Jones himself says that while the name may have changed, the cover of the upcoming album "says Nigger real loud". It's about as subtle as Richey Manic carving 4 Real into his arm, right? While some artists give away vinyl as magazine cover mounts and others release albums without telling anyone, it's reassuring to know that guerrilla marketing campaigns are no match for a bit of shock and awe.
In fact, Nas seems to be following the example of the Chapman Brothers - whose drawings of daisy chains and smiley faces over Adolf Hitler's paintings are currently on display - than to the founder of his label, Def Jam. Russell Simmons, who launched the label back in 1984, caused a stir last year when he criticised the genre that made him rich, claiming that many traditional hip-hop terms were sexist and/or racist and should be censored. He may not be spinning forthcoming Nas tracks like The Fear (of the Black Mans Dick), Be a Nigger Too, Y'All My Niggers, N.I.G.G.E.R and America's Top Brothel any time soon.
The title is now entirely innocent, making it considerably less difficult when inquiring if it is in stock. All of which means it will make the white folk question four centuries of racial oppression while ensuring that Nas flies off those Wal-Mart shelves slightly quicker. We said "slightly".
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