ILLMATIC
Often crowned as one of the top rap albums of the 1990's, Nas's Illmatic has influenced countless artists across the '90s, with its hard-knock attitude and rhymes about the streets. On Illmatic, Nas exhibits some of the finest flow in the game, delivering tight, witty verses about the difficulty of growing up in the ghettos of Queens. From the opening track "The Genesis" to the closing track "It Ain't Hard To Tell", Nas delivers a rap album to satisfy any hip-hop fanatic.
"The Genesis" is a fine track, with an excellent beat, but it's on the 2nd track, "NY State of Mind", that the fun really starts. "NY State of Mind" is perhaps the finest example of Nas at his best, throwing down bombs about life (and death) on the blocks of New York. Even at his young age, Nas is thoughtful about life, spewing "I never sleep/'Cause sleep is the cousin of death". The next two tracks - "Life's A Bitch" with long-time friend A.Z. and "The World Is Yours" - are just as good, and a series of strong tracks follow, all based on the same keyboard/jazz-driven beats. Another highlight is "One Love", a track easily identifiable by its laid-back, keyboard-led beat.
One other great track is "Represent", a song driven by a hard-knock NY chorus, where Nas delivers quick, lyrical verses. It is one of the highlights of the album, though as with any excellent record, the great ("NY State Of Mind", "The World Is Yours") are set aside from the good ("One Time 4 Your Mind", "Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park")
Illmatic is a short album, just 10 songs long, but each song provides something unforgettable, or just is unforgettable (eg "NY State Of MInd", "Life's A Bitch). Nas has the best flow he's ever had, and legendary hip-hop DJ DJ Premier puts together excellent beats, driven by deep, pounding pianos. At many points, the album takes your breath away with its power, as the tunes are so catchy they'll have you humming along while at the same time marveling at Nas's songwriting skills.
While not all of the songs are spectacular, the way Nas organizes his album - and the attitude of the songs on it - is nearly perfect, and it is perhaps on Illmatic that the street toughness of New York is captured best. It is something that Nas did perfectly on his debut, and something that he has tried (and failed) to replicate. Illmatic may not appeal to everyone, but even those who don't like rap can appreciate the brilliance of this album.
RAR Score: 9.3/10
"The Genesis" is a fine track, with an excellent beat, but it's on the 2nd track, "NY State of Mind", that the fun really starts. "NY State of Mind" is perhaps the finest example of Nas at his best, throwing down bombs about life (and death) on the blocks of New York. Even at his young age, Nas is thoughtful about life, spewing "I never sleep/'Cause sleep is the cousin of death". The next two tracks - "Life's A Bitch" with long-time friend A.Z. and "The World Is Yours" - are just as good, and a series of strong tracks follow, all based on the same keyboard/jazz-driven beats. Another highlight is "One Love", a track easily identifiable by its laid-back, keyboard-led beat.
One other great track is "Represent", a song driven by a hard-knock NY chorus, where Nas delivers quick, lyrical verses. It is one of the highlights of the album, though as with any excellent record, the great ("NY State Of Mind", "The World Is Yours") are set aside from the good ("One Time 4 Your Mind", "Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park")
Illmatic is a short album, just 10 songs long, but each song provides something unforgettable, or just is unforgettable (eg "NY State Of MInd", "Life's A Bitch). Nas has the best flow he's ever had, and legendary hip-hop DJ DJ Premier puts together excellent beats, driven by deep, pounding pianos. At many points, the album takes your breath away with its power, as the tunes are so catchy they'll have you humming along while at the same time marveling at Nas's songwriting skills.
While not all of the songs are spectacular, the way Nas organizes his album - and the attitude of the songs on it - is nearly perfect, and it is perhaps on Illmatic that the street toughness of New York is captured best. It is something that Nas did perfectly on his debut, and something that he has tried (and failed) to replicate. Illmatic may not appeal to everyone, but even those who don't like rap can appreciate the brilliance of this album.
RAR Score: 9.3/10
Released: 1994
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: A.Z.
Notable Tracks: "NY State Of Mind", "The World Is Yours", "Life's A Bitch", "One Love"
Track List:
1) The Genesis
2) N.Y. State of Mind
3) Life's A Bitch (feat. A.Z.)
4) The World Is Yours
5) Halftime
6) Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)
7) One Love
8) One Time 4 Your MInd
9) Represent
10) It Ain't Hard To Tell
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: A.Z.
Notable Tracks: "NY State Of Mind", "The World Is Yours", "Life's A Bitch", "One Love"
Track List:
1) The Genesis
2) N.Y. State of Mind
3) Life's A Bitch (feat. A.Z.)
4) The World Is Yours
5) Halftime
6) Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)
7) One Love
8) One Time 4 Your MInd
9) Represent
10) It Ain't Hard To Tell
It Was Written
In 1994, Nas took the world by storm with his debut album Illmatic. It was considered a blueprint for rap, inspiring many future rappers with its hard-knock dark streets attitude, and was considered the album that best captured the attitude of New York ghettos. Yet one question remained: how would he top it?
The truth is, he didn't. Not with '96's It Was Written and not with any of his later albums. Yet just because his second album wasn't at the astronomical level of his first didn't mean that it was a good effort and a strong CD. Nas returned to the streets with a standout project that further cemented his status as the hottest new rapper on the East Coast.
In It Was Written, Nas is all about street life and violence. He returns to the same subjects he pursued in Illmatic, and goes about it in much the same way. Songs like "Street Dreams" or "I Gave You Power" prove that Nas isn't willing to explore new territory, and that's fine. His flow is still among the best in the business and the production is just as strong as in Illmatic. And once again, It Was Written is mostly a solo effort - Nas doesn't use lots of guests and artists to increase the allure of his songs, he does it himself and it's very good. Take the 5th track on the album, "Watch Dem Niggas", a jazzy track that is almost like a total throwback to Illmatic with a funky beat added. Like many other songs, "Watch Dem Niggas" tells a story, and Nas does this throughout the album in a smoother style than on Illmatic; "Nas Is Coming" is one of the best examples of this. More gangster tracks close out the album, setting up an unexpected, thoughtful song, "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" that wraps everything in an unexpected yet impressive style, with Nas telling a story of just what he would do if he - a black rapper - ruled the world.
It Was Written isn't much longer than Illmatic (14 tracks in total), and this a good thing because there is no point where the production feels stretched or too fast. It flows perfectly, beginning and ending on strong notes with plenty of great tracks in-between. In fact, while It Was Written isn't as good as Illmatic, it still doesn't fail to impress and it is these two records that have Nas at his best and prove just what a phenom he was and still is.
RAR Score: 8.1/10
The truth is, he didn't. Not with '96's It Was Written and not with any of his later albums. Yet just because his second album wasn't at the astronomical level of his first didn't mean that it was a good effort and a strong CD. Nas returned to the streets with a standout project that further cemented his status as the hottest new rapper on the East Coast.
In It Was Written, Nas is all about street life and violence. He returns to the same subjects he pursued in Illmatic, and goes about it in much the same way. Songs like "Street Dreams" or "I Gave You Power" prove that Nas isn't willing to explore new territory, and that's fine. His flow is still among the best in the business and the production is just as strong as in Illmatic. And once again, It Was Written is mostly a solo effort - Nas doesn't use lots of guests and artists to increase the allure of his songs, he does it himself and it's very good. Take the 5th track on the album, "Watch Dem Niggas", a jazzy track that is almost like a total throwback to Illmatic with a funky beat added. Like many other songs, "Watch Dem Niggas" tells a story, and Nas does this throughout the album in a smoother style than on Illmatic; "Nas Is Coming" is one of the best examples of this. More gangster tracks close out the album, setting up an unexpected, thoughtful song, "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" that wraps everything in an unexpected yet impressive style, with Nas telling a story of just what he would do if he - a black rapper - ruled the world.
It Was Written isn't much longer than Illmatic (14 tracks in total), and this a good thing because there is no point where the production feels stretched or too fast. It flows perfectly, beginning and ending on strong notes with plenty of great tracks in-between. In fact, while It Was Written isn't as good as Illmatic, it still doesn't fail to impress and it is these two records that have Nas at his best and prove just what a phenom he was and still is.
RAR Score: 8.1/10
Released: 1996
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: A.Z., Foxy Brown, Havoc
Notable Tracks: "Watch Dem Niggas", "Nas Is Coming", "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)", "Street Dreams"
Track List:
1) Intro
2) The Message
3) Street Dreams
4) I Gave You Power
5) Watch Dem Niggas
6) Take It In Blood
7) Nas Is Coming
8) Affirmative Action
9) The Set Up
10) Black Girl Lost
11) Suspect
12) Shootouts
13) Live Nigga Rap
14) If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: A.Z., Foxy Brown, Havoc
Notable Tracks: "Watch Dem Niggas", "Nas Is Coming", "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)", "Street Dreams"
Track List:
1) Intro
2) The Message
3) Street Dreams
4) I Gave You Power
5) Watch Dem Niggas
6) Take It In Blood
7) Nas Is Coming
8) Affirmative Action
9) The Set Up
10) Black Girl Lost
11) Suspect
12) Shootouts
13) Live Nigga Rap
14) If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)
I Am... The Autobiography
Illmatic was legendary, It Was Written was a fantastic followup and Nas's third studio album, I Am... The Autobiography was... well, disappointing. Once again, he gathers and army of producers, yet this time the beats and rhythms sound out-dated and old, as if Nas and his team were out of ideas but were pressed to put something together. It had been three years since It Was Written and as a result I Am... was lapped up by fans and critics alike, yet it was not like the Queens native's first two albums. After an intro sampling older Nas tracks comes "NY State Of Mind, Pt. 2", a follow-up to one of the best songs in hip-hop history. Unfortunately, the second installment is not like the genius of the original - Nas tries to find a similar yet different sound (which he succeeds at) but also tries to duplicate his flow from "NY State Of MInd" (which he succeeds at), but only up to a certain extent) - however, it is one of the better songs on the album, partially because most of the others are weak tracks. "Hate Me Now", featuring Puff Daddy is one of the two singles on the album (the other being "Nas Is Like") and this is where Nas manages to replicate what made him so good on Illmatic and It Was Written; a tight beat and fast, witty verses. "Favor For Favor" with Scarface is a song that was meant to be better than it actually is, and "We Will Survive", a tribute to Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur has a weak beat saved only by Nas's lyricism. "You Won't See Me Tonight" is a decent song, but "I Want To Talk To You" is supposed to be an in-your-face accusation of the lax attitude of the authorities but ends up being a mediocre song with a few f-bombs thrown into the chorus just to offend some important people (it doesn't matter who). "Nas Is Like" is one of the highlights on the album, a song taking the listener back to the days of Illmatic by using a very similar yet very impressive flow and beat. Sadly, two songs later the magic is gone with "Money Is My Bitch", a track that sounds like the grandaddy to 50 Cent's "P.I.M.P." except not as good.
I Am... The Autobiography has its moments ("Nas Is Like", "NY State Of Mind, Pt. 2") but they are few and far between, loosely spread out between a collection of decent, mediocre and bad songs. Perhaps under different circumstances it would be more impressive, but because its predecessors are Illmatic and It Was Written, anything other than another masterpiece would've been a disappointment and I Am... is far from a masterpiece.
RAR Score: 6.3/10
I Am... The Autobiography has its moments ("Nas Is Like", "NY State Of Mind, Pt. 2") but they are few and far between, loosely spread out between a collection of decent, mediocre and bad songs. Perhaps under different circumstances it would be more impressive, but because its predecessors are Illmatic and It Was Written, anything other than another masterpiece would've been a disappointment and I Am... is far from a masterpiece.
RAR Score: 6.3/10
Released: 1999
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: Puff Daddy, Scarface, DMX
Notable Tracks: "NY State Of MInd, Pt. 2", "Hate Me Now", "Nas Is LIke"
Track List:
1) Intro
2) NY State Of Mind, Pt. 2
3) Hate Me Now (feat. Puff Daddy)
4) Small World
5) Favor For Favor (feat. Scarface)
6) We Will Survive
7) Ghetto Prisoners
8) You Won't See Me Tonight (Aaliyah)
9) I Want To Talk To You
10) Dr. Knockboot
11) Life Is What You Make It (feat. DMX)
12) Big Things
13) Nas Is Like
14) K-I-SS-I-N-G
15) Money Is My Bitch
16) Undying Love
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: Puff Daddy, Scarface, DMX
Notable Tracks: "NY State Of MInd, Pt. 2", "Hate Me Now", "Nas Is LIke"
Track List:
1) Intro
2) NY State Of Mind, Pt. 2
3) Hate Me Now (feat. Puff Daddy)
4) Small World
5) Favor For Favor (feat. Scarface)
6) We Will Survive
7) Ghetto Prisoners
8) You Won't See Me Tonight (Aaliyah)
9) I Want To Talk To You
10) Dr. Knockboot
11) Life Is What You Make It (feat. DMX)
12) Big Things
13) Nas Is Like
14) K-I-SS-I-N-G
15) Money Is My Bitch
16) Undying Love
Nastradamus
I Am... The Autobiography was a commercial success despite not being nearly as strong as rapper's first two albums, but Nas must have been feeling some sort of pressure as he released his fourth album, Nastradamus less than a year afterwards. Perhaps he felt disappointed with his last effort, or perhaps he had been hurt by a particularly scathing review. Perhaps he just needed another record to cement his status as one of NY's kings, along with Jay-Z and DMX. Sadly, he would've done better to wait a while, as Nastradamus failed to achieve the commercial success Nas's other albums had received. In fact, Nastradamus - as it had been released shortly after the less-than-spectacular I Am... - actually led some to believe that the 26 year-old MC was beginning his decline.
The 2nd track, "Life We Chose" is an encouraging sign, as Nas goes back to the sound that made him popular, rapping critically about the street and the street mentality. Unfortunately, the very next song - the title track - is one of the weakest productions Nas has ever released, with an almost laughable chorus where Nas tries - and fails - to croon about his persona changes. "Project Windows" is decent, as Nas explores a completely different style, using a piano and soulful vocals to back up fairly strong rapping. The problem is, soon after Nas actually(unfortunately) tops himself, reaching new levels in badness with "Shoot 'Em Up", a song with a miserable chorus, miserable rapping and a ridiculous beat.
The album continues in a similar manner; mediocre songs with a few impressive moments ("God Love Us"), stretched-out rhythm and mostly good rapping. The album does not end with a bang ("If I Ruled The World"), it ends with a fizzle ("You Owe Me"). Nas performs well on "New World", but on the closing track he fails to compliment his good flow with a - and there's no other way to say it - weird beat, that sounds a bit like techno gone wrong.
Nastradamus isn't a very bad album. In fact, compared to a lot of releases by other artists, it's very strong. But as a kingpin in rap - especially following the deaths of Biggie and Pac - Nas had to make up for a mediocre album in I Am... The Autobiography, yet he doesn't - perhaps he shouldn't have rushed the album's creation process so much. On "Nastradamus", Nas raps "Nasty, Nas the Esco to Escobar/Now he is Nastradamus"; sadly, many fans wish that he would go back to Nasty Nas.
RAR Score: 5.9/10
The 2nd track, "Life We Chose" is an encouraging sign, as Nas goes back to the sound that made him popular, rapping critically about the street and the street mentality. Unfortunately, the very next song - the title track - is one of the weakest productions Nas has ever released, with an almost laughable chorus where Nas tries - and fails - to croon about his persona changes. "Project Windows" is decent, as Nas explores a completely different style, using a piano and soulful vocals to back up fairly strong rapping. The problem is, soon after Nas actually(unfortunately) tops himself, reaching new levels in badness with "Shoot 'Em Up", a song with a miserable chorus, miserable rapping and a ridiculous beat.
The album continues in a similar manner; mediocre songs with a few impressive moments ("God Love Us"), stretched-out rhythm and mostly good rapping. The album does not end with a bang ("If I Ruled The World"), it ends with a fizzle ("You Owe Me"). Nas performs well on "New World", but on the closing track he fails to compliment his good flow with a - and there's no other way to say it - weird beat, that sounds a bit like techno gone wrong.
Nastradamus isn't a very bad album. In fact, compared to a lot of releases by other artists, it's very strong. But as a kingpin in rap - especially following the deaths of Biggie and Pac - Nas had to make up for a mediocre album in I Am... The Autobiography, yet he doesn't - perhaps he shouldn't have rushed the album's creation process so much. On "Nastradamus", Nas raps "Nasty, Nas the Esco to Escobar/Now he is Nastradamus"; sadly, many fans wish that he would go back to Nasty Nas.
RAR Score: 5.9/10
Released: 1999
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: Mobb Deep
Notable Tracks: "God Love Us", "Project Windows", "New World", "Life We Chose"
Track List:
1) The Prediction
2) Life We Chose
3) Nastradamus
4) Some Of Us Have Angels
5) Project Windows (feat. Ronald Isley)
6) Come Get Me
7) Shoot 'Em Up
8) Last Words (feat. Millennium Thug)
9) Family (feat. Mobb Deep)
10) God Love Us
11) Quiet Niggas
12) Big Girl
13) New World
14) You Owe Me (feat. Ginuwine)
15) The Outcome
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: Mobb Deep
Notable Tracks: "God Love Us", "Project Windows", "New World", "Life We Chose"
Track List:
1) The Prediction
2) Life We Chose
3) Nastradamus
4) Some Of Us Have Angels
5) Project Windows (feat. Ronald Isley)
6) Come Get Me
7) Shoot 'Em Up
8) Last Words (feat. Millennium Thug)
9) Family (feat. Mobb Deep)
10) God Love Us
11) Quiet Niggas
12) Big Girl
13) New World
14) You Owe Me (feat. Ginuwine)
15) The Outcome
Stillmatic
Chip on your shoulder? Maybe that was the case with Nas, because the rapper's fifth studio album seemed to be a production focused to reminding fans everywhere that Nas was still king of New York. Unfortunately, that title seemed to be held by Brooklyn-native Jay-Z, who had entered the game in 1996 had been cruising ever since. Stillmatic is not a bad album, but the problems Nas is facing are evident throughout the album.
In fact, the problems start right away; "Ether", one of the more publicized tracks on the album, is a Jay-Z diss that relies on a deep voice repeating "Fuck Jay-Z" as part of the chorus. The lyrics are lacking, unless you believe that Nas is actually loading up a clip to gun down "Gay-Z and Cock-A-Fella Records". Luckily, any criticisms of "Ether" are quickly erased; "Got Ur Self A..." is not just the best song on the album but the one of the best songs Nas has released in a while. But then, the roller-coaster ride continues: "Smokin'" is supposed to be a laid-back G-Funk thang but ends up seeming as if it would've been dated in 1980. "You're da Man" is mainly a swag track and then... suddenly it seems like the album ends.
Yes, "Destroy & Rebuild" has a decent beat but you'd be hard pressed to find something else resembling a highlight. It's not that the other 13-so songs are bad, they're just boring. Nas seems to try just about everything to make Stillmatic a great album that will reestablish himself as the best rapper on the East Coast, but it's not happening. Stillmatic was supposed to shout out Nas's accomplishments and all the reasons why he's the best. It does send a message, just don't not that one: Nas is no longer the best rapper in the business.
RAR Score: 6.4/10
In fact, the problems start right away; "Ether", one of the more publicized tracks on the album, is a Jay-Z diss that relies on a deep voice repeating "Fuck Jay-Z" as part of the chorus. The lyrics are lacking, unless you believe that Nas is actually loading up a clip to gun down "Gay-Z and Cock-A-Fella Records". Luckily, any criticisms of "Ether" are quickly erased; "Got Ur Self A..." is not just the best song on the album but the one of the best songs Nas has released in a while. But then, the roller-coaster ride continues: "Smokin'" is supposed to be a laid-back G-Funk thang but ends up seeming as if it would've been dated in 1980. "You're da Man" is mainly a swag track and then... suddenly it seems like the album ends.
Yes, "Destroy & Rebuild" has a decent beat but you'd be hard pressed to find something else resembling a highlight. It's not that the other 13-so songs are bad, they're just boring. Nas seems to try just about everything to make Stillmatic a great album that will reestablish himself as the best rapper on the East Coast, but it's not happening. Stillmatic was supposed to shout out Nas's accomplishments and all the reasons why he's the best. It does send a message, just don't not that one: Nas is no longer the best rapper in the business.
RAR Score: 6.4/10
Released: 2001
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: A.Z., Mary J. Blige
Notable Tracks: "Got Ur Self A...", "Ether", "You're da Man"
Track List:
Record Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.
Notable Guests: A.Z., Mary J. Blige
Notable Tracks: "Got Ur Self A...", "Ether", "You're da Man"
Track List: