A few months ago, news broke that hip hop couple Nas and Kelis were to appear on their own reality show, but now it's surfaced that the plans have been scrapped and the couple insist their days of dabbling with reality TV are over.
So what prompted the abrupt change of heart? Scandal? Controversy? The intense media glare? Nope, they were just too boring. The pair filmed two episodes of the proposed show but hated what they saw. Nas says, "It was boring. We were too guarded. We weren't ready. I'm comfortable keeping all the reality in my music."
A quick peek at previews on the net confirms that the couple was spot on. The 'Bossy' R&B singer and her rap veteran hubby's first episode was filmed over a dinner of peking duck and lobster egg rolls. Snore. Internet blogs show fans almost unanimously support their decision to stop the show - Nas and Kelis must have astutely taken their opinions to heart.
But a closer look reveals there may have been quite a few reasons behind the ditching. For one, the statistics speak for themselves. Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson - divorce. Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro - divorce. Travis Barker and Shannon 'Playboy chick' - divorce. Hogans - all round train wreck.
Other reports suggest the reason for the cancellation was the backlash against Nas for contemplating to call his up coming album 'N*%*r'. The controversial title has now been dropped following an outcry, and the rapper was warned several stores would refuse to stock the release if it kept the offensive name.
Nas said in a statement: "It's important to me that this album gets to the fans. 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. The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it.
"Everybody is trying to stop the title. It's just people being scared of what's real. Somebody is trying to open up dialogue for people to talk. People high up [who aren't] really understanding what I'm doing are scared.
"They're scared for reasons I understand, but the fans gotta know either way: this is the same album. The content is the same, the direction is the same, the message is gonna be everything I intended it to be musically."
Nas will still get to drop the 'N' bomb and all the controversy that goes with it; the hip-hopper has defied his record label bosses at Def Jam by annoucing he will release 'The N&*%$r Mixtape' - an underground release.
The now self-titled album, a follow-up to 2006's 'Hip-Hop is Dead', is due for release June 19.
Whatever the couple's reason for canceling the show, it should be applauded. Thank goodness they had the sense to realise they were too dull for reality television in advance. If only Denise Richards and Dina Lohan had recognised the same thing.
Copyright : MTV Australia
