Alright this is mr Nasif Jones 8th Album (i think i don’t know what to count is and isnt). In one time in their life every hiphop fan has heard of Nas. Nas Created a 5 Mic masterpiece with his first album Illmatic. Nas in my opinion is a perfect and complete artist. Even tho he may changed his mind what he wants to be in modern day hip-hop from superthug to a peace maker of the street, all of them are well equipped with views painted nicely by the ability of his lyrics. one problem i’ve got with Nas albums is that half of it is nicely produced then it is filled up with bad songs.Nas comes from NY and is normally considered the king. He has had beef’s with many major artists.
DISC 1
1. Intro
Some piano keys trinkling and crickets croaking in the back while Nas sounds like his meeting someone. As it ends the beat behind it gets more tense. Just an intro.
2. A message to the fed,sincerely,we the people
This is a great way to start the album. With the piano behind a drum loop and some guitars outbursts. Nas spits some nice political stuff which is like a message to the people he trying to address giving it a different perspective to the beat and i feel is more opinionated. Nas flows incredibley well. The beat si too short in my opinion to be a five.
3.Nazareth Savage
This is dope. The beat is based on some opera singing giving it a dramatic and drastik feel. The bass helps yet gives it a more aggressive feel. Its a really uptempo song. Nas spits some dope stuff. The topic is more of a random stuff but its really a savage type of stuff. Nas flows incredibly well.
4.American Way
This is dope.The beat has a real old skool feel. His wife joins in to drop a alright hook. Nas spits some good stuff. Mostly about the unequality faced in blacks in america. Also i feel his trying to point out the americans are lead to believe in what they told. Nas flows well
5.These are our heroes
This is dope. The beat is made up with a simple drum pattern behind some nice piano loop and nicely fiited bass. Feels really gospel. His lyrics are about famous and looked up black hereos of the time now and how they making them look bad. Taking some visoius shots at other black heroes. Takes political views again especially near the end. The hook made me smile. He spits “why does he tell em o you speak so well/ are we to look upto you the decent negro/ hell nah these are heroes” showing a dark humour ands sacasim toward ignorant white people.
6. Disciple
The hook hits first and can get annoying. The beat is quite engetic and uptempo. The beat is made of some drum loop pretty simple and a heavy bass. There is also some key twinkling around. Also suddern out burst of some furoius pianos help the tempo spped up well. But yet Nas flows incredibly well. Nas lyrics to start of with makes clever reference towards other songs (nas is like,thugs mansion,dance etc).He spits good stuff like usual.
7.Sekou Story
this is good. To begin with the beat is pretty boring. The beat is made up of a nice bassline and some brass instrument (trumpet i believe). The lyrics is a storytelling about a drug dealer(Him being a street diciple). Then the last line changes the beat. The beat into a funky energetic beat. The lyrics are taking place of the drug dealer’s wife played by Scarlett. I liek the second beat much better. Flow well.
8.Live Now
This is great!. To begin with Nas spits what he images his death bed to be like and remembering good times.Great storytelling paints a clear picture. Again like sekou story Scarlett apears and the beat changes. She plays one of the people caring for Nas i think. The nas beat is nice with violen and stuff. Scarlett with a more slow depressing with the guitars,marocas and stuff. This is a nice idea. Flows well.
9.Rest of my life
This is nice. With some bird nicely singing and harp strings being played. The beat is nice melow type of song. Nas flow is the worse part of the song reminds me of Jay-z,which is a bad thing. He looks at the past,present and the future.
10. Just a Moment.
This is good. Quan shows he a upcoming artist and is better than Nas. They spit about the streets and emotions around them. The way they rap is good aswell. You’ll know what i’m talking about if you hear this. The hook is nice aswell. The beat is a nice melody made from nice violins.
11. Reason
The song is started from Emily singing. Nas spits street poetry. Then the hook. It’s alright not my type of things. The beat is a calm mellow track
12. You know my style
If any of you big Run-Dmc then you’ll prpberly hate this for sampling “jam master jay”. The beat is a old skool type of flavour. Nas kinda lowers it by spitting about *****es,cash money etc all ot do with his fame. Flows nice
DISC 2
1.Suicide Bounce
This is dope! Produced by Nas it features Busta where he delivers the quite addictive hook the beat is good and has a quite funky yet dark feel due to the faint singing. Nas spits dope stuff. my fave verse is the 2nd one. He spits about trying to get away form his old street life. The singing is catchy aswell.
2. Street’s Disicple
The beat is real nice on this. Made from nicely arranged violins,brass instrument and some piano keys. Nas flow is incredible. His lyrics remind me his other song Get Down. Describes how he was like dragged in to this world.
3.U.B.R
This song is dope. Nas spits a life story about Rakim, One of the greatest MC’s ever to be blessed with a mic.This topic is unlike any other i heard. Nas supplies another beat here, this time with a much eerie sound. This is done with the bass and the hypnotic chimes. This is proberly my favourite track
4. Virgo
This one is featuring Ludacris and Doug E. Fresh. the beat isi made from the human beatbox Doug E. Fresh. This puts you down memory lane if you a old skool fan. This remind of Slick Ricks La-di-da-di (live) due to the way they deliver some lyrics and the doug e fresh factor. This will be great for a live show. something a crowd really can get in to. They flow well and is pretty humourous.
5. Remember the times Intro
Intro to the next song. Quite perferted if you think about it
6.Remember the times
This is alright. Nas remembers the graphic times his had with girls. Freaky tales really. Reminds me off Dr. Knockboot. The beat is is laid back violins with some funky trumpets. Not the best not the worse.
7. The making of the perfect *****
This is better but not much better. This is a dark humourous track about Nas taking up a Frankenstein like figure to make the perfect *****. The beat is funky and nas flows well.
8. Getting Married
This is great. I thought this was gonna be another funky popish faggish song but NO! he descibes how now his getting married he becoming more responsibly and is quiting his old ways. The hard hitting drums but with soft piano and triangle makes this enjoyable to listen to.
9.No one else in the room
This is terrible. the beat is surpose to be funky but it reminds me off a cheap disco. Love song i skip all the times.
10. Bridging the Gap
This is getting back to the dopeness. With his “pops” he mixes rap, blues and jazz together. The hook is done by his dad and adds the blues feel. Nas raps about his bringing up due to his dad. The beat is really energetic and uptempo. The harmonicas and stuff give it that blues/jazz feeel. The drums is what i really like on this.
11. War
This is a heart felt song. Over a laid back song Nas spits about family,past times etc. The singing can get boring but its ok. nice not much to say about this one.
12. You and Me
Alright if you heard Halies song then you will find this repeative but unlike Eminem he makes this much more seroius. While Em taks it off topic, Nas keeps to what he wants and is heartful. Nas does it alright. Nothing special.
13. Thief Theme
It if you aint heard this one then where you been? Nas spits about his times in the street. He flows really well. The hook is from part of “The world is yours”. The beat is very grimey especially made from the guitars. The drums are pretty simple.
14 Theifs Theme (Uk Remix)
Trying to get more of a crowd and approval he gets a english person aka rising son. same beat as the original with RS verse before. i like it when he says the street fighter comment
Overall This gets a 4/5.
This album is one of the best 2Cd i’ve heard and def one of the best from 2004. Nas is a perfect and complete artist but he tends to contradict himself at best of times. Nas comes with good production except one song. Nas lyrics are fire and a bit hard to understand at times. Good featuring artists. Nas is back! I’m just waiting for his next entily produced by Dj Premier. Yes I can smell Classic too!
Recomendation: Buy this!!! It was one of the best last year but not the best as that went to Masta Ace IMO. If you are a first time buyer of Nas then buy Illmatic. They didnt give it 5 mics for no reason!