Nas Congratulates Kendrick Lamar For Super Bowl Halftime Show

BYGabriel Bras Nevares7.2K Views
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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Recording artists Nas and Kendrick Lamar attend the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for NARAS)
From one legend to another.

Kendrick Lamar has had one of the most eventful years for a rapper in recent memory, following up his Super Bowl halftime show announcement with a new song after an intense battle with Drake. Even though there's a lot of debate over whether or not the legendary Lil Wayne deserved the headlining spot instead, another hip-hop legend had nothing to say but congratulations. Moreover, Nas recently shouted K.Dot out on his Instagram Story on Friday (September 13), which is coincidentally one day before Esco's birthday. "Congratulations to my brotha @kendricklamar. Can't wait to watch the party die!!!!" he wrote, making reference to Kendrick's new track and reposting his Super Bowl announcement.

As such, this is a light cosign on Nas' part of all the cultural, social, and philosophical critiques of the rap game that Kendrick Lamar engaged in on his new record. But it's also just an excited anticipation of what's to come from him, so let's not read too deeply into it. If you weren't aware, these two MCs admire each other deeply, with them linking up for the Queens lyricist's 50th birthday party last year. Also, Nasir Jones spoke glowingly of listening to the Compton star for the first time on his King's Disease III cut, "First Time."

Kendrick Lamar Gets Love From Nas

"Since when did rap leave me so suspended in air?" Nas rapped about his first experience with Kendrick Lamar's art. "Since Kendrick entered the atmosphere, ’09, I was there / On La Cienega, my n***a from L.A. said there’s a n***a from Black Hippy / I was happy to just witness history." Many rap fans today can probably relate to this feeling, whether it's specifically concerning the pgLang creative or when it comes to other fan-favorite artists these days.

Meanwhile, Lil Wayne recently broke his silence on not being selected for Super Bowl LIX in favor of Kendrick Lamar. "It made me feel like s**t not getting this opportunity," he reflected. "And when I felt like s**t, you guys reminded me that I ain't s**t without y'all. And that's an amazing reality. So, like I said, it broke me. And I'm just trying to put me back together. But, my God, have you all helped me. Thanks to all my peers, my friends, my family, my homies on sports television and everybody repping me. I really appreciate that, I really do. I feel like I let all of y'all down by not getting that opportunity. But I'm working on me and I'm working. Thank you."

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.
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