It is with Nas as it is with most of our favourite rappers (Common, Talib Kweli, Snoop Dogg etc.), every time they release an album everyone has their fingers crossed that the beats will be on point. Unlike some of our other favourite entertainers (Jay-Z, The Game etc.) who seem to be magnets for hot beats, Nas seems to repel them at times. However, with production credits including Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Will I.Am (man of the moment) & Scott Storch Nas (or Def Jam) weren't taking any chances this time around. Moreover as if the idea that they would be competing for album space with such heavy weights lit some fire up they as*@$, Salaam Remi and L.E.S. really step their game up. In fact its L.E.S. who ends up with the best beat on the album on "Black Republicans"
Another thing that has had fans losing their breathe from anxiety attacks is the first single(s) which are never a good indication of what to expect from the album, "Thief's Theme" was grimy but Street's Disciple was more mellow and moody. "If I Ruled The World" and "I Owe You" had a more pop appeal but the respective albums had a street edge to them. On occasion he's been able to release a single that embodies the feel of the whole album e.g. "I Made You Look", "Nas Is Like", "Hate Me Now" and "Hip-Hop Is Dead." Although not the best track on the album but if you like it, you'll like the rest of the album.
Loyalty to his crew has also tended to drag Nas down in the past as he tended to give too much shine to his QB brethren who are, to put it mildly, less talented than he is. This time around he surrounds himself with the cream of the hip-hop crop i.e. The Game, Jay-Z & Snoop Dogg who all had hot selling albums out around the same time as his release , Not to mention Kanye West & Will I.Am who are always news worthy. For the most part they all add to, rather than take away from the overall album. More especially Jay-Z and The Game. Jay-Z plays the audience like a piano by teasing us with what seems like endless chatter before finally breaking into verse. All the while building up the hype to what is (for us hip-hop lovers) history in the making. The Game on the other hand jumps on the Nostalgic theme of the album by tastefully reworking an old verse for the first few bars before slaughtering the Dre beat on "Hustlers"
OK, let's recap... so we can relax about the beats cause Nas has enlisted some of the more consistent beatsmiths of the this century (Chris Webber excluded). The single although not a chart burner makes the point clear, "Hip-Hop Is Dead." The guests are all A-list material and most importantly they show up. So what about the man?
Nas always brings it lyrically and what makes this outing special is that he's got something to say. He's got a lot to explain after declaring that Hip-Hop was dead. The album starts off with tales of a street soldier getting ready for war, plotting who's getting it and how they gon' get it.
Each one of you guys that claim Hip-Hop is still alive
Like y'all ain't in agreement wit Nas...
On the next track Nas is a NY kingpin that is betrayed by one of his soldiers whose jealous of his name. Whether these two tracks have anything to do with the album title is up to debate. Maybe Nas is plotting the death of hip-hop in the first track and HE is a betrayed hip-hop getting ready for the attack, perhaps on the 1st track he's simply going to war with his detractors, either way both tracks demo Nas' superior story telling skills and his keen sense of observation.
From the 3rd track however, the stories (and metaphors) are put aside and Nas truly begins testimony.
Hip-Hop been dead, we the reason it died
Wasn't Sylvia's fault or because MC's skills are lost
It's because we can't see ourselves as the boss
Deep-rooted through slavery, self-hatred
The Jewish stick together, friends in high places
We on some low level s@#t
We don't want ni%$%z to ever win
See, everybody got a label
Everybody's a rapper but few flow fatal...
Young Jeezy must have heard the second verse to get pissed at Nas' cause it's aimed at the new cats
Wit their fingers intertwined in some gang-sign madness
I got an exam, let's see if y'all pass it
Let's see who can quote a Daddy Kane line the fastest
...
Do anythin' to get in the game, mixtapes, you spit hate
Against bosses; hungry f**ks are moraless
You should be tossed in a pit full of unfortunate vocalists
ni%$%z, I coulda wrote your s@#t...
Then on the next track Nas honours his predecessors as if to say what's wrong with rap today is the fact that we all forgot where it came from. As he runs through the names I realise that he has a point as some of the names I had not only forgotten but had dismissed as not even being Hip-Hop (shame on me).
By the time Jay-Z joins Nas on the over the top collabo "Black Republican" Nas has made his point and it is left to you to make up your mind. The middle of the album Nas addresses everything from his own relationship with the hood ("Not Going Back", "Hold Down The Block") to free loaders ("Still Dreamin') to writer's block ("Play On Playa") & "fallen" heroes ("Blunt Ashes"). To end off Nas returns to his favourite topic, the music to round out a satisfying musical ride that has something for all hip-hop lovers to groove to.
Music, and rap music in particular has been the canvas, brushes and paint used by artists (youth mainly) to relay their thoughts, state of mind etc. But at some point the brush, paint & canvas became more important than the picture they are used to draw. Nas addresses this phenomenon with his album and shows his disgust but in the end vows to continue painting.
People will dissect this album comparing it to everything else that's out and everything he's done but in the end, Nas had something to say and he said with this album. If more artist would take more time to think about what it is they wanna say before rushing to the booth, then all debates about Hip-Hop would come to an end
Nas says it best "Hip-Hop Is Dead"
Dissappointing
