Nas: America ‘Fell Asleep at the Wheel’ on Racial Equality

Following the racially motivated shooting at a Charleston, South Carolina church, Nas has penned a letter to fans examining racism in America. In a long Instagram message accompanying an abstract painting of an American flag, the rapper says that our country’s “biggest export” is a culture largely derived from African-Americans. “How can we be the ones responsible for America’s biggest export & fear for our lives like we shouldn’t belong here,” Nas asks.

“America has spent so much time, money & resources fighting wars abroad and completely fell asleep at the wheel of the war brewing within our cities, neighborhoods & blocks,” the rapper wrote. “We are supposed to stand for freedom & equal opportunity. That’s supposed to mean MORE than just words but the actions of late just don’t speak to what we are supposed to stand for. This is BIGGER than BLACK and WHITE. This is about America selling a false dream. Now we’ve obviously progressed since the inception of this nation but we took our eye off the ball and it feels as though things are moving backwards.”

Nas’ message is an extension of comments he made to Vibe (via The Fader) about the Charleston shooting as well as mental illness and the roots of racism in this country. “Racism is rotting America,” Nas said. “It’s been rotting America since America’s inception. So this is a very serious time that we’re moving into in 2015.”

“I don’t have all the answers nor do I believe anyone does, but we need to have conversations around how to improve as a nation. How do we show any ounce of progress that keeps hope alive,” Nas wrote. “This is too big of a problem to be solved overnight but there needs to be some questions answered to get things back on the track of righteousness. Amazing people died for this country. We owe it to the past, present & future to come together and move this country in the right direction. This is my home just like it is anyone else’s.”

Nas’ Instagram comments comes after rapper Lupe Fiasco posted his own poignant open letter about white supremacy.

 

America has spent so much time, money & resources fighting wars abroad and completely fell asleep at the wheel of the war brewing within our cities, neighborhoods & blocks. We are supposed to stand for freedom & equal opportunity. That’s supposed to mean MORE than just words but the actions of late just don’t speak to what we are supposed to stand for. This is BIGGER than BLACK and WHITE. This is about America selling a false dream. Now we’ve obviously progressed since the inception of this nation but we took our eye off the ball and it feels as though things are moving backwards. As a black man, I find it difficult to understand that our biggest export (our American culture) comes from us. The people in the streets… The way the world dresses, talks, what they listen to, what they watch… That all comes from us. How can we be the ones responsible for America’s biggest export & fear for our lives like we shouldn’t belong here. I don’t have all the answers nor do I believe anyone does, but we need to have conversations around how to improve as a nation. How do we show any ounce of progress that keeps hope alive. This is too big of a problem to be solved overnight but there needs to be some questions answered to get things back on the track of righteousness. Amazing people died for this country. We owe it to the past, present & future to come together and move this country in the right direction. This is my home just like it is anyone else’s. RIP CRISPUS ATTUCKS. FIRST MAN TO DIE IN AMERICA’s FREEDOM WAR & HE WAS BLACK! GOD BLESS EVERY OUNCE OF INNOCENT BLOOD SHED FOR THIS NATION & MY FAMILY.

A photo posted by Nasir Jones (@nas) on Jun 22, 2015 at 3:18pm PDT