Music agency Mass Appeal and Google Play Music have recorded several conversations with legendary rapper and storyteller Nas to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his groundbreaking album Hip Hop is Dead. The video series, directed by bi-coastal production company DECON‘s Steven Caple Jr. out of advertising agency Translation, delves into the success story’s four key components: the title, the lead single, the collaboration with Jay Z, and its place in hip-hop history.
In the first installment (above), Nas returns to the studio with Esco and offers insight on the jarring, controversial album title, from which he drew inspiration from De La Soul’s second album, De La Soul is Dead.
“I never saw anybody kill off themselves,” shares Nas. “And I felt like it would be dope if I could say something like ‘hip-hop is dead’ that would make some of the young guys realize that not only can you follow what’s happening today, but you can go back into the history.”
Follow the release of each video installment by checking Mass Appeal’s YouTube feed, HERE.