Shakir Stewart, le nouveau vice président de Def Jam, a donné sa liste des futures sorties Hip Hop de Def Jam. Les albums de Nas et LL Cool J sont bouclés et donc la priorité du moment pour le label, suivra les projets de Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Fabolous, Ghostface Killah et l'album en commun de Redman & Method Man.
Voici un extrait de l'interview de Shakir Stewart par AllHipHop.com où il explique que si le titre "Nigger" a été supprimé c'est simplement d'un point de vu commercial pour que le produit se vende mieux et n'ait pas de problème de mise en vente.
You mentioned that you've been hand in hand with Nas. L.A. [Reid] has been very vocal about supporting the decisions that Nas has made with this album. Now that you're going into the final stretch with the marketing, how do you feel about the way that the package is being presented to the public? Do you feel that Nas is making the right decisions, that the label is right there with him or that there's been a tug of war with that?
I use the word “strategy.” I think Nas always comes up with concepts and thematic albums, and I think that he had a lot on his mind with not only the state of America but of the world today. He feels that people have been treated a certain way and this is the album to address the issues. I and we stand in support of Nas. Now, from a business standpoint certain changes had to be made in order to sell the product, because it's still a business for Nas, and it's still a business for Def Jam Recordings. So what we had to do was change our strategy.
I think as people see the rollout in the next three to four weeks [they] will understand it, and I think that first and foremost Nas' message and the substance he has in what he's saying…once people really listen and get engaged in the music it will all make sense. But from my standpoint especially stepping into this, I stand in full support of Nas, and I think that when people finally hear the music and really take the time and listen to the message, I think that it will be not only extremely entertaining, but very educational. I think that's needed not just even in the world of music, but in general.
