Kanye West and Nas’ collaboration was not as original as we may have thought. The cover art and a beat they used for Nasir appear to have been inspired by work from another artist.
The Architect, a Bay Area producer, came out with material that might have been ripped by the duo after its release.
The beat found on “Adam and Eve” bears a great resemblance to a free track The Architect had previously shared on Bandcamp. Even an untrained ear could discern the resemblance.
The song, whose ironic title is “No Idea’s Original,” was actually part of a remix project that dropped last October. Coincidentally, this song, in particular, features Nas.
Then comes the cover art. The photograph used for Nasir was shot by a photojournalist named Mary Ellen Mark.
Again, the picture had already been used for a project released by The Architect. Trill Life Mathematics, a collaboration with Nowaah The Flood, came out four days before Nasir officially dropped.
The Kids Are Our Future. NASIR out everywhere tomorrow! Executive Produced by @kanyewest #NASIR pic.twitter.com/gpRUBT7FPU
— Nasir Jones (@Nas) June 14, 2018
After all the?feature verses & dope loosies over the last year, we are finally getting a a full project from 1 of the illest upv& coming emcees in the game @TheGreatFlood7 fully prod by @ArchitectHHP & it drops very soon y’all??Shits gonna crazy watch? pic.twitter.com/Tj8fQS30ax
— Nick Gauder (@fadeawaybarber) June 10, 2018
The Architect shared his thoughts about the uncanny resemblances with Complex. He doesn’t seem too bothered by the fact that Adam & Eve features a sample he had dug up:
“I’m fully aware that a lot of the material that we use nowadays as far as on the underground is sample-based.
Obviously, I don’t own the samples, so I wasn’t going to say anything about it. The fact that I have Nas rapping on it—I don’t know […] At the end of the day, I don’t have any hard feelings.
It could also be creative-type minds working alike. If anything, I would like to work with the guys and be running around with them instead.”
Those interested in the full interview can view it here.
