Hate to side with the notorious O'Reilly here, but in my research his views on this matter are more valid that Nas'. Let's review the background: O'Reilly protested the appearance of Nas at a benefit concert for the Virginia Tech shootings. Nas has been convicted of weapons charges and his lyrics have in some instances made direct references to weapons and shooting people - kind of shows a lack of good taste to program such a performer at that event. I for one can completely agree with O'Reilly's view on this. To showcase an artist like Nas at that event is insulting to the victims of the massacre.

A petition signed by 600,000 people does not qualify as evidence of racism. There are many Nasses in the world today who like to level the racist charge without merit - rather than take responsibility for their own shortcomings they look to blame others. I have yet to read any comment from Nas that reveals any level of quality thought - it is all a lot of knee-jerk hatred spewing.

In response to Jesse Jackson's arguably legitimate opinion that rappers should stop using the n-word in every other sentence, Nas made this comment recently: "I think Jesse Jackson's the biggest player hater. His time is up. All you old n---as' time is up. We heard your voice, we saw your marching, we heard your sermons. We don't want to hear that sh-- no more. It's a new day. It's a new voice. I'm here now. We don't need Jesse; I'm here. I got this. We got Barack. We got David Banners and Young Jeezys. We the voice now. It's no more Jesse. Sorry. Good bye. You ain't helping nobody in the hood and that's the bottom line. Goodbye, Jesse. Bye!" Shameful and shallow. I guess old Dr. King had nothing worthwhile to say?

And it's pretty ridiculous to bring Obama into it, as if he would agree with Nas. Obama has actually studied history and taken many practical steps to promote nonviolence, attempting to bring some much-needed peace into the world. How Nas can align himself with a real scholar like Obama shows his willful ignorance of the truth in his own personal quest to keep himself in the public eye.

Nas is just another media whore (a charge which can be fairly be leveled at O'Reilly, too) - he is just trying to stir up controversy so people will keep buying his records. But in this matter, O'Reilly has the more defensible viewpoint. I find it noteworthy that Nas had planned to call his new album "Nigger" but backed down when he was concerned that the resulting undeserved controversy might stand in the way of people getting his "message". That is exactly the kind of cowardly response I would expect from such a self-serving demagogue.

Your comment seems to overlook my point - was it OK to showcase a hate-monger who has been convicted of weapons changes at a rally to support victims of a weapons crime? If not, then O'Reilly's basic point is the right point of view. Anyone's blowhard comments about album sales is just an example of the poor quality of debate present when two media sluts try to compete with each other for headlines.

I can't say I am a listener to Nas - my knowledge comes from internet research (Wikipedia) and looking up some of his lyrics online. I suppose I am grouping him in with so many others who glorify a lifestyle that leads so many real kids to tragedy. Here in Indianapolis I read of yet another 18-year-old black youth, shot to death. So these guys who come from teh inner cities, do they speak out against their violent upbringing? Or do they, once they make it big, just keep cashing in on it because they know it sells records. Theirs is a morally bankrupt position. Don't misunderstand me, I think O'Reilly is no better, and that is part of what I am saying - they are both just media whores.

The Wikipedia article makes Nas seem like some kind of religious scholar, because he dropped out of school and then among other things began to apparently study African history, the Bible, and the Koran. This sounds like a lot of BS to me, because if he really studied these things, why doesn't he use his talents to spread the Good Words instead of the same old self-serving violence-endorsing garbage?

That is why I call him a hate-monger. I ask you to explain how, if you are a listener, you can draw a different conclusion.

Nice! - the message of the new revolution is here at last. Brought to you by Fila shoes:

"On July 2nd 2008, Fila announced that Nas had signed a shoe deal, his second to date. Nas will promote the sneakers in magazines and wear them at concerts. Fila also plans on having Nas release a second sneaker with 1980's oriented style during the 2008 holiday season." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nas