"I celebrated having another #1 album in the country," he said of his last LP, Hip Hop Is Dead. "I was on the Virgin Islands on New Year’s Day, I got the news I had another #1 album. I think I made some heads turn. I did my thing: no radio. Not much radio spins. Now I wanna have fun with the radio. I’ll still try to reach for a higher ground and come sometime in December.

"I’m really into [the idea of having] a summer album," he added. "But they say the fourth quarter is for big dogs. I been doing the fourth quarter for years, so I guess I’m at home in the fourth."

Regarding the title for his next album, here is what Esco offered to Mixtape Monday: "But if you remember, the original name for Hip Hop Is Dead was N---a. It was ahead of its time. [When the news leaked,] Def Jam immediately went out there and said I was being facetious. But that was the name of my album. I don’t be out there with everybody. But I want them to know I’m heavily involved. That’s why I do the titles I do. Hip Hop Is Dead was a great substitute. It was perfect timing for that joint."

Over the summer, Nas was one of the acts on the Rock the Bells tour. "That was amazing," he said. "I wasn’t on all the dates. It’s a great tour. We had 40,000 people in San Francisco alone. Wu-Tang were incredible. I’m thinking about doing the next one and taking it global. I’m thinking about jumping in with [the promoters] and taking it all the way global."

Sony Records has also annouced earlier this year that they will release a Nas greatest-hits LP in November, before the new studio LP drops. It will feature a couple of new records, including his collaboration with Cee-Lo.

Stay tuned!