Nas has always been one to say how he feels. From speaking on the conditions in the streets of New York on his classic debut Illmatic, to speaking on his personal life in his latest album, Life is Good, Nas has been somewhat of an open book in good times and bad. In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, Nas was asked if, due to his history in New York, he was surprised cops are still killing innocent people.
"Unfortunately, I'm not surprised cops are still murdering people," replied the Queensbridge lyricist "But I am surprised that the law enforcement did not do the correct thing with illegal chokeholds. A chokehold because of a man stating his piece—telling them he didn't do anything. An illegal chokehold! It's embarrassing to New York, and it's embarrassing to the country."
Nas went on to speak on the rest of the world's reactions:
"I've got to go around the world, and people will ask me, 'What's wrong with America?' This is why they don't like us. And this is why they're going to beat us. When they see that weakness, they're seeing a way to take us down. The outside world, they've already seen that."
When asked his response to questions regarding America's problems, Nas replied:
"I say America's about fighters, and we fight each other sometimes, but that's what family does. I try to make up shit, because it's embarrassing, and they see through it. If the plane brings me to Paris and all over the news is the police shooting down dark people in the streets? I'd look at all of them as savages. And I'd say, 'Wow, what's wrong?' It's transparent. They see what's going on over here. And they laugh at our government and law enforcement. That's one more for them. They're really the civilized ones. And they see everyone as being more civilized than America. And we've got nothing to say."
Other subjects covered in the interview include activism, retirement, and the earlier years of his career.
[via GQ]