Editing Nas (section)

==Controversies and feuds==
===2Pac===
After [[Tupac Shakur|2Pac]] interpreted lines directed to the [[The Notorious B.I.G.|Notorious B.I.G.]] on Nas's 1996 album ''[[It Was Written]]'' to be aimed towards him, he attacked Nas on the track "Against All Odds" from ''[[The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory]]''. Nas himself later admitted he was brought to tears when he heard the diss because he idolized 2Pac.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wweek.com/music/2017/08/15/a-history-of-nas-greatest-beefs/|title=A History of Nas' Greatest Beefs|website=Wweek.com|date=August 16, 2017 }}</ref> The two later met in [[Bryant Park]] after the [[1996 MTV Video Music Awards]] and ended their feud, with 2Pac promising to remove any disses aimed at Nas from the official album release; however, 2Pac was shot four times in [[Murder of Tupac Shakur|a drive-by shooting]] in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], three days later on September 7, dying of his wounds on September 13, before any edits to the album could be made.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stopthebreaks.com/gems/2pac-nas-squashed-beef/|title=Hip-Hop Gem: 2Pac & Nas Squashed Their Beef Before Pac's Death – Stop The Breaks {{!}} Independent Music Grind|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://djbooth.net/features/2017-06-07-nas-tupac|title=Nas Explains Why Tupac Was a One-of-a-Kind Artist|last=Zisook|first=Brian "Z"|work=DJBooth|language=en|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref>

===Jay-Z===
Initially friends, Nas and Jay-Z had met a number of times in the 1990s with no animosity between the two. Jay-Z requested that Nas appear on his 1996 album ''[[Reasonable Doubt (album)|Reasonable Doubt]]'' on the track "Bring it On"; however, Nas never showed up to the studio and was not included on the album. In response to this, Jay-Z asked producer Ski Beatz to sample a line from Nas's song ''[[The World Is Yours (Nas song)|The World is Yours]]'', with the sample featured heavily in what went on to be ''[[Dead Presidents II]]''. The two traded subliminal responses for the next couple of years, until the beef was escalated further in 2001 after Jay-Z publicly addressed Nas at the [[Summer Jam (festival)|Summer Jam]], performing what would go on to be known as "[[Takeover (Jay-Z song)|Takeover]]", ending the performance by saying "ask Nas, he don't want it with Hov". After Jay-Z eventually released the song on his 2001 album [[The Blueprint]], Nas responded with the song "[[Ether (song)|Ether]]", from his album ''[[Stillmatic]]'', with both fans and critics saying that the song had effectively saved Nas's career and marked his return to prominence, and almost unanimously agreeing Nas had won their feud. Jay-Z responded with a freestyle over the instrumental to Nas's "[[Got Ur Self a Gun]]", known as "Supa Ugly". In the song, Jay-Z makes reference to Nas's girlfriend and daughter, going into graphic detail about having an affair with his girlfriend.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.liveabout.com/jay-z-vs-nas-story-behind-the-feud-2857354|title=Jay-Z vs. Nas: The Real Story Behind the Feud|website=Liveabout.com}}</ref><ref name="npr">{{cite web|date=February 13, 2013|url=http://slumz.boxden.com/f87/feb-17-bleek-ether-gloomy-day-jay-saying-s-t-s-hot-860019/|title=BLEEK ON ETHER:"IT WAS A GLOOMY DAY"|website=Slumz.boxden.com|access-date=2013-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thesource.com/2014/12/11/today-marks-the-anniversary-of-the-rap-beef-between-jay-z-nas/|title=The Source &#124;Today Marks The Anniversary Of The Rap Beef Between Jay-Z & Nas|first=Omari|last=White|website=Thesource.com|date=December 12, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-10-wildest-rap-beefs-of-all-time-233953/|title=The 10 Wildest Rap Beefs of All Time|first1=Jeff|last1=Rosenthal|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=August 15, 2013}}</ref> Jay-Z's mother was personally disgusted by the song, and demanded he apologise to Nas and his family, which he did in December 2001 on [[Hot 97]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.591/title.jay-z-feud-with-nas-went-too-far|title=Jay-Z: Feud With Nas 'Went Too Far'|date=December 18, 2001|website=HipHopDX.com}}</ref> "Supa Ugly" marked the last direct diss song between Jay-Z and Nas, however, the two continued to trade subliminals on their subsequent releases. The feud was officially brought to an end in 2005, when Jay-Z and Nas performed on stage together in a surprise concert also featuring [[Sean Combs|P. Diddy]], [[Kanye West]] and [[Beanie Sigel]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1512432/jay-z-and-nas-put-beef-to-sleep-in-onstage-show-of-unity/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308205734/http://www.mtv.com/news/1512432/jay-z-and-nas-put-beef-to-sleep-in-onstage-show-of-unity/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 8, 2015|title=Jay-Z And Nas Put Beef To Sleep In Onstage Show Of Unity|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|work=MTV News|language=en|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref> The following year, Nas signed with [[Def Jam Recordings]], of which Jay-Z then served as president.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1521356/nas-signs-with-jay-z-according-to-report/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007031925/http://www.mtv.com/news/1521356/nas-signs-with-jay-z-according-to-report/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 7, 2015|title=Nas Signs With Jay-Z, According To Report|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|work=MTV News|language=en|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref>

===Cam'ron===
After Nas was removed from the 2002 [[Summer Jam (festival)|Summer Jam]] lineup due to allegedly planning to perform the song ''[[Ether (song)|Ether]]'' while a mock [[lynching]] of a Jay-Z [[effigy]] took place behind him, [[Cam'ron]] was announced as a last minute replacement and headlined the show instead. Nas appeared on [[Power 105.1]] days later and addressed a number of fellow artists, including [[Nelly]], [[N.O.R.E.|Noreaga]] and Cam'ron himself.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1455448/nas-a-no-show-at-summer-jam-denies-planned-mock-lynching-of-jay-z/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113034025/http://www.mtv.com/news/1455448/nas-a-no-show-at-summer-jam-denies-planned-mock-lynching-of-jay-z/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 13, 2016|title=Nas A No-Show At Summer Jam, Denies Planned Mock Lynching Of Jay-Z|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|work=MTV News|language=en|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref> Nas praised Cam'ron as a good lyricist, but branded his album ''[[Come Home With Me]]'' as "wack".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1455880/nas-calls-camron-a-dummy-retracts-call-to-steal-funkmaster-flexs-chain/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150805000656/http://www.mtv.com/news/1455880/nas-calls-camron-a-dummy-retracts-call-to-steal-funkmaster-flexs-chain/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 5, 2015|title=Nas Calls Cam'ron A 'Dummy,' Retracts Call To Steal Funkmaster Flex's Chain|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|work=MTV News|language=en|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref> After Cam'ron heard of Nas's words, he appeared on [[Funkmaster Flex]]'s Hot 97 and performed a freestyle diss over the beat to Nas's "[[Hate Me Now]]", making reference to Nas's mother, baby mother and daughter. Nas did not respond directly but appeared on the radio days later, calling Cam'ron a "dummy" for supposedly being used by Hot 97 to generate ratings. Nas eventually responded on his 2002 album ''[[God's Son (album)|God's Son]]'' on the song "Zone Out", claiming Cam'ron had [[HIV/AIDS in the United States|HIV]]. Cam'ron and the rest of [[The Diplomats]], specifically [[Jim Jones (rapper)|Jim Jones]] continued to attack Nas throughout 2003, on numerous [[mixtape]]s, albums and radio freestyles, however, the feud between the two slowly died down and they eventually reconciled in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalgrind.cassiuslife.com/3933334/the-history-of-nas-and-camron-beef-list-details/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190207030749/https://globalgrind.cassiuslife.com/3933334/the-history-of-nas-and-camron-beef-list-details/|archive-date = February 7, 2019|title = HOW DID IT HAPPEN? Looking Back on How the Nas & Cam'ron Beef Popped off (LIST)|date = February 20, 2014}}</ref>

===Young Jeezy===
After Nas blamed [[Southern hip-hop]] as the cause of the perceived artistic decline of the genre on his 2006 single "[[Hip Hop Is Dead (song)|Hip Hop Is Dead]]", from the [[Hip Hop Is Dead|album of the same name]], his then-[[Def Jam]] labelmate [[Jeezy|Young Jeezy]] took offense by claiming that Nas had "no street credibility" and vowing his album ''[[The Inspiration]]'' would outsell ''Hip Hop is Dead'', which were released one week apart from each other in December 2006. After failing to do so,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/news/bloggers/2006/12/nas-ethers-jeezys-1st-week/|title=Nas Ethers Jeezy's 1st Week |website=XXL Mag|date=December 27, 2006 }}</ref> Young Jeezy took back his disses towards Nas, and the two later collaborated on the 2008 hit single "[[My President]]".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeezy (Ft. Nas) – My President|url=https://genius.com/Jeezy-my-president-lyrics|website=Genius.com|language=en|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref>

===Lijadu Sisters===
On his 2006 mixtape, ''The Prophecy, Vol 2: The Beginning of the N,'' Nas had a track titled "Life's Gone Low". It was a substantial sampling of "Life's Gone Down Low", a song released by Nigerian musician twins [[Lijadu Sisters]] in their 1976 ''Danger'' album.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Awosika |first=Tomisin |date=2022-02-03 |title=Who Were the Lijadu Sisters? |url=https://republic.com.ng/gender/who-were-the-lijadu-sisters/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=The Republic |language=en-GB}}</ref> Nas lifted vocal [[Hook (music)|hooks]] and the entire beats from the duo's work. Nas neither obtained clearance nor did he credit the Sisters for the reuse. Reacting to the issue, the Lijadu Sisters were reported to have said: "We can't forgive him," but "If other people want to use your stuff, that tells that you did something good."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hutchinson |first=Kate |date=2019-11-12 |title=The Lijadu Sisters: the Nigerian twins who fought the elite with funk |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/nov/12/lijadu-sisters-kehinde-taiwo-lijadu-nigeria-pop-music |access-date=2023-05-08 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

===Bill O'Reilly and Virginia Tech controversy===
On September 6, 2007, Nas performed at a free concert for the [[Virginia Tech]] student body and faculty, following the [[Virginia Tech shooting|school shooting there]]. He was joined by [[John Mayer]], [[Alan Jackson]], [[Phil Vassar]], and [[Dave Matthews Band]].<ref name="vt.edu">[http://www.vt.edu/concert/ A Concert For Virginia Tech] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823205848/http://www.vt.edu/concert/ |date=August 23, 2007 }}. The Virginia Tech massacre; the bloodiest school massacre in American history, had taken place earlier that year, on April 16, 2007, when student Seung-Hui Cho, killed thirty-two people and wounded more, before committing suicide. Vt.edu. Retrieved August 1, 2007.</ref> When announced that Nas was to perform, political commentator [[Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]] and [[Fox News]] denounced the concert and called for Nas's removal, citing "violent" lyrics on songs such as "Shoot 'Em Up", "Got Urself a Gun", and "Made You Look". During his "Talking Points Memo" segment for August 15, 2007, an argument erupted in which O'Reilly claimed that it was not only Nas's lyrical content that made him inappropriate for the event, citing the gun conviction on Nas's [[criminal record]].<ref>{{cite web|title=October 2007|url=http://www.radioswisspop.ch/en/music-database/musician/11133fec98642f34fc235ab06486e342c531a/biography|website=Radioswisspop.ch|access-date=October 20, 2016}}</ref>

On September 6, 2007, during his set at "A Concert for Virginia Tech", Nas twice referred to Bill O'Reilly as "a chump", prompting loud cheers by members of the crowd. About two weeks later, Nas was interviewed by Shaheem Reid of MTV News, where he criticised O'Reilly, calling him uncivilized and willing to go to extremes for publicity.<ref>Reid, Shaheem; Rodriguez, Jayson; Dukes, Rahman; Kash, Tim. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071001095939/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/091707/ Mixtape Monday: Nas Sounds Off On Bill O'Reilly (Again!); Havoc Finally Drops The Kush]. MTV: September 17, 2007</ref> Responding to O'Reilly, Nas, in an interview with [[MTV News]], said:
{{blockquote|He doesn't understand the younger generation. He deals with the past. The people he represents are Republican, older, a generation that has nothing to do with the reality of what's happening now with my generation. ... He's not really on my radar. People like him are supposed to be taught and people like me are supposed to let niggas like him know. I don't take him serious. His shit is all about getting facts twisted or whatever. I wouldn't honor anything Bill O'Reilly has to say. It just shows you what bloodsuckers like him do: They abuse something like the Virginia Tech tragedy for show ratings. You can't talk to a person like that.<ref>Reid, Shaheem. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071214051308/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1569047/20070906/nas.jhtml?rsspartner=rssMozilla Nas Slams Bill O'Reilly Over Virginia Tech Comments]. MTV: September 6, 2007.</ref>}}

On July 23, 2008, Nas appeared on ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' to discuss his opinion of O'Reilly and Fox News, which he accused of [[Media bias|bias]] against the African-American community and re-challenged O'Reilly to a debate.<ref name="Colbert" /> During the appearance, Nas sat on boxes of more than 625,000 signatures gathered by online advocacy organisation [[Color of Change]] in support of a petition accusing Fox of [[Race baiting|race-baiting]] and fear-mongering.<ref name="Colbert">{{cite episode|title=Episode #04093 |url=http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/176358/july-23-2008/nas-pt--1 |series=The Colbert Report |series-link=The Colbert Report |network=Comedy Central |air-date=July 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116184558/http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/176358/july-23-2008/nas-pt--1 |archive-date=January 16, 2014 }}</ref>

===Doja Cat===
In 2020, after [[Doja Cat]] faced accusations of participating in racist conversations on the internet, Nas referenced her in his song "[[Ultra Black (Nas song)|Ultra Black]]"; in the song, Nas describes himself as "unapologetically black, the opposite of Doja Cat". The response to the lyric was mixed, with some defending his right to criticize her, and others resurfacing allegations that he verbally abused his ex-wife, [[Kelis]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tenbarge|first=Kat|title=Nas took aim at Doja Cat in his latest song, calling her 'the opposite' of 'unapologetically Black,' referencing her presence in fringe chat rooms|url=https://www.insider.com/nas-doja-cat-music-song-ultra-black-lyrics-racist-cancelled-2020-8|access-date=2021-02-08|website=Insider}}</ref> Doja Cat shrugged off the namedrop, jokingly referencing the lyric in a [[TikTok]] video.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-17|title=Doja Cat shrugs off Nas' diss on 'Ultra Black'|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/doja-cat-responds-to-nas-diss-ultra-black-2730084|access-date=2021-02-08|website=NME {{!}} Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News|language=en-GB}}</ref> In an interview with [[Fat Joe]], Doja Cat said that she has no interest in "beefing" with Nas saying  "I fucking love Nas, thank fucking god he noticed me. I love Nas. So I don't give a shit. He can say whatever he wants. I really don't care".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-12|title=Doja Cat says "you will never see me beef with Nas" over 'Ultra Black' diss|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/doja-cat-never-see-beef-nas-ultra-black-diss-2751409|access-date=2021-02-08|website=NME {{!}} Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News|language=en-GB}}</ref> Nas later claimed that the line was not meant to be perceived as a "diss", and that he was "just trying to find another word that worked with the scheme of the song."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Cherise|date=2020-08-22|title=Nas explains Doja Cat line on "Ultra Black"|url=https://www.revolt.tv/news/2020/8/22/21397444/nas-explains-doja-cat-line-ultra-black|access-date=2021-02-08|website=REVOLT|language=en}}</ref>