Yesterday the news broke Nas used allegedly used ghostwriters for his untitled/Nigger album. While ghostwriters are nothing new in rap and many artists get a pass for using them, it came as a shock to many that an icon like Nas, widely regarded for his pen game, had allegedly employed them as well at a point in his career. Supposed ghostwriters Jay Electronica and stic.man have now responded to the allegations.
Nas is one of the Greatest Ever. never has and never will need a ghostwriter. that man’s pen and legacy is without question.
— ℒℴѵℯJay ELECTRONICA (@JayElectronica) augustus 15, 2012
Stic.Man posted the following on his Facebook page:
As far as the rumors about myself and jay electronika ghost writing for Nas, let me say this. Nas is one of the if not the most prolific original lyricist to EVER do it. My contributions to his album was a collaboration and an honor and under his direction of what he wanted to convey and say. Haters cant discredit that man’s genius. Nas is the Don.
Dream Hampton. I certainly don’t mean to call u a hater. I am just being brought up to speed about your tweet. I heard the “rumors” from other tweets and a few emails from fans. I still haven’t read your tweet. So my statement was just being clear on how I felt about the collab. That was a great opportunity for me to work with one of the most influential emcees to my own personal flow and craft. I can’t speak on what Jay and Nas collab was cause I wasn’t there and that’s there business. Both of those cats are awesome lyricists in my opinion. But for me I was just a white belt that answered the call for a session with a master of the craft. And I assisted where it was requested with ideas, beats and some writing. Not because Nas “needed” me lol…Again I was just honored to get the call. Nas new album Life is Good is lyrically magnificent and his skills have always spoken for them self. So that’s just my view I respect that folks may field different ways about it. Just clarifying my position.
And I referred to it as a “rumor” because obviously no one of the people talking about it were present in the session. So people can sometimes think they know but weren’t present so they speak on what they think as opposed to being there.
To which dream hampton herself replied:
Stic. Thanks for your clarity. I was frankly surprised when I heard whole bars you’d written and performed played to me by Pros and M spit verbatim by Nas. But at the time, I took it as an opportunity to reflect upon my own writer’s block. As I said, I tweeted this in passing and find the hoopla corny. I respect all three of you as lyricists.
So, by their own admission, they helped with writing (which isn’t a secret, they both have credits in the album’s liner notes) and contributed bars in collaboration. Which is a long a stretch from “entirely writing” the album (and it’s debatable wether it even constitutes ghostwriting as usually defined in hip-hop), as dream hampton initially stated.
Case closed.
Pingback: Thoughts On “Nas Using Ghostwriters” Controversy | The Rap Up