AceShowbiz -

Staying away from the problem his wife Kelis had encountered, Nas chooses to keep his schedule tight. Releasing seventh solo album "Hip Hop Is Dead" in 2006, he does not wait another year to get busy for supporting tour and next album.

It has been reported that he currently is hitting the studio since he has a certain deadline for this forthcoming album. "I'm looking forward to having a summer or fall release," he said in a statement. "But summer, that's the time of the year I wanna crack it open. I'm having such a good time. Like I said years ago, it's about having fun now. I'm having such a good time, and with the music, I've gotten ahead of myself. I'm just trying to share that with the people now."

Since the release of "Hip Hop Is Dead", he has been haunted with a feeling that he has to do a freer style in his music. "I had to get some sh** off my chest about hip-hop being dead. I know I was gonna be over n***as' heads with the title, so I didn't want to just leave n***as and they couldn't catch up. Now I don't care if they don't catch up. When I do this next sh**, I'm outta here."

This time, he opts the 'fun' side of a record where he can express himself better. "I'm getting my greedy on this year and having a ball. I'm getting my greedy on in a good way, though. I'm having fun. I'm like, 'Could it get any better?' In life, you got ups and downs. I'm enjoying the ups," he said.

With the recent release of "Hip Hop Is Dead", Nas is actually not done with the record yet. He is in process of shooting the next video from the album and is also in preparation for the album's promo tour. Dubbed "One Man, One Mic, One Night Tour", it will kick off in Pittsburgh on March 31 and end in San Francisco on May 3.