Binside TV

NAS AND KELIS EXPECTING THEIR FIRST BABY

US magazine is reporting exclusively that rapper Nas and his beautiful R&B songstress wife Kelis are expecting their first baby. Congrats to the hip-hop couple on Kelis' pregnancy!

A source tells the newest issue of Us Weekly, on stands now, that singer Kelis, 29, and her husband, rapper Nas, 35, are expecting their first child together.

See photos of stars who date musicians.

"It's all they are talking about. She is carrying hip-hop royalty!" says the insider, who adds Kelis -- currently in her first trimester -- already has a little bump. "They are so excited."

A rep for the singer had no comment. source

NAS FREE SAMSUNG AT&T SUMMER KRUSH CONCERT AT WEBSTER HALL LIVE PERFORMANCE WAS OFF THE CHAIN!

Last night we attended the free Nas Samsung AT&T Summer Krush Concert series performance. The concert series kicked off with a live performance by Mariah Carey in LA and ends on September 16th with Good Charlotte  singing in San Francisco airing live on Jimmy Kimmel. Click here for more information about the concert series and how to get tickets for the San Francisco concert.

The show was amazing!  Nas had a great energy during his live performance which was incredible.

Binside TV interviewed diehard Nas fans who flew in from different parts of the country to attend the free show. Everyone we spoke to told us that it was the best concert that they had attended over the summer.  Nas opened his set with "Sly Fox" and performed hits like "One Mic" and "Black President' that got the crowd going. Everyone was excited about Barack Obama's run for president and the DNC in Denver. Fans were waving "Black People Must Vote" T-Shirts during "Black President". Barack Obama's run for the White House is even more significant when we reflect upon the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's historic " I Have A Dream" speech.  Barack Obama will make his historic convention speech tonight.

We spotted Busta Rhymes Flip Mode Squad member Rah Digga  on the side of the stage enjoying the Nas show and singing along.

Stay tuned to Binside TV to watch our Nas Samsung Summer Krush coverage.  Click here to read our Untitled album review and buy the album .

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NAS TAVIS SMILEY INTERVIEW TALKS ABOUT UNTITLED ALBUM

Nas gave a good interview on Tavis Smiley and explained his controversial Untitled album.

NAS ON THE COLBERT REPORT LIVE PERFORMANCE OF SLY FOX

Hip-hop artist Nas is protesting Fox News's coverage of Barack Obama. The rapper joined members of the activist groups MoveOn.org and ColorofChange.org to deliver more than 600,000 petitions Wednesday to the network's New York City headquarters. Nas, whose new album Untitled was released last week, said in a statement that "Fox poisons the country with racist propaganda and tries to call it news." The network responded by saying, "Fox News believes in all protesters exercising their right to free speech including Nas who has an album to promote." Fox also noted that its anchor Bill Hemmer was scheduled to interview Obama this weekend. Last month, Fox News referred in a graphic to Michelle Obama, the wife of the Democratic presidential candidate, as "Obama's baby mama." Later, the network said a producer "exercised poor judgment" during the segment. source

Nas on The Colbert Report Pt. 2 (Interview)

Nas on The Colbert Report Pt. 3 (Sly Fox Performance)

NAS JOINS COLOR OF CHANGE & MOVEON.ORG PROTESTORS AT FOX NEWS IN NYC| NAS ON COLBERT REPORT VIDEO

Nas and Nelly were both in Canada earlier in the week on Much Music to promote their albums "Untitled" and "Brass Knuckles". Don't they look like twins wearing their white shirts? Nas joined Color of Change and Moveon.org protesters in NYC yesterday at Fox News to deliver a petition against the channel which they say is responsible for "racist propaganda".  Nas made an appearance on the Colbert Report to discuss the petition and his problems with Fox News.

Nas on The Colbert Report Pt. 1

On the day Nas' untitled Def Jam album hit No. 1 on The Billboard 200, the rapper joined political groups Color of Change and Move On, along with fans and protesters, outside of the Fox News building in New York to protest the network's portrayal of African-Americans.

Color of Change and Move On delivered several boxes containing a petition signed by more than 620,000 people to support their cause, although Fox News refused to accept them.

Nas briefly spoke to the crowd of nearly 100 people and urged them to "stop the racist smears on the Obamas and black Americans." In his speech, he cited examples of remarks made by Fox reporters that he and supporters found to be racist, including a reference to Michelle Obama as Barack Obama's "baby mama," and a fist bump between the couple as a "terrorist fist jab."

Color of Change director Andre Banks said the campaign began about a month ago as an e-mail to the group's members. After hearing Nas' Fox-themed song "Sly Fox" a couple of weeks ago, he wanted to contact the rapper in hopes to get his support. "(We said), 'Let's call up his people and see if we can make it happen,'" Banks said.

Some protesters' signs read "Fox News: Your Source for Racist Smears" or "Fair and Balanced? Fairly Racist," while others' echoed lyrics from "Sly Fox," like "Fox keeps feeding us toxins." source

NAS UNTITLED ALBUM DEBUTS AT NUMBER #1 ON BILLBOARD TOP 200

Congrats to Nas! His Untitled album debuted at number #1 on the billboard top 200. The Nas Untitled album pushes Lil Wayne Tha Carter III out of the top spot on the charts. Click here to read our Nas Untitled album review.

One rapper replaces another atop The Billboard 200 this week, as Nas' untitled Def Jam album dethrones Lil Wayne's Cash Money/Universal set "Tha Carter III." Nas' album sold 187,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, becoming the rapper's fifth No. 1 here.

Nas' prior album, 2006's "Hip-Hop Is Dead," also debuted at No. 1 but sold 354,000 over Christmas week. Meanwhile, after three non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, "Tha Carter III" slips to No. 2 with a 15% sales decrease to 105,000.

The Decca soundtrack to "Mamma Mia!," the film adaptation of the hit theatrical musical based on ABBA's songbook, experiences an 89% sales boost after the movie hit theaters Friday (and earned the highest grossing weekend opening ever for a musical); it climbs 7-3 with 91,000. Coldplay's "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" (Capitol) slips 2-4 with 90,000 (-20%), while the Jonas Brothers-led soundtrack to Disney's "Camp Rock" descends 3-5 with 78,000 (-12%). source

NAS FEATURING KERI HILSON - HERO LIVE ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE' VIDEO

Hero Jim Kim Live
by yardie4lifever2

Nas performed his song Hero on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Watch the performance if you missed it. Nice. He is scheduled to give a special Myspace performance on Friday at the Roxy in LA.

NAS UNTITLED N*GGER ALBUM REVIEW

Nas' 1994 debut album Illmatic will forever be known as classic material.  This album, Untitled continues down that same path to greatness and maturity. 

When the streets first started buzzing about this project, originally titled "N****r," we thought that Nas must have a point he'd like to make clear.  Anything built entirely on this premise would have to be done correctly because it's such a hot topic. We always believed that if anybody was going to create a hip hop album addressing relevant social issues with substance and pull it off, it would be him.

The N****r movement that the Queensbridge M.C. fought so hard to make a reality shows a deep connection to an unspoken but not forgotten past.  The cover artwork depicts Nas with his back lashed in the form of the letter "N" reminiscent of the United States' dark past and the enslavement of African-Americans.   

The chilling image of Nas’ bare back beaten raw with welts similar to the ones slaves endured from lashings sets the tone for the Untitled.  Right away you wonder what he has to say on the matter.   Why this ... why now?  Is Nas doing this for the sake of publicity?  Many have dismissed this project as being a gimmick and Nas' way of getting attention for his album by stirring up controversy. 

We see Untitled as the rapper's attempt to hold up a mirror to prejudice, injustice and negative stereotypes in a way that has never been done before.  He definitely stays on topic as he takes listeners on an introspective journey to view racism in America through his eyes.

Binside TV Fave 5
1. You Can't Stop Us Now -funky throwback, Lost Tapes vibe
2. Hero - club, car, streets, ipod rocker
3. America - history lesson, listen & learn
4. N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and The Master) - straight gem of enlightenment
5. Black President -  hopeful and timeless

Off to a good start, "Queens Get The Money" lyrically is the sh*t!  Nas does his thing on the right while a cool piano riff does another on the left but the two don't quite meet at the center.  It's a chill beat produced by Jay Electronica, but he may have done better to just kick this one a cappella.  Anyway, it seems he takes a subliminal digg at 50 Cent on the one verse song saying, "Take 27 Mc’s put them in line and they out of alignment/ My assignment says he said retirement/ hiding behind the 8 Mile & The Chronic/ Get Rich but dies Rhyming/ This is hot science./ Now add 23 more for Queens to B-More/ I'm over their heads/ like a bulimic on a seesaw./ Now that's 50 porch monkeys ate up at the same time./ Nasty Nasdaq, y'all gone bow homes in style Jones."  *Pause* This is an "Ether" moment with a touch of Rakim. 

What we really like about this album is that Nas tackles the topic of struggle in a way that you'll enjoy even though he's dropping knowledge on you.  Nas teams up with Producer Salaam Remi once again on the jazzy and incredibly smooth and soulful groove, "You Can't Stop Us Now."   Nas sounds like an old soul that's wise well beyond his years.  We also like that he teamed up with The Last Poets which gives a sense of paying homage to elders.  We like this one a lot and the static of an old 45" adds to the songs nostalgia.

On "Hero," feat. Keri Hilson, Nas talks about the intense scrutiny he faced in creating this project in the third verse as he rhymes, "My lawyers only see the Billboard charts as winning/Forgetting - Nas the only true rebel since the beginning/ Still in musical prison, in jail for the flow/ try telling Bob Dylan, Bruce, or Billy Joel/ they can't sing what's in their soul/ So Untitled it is."  We're lovin' this song for its strength, depth and raw emotion.  Nas knows how to add a touch of Rhythm and Blues and not go Pop.  You feel energized as the heavy drum beat completes the picture.  Good lookin' out Polow Da Don for producing this one!

The tracks never outshine the master of ceremony. In fact, Nas makes the songs and strives to balance the serious topics with creativity.   On the real, the Mark Ronson produced "Fried Chicken" is incredibly clever as Nas and Busta Rhymes deal with stereotypes while expressing unashamed adoration for the fried food, a metaphor for an enchanting woman.  Leave it to Nas and Busta to make sense of the unlikely parallel.  It's so nicely done, they have us ready to grab a bucket ourselves!

How much of the past affects the present and future?  With "N.I. G.G.E.R. (The Slave and The Master)", he takes on the tone of a big bro droppin' jewels.  This song is full of them.  Even the chorus is thought provoking.  "They say we N.I.G.G.E.R./ we are much more/still we choose to ignore the obvious man this history don't acknowledge us/ we were scholars long before colleges./ They say we N.I.G.G.E.R./ we are much more/still we choose to ignore the obvious we are the slave and the master/ What you lookin' for? you the question and the answer."  Gems of wisdom are the only bling on the entire album which is refreshing. The mellow drums and majestic strings are befitting of the legendary M.C.  We hear courage and intelligence on every verse.  This song is hella ill!

Get ready for a history lesson as "Y'all My N***as," "We’re Not Alone" and "America" follow along the same lines.  Nas presents a valid argument to his critics about the hypocrisy of burying the N-word on "Project Roach" feat. The Last Poets. All in all, good tunes.  He stood his ground with this album and we think comes at the right time given the current political climate. "Black President," a song dedicated to Senator Barack Obama, leaves listeners with a message of hope and change.

This is the definition of edutainment, a strong combo of education and entertainment.  This isn't about ringtone sales.  If his intention was to open dialogue, we think that the brave-hearted M.C. hit his mark. 

While "Make The World Go Round" feat. Chris Brown & The Game is a tight song and a lighter track you'll enjoy, it doesn't quite fall in line with the overall theme.  We'll probably be hearing a lot of this song this summer.  This track comes from the Cool & Dre lab with some help from The Game.  Nas and The Game sound like a dynamic duo and share such good creative energy until they've got us wishfully thinking about the two possibly collaborating on an album of their own in the future. 

While the production on the album isn't incredibly strong, we think that was the point.  It's as if Nas is just chillin' behind a cool pair of aviator shades and kickin' it with you in a dark, smoke-filled room while tracks are playing in the background and his words just happen to be poetic. 

So, while an album titled "N****r" did not hit the shelves, Untitled did with message in tact.   This is that raw hip hop for your mind, body and spirit.  We think that true hip-hop heads are gonna love and appreciate this solid effort. This album puts those lost and written off back on track. Those who've been ridin' with Nas from the beginning are gonna love his evolution.  The masses have been fed junk food for so long, it's nice to get some nourishment for a change.  So cop yourself some food for thought and buy Nas' new album Untitled, in stores now!

MYSPACE.COM/NAS / NAS OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Nas "Untitled"
Genre: Hip-Hop (not dead)
Label: Def Jam

01. Queens Get The Money (Produced by Jay Electronica)
02. You Can’t Stop Us Now feat. Eban Thomas of The Stylistics & The Last Poets (Produced by Salaam         Remi)
03. Breathe (Produced by J. Myers & Dustin Moore)
04. Make The World Go Round feat. Chris Brown & The Game (Co-produced by Cool & Dre & The Game)
05. Hero feat. Keri Hilson (Produced by Polow Da Don)
06. America (Produced by Stargate)
07. Sly Fox (Produced by stic.man of Dead Prez)
08. Testify (Produced by Mark Batson)
09. N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and The Master) (Produced by DJ Toomp)
10. Louis Farrakhan (Produced by stic.man of Dead Prez)
11. Fried Chicken feat. Busta Rhymes (Produced by Mark Ronson)
12. Project Roach feat. The Last Poets (Produced by Eric Hudson)
13. Y'all My N***as (Produced by J. Myers)
14. We’re Not Alone feat. Mykel (Produced by stic.man of Dead Prez)
15. Black President feat. Johnny Polygon (Produced by DJ Green Lantern)

Nas Tour Date Info
In between performance dates on this summer's Rock the Bells tour (with A Tribe Called Quest, Ghostface and Raekwon) Nas will embark on a 21-date US tour (The Jones Experience) for his new album, Untitled along with Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica and DJ Green Lantern.

The tour begins July 22nd at the Metropolis in Montreal and wraps up on September 5th at First Avenue in Minneapolis.  It will also touch down in Atlanta, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Houston, Detroit and Chicago.

Nas  Tour Dates 
Jul 14 2008     7:00P   A Life w/ NAS                            New York, New York
Jul 15 2008     8:00P   NAS NY FREE SHOW                   New York, New York
Jul 19 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival              Chicago, Illinois
Jul 20 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival              Toronto, Ontario
Jul 22 2008     8:00P   Metropolis - NAS                       Montreal, Quebec
Jul 24 2008     8:00P   Higher Ground Metropolis NAS   Burlington, Vermont
Jul 25 2008     8:00P   Toad’s Place Metropolis - NAS    New Haven, Connecticut
Jul 26 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival              Boston, Massachusetts
Jul 27 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival              Prince George’s County, Maryland
Jul 27 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival              Prince George’s County, Maryland
Jul 29 2008     8:00P   Amo’s South End                      Charlotte, North Carolina
Jul 30 2008     8:00P   Music Farm - NAS                     Charleston, South Carolina
Jul 31 2008     8:00P   Center Stage - NAS                   Atlanta, Georgia
Aug 1 2008     8:00P   House of Blues Metropolis - NAS  New Orleans, Louisiana
Aug 2 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival              Miami, Florida
Aug 3 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival              Long Island, New York
Aug 8 2008     8:00P   House of Blues -NAS                  Las Vegas, Nevada
Aug 9 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival              Los Angeles, California
Aug 10 2008     8:00P   House of Blues - NAS               San Diego, California
Aug 16 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival            San Francisco, California
Aug 22 2008     8:00P   Harry O’s - NAS                       Park City, Utah
Aug 23 2008     1:00P   Rock The Bells Festival            Denver, Colorado
Aug 24 2008     8:00P   Palladium - NAS                       Dallas, Texas
Aug 25 2008     8:00P   Warehouse Live - NAS             Houston, Texas
Aug 26 2008     8:00P   Stubbs Amphitheater - NAS     Austin, Texas
Aug 28 2008     8:00P   House of Blues -NAS               Cleveland, Ohio
Aug 29 2008     8:00P   Chene Park - NAS                   Detroit, Michigan
Aug 30 2008     1:00P Rock The Bells Festival             Vancouver, British Columbia
Aug 30 2008     8:00P Canopy Club - NAS                    Champagne, Illinois
Aug 31 2008     8:00P House of Blues                         Chicago, Illinois
Sep 1 2008       8:00P House of Blues - NAS                Chicago, Illinois
Sep 3 2008       8:00P The Pageant - NAS                   St. Louis, Missouri
Sep 4 2008       8:00P The Rave - NAS                       Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sep 5 2008       8:00P First Avenue - NAS                  Minneapolis, Minnesota

NAS UNTITLED "NIGGER" ALBUM IN STORES NY & LA IN STORE APPEARANCES TODAY ON JULY 15TH! WATCH NAS SIRIUS RADIO INTERVIEW

The new controversial Nas Untitled "N*gger" Album drops today!  Check out the tracklisting and if you're in New York or LA you can show up to support Nas at his In Store CD signings.

The Queensbridge rapper will be signing copies of his new disc and posters at the Union Square Virgin Megastore in Manhattan at 5 p.m. tomorrow, before jetting off to the West Coast for an autograph session the following day at the Hollywood and Highland stores.

To get into either event, fans have to first purchase the album from Virgin - which opens at 9 a.m.. The first 500 customers will then receive wristbands. Cali fans can also use their band to catch Nas’ performance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” for free. source

NAS SIRIUS INTERVIEW PART 1

Nas Sirius Radio In Studio Series (Part 2)

Watch some music videos from the Untitled album.

Nas- Be a Nigger Too *NEW* Music Video! (High Quality)

Nas - Hero featuring Keri Hilson

01 Intro
02 Gangsta Rap (rmx) (prod. DJ Green Lantern)
03 Cops Keep Firing (prod. DJ Green Lantern)
04 Hero (prod. Polow Da Don)
05 Black President (prod. DJ Green Lantern)
06 Association f. stic.man (of dead prez)
07 Legendary (Mike Tyson).. (prod. Salaam Remi)
08 Ghetto (rmx) f. Joell Ortiz (prod. DJ Green Lantern)
09 Seen it All (Green Mix)
10 Esco Let's Go (Full Song) (prod. Dj Khallil)
11 N.I.G.G.E.R. (Slave and Master). (prod. DJ Toomp)
12 Be a ni**er Too (rmx) f. Dante Hawkins (prod. DJ Green Lantern)
13 Surviving the Times (Original Cool and Dre Version)
14 Nas Timeline (mixed by Statik Selektah) (Nararated by Nas)
15 Outro f. Richard Pryor

NAS FEATURING KERI HILSON - HERO MUSIC VIDEO

Here is a new Nas video for his song "Hero" featuring Keri Hilson.  We can't wait for the Nas Untitled album to drop on July 15th.