• Oh, if only this new song from Nas called "Black President" didn't make its appearance on something called The Nigger Tape. [NR]

• Looks like the Evander Holyfield Real Deal Grill wasn't the cash cow the boxer was hoping for. Maybe next time find a niche that hasn't been filled by another boxer? Oh, and handle your millions a whole lot better. [Bossip]

• Get with the times, Russian billionaires. [PS]

• A New Jersey congressman and former HRC supporter says that a top member of Clinton's staff called him to discuss "a strategy of winning over Jewish voters by exploiting tensions between Jews and African-Americans." [JJP]

• Bobby Brown's son says Whitney Houston was an evil stepmother who wouldn't even let him sleep in the main house. [HHC]

• Since he can't make a statement with the title, Nas decided to make a statement with his album's cover art. [NB]

• Clearly, black celebrities and "celebrities" are quite attracted to two Viacom channels. BET is not one of them. [EUR]

• Yesterday, a forensic video analyst testified during R. Kelly's pornography trial that "it would take someone 44 years — working nonstop, 24/7, 365 days a year — to be able to fake the sex tape" at the center of the trial. He also found the mole on the back of the man in the video that matches Kelly's, even though Kelly's main defense is that the mole isn't present in the video. [Bossip]

• Thirteen-year-old Nyjah Huston is killin' the skateboarding game. [BV]

• Many colleges are dropping the SAT and ACT as requirements for admission. [CNN]

NAS IS NOTHING IF NOT PERSISTENT Intent on naming something, anything Nigger, Nas, with the assistance of DJ Green Lantern, is releasing a mixtape with the name that his album would have had if he was not actually in a money-making business. [AHH]

Someone at Def Jam finally figured out (or knew all along and were just trying to get the maximum amount of publicity first) that naming an album Nigger is pretty much setting yourself up for poor sales and major issues with retailers. So after all the hype, Nas' newest album, which hits stores July 1st, will simply be called Nas. Nas said that he considers the album untitled.

"It's important to me that this album gets to the fans," he told EW.com. "It’s been a long time coming. I want my fans to know that, creatively and lyrically, they can expect the same content and the same messages. It's that important. The streets have been waiting for this for a long time. The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it."

Now what's he going to do with all of those t-shirts he had made?

When I heard this song back in '99, I just knew that this Kelis person was going to be a big star. Well, we all know her name (and "Milkshake"), but her career hasn't quite taken off like I had predicted. Oh, well. She's still young.

• If this picture is any indication, I'm going to be able to watch Derek Luke playing Puffy in the Notorious with a straight face. [C&D]

• Nas explains some of the more "coonish" things that famous blacks have done. Oddly, he doesn't include naming an album Nigger in that list. [Bossip]

• Why did Samuel L. Jackson get cut from Ironman? [MTV]

• Sean Hannity is a disgusting man. [NH]

• Usher likes being a grown-up. [CL]

Nas has released the first single from his controversial upcoming album, "Nigger," and it should come as no surprise that it's called "Be a Nigger, Too."

A sample:

"Not mad cause Eminem said Nigger/Cause he’s my Nigger/Wigger/Cracker friend/We all black within/ We all African within/Some Africans don’t like us no way/A killing happened in Johannesburg yesterday.”

All right. In the song, Nas also shouts out "Kike Niggers," "Spic Niggers," "Guinea Niggers," and "Chink Niggers," since apparently we're all in this together. I keep expecting/hoping for some semblance clarity whenever he speaks about the album, but all I get is… this. Who's buying this? Pas moi. [AHH]

Rappers and politics — they don't mix. Actually, that's not entirely true. I mean, the Roots are very political and they know what they're talking about. Mos Def is into politics, even though he is also into way too many conspiracy theories. But rappers like 50 Cent, DMX (who doesn't even know who Barack Obama is), and Snoop should probably just stay out of it. Nas, who isn't coming with "someone's going to kill Barack Obama, so I'm going with Hillary," recently weighed in on the candidate options.

"This election year, I'm still not really sure where I sit with politicians," Nas said. "I'm not really trustin' [them] still. But I think this election is the best thing we could ask for right now, coming out of [George W.] Bush. What better candidates could you ask for other than Hillary and Obama? So, you know, this presidential run, it makes more sense than it ever did before.

"I'd love to see Barack Obama become the president. He's the face of America, hands down," the rapper said. "There's no two ways to look at it, man. The man's got what it takes. He's serious. As a kid, you always think, 'We'll never see a black president,' you know? 'There'll never be a black president.' And you always feel that way. Everybody's always grew up that way, black and white. So I think now, with Obama having a great chance of winning, I think [with] black and white, there's been something lifted off their shoulders. It's like, 'This can happen. This can be great.' And it's about time." …

This is America, where anything can happen. Maybe he should time the release of Nigger to coincide with election day? [MTV]

Jay-Z has shocked and excited the music industry with his new, innovative deal with concert promoters Live Nation, which is currently handling his "Heart of the City" tour with Mary J. Blige. If you haven't heard the details, Live Nation and Jay are working out a deal worth $150 million, which includes financing for his new label, the Carter Music Group, fees for his current tour, and a $10 million advance for a minimum of three albums in the next ten years. When his last album is due in 10 years, Jay-Z will be 48 years old. Are there are any other rappers out there with the longevity and business acumen to inspire a longterm deal of this magnitude? After the jump, we take a look at some of the more popular rappers and/or moguls in the game and examine whether they have this sort of business deal in their futures… or just think they should.

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Attempting to be first out of the gate, Maxim has already reviewed Nas's controversially-titled album, Nigger, giving it 2 1/2 stars. The only catch is that the album isn't finished. Nas claims to not really care or understand much about Maxim, anyway. Now, a Playboy review, on the other hand…

RAPPER Nas was shocked when Maxim gave his new album, "N - - - - r," a 2 1/2-star review [out of a possible five] - because it isn't even finished yet. "I'm finishing the album now, and it will be out April 22," Nas told Page Six. Maxim has since apologized for the premature review, but Nas doesn't care. "I'd prefer [a review from] Playboy," the rapper said. "That kind of stuff doesn't reach my radar or effect anybody around me. I don't know what a music rating from Maxim is . . . I don't know what it even means really." Maxim also reviewed the Black Crowes' album, "War Paint," without listening to it in its entirety.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the Maxim offices when the editors first listened to Fear of a Black Man's Dick.

Nas turned heads with his marketing ploy/fashion statement on the Grammys red carpet, but now it's looking like the name of Nas's controversial album, which he had emblazoned across his chest, is not set in stone. But it's such a good title!

When asked if the new Nas album will be released with the n-word title, Reid replied with, "We'll have to see."

According to Reid, the album, which was originally slated for a December 2007 release will drop sometime this spring. "Hopefully we'll get it in April or May," he told SOHH exclusively. "Something like that, somewhere around there. It's getting there, we're getting close."

"Expect Nas to educate us without preaching to us," Reid continued. "Expect him to give a point of view that maybe the world hasn't thought about. Expect him to really enlighten us."

I definitely hope that Nas really enlightens me, particularly if the name of the album stands. Because this was certainly not cutting it in the enlightenment department. [SOHH]

It really would have been too much to ask for Nas to have planned something intelligent to say prior to walking the red carpet with the word "nigger" written across his chest. Unfortunately, any mild amusement I got from watching the reporter squirm was completely negated by Nas' cringe-inducing responses.

Nas and crew showed up to the Grammys last night in full-out Nigger wear. Nas managed to plug his album and be wildly inappropriate at the same time. And rope his loved ones into it. Although I doubt it took much convincing for Kelis to don a black and gold jacket that says Nigger on the back. It did match her gold lame leggings, after all.

It's not like I wasn't before, but with this, I am officially through with Nas. We had a nice run, but all good things come to an end.

In lieu of a traditional Parting Shots — let's face it, it was hard enough coming up with enough stuff for today's other posts — I thought I'd do a little rundown of celebrity-hosted New Year's Eve bashes. You know, the kind where you spend $200 to occupy the same general space as a celebrity, who may or may not exit his or her heavily-guarded VIP area to say Happy New Year to the plebes on the DJ's mic? Whether you all are choosing to ring in the New Year with a quiet evening at home, an intimate house party, or an expensive club bash, I hope you all have a wonderful (safe) night. See you in '08

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