slavery is not the only pain and suffering that blacks went through. How about post-slavery huh? How about all those innocent people being lynched, burned, our hanged for no reason… just because they were black.
How about segregation, and how difficult it was for a black man to vote or go to school. How about racism that still goes on today such as the Megan Williams case and the Jena six case? It's not that easy to move on because racism is still going on today and its very blatant but i will agree with some points that were made such as: black people shouldn't hold a grudge against white people because that way society will never progress. And not all white people are racist.
Re Jackie/#28: Your lone black husband does not speak for the black race. The fact is that the legacy of slavery has impinged upon those of us who happen to be born black in so many ways that it's ridiculous. Move on? Get real! I'll move on when there is some semblance of true equality in American society. Until then, get educated! And try to do something to improve our great society.
This is a tired conversation. The thing about it is, if you don't like your school system then MOVE. If you don't like your community, MOVE. There are plenty of places where kids can get a great education no matter the color of their skin. Move out of the cities if the inner city is destroying your kids. No one is keeping you there. Also, financial aid is available to EVERYONE. There is no reason why any color of people can't go to college. The only thing holding people down are themselves. I have Jewish, native american, irish, and european blood running through me, but I am AMERICAN. Just american. I have a mixture of every culture. Rise above your past and embrace your future. Oh, and I have never backpacked across Europe.
the picture should be of an older gentleman or lady who actually went through this brutality. and then give *them* some of the money from the sales. they went through that hell so that their children and grandchildren to come would live a good life. they didn't go through that hell so that it would be used as a tactic to sell an album. it's stupid and disrespectful. it doesn't support the growth that they wanted and sacrificed so much for. what a waste. you don't see the children of holocaust victims doing anything like this.
Music is art, and art is a way of expressing yourself. If this is how he feels, than this is how he feels. Who is anyone to tell him to get over it. Either you like it or not.
I think he's trying to portray a slaves whip scarred back. GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK!!!! What the fuck would he know about being a slave???? I'd like to take a 2×4 and beat him in the head for dragging this slave shit out even more. This is prime example why blacks will remain where they are, on the bottom. They have no desire to better themselves. If you don't agree, so what.
Re: christ – i believe in today's world, black people won't get over it, how are we supposed to sit here and become civil with one another when there's a chip on your shoulder that has a racist attitude towards white people… no one is alive today from the enslaving period and it's time to move on and look towards a positive future with other races. many other cultures have, so why do you insist that whites are still racist, when in fact, many blacks are the ones that are holding that grudge, with no justification. black people get so much more that for me, a white man to put that I am white on an application would be an instant X on the list to getting a job, but if I was black, fuck yeah they'd want me.
Did you know, in my county, Orange County Florida to be exact. We saw a failing predominately black high school, Jones to be exact. So we let the parents send to students to the surrounding schools with more white students with the supposed better teachers and displaced many white students to the lower grade schools in order to balance them out. Guess what happened? ALL the surrounding schools got worse, the black students with all National Scholar teachers and better equipment and better everything still brought the school down and you want to know why? Because black people felt we owed this stuff to them and their families didn't get involved and didn't even try. The teachers worked their asses off and had much more integrated classrooms and the black community still failed. I think us blacks need a stronger family base with more orientation to schooling instead of towards being OWED something.
Wow. it is definitely a conversation piece. There can be so many interpretations. I would like to know more about him and what his thoughts were when posing for the piece.
Overall I really like it. It tells me of the strength he has in him. Im impressed. Im not even a fan . . . yet.
Black people need to get over themselves. It's not like the Europeans and the Jews are running around hating the present day Germans because of what they did to us, and that's not even that long ago. Nas is bordering reverse racism with this. It's time to let go.
I wish white people would stop lumping all black people in to one bowl thinking we all feel the way that Nas does because I do not feel that way I hate the way we are stereotyped in the media but people like Nas helps keep that going I do wish like white people they can say where they come from trace their roots back all I know is I'm a decendant of slaves
Here is the deal. No cultures be it asian, latin, Italian, Anglo, Euro, really all cultures like African Americans. Not just "white" people but all people dislike this culture. Deep down they don't like themselves either. The problem is and of course there are exceptions but the majority of the culture is uneducated, lazy, and do nothing to better the human race. The are entertainers but nothing of substance when it comes to science, math, engineering, English(excluding ebonics). Wait, they did invent peanut butter. Yet they feel entitled for shit they never earned. Drug Dealing is the only job I know they don't quit. And what also is the problem is we have people like tiffan teaching his dumb ass views to children. I came from the hood. Worked my white ass off to get out so I wouldn't have to stay with lazy , dumb, racists, criminals.
give me a BREAK.. move on… we want to forget slavery…yet black peole are the only ones to ever bring it up or make a septical about it.
and if they let him go thru with calling the album n****r, there definitly would have been something wrong with that. MOVE THE FUCK ON PEOPLE.
Re: thissu – ughhh your just another stupid fucker who thinks you know everything and your so much smarter than everyone else. keep your comments to yourself because you have no idea what your talking about with racism. you've probably never even been around black people before you ignorant fuck.
Re: Just a – shut the fuck up seriously! i know black people who work harder every single day of their lives to put food on the table for their families then you prblly have ever worked in your life…black communities have to hustle every day to stay alive while big rich white comm. get shit handed to them and waste everything they have.
GAH WTF was that. Anyhow, I have problems with people that wont let go things that DID NOT HAPPEN TO THEM hundreds of years ago by people that NO LONGER LIVE.
STOP THE DRAMA. I bet if EVERYONE on this planet looked, they could find a time when "Their people" was oppressed too.
Get over it and do something with your life NOW. And stop blaming the MAN.
If you're a loser it's no one's fault but your own.
I have to agree with some of you here. This is history, not racism. What our ancestors did to the Black community back in the day is horrible. It was pure evil and that is something we ought to be ashmed of. I also have to say that we are human beings tend to define ourselves through our race. History and Inteleect will tell you and also show you that not all anglo saxons are good and not all colored people are bad. It not who we say we are, it's what we do that defines us.
What we have to sit down and realize is that we cannot tell a people to get over something that is not over. Yes, prejudice against race is said to be a crime. But we have always served their purpose as one of a statistic. The civil rights gave all colored people the right to civil liberty. There were white people involved in that too. What we have not passed on is the right and ability to have economic liberty. Of course they want to go to school and get jobs and live the American dream like any of us. There is no denying that there is a system that would rather have them in jail.
They have the ability but not the access and that is why they are pissed off. I would be pissed off too. Civil liberities are not the same as economic liberties. Their dreams do not have to come at the expense of ours. America still has a long way to go. There is a problem with the way we are living our lives in this country. We all have a stake to make it better so if none of us are interested in making life better for every american and ultimately every citizen of humanity, then step aside and forever hold your people. This goes to all Whites and Blacks or whatever it is that we call ourselves these days. Being a certain race does not entitle you to anything in the world.
Let kindness, truth and fairness be the guide of your day. Thank you and Good day.
There will always be prejudice. When we keep reminding ourselves and keep bringing it up and keep acting like it's a big issue IT WILL ALWAYS BE ONE.
There will ALWAYS be racist. You aren't going to erase them. The only thing this is causing now is interracial tension and allow people that don't want to work blame "the man" and demand reparations.
Like I said, ALL OF US can find in history sometime when our ancestors have been mistreated. Or how we are to this day being so. I've heard just as many "We don't want any Italian trash in here" or "No Irish drunks" as I have heard derogatory comments about blacks. Yet you don't see them trying to get handouts.
Hell the Jews have had it worse than anyone else in this country in this day and age and they aren't asking for shiz.
RESPONDS 1: I can appreciate Nas's cover it's very real; however I don't see how it's racist…I'm lost. For the record I'm an African American female and I don't believe all whites are racist or all blacks are ignorant and all that jazz. However, I do believe racist is still alive and well it’s just in a more suddle way because America is far beyond lynching N-RS and most of the public would be out raged. Now for anyone that says racism no longer exists is obviously delirious, and have decided to turn a blind eye. I don’t think one race is more racist and for those who say so you must liking don’t have friends of the other race (I’m not talking about co-workers and neighbors). The people is insist that one race is racist then the next are the ones who allow the media to dictate what you think, feel, eat, and what time you sleep. I totally agree that SOME groups of blacks harps on the “everybody is racist and the Man trynna keep me down” and they should adapt another point of view because the only person that can keep you down in this day and age is yourself.
RESPONDS 2:
Also, I hate when people say “just move on”, “slavery was so long ago”, and “nobody alive to do has anything to do with it”. For one thing it’s very important for people to remember. It’s important for the Jews, Asians, Hispanics and Blacks you should never forget where you came from and how your ancestors had to fight to allow you the luxuries that are afford to you today. STOP TELLING PPL TO FORGET…THAT SH*T IS SOOO RUDE!!! It’s unfortunate but some people like to have this constant dialogue about which race is more racist, which race is more beautiful, which race is this and that and this and that and so on and so on. That’s just the world we live in misery loves company and people know that race, religion and politics will always get the next person hot under the collar. So actually these idiotic rants and raves about racism is what keeps it alive. I think racism is a topic that we should all agree to disagree on; but not ridicule people for stating what they believe.
Re: ld – But how do you know their not??? Do you know most Jews or two. The same for Blacks, do you know all of us?? I'm confused I don't believe I know you. Think about it
I pledge allegiance to Hamas
to the middle east of Islam
to the sucicide bombers
that gives its life
with 69 virgins
under allah
with communism
and it's my way or the highway
chop head
Always it could be just me, but I am having problems keeping track of the direction you are going, or even understand your basic premiss. But like I said, it could just be me.
Re: KevinK – How many blacks do you know that has DEMANDED reparation or are you going off of what Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton has said. Do you know all the black ppl demanding reparation if so that funny considering the fact that I'm black and I don't know it one..that's really weird. Hmmm
First thing I want to say, I am white and I want to know where all these great resources are that are so called GIVEN to me because I am white. I have never had anything handed to me, I keep seeing black people posting that whites are handed everything ! Well Damnit no one told me! Where is the line? How to get it in on it?
That is the most ignorant thing for anyone to say seriously get real. If that were true do you would think there wouldnt be poor white trash right? Geeze come on you get out of life what you GIVE into it. Get an education stop robbing and stealing thieving and drug dealing and drinking and what ever other illegal activities there are Go to College! Get a career and then you will see what is handed to you.. Until then shut up.
Geeze some people make me sick , and this has nothing to do with RACE it is about intelligence which we all have but we just dont all use..
Dummies!
Slavery happened how many years ago? What a fucking no talent idiot, he's just trying to get press. Its ancient history and I suggest you leave it here, this promotes hatred. Move on.
Do you know all the black ppl demanding reparation if so that funny considering the fact that I'm black and I don't know it one..that's really weird. Hmmm
So you are black, and you don't know any that has, IT MUST NOT BE TRUE!@11
And seriously, if no one is, then cool. I have no problem with that. But yes, I have heard people claim they deserve!11
Reply to Truth Hurts: Allow your television to dictate your thoughts on a entire racist is just rubbish. The majority of blacks aren't educated and we've not contributed to the home race! Please pick up a book dude…it's the media that only allows you to see the black entertainers, sports players, and such and such however I'm sure you know nothing of the list I've presented to you below and If you do I'm very very surprise that your opinion of blacks are so poor.
George Alcorn
Henry Thomas Sampson
John Standard
Paul E Williams
And oh there are so many many more every race including the African American race has made great strides and just wait and see we aren't done yet. If only every race could unify, this country would be far greater than it will ever be separate but equal. I agree with you that some black people don't like themselves which I'm sure that self hatred exist in every race even yours sir.
"If I allow the fact that I am a Negro to checkmate my will to do, now, I will inevitably form the habit of being defeated."—Paul Williams
How about you wait to hear the fucking content before passing judgment on the artwork? Ever heard of "judging a book by its cover"?
So, right, slavery for African Americans is over in the United States — but, evidently (and just check the moronic responses to this post), racism is not. Why is it so problematic for some of you that he's dealing with a part of our history? This is nothing new for Nas; just take the lyrics for "What Goes Around" for example:
"The China-men built the railroad, the Indians saved the Pilgrim
And in return the Pilgrim killed 'em
They call it it Thanksgiving, I call your holiday hell-day"
Listen to the album before you run your mouths (or fingers, in this case).
Re: KevinK – Nope I didn't say that it must not be true because I don't know any… My friend I'm sure there are many things, people and places i don't know. However I will never generalize and make my comments on a blog the law. Your sources are unreliable the internet…dude seriously the internet. You can be who you want to be on the internet. thing about that….
No Ryan, because Jewish people have entire museums dedicated to the struggles of their past. Speilberg made SCHINDLER'S LIST for his mother, as homage to their people's past. I have never posted here before and because I am not some 12 year old who speaks out their ass on this site, I just want to say that the imagery in the NAS cover is POWERFUL. In a perfect world, race or religion or other differences would not matter. This isn't a perfect world. I recently read up on the race riot of EAST ST LOUIS, ILLINOIS (I don't live too far from there) and the savagery of white folks during that event…men, women, and children… still creates nightmares. When you read how a white man complains he is "exhausted from killing ni**ers all day so he let his 10 year old grandson finish hime off" that speaks in volumes!
If we could ALL rise above and see that it's not color…ignorance comes in all forms…but people are too small minded and want to blame a whole race. It's not all whites, all blacks, all latinos, all asians… its SOME FUCKED UP PEOPLE!
History is powerful and it should be embraced and used to enrich futures. To remain stagnant in the past is death. Move forward and wiser from it.
Leave it to an idiot to keep racism alive. I don't understand why black people constantly pull the race card and continue perpetuate hate. What I don't understand is why they act like they have a beef with EVERY SINGLE LAST white person and that all white people are racist. Did they not ever hear of the Civil War?!! The white people in the North went to war against their brothers in the South over this shit. News flash… the North won. Slavery ended thanks to white people fighting against it. Can we all put the race cards down once and for all?!!?
This is supposed to symbolize slavery, which has been over for 150 years. Instead of moving on and taking advantage of the opportunites afforded to every U.S. citizen, this dumb ghetto thug wants to dredge up the past so he can cry some more about racial injustice to hopefully get some type of material gain, like having guilty whites buy his stupid album. It ain't gonna work, Dumbass, how about trying to make an honest living?
Most black people are morons and just want to complain about something. And for the jesus freaks STFU please. We all know that is just a fictional story with no truth..Grow up losers.
Nas is a moron..He has been talking the same stuff his whole career but has never really made any difference in society. All he does is talk..Black people of course there still is racism 2day, but you clowns continue to remain lazy and uneducated..
That's not all I said. I also said
.
.
"I have seen many on the internets go off about how the man was holding them back and said they deserved them. Having said that, they could have been lying."
.
.
"And seriously, if no one is, then cool. I have no problem with that. But yes, I have heard people claim they deserve"
Now not all black people are like that and you know it. And I doubt you mean that. But you need to reword it to say "I don't know why SOME" else someone will be offended.
It is NOT powerful. It looks like worms on his back. Get over it NAS for a "slave" you sure are making a hell of lot of money selling to the white man. GET OVER IT!!!!!
Regarding Always….See that is my point exactly. You listed four people and said many more.. That is so sad that as a group you have only a handful of people to list. Thanks for making my point. Have you ever read the Bells curve? Evolution is a bitch. Sorry some people are more evolved than others, I agree that there are smart black people and dumb white people but lets be real. There are so many more smart white people and so many more dumb black people. I imagine it would be tough to be a smart black person because your race not mine make it so much harder on them to have success.
Re: Say wh – You are 100% rite. My husband and I do consider ourselves to be color blind. People are people are people. I don't give a damn if you're purple with green spots! I'm proud to be "color blind" and wish that more people felt the same. Sick you say? Because I am in an interracial relationship, I have felt my fare share of racism. But I have found the white people I've met are more accepting of us than the black people, thus my views on black society being more racist than the white.
Re: Mother[/[re=2291484]Re: Annoye – If you really knew your history you would know that this still didn't end slavery, much less racism. Long story, not enough time or patience. Please read some literature besides the mainstream so called (biased fiction) history books that you are gave in school. Then come back and we can have an intelligent conversation.
Re: So Eas – Um yeah…it's really sad that all that happened. And if I could personally go back in history and change it so that none of that ever happened I would. But the fact of the matter is, it DID happen. It sucks. But people need to MOVE ON. This is 2008!
JUST BECAUSE NAS HAS IS PROTRAYING HIMSELF LIKE A NIGGA DOES NOT MEAN ALL BLACK PEOPLE BELIEVE LIKE HE DOES. NAS DOES NOT REPRESENT EVERY BLACK PERSON IN AMERICA. MOSTLY ALL BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT THINK ABOUT WHITE PEOPLE OR RACISM ON A DAILY BASIS. WE ARE WORRYING ABOUT OUR JOBS, FAMILY AND JUST LIVING LIFE. PEOPLE ON HERE ARE ACTING LIKE WE AS BLACK PEOPLE ARE SO BITTER AND WANDER AROUND HATING WHITES. PLEASE DO NOT FLATTER YOURSELVES! WE AS BLACK PEOPLE I THINK ARE OVER SLAERY BUT WE WILL NEVER FORGET IT! AND DONT COMPARE THE HOLOCAUST WITH SLAVERY, THE HOLOCOST LASTED WHAT TEN YEARS AT THE MOST, SLAVERY LASTED 400 YEARS! AND AFTER THAT WE STILL DID NOT RECEIVE EQUAL RIGHTS UNTIL 100 YEARS AFTER THAT. PEOPLE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS ONY ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO SO YOU WHOTE PEOPLE JUST STARTED GETTING YOUR ACTS TOGETHER. SO EVERYONE JUST CALM DOWN. BLACK PEOPLE STOP BITCHING ABOUT SLAVERY… AND WHITE PEOPLE STOP BITCHING ABOUT THINGS YOU HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT!
PEACE
NAS DOES NOT REPRESENT EVERY BLACK PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY. NAS IS A NIGGA! BUT THE MAJORITY OF BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE NOT. TRUST ME BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT WHITE PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS.. DO NOT FLATTER YOURSELVES. ! BLACK PEOPLE ARE WORKING AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES. MOST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY ON WELFARE IS WHITE PEOPLE. BLACK PEOPLE ONLY MAKE UP TEN PERCENT OF THE POPULATION! MOST BLACK PEOPLE ARE OVER SLAVERY, BUT WILL NEVER FORGET IT. AND DO NOT COMPARE THE HOLOCAUST THAT LASTED ABOUT TEN YEARS TO SLAVERY WHICH LASTED 400, AND DO NOT FORGET THE JIM CROW LAWS WHICH LASTED 100 YEARS TOO. WHITE PEOPLE ARE SO QUICK TO SAY FORGIVE AND FORGET.. BECAUSE IT DOES NOT AFFECT THEM, LAWS FROM SLAVERY STILL AFFECT BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY. THINK ABOUT IT WHY ARE MOST OF THE CEOS IN AMERICA WHITE, AND MOSTLY ALL OF THE SPRTS STARS IN AMERICA BLACK. SO BLACK PEOPLE STOP WHINING AND WHITE PEOPLE STOP BITCHING ABOUT THINGS YOU HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT!
#94 tiff your a teacher in the inner city. my ass bitch. you talk about living in the hood. bullshit you asshole. i tried to be nice today but assholes like you who pretend to be a teacher but live in the hood as you put it. phoney bitch. living in the hood.
Look. Enslavement and Racism is not something that "HAPPENED FOREVER AGO GOD GET OVER BLACKIES". Our own parents dealt with it, and our grandparents were in it full swing.
When your own parents and grandparents can tell you themselves about the injustices they suffered, its kinda hard to "just get over it already".
tiff i tried to behave today but dumb bitches like you set me off. first of all your not a teacher. if by some slight chance that you i feel sorry for the kids in your class. you are a classless bitch. and your a teacher. i dought it you sound too ignorant.
All the people on here who are making these stupid statements about his album cover ever even listened to at least one song off his album. No you haven't so to just base your opinion on how black people are not getting over what in the 1800's but for still to this day being called the n word. Nas's songs just don't talk about white people being racist towards blacks but how black people are racist towards their own race. So before ya'll make these ignorant comments about something you think you know about or make a comment from a picture get the entire story please.
Jews were/are able to assimilate, blend in easier, unless they tell you that they are Jewish or their last name gives them away they can remain incognito or ethnically anonymous. The census bureau even categorizes them as white, there is no middle eastern category, next time you fill out a job application or fill out one of those EEO forms you'll see that middle easterners are included under the "white" category, I guess because of their skin color, but ethnicity wise they are non-european, asiatic people who benefit from looking similar to europeans, where as someone black is easily identifiable and so its easier to slight and turn them away at the door.
This is just sad. Back in the 40's jewish people were murdered in masses just because of their race, this wasn't even 100 years ago, they have moved on. You don't see things like this from jewish artist. I have great respect for the african americans who worked hard for civil rights. But I feel that this is disrespectful to them. I think that they would want the african american community to move on from the horrible past. African Americans now days have every oppurtinity every other race has. When people do something like NAS did it rubs off on me like there trying to say that whites are still racist.
It amazes me that so many blacks think we still owe them because of what happened during the Civil War era. It's OVER and you're not entitled to ANYTHING.
I love it! Very powerful.
Those of you who say this isn't even recent history are truly ignorant. Check your facts. As soon as we begin to be complacent, we are destined to repeat history. Look at what's going on in the world today!
all immigrants that assimilated immediately benefited from a common denominator….European ancestry. Soooo sorry that your Irish ancestors had a hard time. WAKE UP! Your Irish grandpa was WHITE! What exactly is that damage to you? You are WHITE! I am ashamed to live in your world.
===============================================
Irish people were not considered white when they arrived from Europe, you twit. Italians, Russians, Greeks, you name it: none of them were considered white when they first immigrated here. Hell, it took Italians from the early 1900s until the 1980s for them to break through from the ghettos and slums into assimilation into "White" America. Go educate yourself and look up all of the slurs used to describe the Irish, Italians, and other people we commonly call "white people" today in America.
When ethnic Europeans started to come over to America in droves, "whiteness" was limited to the WASP acronym of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Whites in America looked at the groups coming over with disdain and disgust and racism. Catholics? HEATHENS. Irish? Drunken mick scum! Italians? Dark-skinned WOPs! Russians? Backwards barbarian ruskies.
All of the European immigrants who you so ignorantly claim had an advantage for being "white" were NOT considered white until DECADES after their immigration and assimilation and acceptance into America. They faced astounding levels of racism from the established white protestant culture in America. They were not seen as white by anyone because no one wanted to associate what they perceived as unwashed, uneducated, degenerate, perverse people with their conception of whiteness.
For you to somehow claim that European immigrants faced no hardship because they were "white" shows that you have 1) no concept of history, 2) no desire to educate yourself as to the realities of racial history in America beyond the Black-White dynamic, and 3) you enjoy making excuses.
What does this image say about his music? It says to me don't buy it!
I would rather see a statement being made about the breakdown of the black family and absenteeism of father figures. That's more relevant to the plight of the African American Community. The only people I ever hear in my community calling African Americans the N word are African Americans.
THAT IS RIGHT!!! Irish, italians, ETC…. were not and some still AREN'T considered "white". White was your Englishmen and women.
"Blaa blaa, I'm black and there used to be black slaves in America." SHUT UP!!! Nas was never a slave, nor his parents or grandparents. I'd be shocked if his GREAT grandparents were. MANY cultures have been enslaved since the beginning of history. JEWS used to be the slaves of Egyptians, do you see them QQing it up?!?!?
By the way, there are WOMEN and CHILDREN of all nationalities who ARE still slaves. Sexual and otherwise. Maybe we should focus on those who are STILL slaves, rather than glorify the music of a dude who's MILKING something he never endured.
I really like the fact that he's got the balls to put something like this out there but I think somebody should smack whoever designed this . . . the scars LOOK soooo fake. The pattern makes me think of maggots, not w/e he's actually trying to portray.
Yes he may be doing this to get people's attention but after he gets your attention and you're not judgmental, andare open minded to hear what he has to say; Nas actually has a message. It's freedom of speech. If you dont agree with his imagery or his expression then keep it moving. If Madonna can do videos like " Like a Prayer" than Nas is free to do album covers like this. And for people who think Nas is just another rapper, using this as a ploy to get publicity or album sales dont know what you are talking about. Nas has always made music that was socially conscious. So dont be quick to judge!
"Balls to put something like this out?" How fucking stupid is that comment. It doesn't take balls to throw out the victim card. "Oh, poor poor me…my great great great great grandaddy was a slave so I'll put these fake lashings on my back so people feel sorry for ME ME ME." This cover is nothing short of throwing out the proverbial race card to garner sympathy. Truly pathetic.
WHITE PEOPLE, I AM SICK OF YOUR SHIT. IF YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE HALF OF THE HATRED THAT YOU SPEW, THEN THAT'S REALLY DISHEARTENING. NO, MOST BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT SMOKE CRACK, HAVE FIVE CHILDREN BY FIVE DIFFERENT DADDIES, SIT AROUND TALKING ABOUT SLAVERY/THE MAN/WHITE PEOPLE/ETC., FREELOAD OFF OF THE GOVENRMENT, AND WHATEVER ELSE I'VE READ ON THIS BLOG. WHITE PEOPLE, GET OVER YOURSELVES, PLEASE.
Black people who come here from Africa today will excel and be making fortunes while black people who grew up here and listened to Al Sharpton and NAS will sit and feel sorry for themselves. That's your choice. It's an excuse for being a loser.
Well everything you just explained is true about black people..The majority of you do everything you just explained. Maybe you are an exception, but black people do sit around and complain, collect welfare, and mostly hate the "man", yet wont do anything to help their situation.
I agree..The black people from Africa that I know here in L.A. will work 3 jobs to help their current situation in addition to learning english and going to school..Its quite admirable. the same goes for spanish people..
All the while black americans like keeping it real and saying the n word, and watching flavor flav..lol
My family is Vietnamese and they cam here in the 70's and worked hard. My parents started their own business and now they are wealthier than they ever would have dreamed. We have dealt with racism in our store and neighborhood mostly from black people but we don't let it stop us from working harder and doing what is right. Most of our customers are black and they are really nice and I consider them my friends. I don't hold all the terrible things that some of them do against all of them. People need to be more positive and believe in themselves, then they can stop hating one another.
Re: Always – I'll tell you what I know. I know that when I walk down the street, I'm constantly going right and left in order to be polite and not bump into people's shoulders. Black people never move. They just walk. They're so territorial. They do this because they think it's still their right to 'punish' white people for something that happened 150 years ago. They presume we're all still racist, and this hatred only results in white people becoming racist. So to answer your question, no, I don't know all black people. But I know what it's like to deal with a lot of black people's unfair hatred towards me as white person every day. And album covers like Nas' only promote this hatred. That's why I'm saying black people should get over themselves.
They still have slavery all over Africa!! Go over there and bitch at them! Go bitch at the Arabs that are killing blacks to try to get rid of them! If you really cared about black people you would be going crazy about what is happening in Africa today. But you don't care about those people because it won't benefit you or give you an excuse for all your failures. Totally fucked up. The rest of the world knows that black and white Americans are the fucking same : superficial and spoiled, self-centered children.
They don't just do it to white people, they do it to Asians and Latinos, old people. Whoever. That's all they have in their life I guess, to try to make everyone else miserable. The joke's on them because everyone else mistrusts them because of that kind of shit and then they wonder why they can't get ahead. Blame your homies and sistas. It's like that "when keepin it real goes wrong" from the Chappelle show. You'll be in prison while your best friend's eating popcorn with your boyfriend.
WOW? Strong imagery? Can anyone say The Color Purple? Are we seriously supposed to look at Nas and believe an analogy that pitts him against people who have really suffered? Ridiculous. This is laughable. The world is changing. Let it happen.
Nobody in their 20's and 30's will ever know the real ordeal that slaves went through…so this fuckin idiot NAS should quit trying to bank on his ancestors sacrafice…the only way I would even take a spit at this album is if he were to contrubute the money he makes from this shiteous album to something worthy for the future..not dwelling on the past…I'm sure all those slaves are turning in the graves just seeing how almost ever black artist is a HUGH UNCLE TOM!
He isn't trying to live on the sacrifices of his ancestors.. He's acknowledging the affects of what happened to his ancestors. There was a mentallity given to blacks and to whites then, that lives on today. Regardless of it being hundreds of years ago or you not being affected by it - The mindset is still there. Clearly, with people making these "entitled", careless, rude comments. When people begin to look at the bigger picture - outside of themselves - we'll learn to tolerate.
NA-SCAR
Racism will never end because it is never allowed to. Are we condemned to an eternal prison sentence for the sins of our fathers?
slavery is not the only pain and suffering that blacks went through. How about post-slavery huh? How about all those innocent people being lynched, burned, our hanged for no reason… just because they were black.
How about segregation, and how difficult it was for a black man to vote or go to school. How about racism that still goes on today such as the Megan Williams case and the Jena six case? It's not that easy to move on because racism is still going on today and its very blatant but i will agree with some points that were made such as: black people shouldn't hold a grudge against white people because that way society will never progress. And not all white people are racist.
Re Jackie/#28: Your lone black husband does not speak for the black race. The fact is that the legacy of slavery has impinged upon those of us who happen to be born black in so many ways that it's ridiculous. Move on? Get real! I'll move on when there is some semblance of true equality in American society. Until then, get educated! And try to do something to improve our great society.
This is a tired conversation. The thing about it is, if you don't like your school system then MOVE. If you don't like your community, MOVE. There are plenty of places where kids can get a great education no matter the color of their skin. Move out of the cities if the inner city is destroying your kids. No one is keeping you there. Also, financial aid is available to EVERYONE. There is no reason why any color of people can't go to college. The only thing holding people down are themselves. I have Jewish, native american, irish, and european blood running through me, but I am AMERICAN. Just american. I have a mixture of every culture. Rise above your past and embrace your future. Oh, and I have never backpacked across Europe.
the picture should be of an older gentleman or lady who actually went through this brutality. and then give *them* some of the money from the sales. they went through that hell so that their children and grandchildren to come would live a good life. they didn't go through that hell so that it would be used as a tactic to sell an album. it's stupid and disrespectful. it doesn't support the growth that they wanted and sacrificed so much for. what a waste. you don't see the children of holocaust victims doing anything like this.
It really is time to move on.No one even cares anymore.
Music is art, and art is a way of expressing yourself. If this is how he feels, than this is how he feels. Who is anyone to tell him to get over it. Either you like it or not.
I think he's trying to portray a slaves whip scarred back. GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK!!!! What the fuck would he know about being a slave???? I'd like to take a 2×4 and beat him in the head for dragging this slave shit out even more. This is prime example why blacks will remain where they are, on the bottom. They have no desire to better themselves. If you don't agree, so what.
YOU SHOULD WATCH THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.. HE WAS BEATEN THAAT BADLY FOR ALL OF YOU.. OUR KIND ONCE DIED TO BE OUR SAVIOR.
Re: christ – i believe in today's world, black people won't get over it, how are we supposed to sit here and become civil with one another when there's a chip on your shoulder that has a racist attitude towards white people… no one is alive today from the enslaving period and it's time to move on and look towards a positive future with other races. many other cultures have, so why do you insist that whites are still racist, when in fact, many blacks are the ones that are holding that grudge, with no justification. black people get so much more that for me, a white man to put that I am white on an application would be an instant X on the list to getting a job, but if I was black, fuck yeah they'd want me.
Just be careful on how you think about racism
i love how everyone keeps saying ignorant. i am beginning to think people don't know what it means
Re: tiffan – Dear Tiffan,
Did you know, in my county, Orange County Florida to be exact. We saw a failing predominately black high school, Jones to be exact. So we let the parents send to students to the surrounding schools with more white students with the supposed better teachers and displaced many white students to the lower grade schools in order to balance them out. Guess what happened? ALL the surrounding schools got worse, the black students with all National Scholar teachers and better equipment and better everything still brought the school down and you want to know why? Because black people felt we owed this stuff to them and their families didn't get involved and didn't even try. The teachers worked their asses off and had much more integrated classrooms and the black community still failed. I think us blacks need a stronger family base with more orientation to schooling instead of towards being OWED something.
Wow. it is definitely a conversation piece. There can be so many interpretations. I would like to know more about him and what his thoughts were when posing for the piece.
Overall I really like it. It tells me of the strength he has in him. Im impressed. Im not even a fan . . . yet.
RACIST PROPAGANDA
Black people need to get over themselves. It's not like the Europeans and the Jews are running around hating the present day Germans because of what they did to us, and that's not even that long ago. Nas is bordering reverse racism with this. It's time to let go.
Re: david – nice racism asshole. you are very ignorant.
I wish white people would stop lumping all black people in to one bowl thinking we all feel the way that Nas does because I do not feel that way I hate the way we are stereotyped in the media but people like Nas helps keep that going I do wish like white people they can say where they come from trace their roots back all I know is I'm a decendant of slaves
Here is the deal. No cultures be it asian, latin, Italian, Anglo, Euro, really all cultures like African Americans. Not just "white" people but all people dislike this culture. Deep down they don't like themselves either. The problem is and of course there are exceptions but the majority of the culture is uneducated, lazy, and do nothing to better the human race. The are entertainers but nothing of substance when it comes to science, math, engineering, English(excluding ebonics). Wait, they did invent peanut butter. Yet they feel entitled for shit they never earned. Drug Dealing is the only job I know they don't quit. And what also is the problem is we have people like tiffan teaching his dumb ass views to children. I came from the hood. Worked my white ass off to get out so I wouldn't have to stay with lazy , dumb, racists, criminals.
give me a BREAK.. move on… we want to forget slavery…yet black peole are the only ones to ever bring it up or make a septical about it.
and if they let him go thru with calling the album n****r, there definitly would have been something wrong with that. MOVE THE FUCK ON PEOPLE.
Re: thissu – ughhh your just another stupid fucker who thinks you know everything and your so much smarter than everyone else. keep your comments to yourself because you have no idea what your talking about with racism. you've probably never even been around black people before you ignorant fuck.
Re: Just a – shut the fuck up seriously! i know black people who work harder every single day of their lives to put food on the table for their families then you prblly have ever worked in your life…black communities have to hustle every day to stay alive while big rich white comm. get shit handed to them and waste everything they have.
I HAVE P
GAH WTF was that. Anyhow, I have problems with people that wont let go things that DID NOT HAPPEN TO THEM hundreds of years ago by people that NO LONGER LIVE.
STOP THE DRAMA. I bet if EVERYONE on this planet looked, they could find a time when "Their people" was oppressed too.
Get over it and do something with your life NOW. And stop blaming the MAN.
If you're a loser it's no one's fault but your own.
Re: So Eas – If you have a PHD why are you looking at this site?
I have to agree with some of you here. This is history, not racism. What our ancestors did to the Black community back in the day is horrible. It was pure evil and that is something we ought to be ashmed of. I also have to say that we are human beings tend to define ourselves through our race. History and Inteleect will tell you and also show you that not all anglo saxons are good and not all colored people are bad. It not who we say we are, it's what we do that defines us.
What we have to sit down and realize is that we cannot tell a people to get over something that is not over. Yes, prejudice against race is said to be a crime. But we have always served their purpose as one of a statistic. The civil rights gave all colored people the right to civil liberty. There were white people involved in that too. What we have not passed on is the right and ability to have economic liberty. Of course they want to go to school and get jobs and live the American dream like any of us. There is no denying that there is a system that would rather have them in jail.
They have the ability but not the access and that is why they are pissed off. I would be pissed off too. Civil liberities are not the same as economic liberties. Their dreams do not have to come at the expense of ours. America still has a long way to go. There is a problem with the way we are living our lives in this country. We all have a stake to make it better so if none of us are interested in making life better for every american and ultimately every citizen of humanity, then step aside and forever hold your people. This goes to all Whites and Blacks or whatever it is that we call ourselves these days. Being a certain race does not entitle you to anything in the world.
Let kindness, truth and fairness be the guide of your day. Thank you and Good day.
There will always be prejudice. When we keep reminding ourselves and keep bringing it up and keep acting like it's a big issue IT WILL ALWAYS BE ONE.
There will ALWAYS be racist. You aren't going to erase them. The only thing this is causing now is interracial tension and allow people that don't want to work blame "the man" and demand reparations.
Like I said, ALL OF US can find in history sometime when our ancestors have been mistreated. Or how we are to this day being so. I've heard just as many "We don't want any Italian trash in here" or "No Irish drunks" as I have heard derogatory comments about blacks. Yet you don't see them trying to get handouts.
Hell the Jews have had it worse than anyone else in this country in this day and age and they aren't asking for shiz.
RESPONDS 1: I can appreciate Nas's cover it's very real; however I don't see how it's racist…I'm lost. For the record I'm an African American female and I don't believe all whites are racist or all blacks are ignorant and all that jazz. However, I do believe racist is still alive and well it’s just in a more suddle way because America is far beyond lynching N-RS and most of the public would be out raged. Now for anyone that says racism no longer exists is obviously delirious, and have decided to turn a blind eye. I don’t think one race is more racist and for those who say so you must liking don’t have friends of the other race (I’m not talking about co-workers and neighbors). The people is insist that one race is racist then the next are the ones who allow the media to dictate what you think, feel, eat, and what time you sleep. I totally agree that SOME groups of blacks harps on the “everybody is racist and the Man trynna keep me down” and they should adapt another point of view because the only person that can keep you down in this day and age is yourself.
RESPONDS 2:
Also, I hate when people say “just move on”, “slavery was so long ago”, and “nobody alive to do has anything to do with it”. For one thing it’s very important for people to remember. It’s important for the Jews, Asians, Hispanics and Blacks you should never forget where you came from and how your ancestors had to fight to allow you the luxuries that are afford to you today. STOP TELLING PPL TO FORGET…THAT SH*T IS SOOO RUDE!!! It’s unfortunate but some people like to have this constant dialogue about which race is more racist, which race is more beautiful, which race is this and that and this and that and so on and so on. That’s just the world we live in misery loves company and people know that race, religion and politics will always get the next person hot under the collar. So actually these idiotic rants and raves about racism is what keeps it alive. I think racism is a topic that we should all agree to disagree on; but not ridicule people for stating what they believe.
Re: ld – But how do you know their not??? Do you know most Jews or two. The same for Blacks, do you know all of us?? I'm confused I don't believe I know you. Think about it
I pledge allegiance to Hamas
to the middle east of Islam
to the sucicide bombers
that gives its life
with 69 virgins
under allah
with communism
and it's my way or the highway
chop head
Always it could be just me, but I am having problems keeping track of the direction you are going, or even understand your basic premiss. But like I said, it could just be me.
Re: KevinK – How many blacks do you know that has DEMANDED reparation or are you going off of what Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton has said. Do you know all the black ppl demanding reparation if so that funny considering the fact that I'm black and I don't know it one..that's really weird. Hmmm
First thing I want to say, I am white and I want to know where all these great resources are that are so called GIVEN to me because I am white. I have never had anything handed to me, I keep seeing black people posting that whites are handed everything ! Well Damnit no one told me! Where is the line? How to get it in on it?
That is the most ignorant thing for anyone to say seriously get real. If that were true do you would think there wouldnt be poor white trash right? Geeze come on you get out of life what you GIVE into it. Get an education stop robbing and stealing thieving and drug dealing and drinking and what ever other illegal activities there are Go to College! Get a career and then you will see what is handed to you.. Until then shut up.
Geeze some people make me sick , and this has nothing to do with RACE it is about intelligence which we all have but we just dont all use..
Dummies!
Slavery happened how many years ago? What a fucking no talent idiot, he's just trying to get press. Its ancient history and I suggest you leave it here, this promotes hatred. Move on.
Re: Always asked me: How many blacks do you know that has DEMANDED reparation or are you going off of what Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton has said. – I have seen many on the internets go off about how the man was holding them back and said they deserved them. Having said that, they could have been lying.
Do you know all the black ppl demanding reparation if so that funny considering the fact that I'm black and I don't know it one..that's really weird. Hmmm
So you are black, and you don't know any that has, IT MUST NOT BE TRUE!@11
And seriously, if no one is, then cool. I have no problem with that. But yes, I have heard people claim they deserve!11
Reply to Truth Hurts: Allow your television to dictate your thoughts on a entire racist is just rubbish. The majority of blacks aren't educated and we've not contributed to the home race! Please pick up a book dude…it's the media that only allows you to see the black entertainers, sports players, and such and such however I'm sure you know nothing of the list I've presented to you below and If you do I'm very very surprise that your opinion of blacks are so poor.
George Alcorn
Henry Thomas Sampson
John Standard
Paul E Williams
And oh there are so many many more every race including the African American race has made great strides and just wait and see we aren't done yet. If only every race could unify, this country would be far greater than it will ever be separate but equal. I agree with you that some black people don't like themselves which I'm sure that self hatred exist in every race even yours sir.
"If I allow the fact that I am a Negro to checkmate my will to do, now, I will inevitably form the habit of being defeated."—Paul Williams
How about you wait to hear the fucking content before passing judgment on the artwork? Ever heard of "judging a book by its cover"?
So, right, slavery for African Americans is over in the United States — but, evidently (and just check the moronic responses to this post), racism is not. Why is it so problematic for some of you that he's dealing with a part of our history? This is nothing new for Nas; just take the lyrics for "What Goes Around" for example:
"The China-men built the railroad, the Indians saved the Pilgrim
And in return the Pilgrim killed 'em
They call it it Thanksgiving, I call your holiday hell-day"
Listen to the album before you run your mouths (or fingers, in this case).
Re: KevinK – Nope I didn't say that it must not be true because I don't know any… My friend I'm sure there are many things, people and places i don't know. However I will never generalize and make my comments on a blog the law. Your sources are unreliable the internet…dude seriously the internet. You can be who you want to be on the internet. thing about that….
If blacks need to get over slavery, then Christians need to get over the death of Christ and stop beating that dead horse.
Yeah?
Re: Always said Re: KevinK – Nope I didn't say that it must not be true because I don't know any… My friend I'm sure there are many things, people and places i don't know. However I will never generalize and make my comments on a blog the law. Your sources are unreliable the internet…dude seriously the internet. You can be who you want to be on the internet. thing about that…. –
Did you even read what I said? One bit?
Re: KevinK – Dude to keep up you have to read the comment I'm replying to…I don't know just a thought…..
Re: KevinK – "you've heard ppl say they deserve" I heard you.
Re: ryan –
No Ryan, because Jewish people have entire museums dedicated to the struggles of their past. Speilberg made SCHINDLER'S LIST for his mother, as homage to their people's past. I have never posted here before and because I am not some 12 year old who speaks out their ass on this site, I just want to say that the imagery in the NAS cover is POWERFUL. In a perfect world, race or religion or other differences would not matter. This isn't a perfect world. I recently read up on the race riot of EAST ST LOUIS, ILLINOIS (I don't live too far from there) and the savagery of white folks during that event…men, women, and children… still creates nightmares. When you read how a white man complains he is "exhausted from killing ni**ers all day so he let his 10 year old grandson finish hime off" that speaks in volumes!
If we could ALL rise above and see that it's not color…ignorance comes in all forms…but people are too small minded and want to blame a whole race. It's not all whites, all blacks, all latinos, all asians… its SOME FUCKED UP PEOPLE!
History is powerful and it should be embraced and used to enrich futures. To remain stagnant in the past is death. Move forward and wiser from it.
Leave it to an idiot to keep racism alive. I don't understand why black people constantly pull the race card and continue perpetuate hate. What I don't understand is why they act like they have a beef with EVERY SINGLE LAST white person and that all white people are racist. Did they not ever hear of the Civil War?!! The white people in the North went to war against their brothers in the South over this shit. News flash… the North won. Slavery ended thanks to white people fighting against it. Can we all put the race cards down once and for all?!!?
This is supposed to symbolize slavery, which has been over for 150 years. Instead of moving on and taking advantage of the opportunites afforded to every U.S. citizen, this dumb ghetto thug wants to dredge up the past so he can cry some more about racial injustice to hopefully get some type of material gain, like having guilty whites buy his stupid album. It ain't gonna work, Dumbass, how about trying to make an honest living?
Most black people are morons and just want to complain about something. And for the jesus freaks STFU please. We all know that is just a fictional story with no truth..Grow up losers.
Nas is a moron..He has been talking the same stuff his whole career but has never really made any difference in society. All he does is talk..Black people of course there still is racism 2day, but you clowns continue to remain lazy and uneducated..
Re: Always "you've heard ppl say they deserve" I heard you. –
That's not all I said. I also said
.
.
"I have seen many on the internets go off about how the man was holding them back and said they deserved them. Having said that, they could have been lying."
.
.
"And seriously, if no one is, then cool. I have no problem with that. But yes, I have heard people claim they deserve"
Re: Annoye Leave it to an idiot to keep racism alive. I don't understand why black people constantly pull the race card and continue perpetuate hate. What I don't understand is why they act like they have a beef with EVERY SINGLE LAST white person and that all white people are racist. –
Now not all black people are like that and you know it. And I doubt you mean that. But you need to reword it to say "I don't know why SOME" else someone will be offended.
Just a tip.
It is NOT powerful. It looks like worms on his back. Get over it NAS for a "slave" you sure are making a hell of lot of money selling to the white man. GET OVER IT!!!!!
Regarding Always….See that is my point exactly. You listed four people and said many more.. That is so sad that as a group you have only a handful of people to list. Thanks for making my point. Have you ever read the Bells curve? Evolution is a bitch. Sorry some people are more evolved than others, I agree that there are smart black people and dumb white people but lets be real. There are so many more smart white people and so many more dumb black people. I imagine it would be tough to be a smart black person because your race not mine make it so much harder on them to have success.
That cut's deep. No pun intended!
Re: Say wh – You are 100% rite. My husband and I do consider ourselves to be color blind. People are people are people. I don't give a damn if you're purple with green spots! I'm proud to be "color blind" and wish that more people felt the same. Sick you say? Because I am in an interracial relationship, I have felt my fare share of racism. But I have found the white people I've met are more accepting of us than the black people, thus my views on black society being more racist than the white.
Re: Mother[/[re=2291484]Re: Annoye – If you really knew your history you would know that this still didn't end slavery, much less racism. Long story, not enough time or patience. Please read some literature besides the mainstream so called (biased fiction) history books that you are gave in school. Then come back and we can have an intelligent conversation.
Re: So Eas – Um yeah…it's really sad that all that happened. And if I could personally go back in history and change it so that none of that ever happened I would. But the fact of the matter is, it DID happen. It sucks. But people need to MOVE ON. This is 2008!
JUST BECAUSE NAS HAS IS PROTRAYING HIMSELF LIKE A NIGGA DOES NOT MEAN ALL BLACK PEOPLE BELIEVE LIKE HE DOES. NAS DOES NOT REPRESENT EVERY BLACK PERSON IN AMERICA. MOSTLY ALL BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT THINK ABOUT WHITE PEOPLE OR RACISM ON A DAILY BASIS. WE ARE WORRYING ABOUT OUR JOBS, FAMILY AND JUST LIVING LIFE. PEOPLE ON HERE ARE ACTING LIKE WE AS BLACK PEOPLE ARE SO BITTER AND WANDER AROUND HATING WHITES. PLEASE DO NOT FLATTER YOURSELVES! WE AS BLACK PEOPLE I THINK ARE OVER SLAERY BUT WE WILL NEVER FORGET IT! AND DONT COMPARE THE HOLOCAUST WITH SLAVERY, THE HOLOCOST LASTED WHAT TEN YEARS AT THE MOST, SLAVERY LASTED 400 YEARS! AND AFTER THAT WE STILL DID NOT RECEIVE EQUAL RIGHTS UNTIL 100 YEARS AFTER THAT. PEOPLE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS ONY ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO SO YOU WHOTE PEOPLE JUST STARTED GETTING YOUR ACTS TOGETHER. SO EVERYONE JUST CALM DOWN. BLACK PEOPLE STOP BITCHING ABOUT SLAVERY… AND WHITE PEOPLE STOP BITCHING ABOUT THINGS YOU HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT!
PEACE
NAS DOES NOT REPRESENT EVERY BLACK PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY. NAS IS A NIGGA! BUT THE MAJORITY OF BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE NOT. TRUST ME BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT WHITE PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS.. DO NOT FLATTER YOURSELVES. ! BLACK PEOPLE ARE WORKING AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES. MOST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY ON WELFARE IS WHITE PEOPLE. BLACK PEOPLE ONLY MAKE UP TEN PERCENT OF THE POPULATION! MOST BLACK PEOPLE ARE OVER SLAVERY, BUT WILL NEVER FORGET IT. AND DO NOT COMPARE THE HOLOCAUST THAT LASTED ABOUT TEN YEARS TO SLAVERY WHICH LASTED 400, AND DO NOT FORGET THE JIM CROW LAWS WHICH LASTED 100 YEARS TOO. WHITE PEOPLE ARE SO QUICK TO SAY FORGIVE AND FORGET.. BECAUSE IT DOES NOT AFFECT THEM, LAWS FROM SLAVERY STILL AFFECT BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY. THINK ABOUT IT WHY ARE MOST OF THE CEOS IN AMERICA WHITE, AND MOSTLY ALL OF THE SPRTS STARS IN AMERICA BLACK. SO BLACK PEOPLE STOP WHINING AND WHITE PEOPLE STOP BITCHING ABOUT THINGS YOU HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT!
#94 tiff your a teacher in the inner city. my ass bitch. you talk about living in the hood. bullshit you asshole. i tried to be nice today but assholes like you who pretend to be a teacher but live in the hood as you put it. phoney bitch. living in the hood.
Look. Enslavement and Racism is not something that "HAPPENED FOREVER AGO GOD GET OVER BLACKIES". Our own parents dealt with it, and our grandparents were in it full swing.
When your own parents and grandparents can tell you themselves about the injustices they suffered, its kinda hard to "just get over it already".
Re: Trevor – NAS does not stand for Never A Slave… His full name is Nasir, Nas is his nickname…
Gross fucking cover!! I LOVE Nas tho… but that picture is DISCOUSTING! EWWW… can't even look at it. Take it off!!!!
Let's not rewrite history, but look at the facts.Africans sold other Africans into slavery, but only the whites are blamed.
tiff i tried to behave today but dumb bitches like you set me off. first of all your not a teacher. if by some slight chance that you i feel sorry for the kids in your class. you are a classless bitch. and your a teacher. i dought it you sound too ignorant.
OMG… GET THE F OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Re: MmHmm – I agree you got a point there!
Re: So Eas – You have a Phd? How come you can't spell? Trailor…really?
Make me wanna throw up….GROSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
All the people on here who are making these stupid statements about his album cover ever even listened to at least one song off his album. No you haven't so to just base your opinion on how black people are not getting over what in the 1800's but for still to this day being called the n word. Nas's songs just don't talk about white people being racist towards blacks but how black people are racist towards their own race. So before ya'll make these ignorant comments about something you think you know about or make a comment from a picture get the entire story please.
#147
Jews were/are able to assimilate, blend in easier, unless they tell you that they are Jewish or their last name gives them away they can remain incognito or ethnically anonymous. The census bureau even categorizes them as white, there is no middle eastern category, next time you fill out a job application or fill out one of those EEO forms you'll see that middle easterners are included under the "white" category, I guess because of their skin color, but ethnicity wise they are non-european, asiatic people who benefit from looking similar to europeans, where as someone black is easily identifiable and so its easier to slight and turn them away at the door.
This is just sad. Back in the 40's jewish people were murdered in masses just because of their race, this wasn't even 100 years ago, they have moved on. You don't see things like this from jewish artist. I have great respect for the african americans who worked hard for civil rights. But I feel that this is disrespectful to them. I think that they would want the african american community to move on from the horrible past. African Americans now days have every oppurtinity every other race has. When people do something like NAS did it rubs off on me like there trying to say that whites are still racist.
It amazes me that so many blacks think we still owe them because of what happened during the Civil War era. It's OVER and you're not entitled to ANYTHING.
Re: Mother –
They'r referring to white privilage…and it does exist. It's the privilage of being white, for example:
White Privilage
I know that when I walk into a bank, I will be helped and smiled at, not frowned at and ignored.
I know that when I take my baby for a walk people won't look at me and go "there's another welfare case with no daddy"
I know that I can walk into a room and people don't assume that that I smell funny.
When I apply for a loan, it is much easier and I have a much greater chance at being accepted then denied.
I know that the current school system is set up for people like me and my children and the teachers are usually my own race.
etc,. etc,. etc,.
There's also Male Privilage.
I don't like it. It's all a stunt to selll albums. Is he doing anything for his community with his millions?
I love it! Very powerful.
Those of you who say this isn't even recent history are truly ignorant. Check your facts. As soon as we begin to be complacent, we are destined to repeat history. Look at what's going on in the world today!
Re: omg wt –
all immigrants that assimilated immediately benefited from a common denominator….European ancestry. Soooo sorry that your Irish ancestors had a hard time. WAKE UP! Your Irish grandpa was WHITE! What exactly is that damage to you? You are WHITE! I am ashamed to live in your world.
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Irish people were not considered white when they arrived from Europe, you twit. Italians, Russians, Greeks, you name it: none of them were considered white when they first immigrated here. Hell, it took Italians from the early 1900s until the 1980s for them to break through from the ghettos and slums into assimilation into "White" America. Go educate yourself and look up all of the slurs used to describe the Irish, Italians, and other people we commonly call "white people" today in America.
When ethnic Europeans started to come over to America in droves, "whiteness" was limited to the WASP acronym of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Whites in America looked at the groups coming over with disdain and disgust and racism. Catholics? HEATHENS. Irish? Drunken mick scum! Italians? Dark-skinned WOPs! Russians? Backwards barbarian ruskies.
(cont).
All of the European immigrants who you so ignorantly claim had an advantage for being "white" were NOT considered white until DECADES after their immigration and assimilation and acceptance into America. They faced astounding levels of racism from the established white protestant culture in America. They were not seen as white by anyone because no one wanted to associate what they perceived as unwashed, uneducated, degenerate, perverse people with their conception of whiteness.
For you to somehow claim that European immigrants faced no hardship because they were "white" shows that you have 1) no concept of history, 2) no desire to educate yourself as to the realities of racial history in America beyond the Black-White dynamic, and 3) you enjoy making excuses.
What does this image say about his music? It says to me don't buy it!
I would rather see a statement being made about the breakdown of the black family and absenteeism of father figures. That's more relevant to the plight of the African American Community. The only people I ever hear in my community calling African Americans the N word are African Americans.
Re: HA! – THAT WHAT EVERYONE CALL BLACKS! Ignorance shore is bliss, I wonder what kind of coward race of people would say such things……
THAT IS RIGHT!!! Irish, italians, ETC…. were not and some still AREN'T considered "white". White was your Englishmen and women.
"Blaa blaa, I'm black and there used to be black slaves in America." SHUT UP!!! Nas was never a slave, nor his parents or grandparents. I'd be shocked if his GREAT grandparents were. MANY cultures have been enslaved since the beginning of history. JEWS used to be the slaves of Egyptians, do you see them QQing it up?!?!?
By the way, there are WOMEN and CHILDREN of all nationalities who ARE still slaves. Sexual and otherwise. Maybe we should focus on those who are STILL slaves, rather than glorify the music of a dude who's MILKING something he never endured.
I really like the fact that he's got the balls to put something like this out there but I think somebody should smack whoever designed this . . . the scars LOOK soooo fake. The pattern makes me think of maggots, not w/e he's actually trying to portray.
Re: John – Last time I checked white people were the largest recipients of food stamps and section 8 housing. Just a fact!
Re: tiffan – #22
You are an idiot!!!
Nas is being disrespectful over me and the rest of the black people. More rascism will come if he continues this way!!
Yes he may be doing this to get people's attention but after he gets your attention and you're not judgmental, andare open minded to hear what he has to say; Nas actually has a message. It's freedom of speech. If you dont agree with his imagery or his expression then keep it moving. If Madonna can do videos like " Like a Prayer" than Nas is free to do album covers like this. And for people who think Nas is just another rapper, using this as a ploy to get publicity or album sales dont know what you are talking about. Nas has always made music that was socially conscious. So dont be quick to judge!
"Balls to put something like this out?" How fucking stupid is that comment. It doesn't take balls to throw out the victim card. "Oh, poor poor me…my great great great great grandaddy was a slave so I'll put these fake lashings on my back so people feel sorry for ME ME ME." This cover is nothing short of throwing out the proverbial race card to garner sympathy. Truly pathetic.
WHITE PEOPLE, I AM SICK OF YOUR SHIT. IF YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE HALF OF THE HATRED THAT YOU SPEW, THEN THAT'S REALLY DISHEARTENING. NO, MOST BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT SMOKE CRACK, HAVE FIVE CHILDREN BY FIVE DIFFERENT DADDIES, SIT AROUND TALKING ABOUT SLAVERY/THE MAN/WHITE PEOPLE/ETC., FREELOAD OFF OF THE GOVENRMENT, AND WHATEVER ELSE I'VE READ ON THIS BLOG. WHITE PEOPLE, GET OVER YOURSELVES, PLEASE.
Black people who come here from Africa today will excel and be making fortunes while black people who grew up here and listened to Al Sharpton and NAS will sit and feel sorry for themselves. That's your choice. It's an excuse for being a loser.
Re: ONE BL –
Well everything you just explained is true about black people..The majority of you do everything you just explained. Maybe you are an exception, but black people do sit around and complain, collect welfare, and mostly hate the "man", yet wont do anything to help their situation.
Re: MmHmm –
I agree..The black people from Africa that I know here in L.A. will work 3 jobs to help their current situation in addition to learning english and going to school..Its quite admirable. the same goes for spanish people..
All the while black americans like keeping it real and saying the n word, and watching flavor flav..lol
Re: Educat –
My family is Vietnamese and they cam here in the 70's and worked hard. My parents started their own business and now they are wealthier than they ever would have dreamed. We have dealt with racism in our store and neighborhood mostly from black people but we don't let it stop us from working harder and doing what is right. Most of our customers are black and they are really nice and I consider them my friends. I don't hold all the terrible things that some of them do against all of them. People need to be more positive and believe in themselves, then they can stop hating one another.
Re: Always – I'll tell you what I know. I know that when I walk down the street, I'm constantly going right and left in order to be polite and not bump into people's shoulders. Black people never move. They just walk. They're so territorial. They do this because they think it's still their right to 'punish' white people for something that happened 150 years ago. They presume we're all still racist, and this hatred only results in white people becoming racist. So to answer your question, no, I don't know all black people. But I know what it's like to deal with a lot of black people's unfair hatred towards me as white person every day. And album covers like Nas' only promote this hatred. That's why I'm saying black people should get over themselves.
Re: well[/r[re=2292696]Re: Tran –
Yes i agree with you too..Asian people work very hard as well..
They still have slavery all over Africa!! Go over there and bitch at them! Go bitch at the Arabs that are killing blacks to try to get rid of them! If you really cared about black people you would be going crazy about what is happening in Africa today. But you don't care about those people because it won't benefit you or give you an excuse for all your failures. Totally fucked up. The rest of the world knows that black and white Americans are the fucking same : superficial and spoiled, self-centered children.
Re: ld –
They don't just do it to white people, they do it to Asians and Latinos, old people. Whoever. That's all they have in their life I guess, to try to make everyone else miserable. The joke's on them because everyone else mistrusts them because of that kind of shit and then they wonder why they can't get ahead. Blame your homies and sistas. It's like that "when keepin it real goes wrong" from the Chappelle show. You'll be in prison while your best friend's eating popcorn with your boyfriend.
WOW? Strong imagery? Can anyone say The Color Purple? Are we seriously supposed to look at Nas and believe an analogy that pitts him against people who have really suffered? Ridiculous. This is laughable. The world is changing. Let it happen.
It's RIDICULOUS!!!
Nobody in their 20's and 30's will ever know the real ordeal that slaves went through…so this fuckin idiot NAS should quit trying to bank on his ancestors sacrafice…the only way I would even take a spit at this album is if he were to contrubute the money he makes from this shiteous album to something worthy for the future..not dwelling on the past…I'm sure all those slaves are turning in the graves just seeing how almost ever black artist is a HUGH UNCLE TOM!
Re: david – Noooo… when stupid people say things like this… It makes educated, intellectual, beautiful Black people look ingnorant. Grow up, Please!!
UGH…barf.
He isn't trying to live on the sacrifices of his ancestors.. He's acknowledging the affects of what happened to his ancestors. There was a mentallity given to blacks and to whites then, that lives on today. Regardless of it being hundreds of years ago or you not being affected by it - The mindset is still there. Clearly, with people making these "entitled", careless, rude comments. When people begin to look at the bigger picture - outside of themselves - we'll learn to tolerate.