Nas

The first track I heard that was about this album was "Be a Nigger too". Along with "Nigger Hatred" and the chorus of "N.I.G.G.E.R. (the slave and the master)" After listening to this I knew immediately that this album was going to be an instant classic. The political and social commentary throughout the album show how much NaS has changed from his older albums. While his older albums (especially classics like Illmatic and Stillmatic) were incredible they were about the poverty ridden struggle of many people in the ghettos. From the point of someone right out of the ghetto. This new album shows a much more political side to it. From a person who has been out of the ghetto and sees how wealthy America is.

Many people will call this album racist. I am 100% Caucasian and this album pretty much speaks the truth. Even in today's political debates do you ever really see Mccain or Obama mention the ghettos? Not really and if any previous candidate did they are pretty much forgotten very quickly after the election. "Schools with outdated books,
We are the forgotten,"

As for the forced change of his album title... well it shows how ridiculous some people can be. Everyone knows how iconic of a MC NaS is so it wasn't like Soulja Boy came up and was like "imma make my album called Nigger!" This is a well respected MC. The fact that congress was upset "Somebody called L.A. [Reid] [About the former title of forthcoming album], the White House called!... Yeah the 'White House', 'White House'!... I mean Congress... [called Def Jam], they're concerned!" is a showing of how immature this country can be as a whole. It reminds me of some congress bitching at Eminem.

The reason I give this album a four out of five is because I am reviewing every part of the album. His lyrics and flow get a five out of five easy. But like a lot of times his beats aren't always the best in the game. And while this doesn't totally denounce him it is just the truth. It also isn't always his fault. This should not turn anyone away from the album. Honestly from an artistic point of view this album should not go below a three star rating. Just because someones opinion pisses you off doesn't mean it is not a good album. Or just because he isn't rapping about gangbangers and gun toting doesn't mean he has fallen off. While there is nothing wrong with rapping about the truths of the ghetto people shouldn't denounce rappers that don't do it.

Hot Tracks
All of them but here are my faves
Hero
N.I.G.G.E.R. (the slave and the master)
Black president
sly Fox
Be a Nigger too
breathe
America

4.5/5 Buy it. This is a must have. Download it if you are really against buying but I still suggest buying it.

Nas is just amazing when it comes to fitting so many syllables into every single line of his verses, but it is mostly for not on this new album. Unfortunately, the production on this album does not rise to the same level as Nas' lyrics, and the result is an album that lacks that lyrical/musical cohesion that really cemented the legacy of "Illmatic" and later Nas albums. Topically, Nas is pretty on point, maybe even a bit overly didactic, but with Nas spitting over music that is better fitted to a slower Kanye or Weezy delivery, the end product is just awkward.

Nas has a certainty and fire on this release. Apples and oranges; it isn't Illmatic and thank God. Move on people. As a caucasion hip-hop lover, I will be honest, there are parts that make me squirm in my chair. A lot of what Nas says, I can't grasp right away and really digest what he is meaning. Like a complex film, book or artist, this is the genius of Nas. There isn't another hip-hop artist right now throwing the darts that Nas got. Nobody else can. He is simply hip-hop's poet. There are songs on this album that had me twistin' in my mind for hours. That's what a real artist does. Shocks you, wakes you up. You taking the red pill? or the blue pill? You decide? Nas is for real and this album should scare the living daylights out of all the weak MC's out today. "Reach for your pens and papers, lesson one? be creative" -Genius Album

On his last album "Hip Hop Is Dead" Nasty Nas was challenged by other rappers on his statement. Only problem with that was he was being challenged by rappers and not true MC's like himself. This is the thing, Nas has never let fans down lyrically. He always delievers because he has something to say. When he made illmatic he had nothing but hunger, most MC's die after that cause they get paid and loose it. Nas will always have a hunger even if it isn't the same hunger he had on that classic album. For this he will always be one of the best if not the best.

The new album from Nas is major and also showed that he is starting to learn his lesson with his music. On every album except his first two, he has songs where he forgets that he is making music and not just a rap song. He utilizes every inch of the musical art in this album and makes great hip hop music. I take a half of a star because 2 or 3 tracks were not that good, like breathe, could just be me but I didn't like it that much. He also finally went out and got good, solid, and super star producers that tailor made beats that fit Nas's style perfectly. I was surprised to see the he didn't just do this on one track but had good production on almost every track.

You have no idea how surprised I was when I saw that Pollow da don actually did a track for him. Pollow put down a beat for one of the sickest nas singles in his career. The single was just perfect all around and it grabs attention. Fried Chicken is probably the illest song lyrically on this album. He does this all the time with songs like, "I gave you power", the track "Rewind" in reverse ON Stillmatic, and even this one again with "Project Roach".

This album is by far one of the best he has had in a few years. It is better than Hip Hop Is Dead so we know that Nas is progressing and not taking steps backward. My true rating is about 4 1/2 stars. There is no doubt that if you're reading this review and thinking about buying this, you need to get it, listen to it, and don't stop listening until you truly understand it all. Hip Hop Will never be dead as long as Nasty Nas is still alive.

It would be nice to enjoy this album without the embarrasing sounding amateurish hooks, and that gay elevator, live present day jazz production. It sounds like a bootleg band who wants to be The Roots really bad produced the album. As always though, Nas's vision, and rhyme definitely shines, but, as always on the majority of his albums he has no taste in production. I guess he's either being cheap, or just gambling playing with a new sound, and falls flat every other time. I just don't know what the problem is with this guy, by just going into the studio with Premo, and just make magic again, not even with an album, but with a second E.P. We got kids in 2008, making an album in there basement, that have the same quality as a corporate release, it should'nt be that f**king hard! With Nas, I always want to go travel on his mental journey, it's just a weak trip if the atmosphere is annoying, which I'm sure we have experienced too many times with this cat. Hip Hop with weak production, is just poetry with bad music. It should be a whole, I don't only want to hear just poetry, I WANT TO HEAR MUSIC, 50/50, he's been in the game long enough to understand that. When he came, and conquered with 'Illmatic', that small opus is what stapled him in our mind.

Anyone new to Nas, we'll more than likely feel the power of the album. For those of us who grew up with Nas, will definitely be dissapointed, again.