Editing Nas (section)

===2006–2008: ''Hip Hop Is Dead'', Untitled, and politicized efforts===
[[File:Nas in Ottawa, 2007.JPG|thumb|right|upright=0.9|Nas performing in [[Ottawa]], 2007]]
The reconciliation between Nas and Jay-Z created the opportunity for Nas to sign a deal with [[Def Jam Recordings]], of which Jay-Z was president at the time.<ref name="allmusic" /> Jay-Z signed Nas on January 23, 2006; the signing included an agreement that Nas was to be paid about $3,000,000, including a recording budget, for each of his first two albums with Def Jam.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/23/arts/music/23rap.html|title = Rapper Nas is to Join Label Led by Former Rival Jay-Z|newspaper = The New York Times|date = January 23, 2006|last1 = Leeds|first1 = Jeff}}</ref>

Tentatively called ''Hip Hop Is Dead...The N'',<ref name="Reid2006">Reid, Shaheem. [https://web.archive.org/web/20060716080149/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1532136/20060519/nas.jhtml Nas Says Hip-Hop Is Dead&nbsp;— New Album Due In September], MTV.com. May 19, 2006.</ref> ''[[Hip Hop Is Dead]]'' was a commentary on the state of hip-hop and featured "Black Republican", a hyped collaboration with Jay-Z.<ref name="allmusic" /> The album debuted on Def Jam and Nas new imprint at that label, The Jones Experience, at No. 1 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] charts, selling 355,000 copies—Nas's third number one album, along with ''It Was Written'' and ''I Am...''.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hasty|first= Katie|title=Nas Scores Third No. 1 Album with 'Hip-Hop Is Dead'|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/nas-scores-third-no-1-album-with-hip-hop-is-dead-56357/|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=December 27, 2006|access-date=August 18, 2007}}</ref> It also inspired reactions about the state of hip-hop,<ref name="allmusic" /> particularly controversy with [[Southern hip-hop]] artists who felt the album's title was a criticism aimed at them.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reid|first= Shaheem |author2=Dukes, Rahma |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p276628|pure_url=yes}}|work=Mixtape Monday|title=The Firm | publisher=[[MTV News]]|date=December 18, 2006|access-date=December 20, 2006}}{{clarify|reason=url does not match publisher|date=January 2017}}</ref> Nas's 2004 song, "Thief's Theme", was featured in the 2006 film, ''[[The Departed]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Soundtracks for "The Departed" (2006)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/soundtrack|website=[[IMDb]]|year=2006|access-date=February 28, 2008}}</ref> Nas's former label, [[Columbia Records]], released the compilation ''[[Greatest Hits (Nas album)|Greatest Hits]]'' in November.<ref>Petipas, Jolene. [http://www.hiphop-elements.com/article/read/4/6881/1/ Nas Preps "Greatest Hits," Records New Material], hiphop-elements.com. August 13, 2007.</ref>

On October 12, 2007, Nas announced that his next album would be called ''Nigger''. Both [[progressivism|progressive]] commentators, such as [[Jesse Jackson]] and [[Al Sharpton]], and the conservative-aligned news channel [[Fox News]] were outraged; Jackson called on entertainers to stop using the epithet after comedian [[Michael Richards]] used it onstage in late 2006.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jesse Jackson Calls For Ban of N-Word|url=http://cbs2chicago.com/local/jesse.jackson.michael.2.333693.html|publisher=CBS News|date=November 27, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725083212/http://cbs2chicago.com/local/jesse.jackson.michael.2.333693.html|archive-date=July 25, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Controversy escalated as the album's impending release date drew nearer, going as far as to spark rumors that [[Def Jam]] was planning to drop Nas unless he changed the title.<ref>Shake (January 23, 2008). [http://www.hiphopdx.com/blogs/MrZela/2008/01/23/def-jam-to-drop-nas-.html Def Jam to Drop Nas?!?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127120134/http://www.hiphopdx.com/blogs/MrZela/2008/01/23/def-jam-to-drop-nas-.html |date=January 27, 2008 }}. Retrieved January 28, 2008.</ref> Additionally, then-[[Fort Greene, Brooklyn]] assemblyman (later United States Representative) [[Hakeem Jeffries]] requested that New York State Comptroller [[Thomas DiNapoli]] withdraw $84,000,000 from the state [[pension fund]] that had been invested into [[Universal Music Group|Universal]] and its parent company, [[Vivendi]], if the album's title was not changed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/30/42/30_42nashakeem.html |title=Is it time for Nas and other rap artists to clean up their act? |last=Rubinstein |first=Dana |date=October 22, 2016 |website=Brooklynpaper |access-date=October 22, 2016}}</ref> On the opposite side of the spectrum, many of the most famous names in the entertainment industry supported Nas for using the racial epithet as the title of his full-length LP.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reid |first=Shaheem |url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/010708/ |title=Nas Drops Exclusive New Lyrics; Snoop Dogg Insists He Can Out-Sing Diddy |work=Mixtape Monday |publisher=MTV News |date=January 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517211509/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/010708/ |archive-date=May 17, 2008 }}</ref><ref>Shaheem Reid (November 1, 2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20071103012108/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1573280/20071101/nas.jhtml Nas' Album Title Gets Support From Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Bishop Lamont, LL Cool J, GZA, Reverend Run, David Banner] [[MTV News]]. Retrieved November 1, 2007.</ref> Nas's management worried the album would not be sold by chain stores such as [[Wal-Mart]], thus limiting its distribution.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ewing|first=Aliya|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.7092/title.nas-names-album-nothing-sets-release-date|title=Nas Names Album Nothing & Sets Release Date|work=HipHopDX|date=June 10, 2008|access-date=June 11, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829213210/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.7092/title.nas-names-album-nothing-sets-release-date|archive-date=August 29, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On May 19, 2008, Nas decided to forgo an album title.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1587737/20080519/nas.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726135439/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1587737/20080519/nas.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 26, 2008|title=Nas Changes Controversial Album Title: 'It's Important To Me That This Album Gets To The Fans'|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|date=May 19, 2008|publisher=MTV News|access-date=March 7, 2009}}</ref> Responding to [[Jesse Jackson]]'s remarks and use of the word "nigger", Nas called him "the biggest player hater", stating "His time is up. All you old niggas' time is up. We heard your voice, we saw your marching, we heard your sermons. We don't want to hear that shit no more. It's a new day. It's a new voice. I'm here now. We don't need Jesse; I'm here. I got this. We the voice now. It's no more Jesse. Sorry. Goodbye. You ain't helping nobody in the 'hood and that's the bottom line."<ref>Reid, Shaheem. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090113212806/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1590708/20080710/nas.jhtml?rsspartner=rssMozilla Nas Takes Jesse Jackson To Task For Barack Obama Comments: 'His Time Is Up']. ''MTV''. Retrieved July 10, 2008.</ref> He also said of the album's title: "It's important to me that this album gets to the fans. It's been a long time coming. I want my fans to know that creatively and lyrically, they can expect the same content and the same messages. The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it."<ref>{{cite web|title=Nas drops ''Nigger'' album title|url=https://www.nme.com/news/nas/36731|work=NME|date=March 20, 2008}}</ref>

The album was ultimately released on July 15, 2008, untitled. It featured production from [[Polow da Don]], [[stic.man]] of [[Dead Prez]], Sons of Light and J. Myers,<ref>{{cite web|first=Jermy |last=Leeuwis |url=http://musicremedy.com/n/nas/videos/if-i-ruled-the-world-2009-33475.html |title=Nas: If I Ruled The World 2009 / Music Video & MP3 Song |publisher=Musicremedy.com |date=May 18, 2010 |access-date=September 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622165148/http://musicremedy.com/n/nas/songs/if-i-ruled-the-world-2009-33475.html |archive-date=June 22, 2013}}</ref> "[[Hero (Nas song)|Hero]]", the album's lead single released on June 23, 2008, reached No. 97 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 87 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.<ref name="single charts">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p44732|pure_url=yes}} Nas – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles]. allmusic. Retrieved September 8, 2008.</ref> In July, Nas attained a shoe deal with [[Fila (company)|Fila]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/06/30/daily27.html |title=Fila inks hip-hop star Nas to shoe endorsement deal – Baltimore Business Journal |publisher=Bizjournals.com |date=July 2, 2008 |access-date=September 18, 2010 |first=Ryan |last=Sharrow}}</ref> In an interview with [[MTV News]] in July, Nas speculated that he might release two albums: one produced by [[DJ Premier]] and another by [[Dr. Dre]]—simultaneously the same day.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|title=Nas Wants To Drop Albums Produced By Dr. Dre, DJ Premier on Same Day|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1591198/20080718/id_0.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919151100/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1591198/20080718/id_0.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 19, 2008|publisher=MTV News|date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> Nas worked on Dr. Dre's studio album ''[[Detox (Dr. Dre album)|Detox]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Steve|title=Dr. Dre's 'Detox' has music industry buzzing|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-07-21-drdre-detox_N.htm|work=USA Today|date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> Nas was also awarded 'Emcee of the Year' in the HipHopDX 2008 Awards for his latest solo effort, the quality of his appearances on other albums and was described as having "become an artist who thrives off of reinvention and going against the system."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/columns-editorials/id.1281/title.2008-hiphopdx-awards |title=2008 HipHopDX Awards &#124; Discussing Lil' Wayne, Drake & Many More Hip Hop Artists |publisher=HipHop DX |date=December 30, 2008 |access-date=April 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112013928/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/columns-editorials/id.1281/title.2008-hiphopdx-awards |archive-date=January 12, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>