and everything you say and do can be permanently attached to you via technology. It’s a new thing for parents to deal with and punishments are evolving accordingly. Back in my day, you wrote a note to your friend but get caught, all you had to do was hurry and rip it to pieces. If a girl in school slept with the football team, it was only he say/she say. I can bet that you can imagine how those scenarios might apply in 2012. Just saying don’t sit there behind a keyboard and judge parents like there is a parenting guild line everyone should follow. How would you know how it feels to raise a child in the spotlight? After years of being proud of being “hardcore” but when your daughter see “hardcore” men and goes for that because it’s all she knows…
Also, at least from what I understand, he wrote the song right after she posted the pic and cats hit him up to tell him what she was doing. So what we are basically witnessing is his gut reaction to it. I let a few of my people hear the song and the all related to it….and if I have a daughter, I KNOW I will. His authenticity plus No ID’s production gives this song basically what I look for in a dope song. It basically “felt” right. It didnt “seem” contrived…there wasnt a sing-songy hook….there wasnt a catchy loop (even though I love how “basic” that No ID kept the track) and there was a certain “rawness” that made me understand what Nas was onto. When you are conveying an emotion in song, there arent any rules to it, and really, I dont know how you can go about a situation like this and do it any different than Nas did.
+1
Más dos.
“Also, at least from what I understand, he wrote the song right after she posted the pic and cats hit him up to tell him what she was doing. So what we are basically witnessing is his gut reaction to it.”
so basically, his own embarrassment had more to do with this song than his concern for his kid?
No
I would imagine both embarrassment an concern played a role. Who are we to say which played a larger role? Who are we to say how this will effect her? It’s an interesting way to handle the situation regardless. Glad I’m not famous. Makes growing old and dealing with human issuesmuch more awkward…
Agreed. the song felt pretty natural, realistic and honest.
As a Jay-Z Stan i wanted to dislike this song. And while I agree that perhaps putting his daughter on front street wasn’t the best way to go, when you’re famous and what your daughter has done is on a social networking site it’s better to have come out this way with the father acknowledging his short comings, wishing to rectify them, and using his stardom as a way to reach other young men and stress the importance of a father in a girl’s life. The fact that she’s old enough to understand makes it better for me considering she more than likely had a talk with him by now, she’s old enough to understand what happens when your parent is a star, and she was in the end of the video, which to me was giving her seal of approval to be part of the solution instead of the problem. i commend them both. Now ummm let’s talk about Blue Ivy or something, all this Nas talk is making me itch. LOL
Exactly.
She’s in the bloody video. She knows the deal, thus Nas wasn’t really over stepping, just perhaps sharing a whole lot. I didn’t know about this prior to this post, but still, I disagree with the statement that she may be negatively affected by this song.
If that were the case, doubt she woulda been in the video, and I wouldn’t like to think Nas wrote and released this BEFORE talking to her to begin with.
“when you’re famous and what your daughter has done is on a social networking site it’s better to have come out this way with the father acknowledging his short comings”
you really think this was the best way?
i don’t know that it’s the BEST way, but so many of our folks are exploiting us on shows like Basketball Wives, Love & Hip Hop, etc i think we need things to offset that. This type of song needed to happen, and if he had merely made this song without mention of it’s inspiration people would have called him on it anyway saying he only made that because his daughter is out there doing yadda yadda yadda. So to be a united front instead and say “we” as a father, as a daughter, as individuals need to do better is better than… not.
i think its funny that you feel like since you’re a Jay stan you have to dislike a Nas song. lol. them ninjas buried the hatchet, why can’t you?
as seen in the still (somehow) standing lebron/kobe debate, fans go harder than the actual people being talked about do.
you’re right they did, but i was never really a huge Nas fan to begin with so i didn’t just pick a side. i was already a fan of one and the other… not so much. while i admire what Nas promotes and represents i prefer to read books, go to exhibitions, etc to learn and understand our culture. music is a form of escape for me so Nas’ music doesn’t really fit the bill for what i’m looking for. plussssss if you’re in NYC and you’re a diehard, met Jay-Z and cried like a crazy Justin Bieber teen, been to 23 concerts, know every word from Reasonable Doubt to his WTT collab with Kanye when an artist you didn’t particularly care for anyway begins a song with “fuck jay-z” it’s easy to say “f*ck him” lol. and it would diminish the validity of my argument in the ever ongoing Jay vs Nas if i actually liked him. And as a sidebar, KOBE is better! #LakerGang
I like the concept behind “Daughters” because it takes quite a bit of self depreciation to openly admit one’s shortcomings, especially if those shortcomings are manifested in one’s own child.
I don’t have any children, so I can’t fully speak on the perils and joys and parenthood. However, I wonder why Nas is so surprised that his daughter mirrors the women he dates/dated? I mean, at some point he dated her mother, so why is he so shocked that his own daughter mimicks the behavior of one of the most influential people in her life?
“However, I wonder why Nas is so surprised that his daughter mirrors the women he dates/dated? I mean, at some point he dated her mother, so why is he so shocked that his own daughter mimicks the behavior of one of the most influential people in her life?”
I don’t think most men grasp this concept about their daughters at first. Your daughters will more than likely mimic behaviors of their mothers so that why its so important to choose wisely to begin with…..the same goes for women choosing wisely for their sons as well.
TRUE: Please pass it on —> Not all attention is good attention.
Some people have hundreds of twitter and/or FB followers and don’t have a clue who they are. We upload so much BS for “fun” and what we pretend is for a small online social circle, while actually hoping to be “liked” or retweeted. 15 minutes of fame is traded for dignity-this sh*t comes back, you can’t erase on the internet, no undo, no my bad…nunna that ish.
“Your daughters will more than likely mimic behaviors of their mothers so that why its so important to choose wisely to begin with…..the same goes for women choosing wisely for their sons as well.”
Sadly, in this day and age, a lot of people who are parents- or at least want to be parents- do not take this into consideration until long after the child is born. And by “long after”, I mean when the child is almost an adult.
@PA- Yea man. I realized this fairly recently but it’s such a critical point for men to realize. I noticed it from the cousins in my HUMONGOUS family. The quality of the mother is the MOST critical factor in how the kids come out. ESPECIALLY the daughter. Fellas u better choose wisely, or keep ur complaints to yourself
good thing I’m so phucking fabulous
@ jmtg
Negating the role of a father in her daughter’s life and placing all the responsibility on the mother is laziness of thought. A mother and father play a critical role in a child’s life that is NOT mutually exclusive. The only reason a father should not be in his daughter’s life is because, he is six feet under.
Otherwise just because I carried her to term and pushed her out into the world, does not make my role any more critical than yours, as her father. It takes a sperm and an egg to make a child, and as such, in parenting it takes a mother AND a father to make critical impressions on that child.
“Otherwise just because I carried her to term and pushed her out into the world, does not make my role any more critical than yours”
We aren’t saying the fathers role isn’t also critical but please recognize daughters are more likely to mimic their mothers in behavior than their fathers. I am only stating how important it is to choose a good mother especially since the mother typically takes on more of the responsibility when child rearing.
k. i still have issues with alla dat.
Thanks Chanelle, that’s what I was trying to say. The mom will play the bigger role in socializing the kid if both parents are there. It’s more or less inevitable. Also the girl is more than likely gonna look to her mom as a role model for two reasons
1) She’s a female also so the model her mom displays will be the first, most long lasting, and thoroughly observed example I womanhood
2) Who the mom is says a lot about who the father is, what he admires, and what he ultimately found attractive. So the who the mom is actually kinda speaks for both parents’ interests and values…
So in other words lil sis, I’m not bein lazy at all thank u very much lol
mmkay.
the father is more then the mother end of story. all chicks that end uo being sluts, strippers, out partyin 24/7 have daddy issues and thats a fact
Yeah really, because they wouldn’t want to be the next guest on the Maury Povich Show, LMAO!
Wow. After reading your post I was all set to hate the song and video. Nas is unquestionably top 5 dead or alive but in the past 5-10 years he’s more liable to drop f*ck-shit than classics, plus I, as a Jay-z fan HATED the Blue-Ivy song… HATED IT. I think that it was corny and pandering… basically everything you felt about this song…
But I dig this song. I think Nasir captured something that has been touched on in hip hop but never fully explored. Where you see awkwardness I see authenticity and realness.
….plus, I think ALOT of fathers go through this VERY thing. Its HARD to reconcile certain actions in your past with regards to chics. And you try so hard to steer your daughter away from certain things because you KNOW what time it is. Its a bitter pill to swallow. He even alluded to talking to her about what happened in the song. Its a tough deal when youve basically told your kid all they are gonna want to hear and then their mind gets clouded by boys and relationships. He even mentioned that the boys probably know her her father is in the song. I since a great deal of fear of letting his daughter grow up…..and fear that he wont be there to protect her. This song reeks of authenticity as far as Im concerned. An you know what? most music that we really “feel” comes from a genuine place. We just dont neccesarily know the backstories.
“This song reeks of authenticity as far as Im concerned. An you know what? most music that we really “feel†comes from a genuine place. We just dont neccesarily know the backstories.”
This right here!!!
“Where you see awkwardness I see authenticity and realness.”
i see all three
“Where you see awkwardness I see authenticity and realness.” Agreed. This song was on point. Like he brought it back on himself with the way his daughter is behaving. Like he hates it but then he’s like “who am i to throw stones at you? You’re my daughter. I helped you become the person you are. Let me self-reflect on that one for a minute.”
I secretly (read: openly) hope reckless men everywhere have daughters who are unabashedly promiscuous by the age of 14. I’m quite sure this is somewhere at the top of every man’s “Worst Fears” list right beside catching some kind of venereal disease.
The song does come from a genuine place but why put a larger spotlight on your child’s transgression?? I understand he wishes he did things slightly different when it came to raising her but regardless of what you instill in a child they always have the potential to go left if that’s what they want to do *shrug*
“I’m quite sure this is somewhere at the top of every man’s “Worst Fears†list right beside catching some kind of venereal disease.”
http://verysmartbrothas.com/scared-shtless-eight-things-that-every-grown-man-is-afraid-of/
i can understand wishing ill on those men…but wishing ill on their daughters at the same damn time? that’s kind of foul? you want jacked up men to have black girls lost??
that is NOT how we rise as a people. why not just hope that this ninja learnes the error of his ways. sheesh.
How is being promiscuous harmful? I mean, in and of itself. Take away diseases, or possible emotional harm, because those aren’t necessarily results. Just the promiscuity itself. From the perspective of the girl/woman. How is she harmed?
It lowers her bride price… now instead of three cows and two goats for her hand in marriage he can only get one goat and a sickly looking chicken.
Smh. Double standard madness needs to die.
“How is she harmed?”
If a man lives a reckless lifestyle in which he treats women like dogs, I doubt he will be a great, good or even mediocre father.
I agree with PJ; I would not want certain men to have daughters as life’s payback bc the daughter would ultimately be the one losing.
i am someone who is all for se.xual expression and don’t believe that anyone should have to stifle what they feel, who they do it with, how many times, how quickly etc.. but i sincerely do believe that type of behavior is dangerous for children/adolescents of both genders… there is a certain maturity that one needs to have in order to truly be in charge of their se.xuality… Promiscuity is and should always be an adult choice… the reasons children/teens engage in coitus hardly ever have to do with being in charge and doing what they want… Rebellion, trying to prove something, trying to keep someone, catching notches on a belt, showing off etc.. thats not in charge, that’s childs play
“Rebellion, trying to prove something, trying to keep someone, catching notches on a belt, showing off etc..”
Funny thing is, I think these are some of the reasons why most ADULTS are promiscuous as well.
agreed
Thank you for this. I couldn’t put into words why it was a big deal (not huge but serious enough) for this kid to show pictures of condoms on Twitter or any other social network site. If anyone posted this on my FB timeline, i would delete them. It shows a lack of maturity, wanting attention, and even suggests that you are sleeping around with different people. Just b/c you are safe about the condom usage, doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem with her posting pictures of it…at 17 mind you.
+1 mena- I get at my male cousins the same way for putting ANY type of real personal business out there like that. ESPECIALLY sexual. Some things you should just NEVER put out in public, even if a lot of ppl already know. Promiscuity as an adult is different from teenage promiscuity when you’re still impressionable and less wise/mature even if there’s a lot of overlap in the motives. With an act that has that much life changing potential it’s just a decision I feel a lot more comfortable with an adult making rather than a kid.
Yep. It’s time we stopped this whole “being promiscuous is fine as long as you wear a condom…at 17″ I get that sex is natural and it can be a wonderful and beautiful thing. But to say that a 17 year old (or anyone for that matter) showing a box of condoms is ok is beyond me.
I would throat chop my child hard enough to make their behind choke and their second breath catch in the back of their throat (Bernie Mack style). I don’t even have kids and i am getting upset.
Tabernacle. Very important and very solid point.
Gurl RWC…I did a double take of the new .avi. Fab darling, just fab!
Really? I could’ve sworn I engaged in coitus as a teenager because I heard how awesome it was and wanted to try it out. Had nothing to do with rebelling. Curiosity is a more correct term. I was just like, I heard this…vagina…stuff was pretty great. I must have some. Then, I got some. Simple.
I secretly (read: openly) hope reckless men everywhere have daughters who are unabashedly promiscuous by the age of 14.
Some people can’t open their eyes until it hits close to home. For some men, this is them seeing their daughters behave the way they did or seeing their daughter get hurt by guys who were just like them. Karma can be a complete biotch.
Though i see your point as well.
I agree with some of the folks who posted after your response. Promiscuity comes in so many forms and while smashing the whole block could be one I’d never wish that foolishness on anyone’s child.
I think the mere thought that your child is engaging in various activities is enough. The instagram photo of condoms for example, she might have just been flexing for her friends or she very well could be going through that whole box every week without fail. Point is, if one’s daughter had boys calling up the house at ungodly hours, was caught wearing something to school she didn’t leave the house in, etc. that’d be the extent of the promiscuity I was referring to.
I like “Daughters”, mainly because Nasir Jones is displaying a wonderful beat selection not seen since Illmatic/It Was Written. I don’t know if it’s sonething I wanna listen to again (considering I only heard it once), but I liked it.
Granted, it reminds me of when Carmen Bryan (mother of Destiny, Nas’s daughter) blasted him on Twitter. Only difference is that I’d trust Champ more, since he didn’t he didn’t do you-know-what with you-know-who, while leaving a condom in the baby seat amd writing a book a few
missed child support paymentsyears later.I say that to say that Nas was trying to figure if he was a good dad, and sometimes, the best reality is the one you’ve experienced. Especially considering she did Instagram herself with condoms. He does say that he loves her and tries to give her her props, but…
Sometimes the negative overshadows the positive.
I don’t know if it’s sonething I wanna listen to again (considering I only heard it once), but I liked it.
yeah. like “the passion of the christ,” “daughters” is something you only need to experience once
Agreed. I don’t see myself listening to this song again.
“Daughters” was not a great song. It didn’t hit the heart strings or conjure up any emotions for me. Neither did JayZ’s tribute to his daughter (and I used to love JayZ but I’ve grown out of that).
Tupac, Kanye and Eminem (my 3 choices so dont give me flack) are the only rappers that have made songs that are so emotionally charged that I feel it in my bones.
I had to watch the passion of the christ twice… the second time I almost jumped out the window.
I don’t like it when people are naked on their profile picture…that is all ..oh yeah I like the song..but why the naked muscle profile pic?
I don’t feel strongly for or against the song. I feel it’s going to have as much impact as Lil Wayne’s “How To Love.” Yeah, remember that one? No? Welp.
Speaking of fatherhood and such, after some thinking, I came up with a pretty nice catch-all response to any proposal for ratchet shenanigans from the typical dude.
“My dad raised me to do better than that.”
Simple, hard, sharp truth. A katana blade for all of the tom-foolery.
New avi. Nice.
Thank you, sir
+1 on the pic
I don’t feel strongly for or against the song. I feel it’s going to have as much impact as Lil Wayne’s “How To Love.†Yeah, remember that one? No? Welp.
I remember what sounded like a neutered werecat yowling over a guitar. Only impact it made for me was to commit unthinkable crimes, so I shied away from it.
My current theory of why P. Jack posted it in the first place is that the Lil’ Wayne video is like that cursed film in the movie The Ring. Once you see it, you have to make other people watch it, or else in 7 days Lil’ Wayne will come crawling out of the computer howling like a werecat.
Oh Lawd, if Weezy came crawling out of my computer I would fill a cup of water and toss at the screen. How to Love was so terrible and personally, it reminded me of Juve’s ‘Rodeo’ without the skrippers.
Lol @ Lil Wayne/The Ring. Like the new avi!
*Screams and screams*
Thank you *raises hand and bows head*
Lil Wayne’s how to love was ratchetness was at its best. Like “dude, you just had fo’/five (I lost count) hose, I mean women, have yo baby. Two in one year and three in 365 days.” You ain’t showing no woman how to love.
RW.C
So now I have to deal with you 2, seducing the real Jay?! smh.
me likkkkkey the avi too, but still read the first portion of my disgruntled sentiments.
Mami, he just gave me props for my avi. No need to jump to conclusions.
I don’t think his comment to me is going to have any impact on his unavailability to you
j/k.
Love the pic.
+1
-jay’s music, even at it’s best, always come off as a stunt, like his marriage or “friendship” w/Kanye–each reps the vampire in him (think puffy). i have always appreciated nas for what he is willing to do, but his inability to grow in the business and as an artist has much to do with his inability to sort of see around the corner. Not many can rap 20+ yrs AND still be appreciated as a pioneer. What did KRS-One say? he always has a “few bars to spit for whoever is currently on top”, um, really, who cares. Comedy is the same way, it can really get personal or you have to take it in a new direction.
oooh girrrrl, watchumean, his marriage is a stunt?
*popcorn anyone*, explain, I have theories for days!
I don’t mean that he doesn’t like her, I just mean he’s a great chess/poker player. As VSB Jay said below he is a shrewd businessman and I think he will always double down. Beyonce, like Kanye, is a cash cow and ain’t going nowhere. He is also intelligent and willing to learn the game from the inside. Like the key guy in the Matrix, timing is everything.
I think that Jay-z is one of the shrewdest figures that we’ve ever seen in black history. Shrewdness is something that we collectively could use a LOT more of. We’re not comfortable with it when we see it in others and we don’t relate to it well. I think that Nas lacks this quality and it is what has made all of the difference between his career and Jigga’s.
Sadly, I agree on the shrewdness! That has been the divide between these two! I’ve always prayed for NAS to get his business sensibilities, but then again it is a skill!
I’ll cosign on the Ye friendship, Ye was always Dame’s boy and never gave him any mind, however he knows a good investment when he sees one what was he gonna do a Watch the Throne with Bleek?
Nah, I would have predicted a whole album centered around the concept of the song “Coming Of Age”, LMAO!!!
So, does this mean that you like Jay-Z’s “Glory” better than Nas’s “Daughters”?
I think it’s more of a matter of he put his own business out there that he wasn’t aware of his daughter’s business. Everybody else knew.
I think the song relays a good message & much needed lesson for fathers and daughters especially but also for mothers of girls and young men that will one day father a girl.
With all that said, “Be a Father to Your Child” by Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs is still the best hip hop parenting message song ever.
“So, does this mean that you like Jay-Z’s “Glory†better than Nas’s “Daughtersâ€?”
lol, just because i say i don’t like turnips doesn’t mean i like beets
Speaking of beets, this guy is dabes @ makin beets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUyyHYkBHk&feature=youtu.be&t=1m20s
“With all that said, “Be a Father to Your Child†by Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs is still the best hip hop parenting message song ever.”
“So don’t front on your child when it’s your own
‘Cause if you front now, then you’ll regret it when it’s grown”
Best. Line. Ever.
“With all that said, “Be a Father to Your Child†by Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs is still the best hip hop parenting message song ever.”
I think this song gets forgotten. ‘Twas awesome.
The song isn’t all that bad. I actually like that he is becoming more involved in his daughter’s life and truly trying to be a good father.
The song reminds me of the old wives tale that bad guys have daughters to soften them up. A lot of the “bad guys” that I know had daughters as their first born. They’re still roaming the Earth creating more confused daughters but I guess sociology kicked in at that point…
“A lot of the “bad guys†that I know had daughters as their first born. They’re still roaming the Earth creating more confused daughters but I guess sociology kicked in at that point… ”
i did read an article a couple years ago stating that there was some type of evolutionary science between which types of couples were more likely to have sons or daughters. perhaps there is some scientific correlation between a father’s behavior and the gender of their child.
As a parent, i say #teamnas. Shoot, 17 is basically a grown person in these last days & times. (Ha ha see what i did there)? Nas is an artist he has the right to express himself in that way. When my son gets to be a teenager & does stupid sh*t to pizz me off, im gonna let it be known too! She woman enuf to take those type of pics, she woman enuf to pay the consequence. Bet she’ll think twice next time knowing daddy aint havin it. Shes lucky to have him.
Just ask Larry Fishbourne lmmfao
Ah, Larry Fishburne. You know how Chris Rock said in a show that every dad’s job is to keep his daughter off the pole? Well, Mr. Fishburne failed, and failed miserably. But heaven forbid my daughter does some stuff in public like Nas’ daughter did, I’m going to speak on it hardcore. I’m not talking about putting her in a convent, but her showing some sort of discretion about what she puts out for public consumption.
“When my son gets to be a teenager & does stupid sh*t to pizz me off, im gonna let it be known too!”
so if your son is late for a few days of school, you’re going to pay for a billboard letting everyone know of his tardiness?
Unlikely- but she might ask some folks to let her know if they see him darken that school door after a certain time. It takes a village.
I respect the song. Real recognize real…and NaS and his daughter REALly experienced these issues. Remember, NaS is old school and “keeping it real” used to be what hip-hop was all about. Being real about your life situations and having other “real” people relate.
Keeping it real?! Ke? He could have kept it real behind closed doors. He is competing with that other one, in my opinion, blue ivy, destiny. He shud have named this green something.
Meaning “keeping it real” and being transparent with the public. Everyone already knew about the condom picture. It was all over the Internet. Instead of sweeping the story under the rug or issuing a statement through his publicist to downplay the story, he chose to address how he was feeling through his music. For other fathers with daughters, it may serve as a cautionary tale. No one is perfect. No relationship is perfect. I respect his ability to show his relationship’s imperfections. Many wouldn’t. And I don’t think his daughter is any more embarrassed because of it. And if she is, well, that’s part of the lesson she needs to learn about performing such reckless acts. I bet she’ll think next time before “Instagraming.”
But to your point…it very well could be a competitive jab. But I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
I agree with you there. What decent father would want to use something embarrassing like this as a competitive jab? What happened is a matter of public record. There’s no good way NOT to speak on it without sounding like a lame.
The other possibility is that NAS and his daughter created the whole situation together.
Lol, always a conspiracy theorist in the mix
“He is competing with that other one, in my opinion, blue ivy, destiny. He shud have named this green something.” Seriously?!? The madness must stop. I didn’t even think about Jay’s daughter when i read this piece. Nas is competing against a BABY? For Christ sake.
girl, woooosah!
I’m extra wid it.
I that is why you bring laughter to my mornings. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.
“Nas is competing against a BABY? For Christ sake.”
it’s not too far-fetched. rappers making songs about their daughters seems to be what;s hot in the streets right now
But Champ…rappers have ALWAYS made songs about their daughters- even if some of the songs were corny…*shots fired*!
Who else has made a song about their kid besides Will and Jay? I don’t know much about rap so please let me know.
Sure- here they are:
Common- Windows
Ja Rule- Daddy’s Little Baby
The Game- California Dream
Eminem- Mockingbird
Nas- Me & You (Dedicated To Destiny)
Talib Kweli- Black Girl Pain
That’s all I can name off the top of my head for now.
Common- Windows
Ja Rule- Daddy’s Little Baby
Nas- Me & You (Dedicated To Destiny)
Talib Kweli- Joy, Black Girl Pain, Oh My Stars
Xzibit- The Foundation
The Game- California Dream, Like Father Like Son
Blu & Exile- Show Me The Good Life
I swear Imma start callin PA the music encyclopedia lol.
Panama’s the pop culture (in general) encyclopedia
So then you just proved Champ wrong. I assume that these songs weren’t released after the birth of Blue Ivy. Am i correct?
Your screen name? *applause*
I understand the serious ness of this post and shiid, but can I get some girrrls to discuss the foinnesss that is NAS?! Lawwwwwd hammmercy, I know I ain’t the only one that gets into bikini mode, when I sees him! shoo, goodnight!
yeah, i wanted to feel bad for kelis…for 2 seconds, and I’m not even into chipped teeth–
he got chipped teeth?!
I think Nas to me got even more sexier, when I found out that he is the one who fought for his marriage! How smmmmcheggzy is he right about now?!
Kelis, did him dirrrrrrty by claiming that chunk change for child support knowing fully well this man would be rendered homeless, bankrupt but still foiiiiine! I’m a woman, and I found her child support requests, utterly RIDONC!
That tooth was, if not still is and he aint homeless, far from it. Most men will fight for their “name” even if they muddied it.
Girl, I was not talking homeless in the literal sense. But let’s keep it all the way 100, this man and his finances is like Lil Wayne and the term handsome, non-existent, at the moment! He can probably pay bills and shid, but from a focal point of investment, oi oi oi, my heart bleeds. The mic was simply that, a tool of expression and not economic progression-ask Jay—->not mine, the rapper!
He looks like a cute average black dude.
So very true, he is def NOT Idris Elba!
Lord, Idris…YES!! I wouldn’t pass up Nas but he is nothing that i would give a second look at either. He just looks like a regular cute dude.
Yo, imma bout to break it down:
NAS——>is FOIIIIIIIIIIINE! like he is handsome
IDRIS ELBA——–>I STAN for him, but let’s keep it real, this man and Nas are incomparable, for obvious reasons. They are an apple and orange situation. Idris, got that pretty ugly swag, that I’m always talking about. He is not out rightly handsome, BUT he has that jenesekwa in him that has you wanting to commit sins with him, a lot of them, a host of them actually!!!
He looks like the kind of guy with intense eye contact who refuses to look away first. I think this works for him.
Uh uh! I seen nas up close in real life. Hes gorgeous.
Really? I don’t believe you
Promise! Sat rite next 2 him @ one of puffys partys back in the day. I was already lookin @ him like “damn he fine” before i even realized who he was.
OK. I take your word. He just doesn’t scream fine to me though. Cute yes. Fine, not so much.
“I understand the serious ness of this post and shiid, but can I get some girrrls to discuss the foinnesss that is NAS?!”
No.
He ain’t ever been fine to me a day in his life.
Ok. Y’all just getting outrageous now…LOL
to EACH his own! Way to party poop. Urrrgh!
I like Nas, he’s in my Top 10 somewhere, and I can honestly say that this is the first time in years that I’m actually looking foward to an album of his. Not because of this song in particular, but because of his recent songs in general.
See, I think the reason why people have such a problem with Nas, is because although he’s really talented, he’s also really boring. The music he’s put out in the last 6-7 years has been about as interesting as a bowl of rice. Hopefully that changes this year. As the only albums I’m looking foward to this year are his, Slaughterhouse, and G.O.O.D. Music’s album. I’ve already heard Big K.R.I.T.’s album in its entirety which didn’t do anything but further cement my claim that he is overrated. I just hope Drake, Childish Gambino, and Kendrick Lamar drop some more music soon. Those guys have been dropping heat recently.
Gambino?! PUKE!!! He is so IRRITABLE!
Ummmm, have you listened to Distant Relatives (Nas and Damian Marley)? Yeah…you should probably check that out. And if you put Drake, Gambino and K.R.I.T. over it, well, we’ll just have to agree to disagree. LOL. Co-sign Slaughterhouse. The jury is still out on G.O.O.D. Music.
Distant Relatives was boring as well. It’s also one of those albums I find overrated. But that’s me. I don’t put K.R.I.T. over anyone though. I’ve always said he was overrated. Mainly because the South catches a lot of heat for putting out bullsh*t music and KRIT is one of the new guys who’s actually lyrical. His mixtapes don’t “Wow” me at all. And his new album doesn’t either.
And I’m only looking forward to G.O.O.D. Music because I’m a Kanye stan and everything he touches is epic. But other than that, Drake, CG, and Kendrick are putting out the best music right now.
Co-sign Ickey Shuffling. Distant Relatives was my s#it!
Nah, Gambino’s the man. You know you want his peen!!!
Gambiino is very hit or miss, his good songs are great and his bad ones are fuggin terrible
Well it’s a good thing he never misses then, lol.
+1 on Kendrick Lamar. I heard someone quote ADHD this weekend and we became instant friends. P&P ain’t even my type of song but when I feel like ish is going wrong that’s what I jam to.
Yea dude is a beast. It took me a while to learn how to recite the lyrics for Rigamortus bar for bar. “Look Out For Detox” is dope too.
P&P is my joint….smooth and ignant at the *in my Future voice* SAME DAMN TIME!!!
Ayo son, no offense but unless youza teenage girl, your musical taste is mad suspect. Drake??? Are you serious? That dude got breastmilk flowing through his bloodstream son, nahmean? I still can’t get over him talmbout “catchin bodies.” The ninja actually said that shit son. Unless he talmbout catchin bodies like how Patrick Swayze had to catch the broad at the end of Dirty Dancing, he needs to GTFOH! Nahmean!
“I know that showin’ emotion don’t ever mean I’m a pu**y
Know that I don’t make music for ni**as who don’t get pu**y
So those are the ones I count on to diss me or overlook me”
-Drake, Lord Knows
my favorite!
I agree with TUK. Drake’s lyrics are actually really good. And no, i am not a rap head but I can listen to his music. The beats are there, the lyricism is there…it just gets me.
I tried to pry his CD out of my car for about 4 months but couldn’t stop listening to it on repeat and I’m not the biggest rap person. Which is why I think ppl don’t like Drake. All of us “non-rapheads” like his music so there must be something wrong or soft about him.
Agreed. He also talks about his feelings which you aren’t allowed to do.
That song Lord Knows…I loved every word and the way he was able to weave what makes him who he is into the song. Then when Ross comes on and the beat changes… Repeat, repeat, repeat.
“Unless he talmbout catchin bodies like how Patrick Swayze had to catch the broad at the end of Dirty Dancing, he needs to GTFOH! Nahmean!”
this made me laugh aloud
Is that the real Big Ghost or just someone quoting him verbatim. Are we in the presence of greatness?
That’s what I was thinkin. I’m like, yo, is this Volcano Hands, himself?!
@Big Ghost
You can’t really diss Drake with a Dirty Dancing reference without getting a side eye.
Lol, oh sh*t, it’s Big Ghost. Volcano Hands and all that sh*t, right? But, Drake is a beast. And to everyone still trippin’ about that catch a body line, it was meant metaphorically. As in he would kill rappers lyrically. He even confirmed it in the interview he did with Complex magazine. But for some reason people (erroneously) decided to take that literally and make fun of him for it, which didn’t do anything but make them look foolish, nahmean?
“The music he’s put out in the last 6-7 years has been about as interesting as a bowl of rice”
i agree, and this coming from a person who thinks Nas is the most talented rapper ever. Not the best, but the most talented.
I’m with you on Nas. he makes sh*t like that that is interesting in the moment but ultimately, he’s a boring rapper.
and while i dont think KRIT is overrated, i’m listening to his new album and its starting to make me feel like Return of 4 Eva was a fluke. or he was just motivated or something. b/c that album was beautiful.
these last few efforst just didnt do anything for me at all.
I don’t get the KRIT hype and I’m a MS girl (exiled to Detroit).
Me neither.
I listened to the half first mixtape (couldn’t go any further). I wasn’t moved.
Haven’t even tried to care about anything else after that.
OMG! I’m a detroit girl, exiled to mississippi…
so i LOVED krit wuz here. the 1st last king mixtape was aiiiight. i liked the 2nd one though. Return of 4eva didn’t move me. now i just dl’d live from the underground…i’m tired of him using the same beats over & over again. the music is (slightly) different, but the rhythms are the same and he raps with the same cadence over there…i feel like he can chill out and stop trying to be so prolific, so he can make a more interesting catalogue of music. quality over quantity.
“The music he’s put out in the last 6-7 years has been about as interesting as a bowl of rice. ”
Not the best analogy on VSB; these folks love them some rice…
i was thinking that WIP like no this lil ninja TUK didn’t come up here and try to make the best food in the world boring… he’s mistaken…
I was about to say, I don’t know what kind of rice he’s been eating, but he should have him some jallof , biriyani or pilau, and then adjust his comments! HEAVEN.
The analogy doesn’t mean eating rice is boring. I’m talking about just LOOKING at a bowl of rice. Like, getting a bowl of white (no shots at nillalatte) rice and just sitting there staring at it. That’s what the analogy means. But I love rice though. It’s the best food right behind Mexican food (the best ever), Italian food (pizza and pastas an sh*t), Seafood (I already mentioned how much bodily harm I will inflict on someone who tries to touch my Shrimp Scampi), and Soul food.
Why am I enslaved? Free me! How dare you shackle TUK aka The Heterosexual Version of Bruno Mars aka Langston Huge aka Peter Darker aka Morgan Freeman-Squared aka Mr. Low Sperm Count aka Mr. I Got Akas For Days aka Dr. Suprise-Suprise All In Her Eyes aka The Incredible Hunk aka Dora The Explore Her!
@WC: come get yo cub. He need some ice-cream to HUSH!
You do realise the hush-ness will only be temporary, right? Because once I’m done destroying that ice cream I’m coming right back harder than ever.
TUK, that’s because you ain’t cooked the rice right! You have to add stuff. I know, I know, the southern way is boring, but try this… saute you some onions and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil. I, personally, use 1 large sweet onion and probably about 5-6 cloves of garlic (I like garlic). Natural aphrodisiacs.
Put your rice in a rice cooker (or slow simmer on the stove, but a rice cooker is best) add the onions and garlic with about a teaspoon of salt and let cook. Now, take that and add some roasted tomatoes on top and O-M-G, you have a dish that will make you create more craters in AZ. LOL
Yo, real talk, Ima need you to fax me a bowl of that rice pronto. That sh*t sounds delicious.
Not a huge Nas fan, but I’ve been through something similar. I totally understand where he’s coming from and I like the song.
what happened, if you don’t mind me asking?
The fact that this entire article is one big compare & contrast of Nas & Jay-z ‘s character makes this article a fucking JOKE! “Nas is a REAL artist…he is NOT running the Jay-z race.”-Steve Stoute (Complex 2011) Question: What does Jay-z have to do with Nas’ song “Daughters?” Answer: Absolutely nothing. There are just some people who can’t accept the fact that our differences is what makes us unique. Nas does not have to be the “shrewd business man” & he daughter is not competing with Jay-z’s daughter. Nas will continue to WIN…yes I said win because he does not pretend to be be perfect or to be this higher being as the public so desperately wants Jay-z to be LOL. Nas’ success is proven with his 8 multiplatinum/platinum & 3 gold albums and counting.
Nas’ ability to ignore the nagativity that is thrown at him by the hip hop community makes him a strong man.
A jealous mind is a wicked mind. Nas has a lot of haters due to this mind-set.
It’s always the people in glass houses that want to throw stones.
immortal being that the public so desperately want to portray Jay-z to be.
i’d say thank you for reading, but since i’m not sure if you did actually read the entire thing, I’ll just say thank you for skimming.
lol. I heart this message. They went pretty hard for being completely off topic.
Lmao @ MJoy and Champ. Yeah apparently a word, phrase, or sentence pushed his button. Cause that ninja went off…on a minimally relevant tangent nonetheless lol
I think the song is great! I like what he is trying to do and i enjoyed the way he did it.
While I do not necessarily agree with the public forum Nas chose to address the situation with his daughter, do we know that he DIDN’T address it privately as well? AT 17, yes you’re still a child, but you’re still old enough to know better. I think he at least attempted to put the blame on himself rather than her, though I really do feel like he could’ve left out some of the transgressions his daughter made. How? I don’t know. I’m not the rapper.
“I think he at least attempted to put the blame on himself rather than her, though I really do feel like he could’ve left out some of the transgressions his daughter made”
i agree with this
The problem with Nas is the same problem Allen Iverson has, and why as we speak he’s not in the league anymore. They don’t know how to act.
They keep it real, which in reality means they keep it emotional. We talk a lot about how women are emotional creatures and all that, but truth be told the most emotional people are those who keep it real, or feel that that’s what they’re supposed to do in the black community.
Jay-Z is much like Kobe Bryant: a lot of people think he’s phony, a lot of people think he’s arrogant, a lot of people think he sold out, however, here’s the thing, those both guys know their business and they’ve built long-term success and relevancy for themselves based on that knowledge. Jay-Z knows how to get away with things, and knows how to do things the right way, Nas doesn’t.
Let’s rewind a couple years ago, when Autotune music and Soulja Boy were rocking the charts. Old School hip-hop heads and purists were seeking a push back against the trend of awful music, and Hova and Nasir decided they were going to do something about it. Jay-Z wrote a song called Death of Autotune, which had several other rappers rapping over the beat, people talking about his tracks on the streets, people booing T-Pain etc. Even though it wasn’t immediate, autotune eventually died out of relevancy, and Soulja Boy is in rehab. What did Nas do? Nas released an ENTIRE album saying Hip-Hop is Dead trying to go for the knock out blow…unbeknownst to him, he ended up isolating and ostracizing every young rapper trying to do it the right way, the Lupes, the other undergrounders, the old school heads still trying to be relevant. It’s funny Hip-hop is dead got more rebuttals than it got supporters by those in the hip-hop world and achieved little to anything, just a bunch of enemies for Nas, and people who should’ve worked with him, but don’t.
Nas’ problem has always been the problem of people who don’t embrace deep thought and strategy, and as wise and knowledgeable as Nas might be, he’s always shown a lack of long term thinking in terms of what he does. It’s the reason why with Ether he won the battle, but lost the war, which he’s still losing till this day. Nas is a guy who kept it real, who spoke whatever he felt at the moment, and he has gotten love from the people who view that as virtuous, however it has costs him lots of success. And also made him to make a lot of awful decisions.
When you take all the above into consideration, you understand why Nas would foolishly put out family business, not only into a song, but into an expensive music video. For what purpose, there was no purpose gaddamit. He was keeping it real, and like that Dave Chappelle skit, keepin it real many times goes wrong, and with this song, Nas went wrong. So if you see his daughter in the strip club in the next couple of months, please give her words of encouragement before you make it rain on her…she needs all the help she can get.
BAM! There you have it!
Read PA’s response-stellar!——–>those in favor of NAS and his candor on the mic! smh.
Right on target… and the Kobe/Iverson analogy *hi 5*.
“The problem with Nas is the same problem Allen Iverson has, and why as we speak he’s not in the league anymore. They don’t know how to act.”
although I prefer the iverson/tupac analogy a bit more, I still think this analogy was a good one.
As much as I love ‘pac, i think he saw it but thought he had more time and he didn’t realize what a jealous ninja will resort to. Dre knew the sh*t couldn’t be done with him, so he didn’t have to wait. Iverson/Nas didn’t and don’t.
I can see where you don’t feel this Champ, but at the same time, Nas lost the second his daughter decided to wild out. If he didn’t speak on it, someone would have blogged that he isn’t checking his daughter. If he did speak on it, someone would say that he’s putting her business out there, despite the fact that anyone can find it with 5 minutes on Google. In certain cases, the best way out of some foolishness is to not get involved in the first place.
In terms of the song, it’s OK. It’s not “Illmatic”, but it’s closer to that than “Nastradamus.” And as a father, what he’s talking about is real spit. If you follow Nas, over the course of his career, he likes to break stuff down to real simple family life. That’s probably his biggest strength over Jay-Z, who comes off a bit too calculated to credibly pull it off without sounding like a complete sap. (“Glory” anyone?) On the flip side, like Black Medici said, Nas gets in his feelings too much. I get that with having a jazz trumpeter father, the temptation to get artsy is always there. Also, being in your emotions makes for great art. However, it doesn’t always make for great life decisions.
So he was talking about his own daughters actions- the song didn’t make it sound that horrible. Like I mentioned below, we’ve seen worse. What did she do, just post some pics?
“Nas lost the second his daughter decided to wild out”
you know what’s funny about all of this? the daughter’s act that caused all of this — instagramming a pic of some condoms — isn’t really that bad of an act. weird? yea, but 17 year olds do some weird-ass shit. showing condoms is better than showing syphilis and shit.
This is my question. What the hell is the big deal?! Men projecting their fears onto a girl who didn’t really do anything all that bad. That’s worse than what she did.
I mean, really. Think about it. What she did vs. The reaction. It’s like liars and thrives who don’t trust anybody. They think everybody is like them.
It’s not her problem. It’s Nas’ problem. And the problem of all the men who think its a problem.
I agree that the dudes taking this out of proportion are wrong. That said, you can’t pretend like those dudes don’t exist either. We live in the world we have, not the world we want.
Right, she should be lauded for using protection. Good for her. People are tripping…
True. Now if she instagrammed (not sure if that’s a word) a picture of herself topping off some young man, see now that would be a bit more alarming for me if I were a parent. Condoms would illicit some anger in me but at least she isn’t one of these pregnancy pact shrews right?
Dead at the usage of the word “shrews” lmao!
I see your point (and Wild Cougar’s below), but there’s a difference between a regular ninja on the street and a public figure’s child. It might not be fair, but it’s also the honest truth. Once you’re so-and-so’s child, you’re going to be judged by a different standard. Now you can fight the standard, and I’d be with you, but that doesn’t change the reaction.
@ Todd- yea I grew up the principal’s (and later on the superintendent’s) son. So if anybody understands that concept it’s me smh
Why I feel this post was 100% right and 100% wrong at the same time in 5….4….3….2…1…
While it’s always a good idea to ask ‘was this a good approach?’ I generally believe that unless you’ve raised 534 perfect children, calling people out (aside from the flagrant fouls like child abuse, not being there etc..) on how they deal with their children is something we should generally refrain from. Raising human beings is just way too complex a task to make definitive condemnations (again, apart from the flagrant fouls)
“I generally believe that unless you’ve raised 534 perfect children, calling people out (aside from the flagrant fouls like child abuse, not being there etc..) on how they deal with their children is something we should generally refrain from. Raising human beings is just way too complex a task to make definitive condemnations (again, apart from the flagrant fouls)”
This is EXACTLY how I feel. Nas did what he saw fit for his situation. When my brothers and I were little and acted a fool out in public, my mother gave us a good slap “in public”…..and she dared anyone to say something.
CNotes… your mom and my mom apparently came from the same old school discipline class. And, my mother would never say, “Wait until we get home and I tell your father.” Shyt, that would never happen. She was all over it like white on rice. There was no ‘waiting’ ever. It killed her to hear other women say that to their kids.
“There was no ‘waiting’ ever”
LOL! In most cases it was the exact same for us. The only time she ever waited was if we were in church. But, even then, she wouldn’t wait until we got home. As soon as we made it to the car….*POP*.
“I generally believe that unless you’ve raised 534 perfect children, calling people out (aside from the flagrant fouls like child abuse, not being there etc..) on how they deal with their children is something we should generally refrain from.”
does this way of thinking apply to other aspects of life? i mean, none of us here have ever been president, so does that mean we can’t criticize bush or obama?
Actually, that’s not exactly what I said/meant. I also have a problem with people with children criticizing other people with Children. The reason I specifically stated that unless someone has 534 PERFECT children, was basically alluding to the fact that unless you have a study done with some statistically significant sample size or some other form of evidence, to show that x works as opposed to the fact that x doesn’t work or is flat out wrong on some other grounds then making definitive criticisms like “Cutting off your daughters face”, are kinda outta line. In that case it’s purely speculation (one that lacks certain crucial information such as what the child is like or what their relationship is like) and should be treated as such. And Yes this applies to every other aspect of life, I don’t think that a person X who doesn’t know how to definitively get from point A to point B should rip someone a new one for taking a turn [person X] are not sure was the right one.
P.S Additionally, The Obama/Bush analogy also doesn’t really work here because what they do affects us, in that regard they’d be like Nas and we the Kids..
“The Obama/Bush analogy also doesn’t really work here because what they do affects us, in that regard they’d be like Nas and we the Kid”
…and how parents raise their kids has an effect on us too. i’m being facetious here, but if I think someone’s doing something that’s not right, I’m going to speak on it. am i going to write a personal letter to nas? no, but if he’s putting his fatherhood (or lack there of) out there as art and to make money, I can (and will) offer criticisms.
hmmm……very good point (that I plan on stealing)
im not sure i agree with that. yes, if you dont have a kid there are some things you should step out of. however, i think its not entirely offbase to think that its just not in bounds to blast your kid like that.
or maybe should just revisit this when he has a kid. and just repost it. lol
My apologies, I was tad unclear in my original comment, so I can see how you both missed my point. My gripe with this post isn’t that a guy without kids was criticizing someone with kids, It’s that Champ made an objective claim regarding how other people should treat their kids, without the evidence to support it (that’s why I made the exception for the flagrant fouls – there is definitive evidence to show those do more harm than good), made worse by the fact that this objective claim was essentially harshly criticizing someone else who as far as we can tell is someone doing their very best…I’d have had the same issue if it was your post.
+1 VAB- There’s no right answer. And even doing nothing doesn’t qualify as an easy answer because it’s not easy…there’s no easy answer…period
gotcha.
It took a minute but i think Nas is starting to figure it out career wise. “Nasty” was vintage Nas just spitting, went over alot of heads but he’s used to that and his fans appreciated. “The Don” is just a banger, probably his first since Made Ya Look, and now “Daughters” is him getting personal (theres a little of pandering here but hey).
As for the song itself, meh. Its not bad but its not really good. I think the only thing that caught my attention was that 2nd verse. I think him putting it out there is kind of his way of proving a point, as i can only imagine how he felt when someone told him to get his kid.
“the don” is the first nas song in a minute that actually had me excited to listen to it
Jay-Z is the hip hop Mitt Romney
BLASPHEMY!!!!!!!!
*kicks over chair and grabs tar and feather kit for TJ*
It felt like he was kind of apologizing to his daughter for the mistakes he has made which has turned her into the young lady she is today:
“How could I not protect her from Explain this awful phase
Never tried to hide who I was, she was taught and raised like
A princess, but while I’m on stage I can’t leave her defenseless
Plus she’s seen me switching women, pops was on some pimp shit
She heard stories of her daddy thuggin’
So if her husband is a gangster can’t be mad, I’ll love him”
“At this point I realized I ain’t the strictest parent
I’m too loose, I’m too cool with her
Shoulda drove on time to school with her
I thought I dropped enough jewels on her”
This line right here was the tightest part:
“They say the coolest playas and foulest heart breakers in the world
God gets us back, he makes us have precious little girls”
Champ, of all the times you haven’t cared about being sensitive, I need for you to get to that point on this song. I liked it. He sounds like he is apologizing to his daughter for giving her things instead of the father she needed. Maybe now he can start doing that for her.
BTW, i don’t even follow pop culture and I knew about the picture on Twitter. I can’t even remember where i heard about it but I did.
I haven’t been enslaved in a minute. Please free me.
Your post is the correct interpretation of the song.
“Champ, of all the times you haven’t cared about being sensitive”
LOL, this — the fact that people think this about me — is still hilarious to me.
Obviously…it is…since you pointed it out.
But it’s still embarrassing for her. Basically I wish I wasn’t all phucked up because now YOU’RE all phucked up. My bad sweetie….
um, thanks dad.
I guess it’s the individual’s interpretation of the song.
It’s strictly about the individual’s interpretation and level of entertainment. That’s the beauty of music. It means something different for each listener. There’s no correct interpretation
I see nothing wrong with what he did. A little public humiliation is good for kids. I think it should start around 11 so the parents don’t have to do it at 17. This whole idea that we have to tip toe around a child is ridiculous and obviously not effective. It’s unfortunate that the thing most people pay attention to when it comes to having kids is whether they can keep said kids in the latest jeans. Nothing wrong with the latest jeans but doing the work of raising your child to be a productive human being with good ethics, morals, and self-preservation skills is what parenting is really about. If you raise your child to be future oriented, the chances they’ll act a fool at 17 diminish.
so you think the intent and the end (well, the presumed end) justifies the means?
Yes. If a child has to suffer the embarrassment of doing dumb stuff, it helps them think twice about doing that type of thing later. She got the benefits of being Nasir’s daughter but with those benefits come responsibilities. Her daddy called her out on a record? So! My momma called me out at Thanksgiving dinner in my teens. That was the last time I had what sounded like (and was) a grown man calling the house. Lesson learned.
I’m mad she did it at Thanksgiving dinner though. She couldn’t pull you off to the side?
Nope. That’s not how I was raised. This is why I took my happy hind-parts to college, graduated, stayed childless, and drug free. I didn’t want my failures to be on the wire!
Lol yep….same here
LOL, ok. One of the reasons I stayed out of trouble was worry of it getting back to “streets” via old-lady gossip.
Cus there’s nothing worse in the world than running into someone and them saying, “Ain’t you so-and-so’s baby? *looks me up and down* Ump. Tell ya momma ‘nem I said hi.” Then finding out they have been in the streets talking bad about how I turned. Naw. Not gonna be me. My last name is way too unique to be out in the streets acting a fool.
Now that made me LOL because it’s so true. I have one of those unique names too and from a small town. The threat of being called out is often a good motivator. Although, once it happens it’s easier to slip into IDGAF mode because everybody knows all your business anyway. It’s a slippery slope, LOL
“A little public humiliation is good for kids. I think it should start around 11 so the parents don’t have to do it at 17. This whole idea that we have to tip toe around a child is ridiculous and obviously not effective.”
This is exactly how I feel.
Here’s how I feel about the whole situation in reference to Nas’ new song. For starters, I’m a huge Nas fan and I’ve been rocking with him for 21 years. However, I felt this song- as great as it was- is a little too personal…even for someone like Nas.
Here’s the thing- I feel that issues between parent and child should be worked out behind closed doors. Unfortunately, we live in a celebrity culture where it seems normal for a parent- or a child (in Eminem’s case)- to air out their dirty laundry. I felt that Nas should have sat his daughter down and had a serious talk with her. That’s just my opinion on this- I thought he could have handled it a lot better than this.
This reminds me a lot of celebrity parents within the last 30 years. Children of celebrity parents are usually neglected and are not around the children for most of their formative years. This whole scenario Nas is dealing with is not a new concept. I’ve heard children of well known actors and rock musicians deal with this issue, but they didn’t go out and clown their kids in public.
“Here’s the thing- I feel that issues between parent and child should be worked out behind closed doors. Unfortunately, we live in a celebrity culture where it seems normal for a parent- or a child (in Eminem’s case)- to air out their dirty laundry. I felt that Nas should have sat his daughter down and had a serious talk with her. That’s just my opinion on this- I thought he could have handled it a lot better than this.”
Who’s to say that he didn’t and she wasn’t trying to hear it. Obviously her mother isn’t having the best of luck so maybe he thought this was the best way to reach HIS daughter.
Hun, where I am from it takes a village to raise a kid, there is no need of emphasizing HIS!-We all want the best for Nas! His intents are good, but executed very poorly.
Village or not, it’s still HIS child
I agree with the village part but I also think the way a parent feels best to raise their child is up to them. Someone said that up above and i agree with that. What works for one family, doesn’t have to work for another one. This is all within reason of course.
I get the whole “it takes a village to raise a child” theory, but answer me this: What if the village is flucked up?
(drops mic and exits stage left)
PA : I agree with you. Somethings should never be addressed this way. It makes me sick to my stomach that parenting has evolved to this mess. Makes me wonder if some aren’t capitalizing off putting things like this out there because we live in a society that craves celebrity gossip and folks are always looking for ways to remain relevant and relevancy = $$$$.
Montana Fishburne, Bobbi Christiana, Lindsay Lohan are all being handled the wrong way….where is pimp slapping, get-in-that-arse parents and grand-parents nowadays?!?!
Breezy,
You know C.R.E.A.M (esp the rich and wealthy), it’s why religion, rules, and morales all take a back seat and won’t apply, if the $$$ flow propa-like. Even Adina Howard tried to join the long list of those who try to hang on by goin’ gospel. Hey, if Vanity 6 can, why not?
They went the way of the dinosaurs, 8-tracks and two-way pagers, LMAO!
Nah, but seriously, a lot of parents are trying the approach on trying to be the child’s friend- which makes matters even worse.
So does this include not checking your child in the department store? Does this include not popping them in public? If so, what about the legions of parents who raised kids by checking them in public CONSISTENTLY and had those kids grown up to never bring shame to their family name? When punishment is consistent, with alternative behaviors presented, humiliation works. But when you have lazy parents who are inconsistent and only check behaviors when it is embarrassing to the parent, it doesn’t work. The kids rebel.
Here’s where I’m going with this- I was born and raised in the South in the late 70′s/early 80′s. And the stuff that the kids are pulling today, you just did not do!!! You do not go out and embarrass your parents in public, if you did you knew what was going to happen!
Abso-freaking-lutely. And if a child is crushed at 12 because a parent embarrassed them, they weren’t checked enough in the years leading up to that. Translation: Folks are raising punk-#9s kids then trying to redirect when they are far down the wrong path. Naw. Parenting starts the day the kid makes it out out the womb. (I’d say earlier but then some crazy anti-choice people might get up in arms. No time for alladat.) If you don’t take the job seriously from your first day, you’ll be disappointed in what you end up with down the line.
Love the video! Was that his real daughter in the end?
It was sweet but not overly sappy or pandering IMO. I think there’s a market of men raising children who will relate to this song automatically. I feel like TI could have made this exact same song (it’s about time he does. that new song I heard from him is -_-). The original rap generation is growing up. I would expect more songs like this in general.
How is this song sh*tting on his daughter? Forgive my ignorance, has he come out and said this happened with his daughter? I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t simply telling another girl’s story- or the story of myriad girl half-nekked on Twitter- but even if he wasn’t the things he mentioned in that song are far from cringe-worthy. We’ve all heard much, much, much worse.
“The original rap generation is growing up. I would expect more songs like this in general.” I think it was discussed either last week or the week before on how rap is immature and that is why people can’t relate to it after a certain age (maybe you said it and i agreed). I would hope that more music like this comes out but I doubt it. Mainstream popular rappers don’t seem to make it past a certain age in their careers (excluding Jay, Em, and Nas). Of the ones that do, how many are married and/or playing an active role in their child’s life? I know we can name a few but not many.
“How is this song sh*tting on his daughter? Forgive my ignorance, has he come out and said this happened with his daughter? I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t simply telling another girl’s story- or the story of myriad girl half-nekked on Twitter- but even if he wasn’t the things he mentioned in that song are far from cringe-worthy. We’ve all heard much, much, much worse.” I don’t feel like he was shi**ing on her but the the picture on twitter did happen.
So I Googled it and my questions are answered; obviously I’m the last person in the world to hear about sh*t. Still don’t think it was that bad…
“So I Googled it and my questions are answered; obviously I’m the last person in the world to hear about sh*t. Still don’t think it was that bad…”
that’s actually kind of my point. i don’t think what destiny did was bad enough to put her business in front of millions of strangers.
i think, fairly, the point a lot of foks are making is that the only ninjas that will know about this are the ones that already do. lol. ain’t no white nas fans.
by “aint no white nas fans” you mean “the only nas fans left are white,” right?
Y’all need some cake and ice cream for this party? lol
Believe it or not, there are White Nas fans. You wanna know who and where they are? They’re college educated kids living in college towns. I didn’t believe it either until I moved to Auburn and saw White kids snatching up that “N*gger” album, LOL!
i dont know if white kids snatching up an album falsely entitled “n*gger” in alabama qualifies as fandom. lol.
Bwahahaha! Yeah PA u had to have seen that one coming lol
But yea white college kids are more into “conscious” hip hop than negroes, or at least that’s been my experience
I walked right into that one, and the sad thing is I’m ususally the perpetrator- not the victim, LOL!
I’ve never figured out why White kids were more into conscious hip hop. I was always under the assumption they liked weed rap- way too much weed rap!
“I’ve never figured out why White kids were more into conscious hip hop.”
I ain’t no white ‘kid’, but there are 8 million stories out there. “Kids” all feel trapped at some point in their lives and reach out to different sources of music to express that feeling. So, it makes sense that ‘kids’ are into conscious hip hop. MHO.
Honestly, Nas has a bit of a following among educated White people who are into hip-hop. I’ve read writers who clearly mention that they don’t listen to a lot of hip-hop talk of their love for Illmatic. I think that the Jiggaman might have more White fans, but Nas’ fanbase among 2520s is hardcore.
ITA. If anything to me that song was more about Nas needing to have been a better dad and the possible outcomes when you are not there to raise, love, and guide your daughters; to fortify and solidify her self worth and how she will eventually carry herself around men and potential suiters.
I agree; I thought the song was insightful into the dad’s thoughts. something a daughter could appreciate- he’s not so angry at her as he is scared that she’ll end up like of the women he’s been with. kids often can’t really appreciate their parents point of view; I imagine this probably helped her understand where he was coming from. Hell she was in the video, obviously she wasn’t that upset.
But it’s a music video, was she going to say “NO” when given that opportunity? lol
i love retrospect for life.
love.
havent heard the song in question yet. sure i will eventually.
maybe.
stop being lazy
nigga please! So its on twitter so let me just go and make a video about it so all who didn’t know and wouldn’t have known [like those who have radio but no internet] can also hear about it. Thanks to this video, I now know that Nas has a daughter and that she’s inclined to ho-ness. The problem is not that people didn’t already know, it was the number of people who didn’t know who now do, that’s the problem. People like me who can’t quite remember Nas’ full name half the time can now judge his daughter; and judge we will, because that’s what human beings do. At best we can try to separate our judgment from our treatment. but the mere having of an opinion is a judgment.
It was NOT the way to handle it. One day she’s maybe going to be a mother and maybe she would have straightened out and maybe twitter will have joined HI5 in oblivion. but can she ever get away from that one act/phase of stupidity? No. Thanks to her dad. Even if he’s had that behind closed doors talk already, this is not right.
As to the effect on her, 17 is hardly adult. She is a minor, period. The fact that she is in the video does not prove the ok-ness either. Aren’t there things you thought were mad cool or important at 19 that don’t seem so major a few years on.
There’s a lesson for someone else in every stupid thing we’ve ever done why then don’t we go to work/church/gym/school/supermarket and tell all the people who know us about them for their edification? i’m sure our clout in our social groups would lend enough weight to it to influence others within that group. Instead, we choose to preserve whatever is left of our dignity at that time and that’s what he should have allowed his daughter to do.
As for Jay. I love him!! I love that he uses his head for what its meant, thinking! I love that he surrounds himself with success, not ‘real’ niggas going nowhere in a blaze of pride. Best of all, I love a strong black hero. showbiz in general {America in particular] loves a fall from grace. if its a black star then even better. [compare whitney houston to elvis presley] People just love to see a star crash and burn, then all the mediocre people can shake their heads and feel better about their own mediocre selves. I love Jay, I love Ye, I even love Beyonce now she’s married to Jay. The more Huxtables there are, the better for our children!
Speaking of the Huxtables I felt personally betrayed when Malcolm Jamal Warner went through his ugly phase.
next time, don’t hold back so much. tell us how you really feel
“People like me who can’t quite remember Nas’ full name half the time can now judge his daughter; and judge we will, because that’s what human beings do.”
Really? What judgement you gonna make from that verse- h0-ness? Not quite. And I’m aware of many parents who tell their children’s business. It’s par for the course where I’m from, LOL
@ Abena
Is this MY Abena? Sure sounds like you, but if not. Ignore me oo! But if it is, oooooh miiiiiiiiiigosh, you around dis parts too, shoo!!! i luwwwwwe you.
All that annoys me is that dudes CONTINUE to reinvent the wheel on this topic.
Earliest dude in history treats women like property, lives like a womanizer, has a daughter, she grows up, she’s naturally attracted to to becoming the type of prostitute her dad likes to date, he regrets his actions, he warns younger dudes, they don’t listen, they treat women like property …
live like a womanizers, have daughters, girls grow up, they’re naturally attracted to to becoming the type of prostitutes their dads like to date, dudes regret their actions, they warn younger dudes, younger dudes don’t listen, they treat women like property …
Look, people. There’s supposed to be a DIFFERENCE between humans and jackrabbits.
Annoying vid if for that reason alone.
“There’s supposed to be a DIFFERENCE between humans and jackrabbits”
there is?
“All that annoys me is that dudes CONTINUE to reinvent the wheel on this topic.”
My feelings exactly. That’s why expressions like the ones in the Nas vid get an unenthusiastic golf clap from me. It’s like a “eureka” moment that really isn’t.
The “dads influence their daughters” thing is such old news (and has been already solved for such a long @ss time by good fathers) that you really have to come correct on the artistic side to create anything impressive with this theme. A lot of rappers missed that memo, I suppose.
I alwas put it like this: Nas records better tracks, but Jay-Z has a better track record. Jay-Z is pretty consistent. Nas is hit or miss. This track is a miss in my opinion. I listened to it once and had no desire to listen to it again. Still, I’d rather hear him rap about it than explain it in an interview. Every time I hear an interview, I always think, “He’s more coherent when he’s rapping.”
“Every time I hear an interview, I always think, “He’s more coherent when he’s rapping.â€
I feel that way about common and mos def too.
i’m not sure Nas records better records or tracks or however you want to call his songs. It would be an intersting to put the BEST nas songs up against the BEST jay songs and compare i suppose.
but yeah, Nas aint the most articulate cat on the planet.
I agree with you completely. I think it’s because Jay-Z is always thinking of the commercial market whenever he writes, while Nas is trying to create high art. As a result, when Jay-Z makes a weak album, it’s the musical equivalent of a summer blockbluster that’s just iight: good to chill, eat some refreshments to and move on. However when Nas screws up, there’s no safety net. That’s why I think Nas can match up on top 5 SONGS, but not top 5 ALBUMS.
+1 Todd- I keep tellin yall it’s harder to make the type of music that Nas is intent on making. Plus he doesn’t have a commercial flow anyway so he has no choice but to keep trying for high art. When he does hit the right frequency his sh*t is masterful, but usually he doesn’t get it right unfortunately
Nas also wants you appreciate wtf he’s saying and not just have you nodding to the beat. Again, this is were Jay doubles down even if you hate what he spits he wants you to feel entertained.
You forgave him for “You Owe Me”? I never forgave that…LOL! I never even forgave Ginuwine for that.
i did. i have a forgiving heart and shit
LOL, I’m not even a Nas fan like that but even I gave that song a side-eye. I can sing it (because I like Ginuwine) but it seemed a bit out of character. His “chexy” songs always do…
That ish was basura.
The video was awkward as all hell too.
Just stop…lol!
Ginuwine should be nowehere near a hip hop song- stick to dancing with brooms, pretty boy, LMAO!!!
Talking about Ginuwine….is that dude now doing plays?!?!? Because there is a guy in some very recent black folk plays (Tyler Perry wanna be type deals) that looks just like him.
There seem to be a lot of random c/d-list celebrities popping up in these plays.
…And a lot of them are long forgotten 90′s R&B singers!
*cackles*
Yes WIP you are correct about that. I saw one with Michelle from Destiny’s child. She played the role of a lonely wife, whose husband is no longer handling his business so she an impassioned affair with *ahem* Brian White.
Sidebar: Does Brian White use skin lightening creams? His facial complexion to lip color ration is suspect.
“Sidebar: Does Brian White use skin lightening creams? His facial complexion to lip color ration is suspect.”
*tears*
aw, no, Miss Celie
exactly miss t lee.
and whats even more is that as much shyt as he talks about other rappers in hip hop and hip hop is dead and all of that he has not even once addressed this portion of his career.
i mean dayum ninja you just gone act like it didnt happen to paraphrase my favorite line
“B!tch please, Ion forget”
Selective amnesia. *snickers*
I like Nas but he will never live down “Ochie Wally”. Nope.
I ain’t forgot about that either…lol
lol yeah this is definitely worse than “you owe me”
Hey, that was one of the few times Nas went commercial, and it worked. Plus I was dating a stripper at the time the song came out.
Good times.
Personally, I think Nas was attempting to rescue his child from the potential scrutiny of what her actions could have/did cause (Montana Fishburne, anyone?). Nas’ daughter put her business in the streets; and instead of letting the tabloids drag her name through the mud, he basically said, “Hey…..it’s not her fault…it’s mine”. He is trying to protect her. Being a celebrity and a parent, that is what he saw fit for the situation.
On another note, not all parenting works the same for all children. Society says, don’t spank your children because it will only teach them to be violent. Not always the case. It taught me about consequences for bad behavior and to respect my parent’s authority….and I’m glad they did it.
We shouldn’t be so quick to judge, especially those of us who have zero experience raising children.
Enough said on the topic. Exactly.
“Personally, I think Nas was attempting to rescue his child from the potential scrutiny of what her actions could have/did cause”
i think so too, but by doing this he set her up for more scrutiny
Perhaps. However, there would be consequences regardless of which route he decided to take with regards to fixing the situation with his daughter.
If he did nothing, this post would likely be about how Nas’ daughter is out of control and he, as a parent, is doing nothing about it.
“If he did nothing, this post would likely be about how Nas’ daughter is out of control and he, as a parent, is doing nothing about it.”
if he did nothing, this post would have been about the heat, the Heat, or “10 best things about period sex” or something…destiny jones wouldnt have been anywhere near my radar.
Period sex lmfao!!! I think we’re all guilty of that one at one point or anotha. Shoooot, i say put a towel down & go for it! *kanye shrug*
I agree. I don’t think I needed to be “whooped” though, LOL
I’m annoyed by the fact that Nas has dope lyrics but has a terrible ear for beats. Jay Z beats him 90% of the time because he knows catchy when he hears it and Nas doesn’t. Plus I hate how Nas talks all this conscious stuff in interviews but then spends songs 70% of his album on drug and flossing references. I wish I could be a Nas guy but he f’s it up everytime.
“Plus I hate how Nas talks all this conscious stuff in interviews but then spends songs 70% of his album on drug and flossing references.”
to nas’ credit, when he talks about drugs he does it from a reporter/fictional story telling aspect, not from a “i move this much weight” perspective.
yeah…except he has done that. let’s not pretend like Nas is ALWAYS on some “cnn street reporter sh*t” he’s just as guilty of wanting to floss as anybody else. he just tries to balance it out with other songs that usually suck too.
Why does Nas always waste his first single on a conscious song anyways? Like the album is about to drop and then you get “cement boots” like – Daughters, Hero, Hip Hop is Dead, Bridging the Gap, I Can and other lead singles that you 1. Can’t/Won’t dance to and 2. Won’t beat in your car at Volume 12. At least with Jay Z you can beat the hell out of “On to the Next” without shame. Nas is an A level hip hop artist who could be getting beats from anywhere but his track listing looks like something from the late 90′s New York collection. Imagine Nas goin in on songs like Fab’s “You be Killin em”- (Even though Fab murdered it) or a Fat Joe song produced by Cool and Dre. He’d be nice on some of those beats.
“Nas is an A level hip hop artist who could be getting beats from anywhere but his track listing looks like something from the late 90′s New York collection. ”
shit, with the hundreds of thousands he’s paying to kelis in child support every year, maybe that’s all he can afford, lol
honestly, i think Nas eschews those types of beats for his own projects b/c he wanst to be seen as a thinking mans rapper. hell, he was on a Lil Jon joint with Ice Cube that was banoodles. and who wouldn’t want to wkrk with Nas? i think he just believes he knows how to make a Nas album. lol. and he sucks at it.
You say this like it’s a bad thing. I’d rather something from the bargain bin from this era than 85% of the Southern crap that floods the airwaves. Now where’s my Yankee cap…
Why does Nas always waste his first single on a conscious song anyways? Like the album is about to drop and then you get “cement boots” like – Daughters, Hero, Hip Hop is Dead, Bridging the Gap, I Can and other lead singles that you 1. Can’t/Won’t dance to and 2. Won’t beat in your car at Volume 12. At least with Jay Z you can beat the hell out of “On to the Next” without shame. Nas is an A level hip hop artist who could be getting beats from anywhere but his track listing looks like something from the late 90′s New York collection. Imagine Nas goin in on songs like Fab’s “You be Killin em”- (Even though Fab murdered it) or a Fat Joe song produced by Cool and Dre. He’d be nice on some of those beats.
You don’t make no fuck*n sense! You dick-riding Jay-Z and then looking back cause you feel like you should really like Nas…as if it’ll make “you” more authentic! Pick a side! And…if Destiny, Nas’ daughter, ALREADY released and let the world know her business, she IS and SHOULD BE grown enough to deal all cons! She won’t be traumatized! You are just shocked he said anything cause you don’t know what “being real” looks like!
Do we always have to pick a side? Always? Can you not be a Jay fan and Nas fan at the same time. Can you like Lil Wayne and Pusha T simultaneously? It’s like you have to join a camp. You’re either YMCMB or GOOD Music. Cash Money or No Limit. Bad Boy or Death Row. Gucci or Jeezy- It seems like you can’t be a fan or more than one type of artist at a time which is prolly why many of these rappers sound alike these days. Like Jay said in Fade to Black- “You got these ninjas afraid to be themselves.”
@ Eric exactly
im a fan of good music. if you make a song that i like then i f!cking like it.
i dont give a dayum about the extra. I dont but limits and labels on my life or what i like.
+1 Eric McD- I like both Jay and Nas. I’d take it a step further and say ppl act like u can’t like “deep” sh*t and ignorant sh*t. Complex lyricism and party music/coon tunes. It all appeals to a different aspect of me, so I like all different types of rap/hip-hop and music in general. Just cause one is more sophisticated than the other doesn’t mean I have to pick a side. I don’t always wanna be simple and in the moment but i also dont wanna be so d@mn complex and sophisticated all the time. I love rappers that can do both and/or at least sound entertaining, intelligent, and authentic either way. I realize most artists are incapable of being entertaining, articulate, authentic, and complex tho. (Can u guess which one of the 4 Nas lacks? Lol)
+1
+31
But…..coon tunes though? Lol, damn man.
Lol @ TUK- I mean how else would I classify Cash Out, 2 Chainz, Future, and Gucci Mane? Rythmic Nignorance? Haha
Right! I’ve never understood this pick a side business when it comes to music. Why can’t I like them all
I like the song. I’ve been on the fence but I do think its the most inspired I’ve heard Nas in a while. And that ninja definitely needs motivation to make anything worth listening too. I’d be on the “don’t air out dirty laundry team” too if he wasn’t basically just recounting what already happened that the tweets/streets mostly knew about.
I do get the argument though. And I doubt I’d have taken that angle. But that’s a Nas thing to do. Be sensitive on some songs, for better or worse. He’s the poet that cries and sh*t. Nas is a sensitive soul so this makes sense coming from him. Plus, the beat is good and that’s saying something coming from a Nas record. I don’t care for “the Don” at all. but this has teeth.
one thing I’ll give Nasir credit for is his ability to drum up some sort of controversy regardin all of his releases. except now i don’t think anybody cares. this just rehashed some familial sh*t that was a dead issue a few weeks back. sure it has a video, but who watches those anymore? lol.
i guess my point is that i like it, probably wouldnt have done it myself, but who cares anyway. like was said uptop…i thought “how to love” would, or at least could, matter, and it didn’t.
lets just hope the rest of Nas’ album doesnt suck like a solid 70 percent of his catalog, mmkay?
“Sure it has a video, but who watches those anymore?”
Because you have to hunt for them.
“Plus, the beat is good and that’s saying something coming from a Nas record.”
lol, this might be why i had such a negative immediate reaction to the song. i hate the beat.
how can you hate this beat? who hurt you?
1st. ether >>>>>>> takeover. #DontArgueMeBro
2nd. i love this song. didn’t know that there was an accompanying video but i like the message behind the video. the fact that he can make a song about parenthood and realize his shortcomings when it came to raising his daughter makes the song worth liking just based off that. i feel like people are overly critical of rappers like nas. a lot of times these critiques don’t have merit. he takes chances with his songs/albums (see: untitled “n*gger”) that a lot of other artists wouldn’t take and i respect him for that.
+1 Mad Scientist- Ppl are overly critical of artists who discuss social issues in their records. They hold em to a much much much higher standard than other artists. I personally think it’s a lot harder to make a great record that also has a relevant and poignant social message. This is why I give artists MORE props when they make music about something socially relevant that I also WANT to hear on a semi-regular basis cause it’s VERY VERY hard. Ppl are ULTRA-sensitive to being “preached at” so they are quick to dismiss or criticize anything they can put in a box labeled “conscious”. This obviously sux cause it makes the default be anything that’s not socially introspective or “conscious” and u get more flossing/money-making/label-whoring (I’m lookin at u Jay-z) and it just makes me that much more adamant about getting into other genres of music. Props to Nas for keepin it real to a fault
Shout outs to my baby BREEEEEEEEZY!!!! ooooowiiii, she loooking FIIIIIIIIIIIIIYA!!!!!! That’s the first time, in my knowing you that you’ve EVER changed your avi! So keeeeeeeeeewwwwwl. Nas is foine->I stayed on topic, nonetheless!
Thank you Mami!!!
Love your new avi too. GO CELTICS!!!!!!!
Ray Allen = fountain of youth
Your welcome hun.
YEAHHHHH! GO Celtics!!!!
Ray Allen——>indeed he is, but RAJON RONDO! Girrrrrrrrl, mmmmh mmmmmh.
back away femboo!!!!!!! back away!!!!!!!!!!!
@Breezy
Love the avi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wait r y’all implying that Rajon Rondo is now a sex symbol? I learn somethin new everyday lol
No.
A thousand times no.
quick question, why are you so intent on party shidding on my comments?! I like happy people, all dis your no’s are driving me NUTS! BOKERS!
Last time I checked, I was able to make comments on this here public forum.
If I don’t agree I will voice my opinion. Be it your comment, or anyone else.
Have a fantastic day!
@ miss t-lee,
Oohh k, NOT a problem!!!! You too hun, have a great day!!!!
JMTG: Funny when I read it, I thought she meant this guy: http://www.sportsviews.com/media/files_image/2/user68102/4814e6ea58b.jpg
Rajon not so much so.
Rajon Rondo is not a sex symbol but his quiet confidence sho do make me wanna commit crimes with him! That’s all I’m saying!
*whispers*
+1
I think he’s very sexy but I see how this may not be popular opinion.
Lol u ain’t got to whisper. Cause u know I shout mine out with no shame. If ever I meet and successfully seduce Christina Milan u will ALL know about it! Lol
*whispers*
+1
Um no, not at all; however, he is extremely smart.
@ Breezy- Ronaldinho was one of my favorite athletes a few years ago, but unfortunately he’s too old and out of shape to be a factor now :/
@ AM- So can you give me an example of a basketball player that DIDN’T have quiet confidence? Like which ones have loud confidence? Other than the obvious K.G….
@ jmtg,
Kobe Bryant of the FAKERS.
I give Nas respect for actually being “about that life” all these people complain about hip hop’s inauthenticity so he raps about something real and relevant to what a man in his life stage would be concerned about and it’s not the way you like it. Fair enough. I wanted him to be acknowledged for that.
Now that nicki minaj video, Even though he had the faucet running, is inexcusable = Supreme fail
LOL, while I Googled I caught a glimpse of him and Nicki apparently kissing in some video. o_0
Well, well, well, first of all, this article is lacking and is not even worth a proper reply. 2ndly, u’all “fanagers” need to stop trying to advice an artist that is 20 years deep in the game with critical and commercial acclaim alike. Nuff said.
Taio Cruz comments on VSB!!!!!!!!
f*cking sweet.
i actually dont mind the song.
however i dont feel there is anything authentic about Nas.
to me many people are still given him credit for his potential vs his actions and body of work. of which a large majority sucks major shaved balls.
What does he represent accept a dude who hasnt lived up to his hype or talent? a sad a.s.s story of mediocrity that should have been so much more the epitome of “i shoulda been a contender”.
at this point he’s doing any and everything to drum up controversy vs making good music.
this song is aight. it leaves no impression on me whatsoever. which has been a common theme in much of his music.
What controversy is Nas drumming up? I hope the people who criticize Nas are living the most successful life but they probably haven’t achieved 10% of Nas’ success. People are making this a bigger issue than it actually is just so they can have the opportunity to shit on Nas. Some people just love to hate.
i feel the whole “ni!!a’ and hip hop is dead promo was about drumming up controversy.
im not referring to this song specifically. i feel he is mediocre thats my opinion. disagreement does not = hate and thats a childish mentality. he has had flashes brilliance but overall his catalog is mediocre. It is what it is.
I’m probably going to get flamed for this but if you are still listening to rap over 30 you might be immature and need to grow up.
I got to the point where I just can’t listen to it. It’s noise and has no meaning or bearing on my life. It doesn’t even sound good. It’s not actual music.
Listening to rap over a certain age reminds me of a guy I saw at the bus stop: He was some old, toothless man (most likely over sixty years of age) yet he had on a cap to the side, a tacky gold chain, an oversize t-shirt and SAGGING pants. It just make me shake my head.
I will agree that the music comes off as immature (i have made that comment several times on this site) but i wont agree that if you are still listening to it past 30, you need to grow up. If you are still making it past 30 and talking about the same exact thing you did when you were 20 then…umm…yeah.
The only reason why i feel that the music is immature is b/c you can’t really find any mainstream rap where the people are rapping about families, marriage, etc. It’s still the same old chains, guns, and cars.
Music is about relating and getting lost in the feeling that it brings to you. If someone in their 30-70s can relate to rap music in the sense that it reminds them of their youth and they get lost in the words and beats (the goofy grin that you get when your song comes on) then so be it. Let Quiet Storm come on right now and i will act a fool. Though, i am not yet 30.
I am 31 and I think there is more to rap music than the inane lyrics. Some of it is just fun, dance music and it’s not meant to be more. The bass, sometimes the stupid chants, there are many points in my life I can relate to this. Although I don’t “hustle” narcotics, I still feel like a “hustler” in a sense (thinking of that “Hustle Hard”). True there is much that I cannot relate to. I’m a little too old to “hammer-time” but I still can enjoy a heavy bass line. Then again, I from Florida. That’s what we do. I do feel myself growing out of rap- but I ain’t there yet.
Oh I will break my neck nodding if Quiet Storm remix came on right now (and/or recite Lil’ Kim’s verse like I was in a music video, LOL)
I looked for this song on my iPhone to listen to it and it wasn’t there. I got sad. A unicorn died.
+1
Are folks too old to listen to or create in any other genre?
Just a question.
In other genres, those that have made it past 10 years, evolve with their music as well. Rap is the only genre (though probably b/c it’s still young) that doesn’t seem to have that evolution.
Well… if it helps I think people who listen to dubstep are brain damaged. Lol.
Sweetsass: That was a bit harsh. I don’t listen to rap anymore either for personal reasons none of which relates to me being over 30. I just don’t get the new age rappers but I won’t call someone immature if they still find pleasure in this dying genre. Truth be told if I was to hear the baseline in “Jigga-what†of “Get Money†right now, I will forget am sitting in a cube in Corporate America next to white Katie and commence le bank-head bounce. Does that make me immature….methinks not.
*Dougies beside Breezy followed by the Butterfuly*
*butterfly* #typingfail
*making it clap next to Mena, wished I had learned how to twerk during that VSB seniors workshop*
Let me clarify, there is a certain amount of reminiscing that everyone does when they hear an old song they listened to. That is fine, whatever.
However, those actively seeking out new top 40 *rap* umpteenth years later after getting grown… I give a side eye to.
I hear to this new stuff by accident surfing the web (think Wolfgang What-Ever-The-Hell-They-Call-Themselves) and wonder who in the hell think this is good. And it’s just gotten more and more degrading and meaningless.
Ok that makes a bit more sense because these youngins aren’t making my kind of hip hop nor are they speaking to my generation. I kinda feel bad for youngins.
“I’m probably going to get flamed for this but if you are still listening to rap over 30 you might be immature and need to grow up.”
Good to know.
*turns up the volume*
*Turns up my volume as I await to turn 33 in about 12 hrs. * #sochildish
************Happy birthday********
I wish I will be this BOLD to announce, my birthday when I reach my 30s. It is the end of life, for me!
Thanks. Life post 30 is kind of dope. A lot more things will make sense.
they already do. I don’t need 30. oh well!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!
Yes!!!!
lmfao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I bet we 30 plussers screw to rap too! LMAO
You haved not lived until you are smashing someone to these following songs:
Pete Rock & CL Smooth- Lots Of Lovin’
Digital Underground- Sex Packets
Ghostface Killah- Stapleton Sex (I kid, I kid LMAO!!!)
“Ghostface Killah- Stapleton Sex (I kid, I kid LMAO!!!)”
You’re not joking.
*snickers*
LMBO…you are so re re.
FLAME ON! – 1. I don’t like other kinds of music like I LOVE Rap music. 2. “if you are still listening to rap over 30 you might be immature and need to grow up.” Reminds me of college educated blacks in their 20′s claiming they “Love jazz music but only listen to Bird, Coltrane, and Miles Davis. 3. This is also like telling my 50 year old brother that he’s too old to be listening to the Isley’s, Earth Wind & fire, and the Commodores. HIP HOP IS THE SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE AND AIN’T NOBODY BOUT TO GET ME TO MUTE IT!
“HIP HOP IS THE SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE AND AIN’T NOBODY BOUT TO GET ME TO MUTE IT!”
Amen and Hallelujah.
Rap =/= hip hop.
Also, are you a drug dealer with a 1,000 heauxs?
Really, it relates to your life?
Are you currently in prison?
Dont you think you are reaching? Is there no song/genre that you listen to that was a contradiction to your life? I listened to As We Lay as a kid and sang it with my soul (i was 4). Even today, knowing what that song is about, it still brings a smile to my face as i sing every single note. I’m not about the song but the feeling is still there.
What I am saying is… the music that is 90% about pushing drugs, money, or disrespecting women plays into the fantasies of teenage boys. It relates to them because they see it as a glamourous life they might have one day because they don’t have any sense/ don’t know better yet — that is not what adulthood entails.
If it relates to your life at 30+, when you do know better or ought to know better, you might want to reevaluate the choices you’ve made.
THE ROOTS…. Case closed.
Shameless plug- 30 minutes of Nihilism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHbvg5Rt1EA Check out my nephew EGO at 18:00 ” I’m sellin’ dope n-gga!” and Yes my nephew sells dope. LOL
oh miiiiiiii gosh!! *faints @ the lyrics*
90% of commercial radio music might be about those things but a lot of hip hop is about the drive the huslte the want to be successful by whatever means necessary at 30+ i most DEFINITELY agree with this mindset.
and as far as new dope music
http://youtu.be/AENSDrIjMyk
i think he and his message is relevant to me and my life at 30
As we lay……..we forget about tomorrow…….
Maybe you don’t understand this but but I’ll go over it once again- Hip Hop is the culture, the overall umbrella- Rap is the official music of Hip Hop, Graffiti is the official Art of Hip Hop, Breaking/ BBoying is the official dance of Hip Hop.
Been a drug dealer, had heaux’s, spent time in jail. Check, check, check, Been in the Army, graduated college with a a Bachelor’s in Business, been married w/kids- Check, check,check, check. I think you’re the one who has it wrong. Listening to Hip Hop doesn’t mean I have to “BE” anything, just enjoy the music. I happen to like drums, kicks, and loops- Rap music.
+9,000
You don’t have to relate to it, or have to had been in a particular situation to enjoy the music. I’ve never threatened to kill/maim my girlfriend nor have I talked sh*t about my mom, but Eminem is my favorite rapper ever. I was never a drug dealer, but Jay-Z is my second favorite rapper ever. It’s all about entertainment.
+1 No matter how ignorant hip hop gets it still gives me energy and clarity that no other form of music can. It still keeps it 1000 times more real than any other form of music does as it relates to being a black male. With hip hop NOTHING or NO ONE is sacred thus there’s need to sugar coat or be politically correct. I get the frustration with current day hip hop and I feel the same frustration, but no other music is as unapologetically honest as hip hop in my opinion. Moreso than that no other genre can move me in the same way. Like certain hip hop songs INSTANTLY change my mood and re-invigorate me. It gives me a unique feeling and also i can relate to a black man’s ego, triumph, pain, and aspirations the most. Therefore I’ll probably be listening to some form of hip hop even in my 50s #shruglife
God help us if Black men really are what is depicted in rap songs.
God help us if Black WOmen really are what is depicted in rap songs.
See how that works?
I’m not the one saying Rap relates to my life. It doesn’t. So your point is?
God help us if Black WOmen really are what is depicted in rap songs.
See how that works?
Honest? That is laughable.
You are aware that they rent the mansions & cars in the rap videos and hires the booty models to gyrate, correct?
That is what I mean, you’ve got to be immature and naive to still believe in those fantasies past teen-hood.
Considering I know rappers and producers I understand this. Much the same way you might understand that there is no such thing as 8ft. Blue people inhabiting a land far far away. But you still watch Avatar.
goooooood job.
Haha! Well played Eric McD.
@SweetSass-If anything adults are the most capable of deciphering the valuable aspects of rap from the fluff and disingenuous parts. When I say honesty I mean that they’re honest about their intentions, fears, aspirations, values, and what shapes their ego. Most of us aren’t willing to admit these things for fear of judgement. Also it’s obvious to an adult when a rapper is insecure (all of them are insecure to varying degrees about certain things) and tries to brag and act tough to shield himself/herself from the vulnerability. Even if it’s unintentional it’s still part of the art imo. Rappers give us WAY more to work with from a image/egotistical perspective. Also it’s the only music that really feeds my ambition
*Sanaa Lathan talking to Boris Kodjoe in Brown Sugar voice*
Let’s have sex now.
Nuh uh!!
*Brings both JMTG and MJoy cups of coffee* Now you can say the line.
but motherf*ckers still love The Notebook and bs like The Vow. i have no idea if you like those movies but 90 percent of entertainment is about selling some fantasy. its the reason why its so popular.
so why is one fantasy still okay but another isn’t?
+1 Panama- Both fantasies can be destructive, harmless, or beneficial depending on the individual and how he/she was raised/ socialized. Fantasfemales us feel good/alive. No one’s gonna stop rap/hip hop or romantic comedies because the demand ain’t goin nowhere. Ppl better learn how to work around (or better yet with) the entertainment industry.
Still disappointed that The Vow was maybe the worse movie I’ve ever seen.
Sweetsass… I’m WAY over 30 and yes I listen to rap, and I’m as about as mature as I’m gonna get (I think). The type of music you listen to doesn’t have a flipping thing to do with your level of maturity. You sound like my kids who when they see their momma dance tell me, but you’re a mom and old, you shouldn’t dance! Phuck that! I enjoy my life the way I want to and I’ll dance when the music moves me. Live your life and let folks live theirs. If rap makes a person happy, more power to them.
@nillalatte -” I’m WAY over 30 and yes I listen to rap”
ME TOO! ME TOO!
***Jumping up and down with my hand waving in the air***
Me too. You should have heard the Sean Price song I was listening to on my way to the job…..whew….ignorant. My shirt and tie combo was dope though.
Word!
Age smage…do what you want to do, as YOLO!!!!
as long as you knwo what you’re saying is equal parts f*ckshit and Jeezy records then its all good.
you pretend that rap can’t progress with the people involved. just b/c all you hear in the radio is some insane innane sh*t doesnt mean thats the sum total of the experience.
and on the other end of the spectrum, i like f*cksh*t. so even the music by the rappers that might reek of immaturity still has some value. the music is evolving like a mug as well.
so you may kindly judge me. cuz im gonna be listening to hiphop as long as god grants me the ability to hear.
“cuz im gonna be listening to hiphop as long as god grants me the ability to hear.”
Say that.
i personally feel putting arbitrary limits on what you like and dislike is a childish mentaility.
I dont agree that there is ever an age where you cant enjoy music of any kind.
when you begin to put labels and limits on things you become limited. I dont think rap has an age limit. I listen to what moves me and that can be 2 chains, jay z, or FUN and florence and the machine. whatever strikes my fancy.
You cant define adulthood or intelligence or lits ack thereof by whether or not a person listens to a certain genre of music.
“You cant define adulthood or intelligence or lits ack thereof by whether or not a person listens to a certain genre of music.” Well said.
Nas… welcome to being a parent in the age of social media.
I wonder who was the first father to facepalm himself into oblivion cuz someone saw his daughter twerking on Youtube
Parenting is hard as helllll
I don’t see the problem. Same thing as the boy getting whooped on cam for thuggin on facebook. Although we know where he is now.
@sunshyne84- Where is he? (serious question)
He ended up getting shot and killed a few months back. Even tough love isn’t always enough to stop somebody from killing you.
“Forget about cutting off your nose to spite your face, “Daughters†cuts off his face to spite his face. Mind you, his daughter isn’t a seven year old who won’t quite grasp what her dad is rapping about or a grown-ass 27 year old who could deal with it, but a 17 year old girl — a person at the age where something like this has the best chance of having a negative impact on her life.”
I think you’re over analyzing this song/video.This is my first time hearing it and I like it.
Also, as to your quote above, I think his daughter can handle it just fine. Her father didn’t suddenly become a star, she’s been the daughter of a famous rapper her entire life and has taken advantage of all the benefits and attention that brings. Hell, she even appears at the end of the video.
She probably sees this video as many teenagers today would see it (I’m looking at you MTV Teen Moms) as her chance to shine, her introduction to the world and her longer overdue 15 minutes.
http://www.phresh.cc/articles/lists/the-tone-deaf-emcee/
I like my politicians, moguls, dictators and business leaders to be inauthentic. However I like my artist real. I am a Nas fan despite the artistic fails. But I am cool with that because an influential artist will indeed fail, and often in public when taking a risk. Think Prince who despite some horrible albums created two undeniable masterworks (Purple Rain; SignO’Times). Think Mike Jackson, who I love, but who didn’t take as many artistic risks but sold a lot more albums.
I like the song. A lot. I like the song because (1) A lot of my friends are now fathers of daughters, many like Nas were young fathers and all of them have expressed their concerns over there girls and the choices they will make in a world that will judge their daughters and their fatherhood. (2) The “double standard” about sons and daughters is real if not fair and he expresses that well here (3) I could lose my job or not get a job for posting a box of condoms on my (pick one) so I guess I can see why a dad would be upset with his daughter(4) As someone who despite not being a thug did more than a few thuggish things with some true thugs before 18 I recognize that I wouldn’t want my daughter dating someone like me or any of my friends at that time. I dont even want to get into the womanizing….whew. I dig how Nas expresses that here.
Its a song by a man who loves his daughter and is being real about his short comings and insecurities. Its real. Real in the way real fathers actually are about their daughters and it attempts to be protective in a way that we (black men. guess who) are not given credit at home and elsewhere for being.
I like the song, I have a teenage niece and somehow understand the fear parents feel.
Pingback: NBA Players React To The Draft Lottery | Day & A Dream
Pingback: A Few Things I Would Tell My Daugther About Life « From Ashy to Classy
Ayo man, if you don’t like this shit.. fuckit, huh?
We -Nas listeners- don’t give a f*ck about what you think.
Gay-Z ain’t shit, he just stole Biggie’s rhymebook.
Nuff Said.
For one let’s STOP COMPARING Jay-z and Nas. They both are artist and have qualities of their own that sets them apart from the other. Like having a flower , what makes a flower special is the way it looks or smells. But like a flower it has properties that are important like its chlorophyll in the stem and leaves. And like a flower you have its roots that dig deep into the soil of the earth. Now Jay-z would be the superficial outer vibrant colorful part of the flower. Nas would be the part of the flower that digs deep into the roots of the earth. Both hjaving absolute relevance and importance such as the stem. Leaving “us” the observers, captivated by different parts of the flower. Some of us enjoy the beauty and superficial nature and density of the flower while some of us iare frequently more interested in the process and make up of the flowers existance. Now in no way am I implying that Jay-z is just some shallow dude with no layers or that Nas is just deep. The point is that both artist gives something special to different
To different audiences. Are is an expression. Art isn’t just one shape or color or sound. Art is raw and Nas as well as Jay-z are both artist. Jay-z is more of a business man than artistic and creative. He lacks debth and purity. Nas is creative and expressive in many different ways. He isn’t afraid of trying something new and giving what he feels. He always glowing with passion about his art. Jay-z has music that really sounds the same. Good but the same. Nas to but with life and debth. Okay now I’ve started to compare… Now to the real issue. Being a parent is a difficult job. Although most have stated that as a dad in the public eye shouldn’t have blasted his daughter through expensive measures, while
Others feel that what he did was his way of handling his daughters actions. I support Nas and his decision to blast his daughter. Not for the drama but for the hope that when Destiny matures into a woman, that she’ll understand better and then as a result do better . She has so much pressure riding on her. Sex is a part of life and Destiny is riding that wave. She will get off somewhere. No pun intended. We as parents have to go to extreme places to make a point with our kids sometime. I wish Nas grace and peace.
The author of this article is an ignoramus
I really felt this article was backwards. I mean you are saying Nas is in the wrong for disciplining his daughter the way he knows best? As an artist you write about your life and how it felt in order to connect with people going through the same situation. (This would be considered being “real” but I felt that term is misused) How can he be wrong for writing how he felt about his situation? Would you prefer he ignored his daughters’ actions and put out a song about ass shaking? Of course he talked to his daughter in private. Y’all act like he just bust out with a song to “embarrass” her… And yes embarrassment does work. Time and time again it is proven, how many things can you remember your parent chastising you in public, around family or friends, school, wherever… I bet you NEVER did the action again! Seriously what can you do to a 17 year old as punishment for posting pictures like that? Take away her phone and car? HUH please! You are sadly mistaken and disconnected from reality and issues of this generation if you think so! And if your parent didn’t correct you, they have a problem. Nas was stating and addressing a problem that the gossip world already knew. And he knew if he talked about it then it would be squashed. No one else would have anything to say if her own daddy said it. At 17 years old, she most likely is not scarred by this. Comedians do it all the time, as well as pastors, and anyone else that wants to teach the masses a lesson. He was speaking to the fathers with daughters because it can’t possibly be easy for a man to raise a young woman. I would know because my dad has 3 daughters and everyone else I knew had daughters. And the issues we had as teenagers, I just am so thankful we did not have Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter when I was in high school. I would have cried myself to sleep many nights if so. I believe he was completely in the right and for the people that think their parents did such a perfectly awesome job, grow up. Live in the real world. Correcting your children should be applauded and I hope his message gets around quickly, that it’s OK to discipline them without beating them but teaching them right from wrong. Most of y’all probably haven’t raised your kid in the spotlight so how would you know the best way to go about it? If my dad did that to me I’d be OK with it because it shows that he knows he hasn’t been the best example and that he needs to pay more attention to me as a young lady. I am a Nas fan for life and I appreciate the fact that he talks about his struggles as a man, a Black man at that. I’m so tired of these new rappers, I wonder what their daughters are like… It’s a sad world when you try to correct your seed but people would prefer for you to keep it behind closed doors so they can talk about you behind your back. I guarantee no one will say anything about this by the end of this month. Nas already said it all.
just throwin this out there nas discography is widely considered by music critics to be better then jay z. ether is widely considered the better diss and is why nas is widely believed to have won the beef. and illmatic is widely considered to be the greatest hip hop album of all time…