Nas Speaks Out About Latest Album Title Controversy

After an announcement, a denial and a spelling modification, Nas is finally speaking out about his N-word album title controversy that has angered African American community leaders, social activists and politicians, alike.

"It's like talking to your child about sex. It's hard, but it's important," the rapper told Rolling Stone. "It's probably going to make people uncomfortable. I don't expect a lot of people to sell a record called [N-word]. Hopefully, people can open their minds up and lose some of their fear and deal with it. It's just an album. It's one piece of the many things I do, and this will be one of my favorite pieces."

Brooklyn assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries is not willing to open his mind and accept Nas' latest "piece of art." The assemblyman has requested that New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli withdraw a $84 million investment in Universal Music Group and its parent company Vivendi. "[They are] profiting from a racial slur that has been used to dehumanize people of color for centuries," Jeffries said. "It is time for Nas and other hip-hop artists to clean up their act and stop flooding the airwaves with the N-word."

Universal has not responded to the politician's demand, but the comptroller's office has expressed some concern and says they "urge them not to release the album" with the contentious title.