Nas’ Freedom Of Speech/Def Jam’s Pockets Threatened By State Boycott

Unless Nas rethinks his decision to call his next album the N-word–a decision which has already been denied by his record label and pillioried in the press–a Brooklyn politico is demanding that the state of New York yank a heft sum that it has sunk into the rapper’s record label, lest it look like taxpayers are actually supporting the work of a known rapper.

A recent report by state Sen. Antoine Thompson (D-Buffalo) revealed that the New York State Pension Fund has $2.8 billion invested in 16 major entertainment companies, including Time Warner and Disney. That number did not include the state’s investment in Vivendi.

Universal did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for DiNapoli, who manages the pension fund, said that the comptroller “is concerned about this issue and is intending to contact the company and urge them not to release the album.”

The “state’s investment in Vivendi,” which owns Universal, which owns Def Jam, which obviously owns Nas’ ability to title his album a racial slur while under contract, is a comfortable $84 million.

Hey wait, didn’t someone already try this pension fund boycott once before? Ah, it’s nice to know that New York’s political/moral watchdogs can now hold our major entertainment conglomerates hostage by raising the specter of the misappropriation of government funds. You’d think Def Jam was as bad as the that evil NEA. Maybe Nas should take photos of him sticking objets up someone’s hinder or peeing on the baby Jesus next.

Hakeem Hits Nas For “N” Word [Brooklyn Paper]