If you came to the Vintage launch concert back in May you probably seen the Baltimore native and underground hip-hop artist Wordmsith rock his set live on stage. Among his set list is a track called “As the Art Fades Away”. The concept of the track is nostalgic calling for hip-hop fans today to remember the pioneers that helped pave the way. Word had approached us to perform at the show and not knowing him personally I was hesitant. Then I heard the song “As the Art Fades Away” and I knew Wordsmith is representing the same stance on the art form and elements of our culture as we do! So it was a no brainer to give him the green light.

Fast forward to this month where it has come to Word’s attention that Nas’s soon to be released greatest hits album contained a song called “Surviving the Times” hauntingly similar to Word’s track produced a year prior. Not only was the Nas song utilizing the same samples (The Wiz – “What would I do”)… but the two tracks started off the same way, used the same hook + similar concept. Suspect? Yea, I’d definitely say so.

As Word stated in an interview with HipHopDx.com

“No producer is going to start a track the exact same way and no producer is going use the same sounds, loops, rhythms, etc. to create a track. My version starts off with a sample of my own voice saying “The pop rap charts make the art fade away” followed by “That’s the whole tragic point my friend.” Now, whoever produced Nas’s version, and I heard its Chris Webber, which sounds rather odd to me, would not start their track off with the same sample unless they heard it somewhere else first.”

I’d have to agree with that! Sampling is sampling… allot of producers could have used the same one. However, the same hook, the same intro, similar concept? Nah.

On a side note, the original rough cut version of “As the Art Fades Away” is available on our Reinvintage Mix CD that comes FREE with every purchase of Vintage Clothing Limited at our online store! As far as I know this is the only place this version can be found on CD! Wordsmith re-recorded the track on October 6th and that revamped version will be released on December 1st on Wordsmith’s “The Next Level Experience” album. At least that was until this issue came up. The verdict is still out if the track will make the album now? Although Word had planned to follow-up the album release with a video on MTV and BET. Hopefully rockin a Vintage shirt!

Emerging from being a local artist out of Baltimore, Wordsmith recently penned a deal with a pretty big Indie label in the UK and is planning to move there in February as well as touring the UK with G-Unit. He recently opened up for Fabolous and B2K, working on an album with the legendary Chubb Rock, and yea he’s pretty much doin it big these days! He is one of the first artists we sponsored and has always been a huge supporter of our vision and our apparel. Going as far as to wear our stuff on stage at any appearances and including a link to our site in every email he sends out.

Nas, we love ya man… but remix that joint for your album and tell your producers to stop biting. People might not know who Wordsmith is now.. but they soon will. That’s whats up!

Both songs can be heard HERE. So go ahead and judge for yourself.

–Shaun