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Mr. Nas Guy

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On ''The Lost Tapes'' you call yourself a Columbia Records slave. What did you mean?
I may not be a slave because I get paid for what I do, but the system still pimps artists. [The line is] to educate youngsters about music careers. Do they just want the fame and the cars or do they want to own their masters, or a bigger percentage of their record, or do they want to own their label?

I was watching MTV2 last week, and I saw the 1992 ''Back to the Grill'' video with you, MC Serch, Red Hot Lover Tone, and Chubb Rock. Everyone seemed to be having fun, but you were dead serious. Do you lighten up?
[Laughs] What makes me laugh is hearing my s--- on the radio, that excitement, that enjoyment. I had a ball making this album. The music just comes out and sometimes I say, Damn, I hope people don't get too wrapped up in the seriousness! I hope they enjoy it, too.

Speaking of serious, does it bother you that your single came out with gunshot sound effects right around the time of the sniper tragedies?
I thought about that. [The chorus is] ''They shootin'!'' and then at the same time on the news, they're shooting in D.C. It's not on purpose, but because [rappers] always [keep pace with] current events. Just like the war; brothers are over there fighting the Taliban. If they want to get charged up, play [my new single]. It's wartime; I make music that's relevant for the times. A lot of people are making bulls--- records that don't have anything to do with anything. And that's all good; I love it. [Laughing] That just leaves more room for me to do the reals---.

In the past year you've had verbal conflicts with a lot of other rappers. Do you worry that it'll become more than just words?
Everybody worries about that. We should worry about getting together to fight our real enemies and not each other. I never was a battle rapper. It's the craziest thing; I became like the battle rapper! How the f--- did that happen? I hate it now. I mean, it happened for a reason and at that moment I enjoyed it, but I don't ever want to go through that again. I'm done with it. I've moved on.

Do you think you could take Eminem in a rap battle?
I respect the guy's art, but I don't think it's wise for anybody to challenge me right now. There's really nobody out there that's reached where I'm at yet, and I'm only using one percent of my whole 10 percent. If it gets turned up all the way, I'm gonna lose everybody and they're going to be thinking I'm from another planet.

Posted Nov 15, 2002 | Published in issue #683 Nov 22, 2002 | Order Article Reprints

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