Mashable - The Social Media Guide - Latest Comments in Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Mikey — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:13:32 -0000

one of my favorite cd

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

dru — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:19:05 -0000

Ive studied his album since it came out and it has changed my outlook on many different subjects. I think it is creative and he is trying to make a difference and thats what counts!!! He is right racism is still out there and cant be swept under the carpet. He urges all races to join in agianst racism.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

anon — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:56:45 -0000

That's so asinine. Just because you heard Fox News talking about his lyrics that's now what he's 'known' for? Wow.

For people who didn't begin 'knowing' Nas because of sensational media coverage, they know this is the Nas who's most popular/successful single is the positive hit, "I Can": http://www.youtube.com/watc...

And for the people who religiously listen to Nas, they'll also know of "If I ruled the world".

Please do your homework (hint: you didn't bother pulling up Nas' wikipedia profile) and stop perpetuating the same tripe perpetuated by the media.

But I suppose I shouldn't expect that much from a tech blog. As much as the blogosphere rails against mainstream media for not fact-checking, they sure do an aweful job of it themselves. You simply for the bitchmeme dramas that draw lots of traffic.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Mark "Rizzn" Hopkins — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:23:21 -0000

You're right - I don't listen to a lot of Nas, so I didn't realize that he had a history of political and issue related rap.

I know that this particular video was very Fox Centric, at least on the video level (the rap tracks themselves focus more on the issues and the media in general).

I used the terminology "percieved mistreatment" because I can see both sides of this issue. It probably wasn't the best person to bring to perform at VATech if the goal was to take their minds off the recent events, so Fox had a point. But as Fox often does, they blew the issue way out of proportion.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Mark "Rizzn" Hopkins — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:15:03 -0000

I'm sorry - for those of us who don't religiously listen to everything Nas puts out, he's known for his violent lyrics. That's what's put him in the headlines.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Universal Indie Records — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:52:03 -0000

Great post, Nik. You did a lot better job explaining than I could.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Nik — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:32:14 -0000

(continued from above)
"against the media in general and Fox News in particular over his perceived mistreatment by the news channel." and the caption"Nas:newly minted nerdcore rapper or just really angry"somewhat understandable, but there's a link to the video.

Nas uses himself as a subject, but the song is not about Nas and his "perceived mistreatment." Also why does it have to be that it's nercordcore or Nas is just plain angry. Characterizing every rapper as possibly angry is a condition of the issues he addresses in the song. Rappers are not inherently angry, Nas is simply issuing a message - not unlike Rage Against The Machine or Radiohead - would you caption them with the word angry - or just politically conscious?

The fact that you highlighted Nas' own inability to escape the machine is part of the core message of the song - Seek your own news & message because what you're getting is tailor made - make your own media - which in itself encourages social media.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Nik — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:30:37 -0000

The general idea of this post is a good one, so I applaud the author for that. However, it's clear that the author does not know the music of the subject of the article.

"Itâ€™s nice to see artists becoming social media aware, and gaining a political awareness to boot."

Nas has always been aware of social & political issues - which he has discussed in his lyrics for years. His most recent album, including Sly Fox is just a transparent look at his concerns to make it clear to fans what he has been saying for years.

When I first started to write my comment, i thought - maybe he didn't see the video, so that's why he doesn't get what the song is about, making comments like:
(continued)

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Universal Indie Records — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:19:56 -0000

" listen to Nas. All day, everyday. He's the only LEGIT rapper out there. "

That's not the case at all. There are a ton of rappers out there that are actually saying something. THose like Talib Kweli, Jean Grae, Dwele, Kidz In The Hall, Blu and Exile are out there and if you look beyond the mainstream crap played on radio and/or BET.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

chris — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:49:29 -0000

Illmatic is STILL one of my favorite cd's. The Lost Tapes is a gem too.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Universal Indie Records — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:57:49 -0000

"Amongst them was Nas, who like most rappers in his genre, is known for particularly violent lyrics."

These are the kind of quotes you get when people who are not familiar with an artists music writes reviews.

Nas IS NOT KNOWN for violent lyrics. Sure song some of his songs feature that kind of content but that is not his claim to fame. Nas is a very adept poet who's lyrics paint vivid pictures of ghetto life, the good and the bad.

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

jt — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:28:02 -0000

grown men you lil ass kid

Re: Nas Can’t Avoid the Machine

Jesica — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:42:21 -0000

I listen to Nas. All day, everyday. He's the only LEGIT rapper out there. Unlike other rappers, who I wont say any names, that don't even write their own stuff. Or talking just about sex and drugs, Nas knows how to talk about stuff that is happening right now. _ thanks.

so to answer your question...there are a lot of people who listen to Nas.