Google Play Music and Mass Appeal Celebrate Hip Hop Is Dead on its 10th Anniversary with Four Exclusive Videos with Nas
We headed into the studio with Nas and Google Play Music to cover four essential aspects of Nas’ eighth album: the inspiration, the lead single, working with Jay Z on “Black Republican,” and its place in hip hop’s history books.

The Inspiration Behind The Album
The year is 2005. Nas is getting ready to record one of his most monumental projects of his career. See how a De La Soul album and dissatisfaction with the country at the time led to Hip Hop Is Dead.

The Story Behind The Lead Single
Did the beat to “Hip Hop Is Dead” sound familiar the first time you heard it? Hear Nas explain how will.i.am stitched the song together for the wake up call that hip hop needed to hear.

Black Republican: The Unexpected Choices
Once one of hip hop’s greatest beefs was put to rest, the world was gifted with the first of many exceptional collaborations between the two rap behemoths, Jay Z and Nas.
Old Heads
Hip Hop: Past, Present & Future
Hip hop has had the power to strike conversations between disparate generations. Nas gives us his list of emcees, past and present, who are leading that debate.

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