Nas Sounds Off!

While Nas is awaiting the debut of his first album for Def Jam, Hip Hop Is Dead, his baby's mother, Carmen Bryan, is busy airing their dirty laundry in her new book, It's No Secret. Nas was in Chicago doing radio promotion for his new album on Power 92 with "Trey the Chocolate Jock" and was asked about various allegations that were made in his ex's tell-all book.

When Nas was asked whether or not he punched Carmen with a closed fist by co-host Kendra G., he said he wasn't going to defend himself against the book "because this is the type of person who is after only God knows what." Nas also said he had no plans to read the book and added that he doesn't speak to Carmen, even when it's concerning his daughter, because "everything goes through my assistant". He states that he never sees her, even when she comes to pick up their child from the house. Later, Bryan called the show to refute the remarks made by Nas. According to Bryan, Nas and her speak often and she spoke with him last the day before the radio show. She also made the claim that Nas not only read the book but helped her outline the characters.

Bryan also says the part about Beyonce's breath being the reason Nas refused to date her, was added to the book only on Nas' request.

Meanwhile, Nas was interviewed for the same issue of Complex magazine as Lil' Weezy' s incredible rant and says that before signing to Def Jam, he was offered the President's job at Atlantic Records, which he turned down. When reminded that he would have been Jim Jones ' boss at that point, Nas responded, "I'm still his boss[laughs]. I am above him. Who's not above Jim Jones? I don't know any of his records and I'm not even being funny. Like I know he's got a record called Ballin, I hope it sells some records, but I swear to you, I've never heard it."

Now, it''s hard to take that seriously, because you'd have to be under rocks right now to have not heard that track yet. Even Sportscenter is droppin the "We Fly High" verse, nowadays.

When he was asked why he passed on the position, Nas said, "Artists are fucking crazy and they'd want to blame me for shit. I can't deal with that right now." He was also asked about the artists complaining about lack of support at Def Jam, answering, "The music should be enough, and sometimes things slip through the cracks. But people getting mad at Jay is corny. Especially someone like LL Cool J. He's too old of an O.G. to be mad at Jay. He's been at Def Jam since we were kids dreaming about being on Def Jam. We gotta get off this bullshit 'cause I never remember those artists talking about any white executives. That's some slavery shit. If my record comes out and goes wood, I can't blame Jay because it's my doing."

When he was asked about other hip-hop artists success he said, "I want to see 50 own the Empire State Building and Jay own fucking 12 basketball teams. I don't have an issue with anybody that's in a position of growth. It's only when they're cooning that I get embarrassed. Some of these niggas are buffoons. Muthafucking are buying You Tube and we're renting yachts that they own, talking about, 'That nigga's shining, and I'm not.' We've got to really think about the big picture, dude."