Nas and the N-word

News has been swirling around about the release of veteran rapper Nas' new album Ni**er, while critics claim the album is derogatory and should not be released, Nas believes his album is a commentary on what's happening today.

Concerned with the recent slew of noose hanging around the country, Nas has felt an urgency to speak out. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Nas covers his feelings on his last album, Hip Hop is Dead, and Presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Nas initially planned to name his last album Ni**er but decided against it because the timing was off.

The climate wasn't right, and Hip Hop Is Dead is also what I was feeling," Nas told Rolling Stone. "That went first, and now I've got to get this one off my chest."

Nas went on to discuss the connection between Obama and the noose related hate crimes.

"It's the new act of hate, and probably because of Barack Obama, people's ignorance and fear and jealousy is creating an outrage throughout the country, and people are reacting by putting nooses up," Nas said. "It's been a really serious year."

"It's like talking to your child about sex," he added. "It's hard, but it's important. It's probably going to make people uncomfortable. I don't expect a lot of people to sell a record called Ni**er. Hopefully, people can open their minds up and lose some of their fear and deal with it. It's just an album. It's one piece of the many things I do, and this will be one of my favorite pieces."