After having his album pushed back numerous times, Nas is finally
scheduled to release his highly anticipated Hip-Hop Is Dead LP on December
19.

The album will mark the Queens, NY lyricist’s first offering on Def Jam records
under his own imprint, The Jones Experience. His new contract also involves
a joint venture between Island Def Jam and Sony Records, – Sony is Nas’ previous
label, Columbia’s parent company – with the companies working as financial partners
on his first two albums under a four album deal. For the initial two albums
Def Jam will provide A&R, promotion and distribution and the labels will
both share in the marketing costs.

With his release date approaching, Nas is readying to drop the title track
featuring Black Eyed Peas front man Will.i.Am on production.
A snippet of the song leaked onto the internet this weekend. The album also
features production by Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Just Blaze, DJ Premier and
Scott Storch. Guest appearances include The Game, Snoop Dogg
and West. Hip-Hop Is Dead has also been rumored to feature a long anticipated
Nas and Jay-Z collaboration.