Nas' Mass Appeal Records Inks Deal with Universal Music Ahead of New Album

Nas is set to release his 11th, yet untitled solo album on Friday, June 15th and ahead of the same, he has signed a new deal with Universal.

Kendrick Lamar Shakes Up The Super Bowl With Bold Drake Diss And Surprise Guests

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl 59 halftime performance was nothing short of legendary, leaving fans buzzing with surprise cameos and bold moments that took his long-running feud with Drake to new heights. Kicking off with an unreleased song snippet and followed by “Squabble Up” from his latest album GNX, Kendrick immediately set the tone for a game-changing performance. Fans eagerly waited to see if Kendrick would play his diss track Not Like Us, especially with Drake's ongoing lawsuit against him and his label for defamation and harassment. Lamar's performance included an unexpected appearance by SZA and a quirky cameo from Serena Williams, along with Samuel L. Jackson’s comedic interruptions, all building the suspense around the Drake drama. In the middle of his performance, Kendrick turned up the heat, looking straight into the camera and directly addressing Drake with his famous lyrics, “I heard you like them young," as fans held their breath. Despite the tension, Kendrick censored himself when it came time to call Drake a "certified lover boy" and avoided saying “pedophile,” which had been widely speculated. Social media lit up with mixed reactions, with some fans mocking the performance as a "mid mashup" and others noting the intense hostility toward Drake. With the hashtag #KendrickBowl trending, it’s clear that Kendrick’s performance was a cultural moment that pushed boundaries—but has he gone too far, or is this just another chapter in hip-hop history? Only time will tell, and Drake has yet to respond.

0 seconds of 2 minutes, 37 secondsVolume 0%

00:00

02:37

Nas’ label Mass Appeal has inked a global distribution agreement with Universal Music Group, Billboard reports. Under the multi-year deal, Mass Appeal’s recorded music and video content from their artists will be exclusively distributed by UMG in both physical and digital formats.

The first project being undertaken by Mass Appeal under the new deal is Nas’ forthcoming album which will be released in collaboration with the legendary rapper’s previous label, Def Jam. It’s being executive produced by Kanye West who is also signed to Def Jam. Kanye revealed the tracklist for the album last night.

UMG will also distribute Mass Appeal’s back catalog, which includes past releases by Run the Jewels, J Dilla, DJ Shadow, Pimp C and Dave East. “I’ve been blessed to work with two of the best brands in music,” Nas said. “Columbia Records was how I got my start and Def Jam was where I continued that journey. In my next chapter, I am proud to say that I am signing myself to myself. I look forward to releasing many projects in the very near future with Mass Appeal’s new global partnership with UMG.”