A representative for Def Jam has confirmed to EW.com that hip-hop artist Nas has made an eleventh-hour decision to change the title of his new album from N—– to simply Nas. The Queens rapper sparked a heated debate last fall when he announced the provocative title for his upcoming ninth record, but last October, Island Def Jam Music Group chair Antonio “L.A.” Reid publicly denied widespread reports that label execs were uncomfortable with his decision. “We stand firmly behind and beside our artists with pride and with
pleasure,” Reid told MTV News at the time. “Anything Nas wants to do, I completely stand beside him.”

But in an interview with MTV News last week, Nas suggested that he was facing renewed pressure: “Everybody is trying to stop the title…. Record stores are gonna have a problem in this
day and time selling a record with that title. Who
knows what’s gonna turn out and be on that title? Who knows what that
title will be?” The politically-charged Nas is due in stores July 1. For more of Nas’ thoughts on his new music, check EW’s summer music preview coverage in print on Friday.

UPDATE: In a statement, Nas clarified that he considers his new album untitled, adding: “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. It’s that important. The streets have been waiting for this for a long time. The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it.”

Hip-hop artist Common has made no secret of his support for Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential bid. The Grammy-winning rapper has shouted out the fellow Chicagoan on at least two songs, and he’s also a lifelong member of Trinity United Church of Christ, where Obama’s controversial former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, preached until his retirement this year. When EW.com stopped by a Manhattan studio today to hear Common’s latest album-in-progress, Invincible Summer (including an uplifting
song called “Changes,” which he describes as perfect background music
for an Obama victory speech), the Chi-Town MC shared his thoughts on the recent media firestorm surrounding Wright.

“Obviously, the media has an agenda,” Common said. “I don’t follow what the media says. I’m a thinker for myself. And I just encourage people to be objective: When you’re watching, use your inner eye and really try to watch the person and see what you think about them. Because you can never really capture a person in the media blitz.”

Common added that he feels Wright is more than the sum of his sound bites. “I may not agree with people that I love, but if we understand, that what’s important. I’ve been going to that church since I was eight years old. So what he’s doing is giving people an understanding of a man’s perspective that grew up in the era of racial prejudice and has since progressed. The only way we’re going to progress is not judging and not quickly becoming offended. Just because somebody believes in something different from you don’t make them against you.”

For more on Invincible Summer, check EW’s summer music preview coverage in print next month.

addCredit(“Christian Lantry”)