Two hip-hop legends from the East Coast of the United States, Nas and DJ Premier, collaborated on the album "Light-Years" on December 12th. One of the tracks, "Get Ready," discusses cryptocurrency and AI technology. In a recent interview, the two also shared their reasons for incorporating elements of "cryptocurrency, AI, and tech startups" into their recent work. They stated frankly that the world is rapidly transitioning to a technological and information age, and hip-hop culture that remains stuck in past street narratives will be left behind by the times.
Cryptocurrency and AI technology are both featured in the song; "Get Ready" responds to the changing times.
Of the entire album, "Get Ready" is considered the track most explicitly linked to cryptocurrency and AI technology, and it has been mentioned multiple times by Nas and DJ Premier in interviews.
In the song, Nas compares himself to Mr. Cryptocurrency Scarface in the cryptocurrency world and NVIDIA, the king of the high-tech industry. DJ Premier also added that the entire song's scratching, hooks, and arrangement are designed around the core concept of "cryptocurrency, power structures, and modern narratives."
Nas further pointed out that this way of writing lyrics is intended to replace the drug trafficking and black market metaphors commonly found in past hip-hop works with new language of technology and finance, reflecting the changes in contemporary reality.
Nas believes the shift from street narratives to technological language is an inevitable change.
Nas then pointed out that in recent years many people have noticed that his lyrics "talk more about technology," and some have even described this content as replacing the drug and street transaction metaphors of the past.
He responded that this was not a deliberate change of style, but rather that the reality has changed. The world is now dominated by technology, but this system was not initially open to people from communities, streets, and impoverished backgrounds.
For this reason, he believes it is necessary to incorporate these languages into his works so that technology is no longer just a distant concept, but a reality that can be understood, discussed, and participated in.
Music itself is a product of technology; art and technology have long been intertwined and operating in harmony.
When asked whether "artists are also tech workers," Nas explicitly agreed.
He pointed out that music has long been deeply reliant on technology, from recording and production to distribution and streaming platforms; it's just that no one used to call it that. Now, artists are actually already part of the technology industry, but most people don't realize it.
He emphasized that understanding this point is crucial because only by recognizing reality can one truly take control, rather than passively being pushed around by the system.
From street narratives to financial engagement, cryptocurrency has become a new language.
Nas admitted that it was no coincidence that he directly mentioned "cryptocurrency" in his work.
He recalled mentioning the concept in other works, and felt it was time to clarify it during his collaboration with DJ Premier. He believes that cryptocurrency represents not speculation, but a new barrier to entry, giving those previously excluded from the financial system the opportunity to enter a new economic structure.
He also stated frankly that in the past, the "making money stories" popular in the community often revolved around crime and illegal activities, but now the world has entered a new stage, and the narrative must change accordingly.
Nas personally engaged with AI, not out of rejection, but out of vigilance.
When discussing AI, Nas stated that he was not merely an observer, but had actually tried some AI technologies.
He admitted that some technologies are still immature, while others have shown potential, but the key is not whether they are easy to use, but that their existence cannot be ignored. Nas emphasized that he does not support replacing creators with AI, but as a technological tool, AI is already ubiquitous.
He believes that instead of rejecting it, we should understand it, supervise it, and master it; otherwise, we will only be excluded from the future again.
Technology needs to become as popular as street culture; Nas emphasizes cultural translation.
In the interview, Nas offered a vivid analogy, expressing his hope that technology, cryptocurrency, and AI could be discussed, understood, and pursued like the hot-selling products on the streets in the past.
He stated bluntly that countless Black scientists and engineers throughout history have created world-changing technologies, yet they have never been remembered by mainstream culture. In comparison, hip-hop has come too late, only now beginning to fill this gap in the narrative.
Therefore, he chose to make technology a part of culture in his own way, rather than a technical language understood only by a few.
Hip-hop in the information age is its own media.
Nas ultimately returned to the essence of hip-hop, pointing out that hip-hop has always been a tool for information dissemination, a form of self-narrative, its own news, and its own media.
In an age where information is power, Nas believes hip-hop should not be absent. Instead of waiting for outsiders to explain technology and the future, let the culture itself speak for itself and tell the world:
"We are here too, and we understand all of this."
This article, titled "East Coast Legends Nas and DJ Premier: Cryptocurrency and AI Technology Have Replaced Street Narratives, Hip Hop Cannot Be Absent," first appeared on ABMedia, a ABMedia .
