Hero (Nas song)

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"Hero"
Single by Nas featuring Keri Hilson
from the Untitled Nas album
Released June 23, 2008 (2008-06-23)
Format CD single, music download
Recorded 2008
Genre Hip hop
Length 4:00
Label The Jones Experience, Def Jam, Columbia
Writer(s) Nasir Jones, Jamal Jones, Amber Rives, J. Sublett & C. Haynes
Producer(s) Polow da Don

Nas chronology
"Be a Nigger Too"
(2007)
"Hero"
(2008)
"Make the World Go Round"
(2008)
Keri Hilson chronology
"Scream"
(2007)
"Hero"
(2008)
"Energy"
(2008)

"Hero" is a 2008 song and lead single from Nas' untitled album.[2][3] The song features singer Keri Hilson and production by Polow da Don. This song was also featured in Midnight Club Los Angeles

Chamillionaire released a freestyle of this song before the release of Mixtape Messiah 4 under the name "Hero". It was originally intended to be a throwaway, but was released on the mixtape. Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa also released a freestyle of this song titled "Hero (Freestyle)" on his 2008 mix tape Star Power.

Background

After claiming that hip hop had died in his previous album, "Hero" contains raps about Nas' heroic status to step up and bring it back, but also contains an allusion to the controversy surrounding the album, originally titled Nigger:
Is Universal apartheid?

I'm hog-tied, the corporate side
Blocking y'all from going to stores and buying it
First L.A. and Doug Morris was riding with it
But Newsweek article startled big wigs
They said, Nas, why is he trying it?
My lawyers only see the Billboard Charts as winning
Forgetting, Nas the only true Rebel since the beginning
Still in musical prison, in jail for the flow

Try telling Bob Dylan, Bruce {Springsteen} or Billy Joel they can't sing what's in they soul.[4]

However, in the album version the lyric Doug Morris is censored.

R&B singer-songwriter Keri Hilson sings the song's chorus.[1]
Later in the same verse, he says:

So untitled it is
I never change nothing!
But people remember this,
If Nas can't say it think about these talented kids
With new ideas being told of what they can and can't spit
I can't sit and watch it
So shit I'ma drop it!
Like it or not, U ain't got to copy
I'm-a hustla in the studio
Cups of Don Julio
and no matter what the CD Called,

I'm unbeatable y'all!

Music video

The music video premiered on BET on July 7, 2008.[5] It features the Audi R8. Keri Hilson and Ken Jenkins both make appearances in the video. The video appeared at #63 on BET's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2008 countdown. It was directed by Taj.[6]

Track listing

CD single
  1. "Hero" featuring Keri Hilson (Clean)
  2. "Hero" featuring Keri Hilson (Dirty)
  3. "Hero" featuring Keri Hilson (Instrumental)

Other Media

Charts

Charts Peak
position
Canadian Hot 100 60
Swiss Singles Chart[7] 70
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8] 97
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[9] 82
UK Singles Chart[10] 70

References

External links

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