Random News (DMX, Snoop, Nas & More)

"I feel like Cassius Clay right before he took down Liston," Nas said a couple of weeks ago in New York. It's almost time for the release of his album Nigger, and he even teased us by dropping a couple of lines from the album backstage at the Hammerstein Ballroom before a recent concert."Ay, yo, Queens get the money, n---as still screaming paper chase/ But presidential candidates ... ," he began reciting, the first time any media outlet has heard lyrics from the upcoming album."But the new album, man, this is an important piece for me," he said. "I'm proud of myself for doing it and taking it on. It looks like Black History Month [February] is gonna be the month to drop the album. If not, it comes when it comes. But it'll be here soon — soon like right-around-the-corner soon. It's not gonna be a waiting-for-a-long-time type thing. I'm blessed to be in this state of mind I'm in to do this music. ... I love what this whole thing is all about. I'm working with so many people. It is a lot of people I'm working with: Puff, Jermaine [Dupri], some underground cats. Some surprises..." more