Nas Says He Failed With 2006’s ‘Hip-Hop Is Dead’ Album: ‘I Missed the Mark by Miles’ [VIDEO]

When Nas dropped his album Hip Hop is Dead in 2006, it was easy to tell that a lot of folks didn't agree with him and some were vocal about it.

Remember when Ludacris wore that t-shirt at an award's show and it said "Hip-Hop ain't dead, it lives in the South?" Around that time, there were plenty of responses like that. The 10th anniversary of the album was just a few days ago on December 19, and to celebrate both Mass Appeal and Google Play sat down with the rap legend to discuss it and its overall impact.

In a newly released trailer, Nas said he was inspired by De La Soul to make the controversial LP, and he figured it would provoke a lot of thought.

"I remember when the De La Soul is Dead album had came out. I like that they were able to do something different like that," he explained. "I never saw anybody kill off themselves, and I felt like it would be dope if I could say something like 'Hip-hop is dead' that would make some of the young guys realize that not only can you follow what's happening today, you can go back into the history. I was just trying to open up the art form," added Esco.

Despite his honest attempts to spark a real hip-hop discussion, Nas said he actually failed on some level.

"In retrospect, I missed the mark by miles," he admitted. "I didn't want to pick people apart. I felt like it was for a younger artist to do."

In a separate clip, the New York lyricist talked about the single "Hip Hop is Dead," which was produced by will.i.am, who used the same sample as one of Nas' earlier singles "Thief's Theme."

You can watch both trailers above and below.