Joey Badass has released his long-awaited follow-up to All-Amerikkkan Badass, 2000. A spiritual successor to his breakthrough mixtape, 1999, the new album is proving to be an early favorite, with appearances from rappers like Westside Gunn, Larry June, and JID. However, one unlisted feature that is getting a lot of attention is Nas, the rap icon to whom Joey drew comparisons when he dropped his debut in 2012. However, rather than appearing as a featured artist, Nas contributes to a short sketch on the outro of “Cruise Control.”
In an AMA on Reddit today, fans wondered why Nas’s voice appears in a skit rather than rapping, prompting Joey to offer a response explaining his hero’s glaring absence. “Man Nas is one of my all time favorites and one of my biggest influences,” he wrote. “I really wanted him to rap on the project but time didn’t permit so I asked him to just say a few words for me in a jazz club setting. And I gotta say, the feeling is equally satisfying to just have his blessing and presence on the project anyway.”
Another feature that drew attention, albeit much more negative attention, was Chris Brown’s feature on “Welcome Back.” When fans asked about the feature, Joey gave a pragmatic response, turning the question around on the inquirer. “Chris Brown is one of the most talented artist musicians of all time are you kidding me?” he asked. “It was an honor that he was even so willing to be a part of my album. He’s also a friend of mine. I get it, you guys may not think he’s perfect or cool because of things he’s done in his past, but which one of you guys are perfect?”
And just for fun, here’s a cute exchange between Joey and fellow rapper Guap, formerly known as Guapdad 4000.