Nas Discusses – It ain’t Hard to Tell – with Harvard Professor of Poetry

This song is from Nas’ first album which is a work or pure art and worth some serious exploration. It is essentially a ‘big-up’ song in which he makes several claims regarding his skill as a rapper – something which is now beyond question. In this interview with a Harvard Professor we get a glimpse into how academia views Hip-Hop and their shared love of wordplay, rhyme, and the pursuit of status through their shared ability to turn these skills to their wills. Nas then explores some of the lyrics in the song and their meanings which explore colloquialisms and the evolution of words within defined communities.

Link to Lyrics: https://genius.com/23617