Nas Explains His Beat Selection

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For most of Nas’ career, he’s been vilified for his beat selection. He tells BET that sometimes he’s merely a victim of circumstance.

Well I have a wish list sometimes or I have a dream list of who I would love to work with and wish they would want to get in the studio and do records or whatever,” Nas told BET.com. “Then I have my own ideas of being a producer. And what happens is a lot of time goes by with me being indecisive so it winds up with me kind of like doing what I have to do really fast because I played around for so long. Then, the deadlines come.”

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  1. Cinsere says:

    Yeah… that sounds about right…

  2. QUEENZ says:

    oh boy, here come the haters.

  3. QUEENZ says:

    still the best ever regardless.

  4. JohnBlack says:

    Damn what a bullshit excuse. It takes a normal person about max. 1 minute to form an opinion about he beat. Hoe long does he need, a year ?

  5. SERIOUSLY... says:

    I so respect Nas… he is just so real! Hip hop needs to complain more about these artists and their whack ass lyrics instead of Nas’ beats but I guess when you are one of the GREATEST people have to find things to hate on for whatever reasons!

  6. SERIOUSLY... says:

    @JohnBlack…Nas is not your average artists but I guess you know more than he does…LOL!!!!

  7. slimshady says:

    toomp, drumma and kanye should produce his next album.

  8. raul says:

    i dont understand hes on a major label and has access to the best access to producers he wants its like he tries to pick the wackest beats…….I wish nas has Rick Ross taste in production

  9. jcrillz says:

    So, in 16 years he basically hasn’t learned to not do that? “Smarten up, Nas!”

  10. Kave Jones says:

    C’mon Son!……..fucouttaherewitdatbullshit…….

  11. Sarcasm says:

    i dont believe you, you need more people.

    sounds like a crock of shit. NO excuse for picking wack beats whatsoever.

  12. Gotta love Nasir, dude don’t want the fame…he just wants to put his music out there ^ Nas has wack beats? what you been listening 2? Theres a reason they call his music classic, and all this other shit….like say Slaughterhouse buying 50 dollar beats off soundclick….now thats wack.

  13. The_Dynasty says:

    I never had a problem with his beats except for the majority of Nastradamus album. Nas picks the beats that inspires him and since majority of y’all still like Nas that means y’all like his beats too.

  14. mac DIESEL says:

    THAT EXPLAINS THOSE SUBPAR BEATS!!!! GOOD THING HE SHINES OVER MOST OF THOSE WACK BEATS WIT HIS RHYMES!!!! GET A PETE ROCK LARGE PRO TRACK ONCE IN A WHILE NAS!!!! DAMN!!!!

    DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!

  15. kingp says:

    damn man, nas stays high as shit

  16. pr0blemchild23 says:

    C’mon Son!……..fucouttaherewitdatbullshit…….

    MAN THIS NIGGA PICKS HORRIBLE BEATS!!! …… His last album should have went like this

    1. Bink
    2.Dj Toomp
    3.The Justice League
    4. Just Blaze
    5. 9th wonder
    6. Bink
    7. Just blaze
    8. Justice league
    9. Justice league
    10. Tha Bizness
    11. bink

    THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS BLUEPRINT 1 … Bink opened and closed blueprint 1 so its only right he does for nas shit lol … but serious he need to let me A&R for his next album if it ever comes

  17. The_Dynasty says:

    I applaud Nas for not always going after the hottest producers of the moment because when he does he usually comes out with a shitty song. That Neptune track was garbage, the “Hero” was garbage, and “You owe me”. I like when Nas and Salaam Remi link up as well as L.E.S.

  18. mike says:

    at dynasty,
    hero was a heat
    damn furious track
    whats fuckin’ wrong wit u

  19. Post no billz says:

    Nas is a legend.. I still hear him rocking over nice tracks.. But in recent years he has had horrible beat selection.. Streets disciple(worst production) the bootleg i am was a classic.had great beats but then the label came and ruined i am and nastradamus.

  20. Dan says:

    Man, fuck other producers. Stick with the niggas involved in Illmatic. FFS. We need another Nas-Premo track.

  21. Eric_Wright says:

    i dont know why ppl act like all his beats suck, theres good beats on all the albums, yea sum arnt great but who gives a fuck, i listen to nas to hear him rap, not the beat.

  22. The_Dynasty says:

    @Mike The drums were hard but the chorus was played and Nas really didn’t say anything memorable.

  23. Ah well, good thing real fans like myself look for the whole package, and not just a fucking beat from a here today, gone tomorrow trendy producer…….trends might make you popular short term…but, originality is gonna stretch farther…….

    fuck it Nas, do you…and stay being original….fuck these trends.

  24. The_Dynasty says:

    I also wouldn’t want pr0blemchild23 A&R’ing any of my favorite artists albums he would blow the artist budget and make every song sound like the next man single with his “insert popular producer of right now” beat selections.

  25. ok already says:

    Niggas flood the post if they feel they can diss Nas about his beats ect. but when a post is put up about the ESPN documentary narrated by Nas and music scored by Nas on the Liberian Amputee Soccer Team niggas have nothing to say! Haters are the worst!!!!

  26. ok already says:

    Nas is not high…he has always been real mellow people need to stop trying put this man is a box!

  27. Fredro says:

    so most of his beats will come from southern producers….go figure…..imo thats the reason the south came to power…..dope beats bangin trunks at the same time soulful like southern influences

  28. dashing says:

    Nas needs to do what Em is doing and explore some different production. I want to hear him over DJ Khalil (they did that “What It Is” track that was dope) Just Blaze (only time I remember them working togehter was on “Living in Pain” on biggie duets) Justice League, Dr. Dre, and DJ Toomp. Throw in a little bit of Premo and some Salam Remi and you got a classic.

  29. Ac@pella! says:

    I’m jus mad he’s talkin’ to BET. Lol!…Anyways, these are the ppl Nas makes/could dope ass songs with:

    1. Salaam Remi
    2. Kanye
    3. Toomp
    4. DJ Khalil
    5. Bink
    6. Preemo
    7. Dr. Dre
    8. Mark Ronson
    9. Havoc
    10.Will.I.A.m

    Why tha fuck would ya’ll niggaz put Drumma Boy and them Tha Bizness??? Them niggaz cold, butchu gotta think about how Nas fits the track with those artists. Justice League, maybe, cause they make epic shit, but anyone else besides the list I made is crazy.

  30. Ac@pella! says:

    *could make

  31. Ac@pella! says:

    @Dashing

    Damn homie, we basically put the same ppl a minute apart. Lol

  32. Chris says:

    I dont understand how people can see this as being an excuse as much as the honest truth. I mean he’s basically admitting indecisivness, which most people feel is the truth. Its a tribute to his lyrcism that it hasnt completey ruined his career, and its tribute to him as an artist that what he does have isnt that bad.

    Basically, he needs a full producer to oversee the beat selection and process. A Quincy Jones of sorts. Not a dude who has to make beats but is there with him like a coach focusing him. Its hard to ask someone to do that when they are an artist and its there own personal work.

    The reality is, he’s probably better off having an album where its just him and Salaam Remi than him going out and getting a bunch of super producers to send him beats like all of you want him too (Cause that can make the album sound uneven and like a Game or Fat Joe record at best). At least Remi is the one dude he works with who IMHO has given him solid beats and he vibes. Seems easier for him that way too,

  33. QUEENZ says:

    y’all niggas wildin, Am I the only person who doesn’t have a problem with Nas’ choice of production?? Why does everyone’s album have to sound the same? The most popular producers have a signature sound that they sell to everyone. No one gives Salam Remi enough credit for the work he’s done with Nas and he deserves it. I don’t understand why there isn’t such an uproar when it comes to wack as rappers spittng that garbage over their beats.

  34. QUEENZ says:

    As a matter of fact, I skimmed through most of these comments and I have yet to see anyone list or name of few of these “horrible beats” that Nas worked over. WHAT ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT? Let’s have a discussion about these specific productions and what you all thought was wrong with them. Also, lets be clear, Nas doesn’t apologize or make excuses for shit so stop saying this was a sorry excuse. The god was just explaining the process.

  35. Chris says:

    Its not so much the beats are wack, as it is the expectation of a boom bap or pure hip hop sound OR that the moods sound uneven. For the record I too have no problem with his beats or his last few albums, but I think that indecisivness that he talked bout leads to albums that sound uneven rather than balanced for some people (Hip Hop is Dead is like that. Great album, good joints but some downbeat records that kill the momentum at times….see “Not Goin Back”)

  36. pr0blemchild23 says:

    @ the dynasty … C’mon son

    How u gone front on bink! and the producers i listed aren’t budget hogging mofo’s

    Bink – GOT CLASSICS (since 1998)

    JL – GOT CLASSICS (since 2005)

    Just blaze – Got Classics ( he bit bink style ..but ehh what can u do right ??)

    9th wonder’s cheap and got a signiture sound that blends well with nas

    And TOOMP ..mofo TOOMP makes anthems ..his southern beats actually sound different.

    Tha bizness is the only new comer ..so im not sure what ur talking about with these hot now dudes … mofo’s got like 10 years in. and their not budget hoggin like say Dr.dre or the neptunes …. dre KILLS album budgets.

  37. pr0blemchild23 says:

    matta fact toomp been having classics since 2001 .. and he’s not that expensive either

  38. REAL TALK says:

    Nas do you don’t let these fickle ass fans dictate your art! They will hate regardless!

  39. Nina says:

    I’ve never really had that much of a problem with his beats. Seems to me like people just have to have something to bitch about or are upset he doesn’t work with who they think he should. People are idiots lol I’m sure he doesn’t care either way.

  40. The Truth83 says:

    i guess that is his excuse for subpar beats.

    He got the producers just that he is a procrastinator and just says fuck it, dead lines coming.

  41. webstar says:

    I know I am in the minority here, but I really don’t have an issue with Nas’ beat selection. I feel like his beats fit the moods of his songs…and it may be just that he’s an above average lyricist, but I feel like he flows pretty damn sick over the beats that he chooses. And I agree with the people who have mentioned that him & Salaam Remi make a good pair…the MC/producer chemistry between those two is undeniable…as well as the respect they have for each other. Good to see Nas getting his name on everyone’s tongues again though nonetheless.

  42. CaniBlog? says:

    This nigga Nas doesn’t age. WTF????

  43. Dashing says:

    @ Ac@pella, I was gonna add Kanye and Will.I.Am too also. That’s crazy.

  44. #1 weed carrier says:

    ^ it’s the weed

  45. Eyerone says:

    my nigga nas said “little brother” when mentioning dope producers. lol.

    surprised nobody else caught that.

  46. […] Nas has openly admitted a penchant for procrastination on his own projects the past, this time is seems he can pin the failings on Kanye’s […]

  47. […] years, Nas’ worst enemy — aside from Jay-Z, of course — was himself. In 2010, he explained the then-burgeoning sentiment that his albums weren’t representative of his talent, saying, […]

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