In this sense, NAS’ soteriological self-portraiture in the video analysed in this essay, and his musical career in general, is more than simply metaphoric, but enters into the realm of the metonymic, thus opening up space for a reconfiguration of not only hip-hop as another source of a religious sensibility, but also of “religion” as another commodity in the diverse marketplace of worldviews that give meaning to our everyday reality. The article makes the claim that through rap music and other aspects of hip-hop culture, certain hip-hop artists see themselves as performing the role that they believe religious leaders and politicians seem to have failed at fulfilling. In particular, the article locates and evaluates the significance of the video within the broader context of the artist’s ambiguous negotiation of the relationship between religion(s) and hip-hop – explicitly rap music – that extends beyond the usual blues connection. This article analyses rapper NAS’ video entitled “Hate Me Now” as an instance of his broader self-perception/self-construction/self-affirmation/self-proclamation as the Messiah of hip-hop and a rap-prophet making proclamations on American socio-political and religious values. The couple had a son, Knight, in 2009 but divorced soon after.Religion, Hip-hop, Rap, Metonymy, Popular Culture, Cultural Theory Abstract The couple had a daughter named Destiny in 1994. Nas at one time had a relationship with Carmen Bryan. The two rappers made numerous songs insulting each other, including Jay-Z ‘s “The Takeover” and Nas’s “Ether.” Despite the controversy, Jones’s career continues in the music business as of 2021. Jones’s rap feud with Jay-Z during the earlier 2000s was one of the most intense in Hip Hop history. An actor as well, Jones has appeared in movies such Belly (1998) and Ticker (2001), among others.ĭespite Jones’s success, his career has had numerous controversies, including rap feuds with Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Cameron “Cam’ron” Giles, Tupac “2Pac” Shakur, Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins, Amala “Doja Cat” Dlamini, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. In 2021 Nas won his first Grammy Award when King’s Disease was declared Best Rap Album at the 63 rd Annual Grammy Awards. Jones released other albums during his career, including Nastradamus (1999), Stillmatic (2001), God’s Son (2002), Street’s Disciple (2004), Hip Hop Is Dead (2006), Untitled (2008), Life Is Good (2012), Nasir (2018), and King’s Disease (2020). I Am featuring the singles “Nas Is Like” and “Hate Me Now.” That album also sold two million units and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000. In 1996, Jones released his second album called It Was Written that feature singles including “If I Ruled the World (Image That),” “Street Dreams,” and “The Massage.” This album sold two million units and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1997. Puff Daddy, 543,854 Shazams, featuring on ’90s Hip-Hop Essentials, and Hip-Hop/R&B Hits: 1999 Apple Music playlists. In 1994, Jones released his debut studio album Illmatic with hit songs, “Halftime,” “Life’s A Bitch,” and “The World Is Yours.” The album would be certified double platinum, selling over two million units. In 1992, 19-year-old Jones was discovered by 3 rd Bass member Michael “MC Serch” Berrin who became Jones’s manager and helped him secure a record deal with Columbia Records. After leaving school he began to focus on his music career, playing trumpet and writing his rhymes. His parents divorced when he was 12 years-old and Jones dropped out of school after the eighth grade.
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Jones grew up in the Queensbridge Housing Project in Queens, New York.
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Jones was born on Septemto Olu Dara, a jazz and blues musician from Mississippi, and Fannie Ann, a United States Postal Service worker from North Carolina who lived in New York City. Nasir bin Olu “Nas” Dara Jones is an American song rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur.