The untitled ninth studio album by American rapper Nas was released by Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records on July 15, 2008 in the United States, with earlier dates in some other countries. Its original title—Nigger—was changed due to controversy surrounding the racial epithet. The album is distinguished for its political content, diverse sources of production and provocative subject matter.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, Nas' fifth to do so. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States. Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics; it holds an aggregate score of 71/100 from Metacritic.
The original title of the album—Nigger—was mentioned by Nas several times, as well as on an October 12, 2007, performance at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City where he announced the title and release date.Def Jam made no comment on the title. This was similar to attempts to name his 2006 album—eventually titled Hip Hop Is Dead—both Nigga and Hip Hop Is Dead... The N. On May 19, 2008, it was confirmed that Nas changed the name of the album to an untitled one (although on iTunes, the album is self-titled), stating that "the people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it." The cover of the album shows the back of a shirtless Nas with flagellation scars forming the shape of the letter N, a reference to the racial slur and how slaves were tortured. Fort Greene, Brooklyn assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries requested New York's Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli to withdraw $84 million from the state pension fund that has been invested into Universal and its parent company, Vivendi, if the album's title was not changed.
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (/nɑːˈsɪər/; born September 14, 1973), better known as Nas /ˈnɑːz/, is an American rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, record producer and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas has released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums and sold over 25 million records worldwide since 1994. He is also an entrepreneur through his own record label; he serves as associate publisher of Mass Appeal magazine and is the owner of a Fila sneaker store. He is currently signed to Mass Appeal Records.
His musical career began in 1991 when he was featured on Main Source's track "Live at the Barbeque". His debut album Illmatic, released in 1994, received universal acclaim from both critics and the hip hop community; it is frequently ranked as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.
Nas' follow-up album, It Was Written, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, stayed on top for four consecutive weeks, went Platinum twice in only two months, and made Nas internationally known. From 2001 to 2005, Nas was involved in a highly publicized feud with rapper Jay Z. In 2006, Nas signed to Def Jam. In 2010, he released a collaboration album with reggae artist Damian Marley, donating all royalties to charities active in Africa. His eleventh studio album, Life Is Good, was released in 2012, and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.
Nas is a small village on the Greek island of Icaria. It is famous for the beach which is located near the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis.
Coordinates: 37°37′19″N 26°03′36″E / 37.62194°N 26.06000°E / 37.62194; 26.06000
814 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It was formed in December 1938 and has been disbanded and reformed several times. Its nickname is "the Flying Tigers", not to be confused with the American Volunteer squadron of WWII.
The squadron was formed on December 1938 as a Torpedo plane Squadron equipped with six Fairey Swordfish aircraft. Originally embarked on HMS Ark Royal, it transferred to HMS Hermes at the outbreak of the Second World War. HMS Hermes helped search for the Graf Spee and taking part in the Battle of Dakar, damaging the French battleship Richelieu on 8 July 1940. HMS Hermes travelled to the Indian Ocean December 1940, providing support for the land forces in British Somaliland and capturing 5 enemy merchant ships. In May 1941 the squadron provided support to the Royal Air Force in Iraq and later providing convoy protection in the Indian ocean. In April 1942, while the squadron was ashore, HMS Hermes was sunk by Japanese aircraft off Ceylon and 814 subsequently disbanded at Katukurunda in December. The squadron was reformed in July 1944, equipped with Fairey Barracudas, to embark on HMS Venerable and headed to the Far East for patrols, although seeing no action.
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan
They were trying to touch on and thieve envy within the leadership
But as a general and a man that rose through the ranks through discipline
His presence inspired those men with the discipline he imposed on his own life
Louis Farrakhan"
No revolutionary gets old or so I'm told
Your left full of bullet holes when you tell the people go free
Oh, it's a matter of days before they try to take me
I heard gun shots rang; his bullet's got my name
I ain't see 'em take aim, I dreamt this day came
'Cause I stood in the face of damnation
Satan spat at 'em, flat out disgraced 'em
He want my blood, why me?
Why not the fake who deserve death man?
Fuck it, I'll take one
'Cause stop me but can't stop a whole nation of millions who feel you deceived them
They believe in reparation makes it even
So I'm deadly now because of one reason, they listening
In Budapest, Japan, China, and Switzerland
We getting it in son, another bullet pass by, miss me
Wondering who plotting to get me?
Alphabet boys still plotting against me
To hush me and stuff me in the pockets of history
You won't remember why they came to clip me
When time go by you'll soon forget me
They say he was the king of bling, jewels, and Bentley's
Then I use one of my lines just to prove I'm guilty
Don't let' em kill me...
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan."
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan."
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan."
"They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan."
Some revolutionaries do live long
Am I one of them? Guess we'll know in due time
Everybody has rights, can I use mine?
Can I rock shine? Can I have a girl that's too fine?
Got a swell life, tell me will I lose mine?
Every time I turn around somebody new dying
Let's start living, alecart, Escargo, Escobar invest my millions
Mansion for the wife the rest for the children
Knowing that they coming anytime
But until then I'ma in lost till they shoot me
Million dollar stones in my camouflaged Gucci
Giving you this crack like Pookie
To question the system, be the resistance
No matter what color you are everybody niggas
Or you can stand by or watch or you can march on with us
Some revolutionaries get old although I'm told
You'll get a left full of bullet holes when you tell the people go free