Hip Hop Is Dead is the eighth studio album by American rapper Nas, released December 19, 2006, on Def Jam Recordings. His first album for the label, it was co-financed by Nas's previous label, Columbia Records, which once distributed for Def Jam. The album's title was inspired by Nas's view of the music industry and the state of hip hop music at the time. The album features appearances from Nas's then-wife Kelis, Def Jam label-mates Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Chrisette Michele, as well as will.i.am, Snoop Dogg, and The Game, among others.

The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 355,880 copies in its first week. His fourth U.S. number-one album, it had sold 785,000 copies by March 2014, eventually over time it went gold by the RIAA."How Nas, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah & Mos Def ..." Upon its release, Hip Hop Is Dead received generally positive reviews from most music critics. Hip Hop Is Dead was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album,List of Grammy Award Nominess. Retrieved on 2011-5-10. ultimately losing to Kanye West's Graduation at the 50th Grammy Awards.Grammy Award Winner 2008. Retrieved on 2011-5-10.

Background Nas announced the album's title after a performance on May 18, 2006.Bolden Janeé Nas Drops New LP In September, Declares Hip-Hop Dead Sohh.com. Retrieved on June 19, 2006.Latest News: Mariah, Billy Corgan, Wu-Tang and More Rolling Stone. Retrieved on July 30, 2006 In a late September interview on English DJ Tim Westwood's Radio show, Nas said, "Hip-hop is dead because we as artists no longer have the power." He went on to say, "Could you imagine what 50 Cent could be doing, Nas, Jay, Eminem, if we were the Jimmy Iovines? Could you imagine the power we'd have? I think that's where we're headed." He has described the album as a mixture of "street" records, "political" records and collaborations.Mixtape Monday: Nas Wants To Join Jay-Z In Africa; Snoop, Dre Reunite. MTV News. Retrieved on October 9, 2006. In another interview for MTV.com, Nas discussed the concept of the album title and the social atmosphere and condition of the music industry that inspired it, stating:

A promo single, "Where Y'all At", was released in June 2006 and produced by Salaam Remi. It contained a sample from Nas' "Made You Look", but it did not make the final cut for Hip Hop Is Dead. It was, however, released as a bonus track on the Japanese import version of the album.

A music video for "Can't Forget About You" premiered on February 5, 2007, the song featuring Chrisette Michele and sampling Nat King Cole's song "Unforgettable". Another video, "Hustlers", featuring The Game, followed.

Title controversy In an interview on the music television show 106 & Park, while promoting his untitled 2008 album, Nas said that he chose "Hip Hop Is Dead" as the title of the album in order to engender excitement and a reaction among hip hop artists. He went on to say that it worked, due to reactions from artists like Lil Wayne and Kanye West (whether West was actually reacting to the title of the album or merely promoting the album is unclear, given that he produced on two of the album's tracks). The title had a major impact in the hip hop world, especially for Southern hip hop, whose artists were blamed at the time for cheapening the quality of hip-hop with crunk and snap music. Southern rapper Young Jeezy had made statements against the title of Nas' album, and also furthered his comments by questioning Nas' street credibility. They have since reconciled, with Nas appearing on Jeezy's 2008 single, "My President".Shake. Young Jeezy Says Nas Has No Street Credibility . Hiphopdx.com. Retrieved on December 20, 2006. Many other Southern rappers such as Ludacris, Trick Daddy, and Big Boi (whose fellow Outkast member, Andre 3000, declared hip hop dead on 2001's "Funkin' Around", off Big Boi and Dre Present...Outkast) have also attacked Nas' album title claiming that it is targeted at Southern hip hop.Mixtape Monday: Is Hip-Hop Dead? Luda, Big Boi Disagree With Nas. MTV.com. Retrieved on December 29, 2006 Nas also has a fair share of supporters such as fellow New York rappers KRS-One, DMX, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah.

Critical reception

Hip Hop Is Dead received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 79, based on 22 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".Hip Hop Is Dead (2007): Reviews. Metacritic. Retrieved on 2009-10-27. Nas is hip-hop's "grumpiest man", according to Jody Rosen for Entertainment Weekly, and the album "is a lot like Nas himself: impossible not to admire, but hard to love".Rosen, Jody. Music Review: Hip Hop Is Dead Entertainment Weekly. December 8, 2006. Among those music writers and critics that reviewed Hip Hop Is Dead favorably was Jason Rubin of The A.V. Club, which gave the album an A− rating. Rubin praised the album's production quality and lyrical concept, and stated "Hip Hop is unsparing in its diagnosis of rap's ills, but ultimately, it's hopeful. It contains a smart, tight, cohesive analysis of where rap went astray, but also the seeds of the genre's rebirth and renewal."AV Club - Hip Hop Is Dead review. AVClub.com. Retrieved on November 15, 2008

Despite perceiving its sound and musical quality as weaknesses, Los Angeles Times writer Soren Baker gave it 3 out of 4 stars and wrote "Nas demonstrates why he remains one of rap's most revered artists, as his defense of hip-hop culture is impassioned and informed, if not fully realized".Baker, Soren. Review: Hip Hop Is Dead. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2009-10-27. Sean Fennessey of Vibe called the album "disorienting and sometimes brilliant" and complimented its "bold, startling production and a renewed lyrical vigor".Fennessey, Sean. "Review: Hip Hop Is Dead". Vibe: 109–110. January 2007. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, losing to Kanye West's Graduation (2007), at the 50th Grammy Awards in February 2008.2008 Grammy Awards - Hip-Hop Nominees & Winners - 50th Annual Grammy Awards Nominations . About.com. Retrieved on November 15, 2008

Commercial performance Hip Hop Is Dead debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 355,880 copies in its first week. The album has joined It Was Written (1996) and I Am… (1999) as Nas's third album to debut at number one on the chart.Hasty, Katie. Nas Scores Third No. 1 Album With 'Hip-Hop Is Dead' Billboard. December 27, 2006. In its second week, the album dropped to number four on the chart, selling an additional 101,000 copies. In its third week, the album dropped to number eight on the chart, selling 44,800 copies that week. On March 12, 2007, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 copies in the United States.

The title track "Hip Hop Is Dead" (produced by will.i.am), which contains samples from "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly, and "Apache" by Incredible Bongo Band (which Nas previously used on "Made You Look", and Billy Squier's "The Big Beat", was the first single of the album. It received airplay on radio stations in Australia (Triple J), the UK, and in United States, notably on Hot 97.Bolden, Janeé. Nas Drops New LP In September, Declares Hip-Hop Dead. Sohh.com. Retrieved on July 19, 2006. The single recently reached #48 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chartHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard. Retrieved on December 6, 2006. and #41 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single from the album Hip Hop Is Dead is "Can't Forget About You" (Featuring Chrisette Michele). It contains a sample from Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable".

Track listing Information is based on Liner Notes.Nas. “Hip Hop Is Dead”. Def Jam Recordings. 2006.

Notes signifies a co-producer.

Personnel Unless otherwise indicated, Information is based on Liner Notes. #TitleNotesHip Hop Is DeadExecutive producer: Nasir Jones A&R: Jay Brown A&R for Ill Will Music Group: Mike Brinkley A&R Administration: Terese Joseph A&R Coordination: Fabienne Leys Marketing: Tracey Waples Marketing coordination: Shari Bryant Management: Michael "Blue" Williams for Family Tree Entertainment Mastering: Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound, NYC Mixing: Dylan "3-D" Dresdow at Paper V.U. Studios, LAPhotography: Afshin Shahidi Creative direction: Andy West Cover design: Tavon Sampson Wardrobe: Mike Bogard for The B Lynn Group Photo and art coordination: Nichell Delavaille Package production: Doug Joswick Legal representation: Kenny Meiselas, Esq. and Paul Rothenberg, Esq. Sample clearance agent: Deborah Mannis-Gardner for DMG Clearances, Inc. Business Affairs: Michael Seltzer, Antoinette Trotman, Ian Allen1"Money Over Bullshit"Songwriters: N. Jones, L. Lewis, W. ColemanAdditional Instruments: L.E.S. & Wyldfyer2"You Can't Kill Me"Songwriters: N. Jones, L. Lewis, A. WestSample: "Sly" by Herbie Hancock and the HeadhuntersAdditional Instruments: Al West3"Carry on Tradition"Songwriters: N. Jones, S. StorchAll Instruments: Scott Storch4"Where Are They Now"Songwriters: N. Jones, S. Gibbs, J. Brown, B. Byrd, R. LehnhoffSample: "Get Up, Get into It, Get Involved" by James BrownSample: “Set It Off" by Big Daddy Kane5"Hip Hop Is Dead"Songwriters: N. Jones, W. Adams, J. Lordan, D. IngleSamples: "Apache" and “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”,both by Michael Viner & The Incredible Bongo BandSample: "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron ButterflySample: "The Big Beat" as performed by Billy SquierAdditional Drums, Drum Machine, Farfisa organ & Keyboards: will.i.am6"Who Killed It?"Songwriters: N. Jones, S. Gibbs, W. AdamsSample: "I Ain't No Joke" by Eric B. & RakimDrums, Bass & Keyboards: Salaam RemiFlute, Soprano Saxophone & Clarinet: Vincent HenryBass Trumpet, Flugelhorn & Trumpet: Bruce PurseFrench Horn: W. Marshall SealyCello: Patrice JacksonViola: Adam HillViolin: Naira Underwood7"Black Republican"Songwriters: N. Jones, S. Carter, L. Lewis, W. Coleman, C. CoppalaSample: "Marcia Religiosa" by City of Prague Philharmonic8"Not Going Back"Songwriters: N. Jones, T. Hermansen, M. Ericksen, K. Roger-JonesSample: “Alone" by Heart.9"Still Dreaming"Songwriters: N. Jones, K. West, C. Payne, C. Ernst-WellsSample: "The Interim" by Diana Ross”The Interim” written by Cheryl Ernst-WellsSample: "Use Me" by Bill Withers10"Hold Down the Block"Songwriters: N. Jones, M. BatsonDrums, Bass & Keyboards: Mark BatsonSaxophone: Leroi MooreVocals: Mark B. Mayfield11"Blunt Ashes"Songwriters: N. Jones, M. WebberSample: "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” by Marvin GayeAdditional Instruments: Chris Webber12"Let There Be Light"Songwriters: N. Jones, K. West, T. Williams, D. Harris, P. ChoSample: "Take The Money And Run" by Steve Miller BandDrums: Mark BiondiKeyboards: Paul Cho13"Play on Playa"Songwriters: N. Jones, S. Storch, C. Broadus, M. Gaye, L. Ware, A. RossSample: "After the Dance" by Marvin Gaye14"Can't Forget About You"Songwriters: N. Jones, W. Adams, C. Payne, I. GordonSample: "Unforgettable" by Nat King ColeDrums, Drum Programming & Keyboards: will.i.am15"Hustlers"Songwriters: N. Jones, J. Taylor, M. Ambrosius, A. Young, M. ElizondoKeyboards: Mike Elizondo & Lionel "LJ" HolomanBass played by LJ HolomanAdditional Vocals: Jaramye Daniels16"Hope"Songwriters: N. Jones, L. LewisAdditional Vocals: Chrisette Michele*"Shine On"Songwriters: N. Jones, S. Gibbs*"The N (Don't Hate Me Now)"Songwriters: N. Jones, S. Gibbs*"Where Y'all At"Songwriters: N. Jones, S. Gibbs, C. Stepney, R. RudolphSample: "Made You Look" by NasSample: "Rainy Day in Centreville" by Minnie Riperton

Charts

Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for Hip-Hop Is DeadChart (2006)PeakpositionJapanese Album (Oricon)30

Year-end charts + Year-end chart performance for Hip-Hop Is DeadChart (2007)PeakpositionUS Billboard 20064US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)14US Top Rap Albums (Billboard)7

Certifications

Release history