Nas has stepped away from his book of rhymes to for a quick second to speak his mind in a different medium than his fans are used to. In an open letter posted on the Mass Appeal, the Hip-Hop legend addresses a variety of topics, with an emphasis on racism in today’s America. To the surprise of few, that includes a jab at President Donald Trump.
Entitled “Actions Speak Louder Than Words,” Nas’ 1,000-word letter sees the Queens-bred rapper express his personal indifference to politics in this country. In fact, Nas flat out admits he doesn’t even pay much attention to the current political spectrum, writing: “The Creator put us here to do our thing, so I do my thing. And I don’t pay attention to politics at the moment. For what? There’s no reason. For me, it doesn’t make any sense. We all know a racist is in office. People can talk their shit. Comedians can sound racist. People can go through their moments of that shit, but when you have the responsibility of being President and you carry on like that, you send a strong message to people outside of your group that they ain’t worth shit.”
Though he prefers to distance himself from politics, Nas still says he sees the impact of Donald Trump’s tenure in the White House through those he comes in contact with and hopes to be a force for change in the the way he knows best. “I live in that—I live in those walls, I live in those wires, I live in those pencils and papers, and that sound,” he says. “I’m not caught up in politics… I move through action. My music is action. What I’m giving you through my music is my actions.”
Nas’ open letter comes just as the rapper announced a co-headline tour with Lauryn Hill. The tour will also feature performances by comedian Hannibal Buress and reggae newcomer Chronixx.
You can read Nas’ letter in its entirety, here.
