The Queensbridge neighbourhood of New York has produced many great rappers, and before Nas in the 1990s, the iconic Juice Crew comprised of MC Shan, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante, Masta Ace, and Kool G Rap was the hottest act from the region.
However, one of the crew’s most iconic members, MC Shan, has called out Nas for excluding him from the upcoming celebrations of hip-hop’s 50th Anniversary. Many performances will take place this August in honour of DJ Kool Herc’s first block party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. Still, Shan believes he is just as integral to the culture as Nas.
Addressing Nas (real name Nasir Jones) directly via an Instagram post, the ’80s legend angrily declared, “Let me tell you something, my n*gga,” MC Shan said. “If you’re doing 50th-anniversary shows and you ain’t holla at ya mans, don’t never mention my muthafu*kin’ name again. Don’t put my name in ya mouth about nothing, n*gga.”
Shan made a point and highlighted his issue had nothing to do with money but respect for those who came before you, explaining, “I could give a f*ck how much money a n*gga got! N*gga, you put your pants on one leg at a time like men n*gga. I ain’t glorified by the sh*t you have.”
MC Shan never made it clear which performance he was referring to. Jones recently came off a European tour alongside the Wu-Tang Clan. A 50th-anniversary afterparty accompanied one show. Nas also headlined Madison Square Garden in February. However, there are still many anniversary performances happening in August.
While Nas isn’t directly responsible for all the acts booked for the plethora of anniversary shows that are taking place across the US, he is a stakeholder in Mass Appeal Records, a significant funder of the HipHop50 celebrations, concerts, documentaries and musical releases.
Nas has shown love to his 57-year-old predecessor in the past. MC Shan was the primary participant of the epic ‘Bridge Wars’. However, unlike KRS-One, he has not received any invites thus far. Shan has since removed the vicious post.
