HHP sources Nas

Rapper pays over R100 000 for chance to sing with his idol

Nov 8, 2009 10:21 PM | By GABISILE NDEBELE

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HHP, the South African multiawards-winning rapper, says he is taking his music a step further and is bringing in US rapper Nas to collaborate with him.

The song with Nas, titled Keledimo, will be released in a 25-track double CD. In it HHP raps about "being idolised by people when all he wants is for them to realise he is human".

The 29-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jabulani Tsambowho, said he wanted more from his soon-to-be-released album Dumela and that is why he decided to pay over R100000 just to get a chance to sing with Nas, his idol.

"I respect Nas's craft and have always wanted to do something with him, I didn't want to go the route where he raps in my song for free, which he would have had to offer because then I still would be waiting for him to get back to me. So I decided to pay him for the track because I look up to the guy, so I took the normal standard route of featuring an artist in a song," he said.

Nas, from New York, who was born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, is the husband of pop singer Kelis, and is best known for his hit Hip Hop is Dead and for being in the feud with rapping mogul Jay-Z.

Although HHP admits putting back his album release date for three months since August, due to the red tape involved in recording with international stars, he says that it is money he probably "won't regret spending, as he has got what he wanted".

"I could have waited for connections and favours from people to hook me up with Nas for months, but since I wanted my album out before the end of this year, I didn't wait for favours and decided to do it myself and go about it the right way," he said.

Since winning the Best Music Video Award for his song Mpitse at the MTV African Music Awards in Kenya last month, HHP is also recording two songs with the awards host, multi-platinum Haitian-American musician Wyclef Jean, and has recorded another with African-American soul singer Goapele.

HHP has collaborated with many stars locally and continentally, such as Danny K, Nigerian Naeto C and jazz maestro Jimmy Dludlu.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article185260.ece

Nas' 3 White Label EPs 1999 ~ Throwbacks *jacked*

When Nas released his debut album, "Illmatic," it was an undeniable & instant classic. When Nas dropped, "It Was Written," I thought it was a banger, but his car got burnt up in Queensbridge, people started to throw salt & it quickly became clear that in the fans' eyes, Nas could never top "Illmatic." The Firm album more or less flopped off expectations, then Nas dropped "I Am." Some dope tracks, some crossover content, but THEN, tracks started leaking that were AMAZING. Nas was prepping his next release and I was personally amped off everything I had heard. I went over to Rock & Soul in the city & they had 3 White Label EPs of all exclusive content from Nas. I was shocked! A whole album worth of tracks was instantly made available. His album got pushed back, naturally, and then the first track off the album leaked. "Nastradamus" was the self-titled single & it was awful. How could that happen!? It happened because everything dope had already leaked lol. "Nastradamus" still came out and it's definitely the Nas album that I try to forget was ever released. The 1st White Label EP ( http://www.mediafire.com/?dmt2tmmo2m4 ) had "Put To Death (Blaze A 50), Dedication, Stay Schemin & Reap What You Sow on it.

It was released in 1999 & I call it white label, but they were actually aqua labels lol. The2nd White Label EP ( http://www.mediafire.com/?om2i5nhj5tl ) was the true winner to me! It had Sometimes I Wonder w/ Nature, Play Rough, Drunk 4 Self, and Stay Alive - all 4 were monster tracks! They weren't really labeled 1-2-3, so this was actually the first one I listened to, and I was blown away. Some of the tracks actually did show up on "Nastradamus," but for the most part, the majority of the White Label tracks ended up Nas' "The Lost Tapes," which was a bit too little, too late, but for anyone who didn't have the tracks, I am sure they were happy as hell.

The last EP, the 3rd White Label EP ( http://www.mediafire.com/?zzyvmdt0rjr ), had a more laid back feel to it. It had Project Window, a different version of Fetus (Belly Button Window), We Will Survice, and Poppa Was a Player. I'm pretty sure "Project Window" was a different version, as well. All in all, these are undoubtedly 12 of the Best tracks Nas released post-Illmatic. I know its an everyday occurrence now where albums leak, but man, between these, tracks that leaked with production by Dre for the Firm album and I'm sure plenty of others, he was one of the most bootlegged artists in hip-hop. I was happy when "The Lost Tapes" officially dropped in 2001, but I'd do anything to forget that fact that "Nastradamus" was ever made, for real. Enjoy these tracks and try to do what I do, forget forget forget & instead imagine what could have been and perhaps what will be ... Nas can always come back as strong and with as dope production as he had in his MC Serch years. I think...Peace.