Nas is a busy man these days. Rather he's always been busy, but now the legendary rapper is producing a brand new album in addition to co-writing his own autobiographical show, "Street Dreams," for Xbox. He will also produce music for the upcoming show. On the topic of writing the show, Nas says:
"I'm hands-on with everything, so this show is 100 percent authentic. Even if I don't look cool in it, I just want it to be real and raw. I didn't see this as a full autobiography at first. But I have so much that's happened in my life already. There was no room for fantasy. I wanted it to be entertaining, but everything from my life seemed to be so strong. It's all reality. There's nothing from my life I didn't want in there."
If anyone's life has enough juice in it to warrant an autobiographical series, Nas' own upbringing and heralded career is sure to justify such. While he's not set to star in the show, Nas found the writing process "therapeutic," saying:
"I look back and I think about my mom [Anne Jones, who passed away in 2002] and I know she's looking down. Sometimes, I have a conversation with her, like, 'Did you ever think that our story would be put to film for people to see? Did you know it was that special back then?' I felt it was that special. This is life. I have to accept that and that's what writing this is like."
Of course this year marks Illmatic's 20th anniversary - an album which still endures two decades after it was released. In Nas' own words, "It's like I gave myself a fortieth birthday present 20 years ago. It gives me a reference piece to look at myself and for me to analyze my life and what I've come from, my accomplishments, my dreams."
Of course, Nas is quick to remind, as with Rolling Stone, that he has a "new album" slated for a 2014 release date, assuring that after IllmaticXXX "comes fresh new music."
[via]
