N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master)
"N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master)" is a Grammy-nominated [1] song by the rapper Nas from his untitled 2008 studio album. The song contains samples from "We're Just Trying to Make It" by The Persuaders.
| "N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master)" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Nas | |
| from the album Untitled | |
| Released | July 11, 2008 |
| Genre | Hip hop |
| Length | 4:33 |
| Label | Def Jam, Columbia, The Jones Experience |
| Songwriter(s) | N. Jones Aldrin Davis A. Bell P. Hurtt |
| Producer(s) | DJ Toomp |
The song was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance at the Grammys on December 3, 2008.
Nas has a message for the people with this song. Originally, Nas was going to name the entire album "Nigger," but he decided not to despite the racial turmoil of the time, its reflection on the world around him and the need for a reevaluation of the world.[2] Nas ultimately decided to change the album title because of fear of record stores not picking it up. However, his message in the songs remained the same and the name change was just to ensure as many people as possible would still hear that message.[3] And while the album name has changed, the cover art "says nigger real loud."[4]
References
- Mclaughlin, Eliott (July 16, 2008). "Rapper has defiant words for new album - CNN.com". www.cnn.com. CNN. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- "Nas drops 'Nigger' album title". NME. NME. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- Jonze, Tim (1 June 2008). "Nas unveils controversial album cover". The Guardian. The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2018.