Entertainment

Nas calls on music industry to honor Black music pioneers

In an open letter, the rapper criticized artists for chasing trends and said he is working on new music. The letter also pointed to blues musician Robert Johnson.

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What happened

Rapper Nas published a manifesto and open letter criticizing the music industry for not celebrating its legends enough. He urged artists to stop chasing trends, honor Black music's roots, and recognize and fairly compensate Black music pioneers.

Why it matters

Nas argues that the industry is failing to properly recognize the Black artists who shaped generations of music.

Timeline

  1. Oct 16, 2:00 PM ET: Nas released a new manifesto criticizing the music industry and teasing new music.
  2. Oct 17, 8:29 AM ET: Nas published a new open letter urging artists to stop chasing trends and honor Black music's roots, pointing to Robert Johnson.

Coverage

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