Preparing his third project in as many years, Nas will share the Hit-Boy produced King’s Disease album next week and to officially begin its campaign, he shares its lead single, “Ultra Black.” Smoothly taking on the Hit-Boy-produced beat, Nas praises the melanin his skin bears while giving listeners who bare the same skin color the confidence to do the same. In the process, Nas also takes a shot a Doja Cat rapping, “We going ultra black, the opposite of Doja Cat.” Doja Cat faced some controversy earlier this year after fans alleged she a member of alt-right/incel and online chat rooms after discovering some insensitive tweets from her past.
The single follows Nas’ announcement that he would be releasing a new album on August 21 that featured executive production from Hit-Boy. The announcement comes exactly six months after Big Sean put the Brooklyn-born rapper on blast in an Instagram video. “Nas dropping an album,” Big Sean said. “I’m putting Nas on blast right now,” Nas, who was present in the video, responded with anything but denial saying, “Something like that… it’s kinda hard to replace me.”
Hit-Boy has been having a great year behind the scenes. The producer earned his second Grammy win this year for his contribution to Nipsey Hussle and Roddy Ricch’s “Racks In The Middle.” Hit-Boy is also fresh off his Also Known As project where he collaborated with Nas and Dom Kennedy on “City On Lock.”
Listen to “Ultra Black” above.
King’s Disease is out 08/21 via Mass Appeal.
