Nas

Since day 1, Nas has been one of, if not my favorite, rapper. Even his weaker albums(Nastradamus;Streets Disciple)I played the hell out of when they were released and even to this day. This album is a few steps below either of those albums, and BY FAR is the weakest LP he has put together.

I can ramble on all day about his prior albums, where he came from, how he evolved. I can break down each song and ramble on which ones I liked and which ones were wack. The bottom line though, is I really didn't care for this album at all. The beats, the message, the flow of it, EVERYTHING. One decent song, one borefest. One awesome song, one borefest. One decent song, two borefests. etc etc Also, can someone tell me where the heck L.E.S. is? A Nas album without a handful of L.E.S. beats is like an omelette without eggs!

This isn't to say the album didn't have any redeeming qualities(this is Nas we're talking about). The first single is catchy. Hero has a wicked beat. Sly Fox would be the sickest song if his political view wasn't so goddamn off. N.I.**E.R. is hot, as well as Fried Chicken(with Busta Rhymes).

So yes, there are a few handful of real good songs, but they are far outnumbered by boring songs fueled with a horrible social and political view.

Nas really blessed the music world with a new age hiphop classic. Just after everyone felt that Wayne had taken the crown with his fantastic "The Carter 3", NAS releases a megaton bomb on the music industry that cements his place in hiphop history as the greatest rapper to ever do it.

Nas's new album will change the lives of many ghetto youths throughout America. I can only hope the greatness and hope that NAS is preaching to the youth will only fall on the right ears and awaken black people!

GREAT EFFORT BY NAS! BUY TODAY!

Once more Nas is back with a powerful album. There is solid production on this album even if Primo, Timbo and other producers from his past albums are not on the list of producers on this one. He's lyrics are a little bit more political than before. Nas proves once again that he's one of the best rhyme writers in the game. Since his first album he has progressed a lot and nobody can tell that Nas has delivered a bad album in all his career. Listen to the songs "Black President" which contains a Pac's sample, [...] (The slave and the Master)" and "We're not alone" and you will buy the album without a doubt.
Peace to you Nas. Keep feeding the Game with great songs.

This album was a pleasure to listen to I enjoyed every track. Buy IT NOW!!!

2006's HIP HOP IS DEAD was certainly controversial from all angles. Personally, I though Nas was telling the truth as hip-hop was truly dying in sales and in talent. While the title of that fine album had a double meaning, I'd like to think in some ways it was a call to action to all the wack MCs to get their **** together. Either way, it certainly gave Nas a certain amount of attention, which turned into a third #1 album for the veteran MC. It didn't go platinum, but it did give the vet yet another gold plaque. But when you're as uncommercial as Nas, and you don't rap about sex and going to the club, then what more can you expect? But Hip-Hop isn't dead, especially on Nas's exceptional NAS [UNTITLED] (formerly called N.I.*.*.E.R.) which proves that commercial success isn't everything.

To call Nas stodgy in some respects isn't unfair; his beats tend to be restrained while Nas wants to emphasize his rhymes more than the productions. HIP HOP IS DEAD had a more updated sound for Nas in some respects, but still, that sense of "old-school" was quite prevalent, even with will.i.am at the boards. NAS is similar, though there are a lot of fresher productions here as well as some great guest stars from a younger generation including Chris Brown and songwriter/new R&B singer Keri Hilson. Also, the Polow Da Don laced beat on "Hero" (ft. Ms. Hilson) can't be ignored.

The album does start off a bit slow with "Queens Get The Money", though "You Can't Stop Us Now" (feat. Eban Thomas of the Stylistics and The Last Poets) gets the show started with the catchy guitar riff. The production is understated at first, but the hook adds horns and the great vocals of Eban Thomas from the Stylistics. On a side note, many rap listeners may remember The Last Poets guest-starred on Common's comeback single "The Corner" in 2005. "Breathe" is another strong track in which Nas asks "can't a n#%^* just breathe? " Here Nas is on fire, as he is on the Chris Brown featured "Make The World Go Round". Sure, that track works, but it is a track like that that also convinces hardcore Nas fans that he doesn't have to conform to new hip-hop/R&B standards. If you can believe, Nas didn't have to have Chris Brown guest star to make him relevant. His rhymes truly do speak for themselves on this album.

"Hero" is one of the standouts of NAS. Here, Polow's production work is sick, Nas is on fire, and Keri's vocals soar making "Hero" a five-star listen. "America" is solid, though not a favorite while "Sly Fox", despite it's 80s styled production, is quite strong. Tracks "Testify" and "N.I.*.*.E.R. (The Slave and The Master)" are amongst the "cream of the crop" of NAS where Nas has never rhymed better. The soul-laced production work on "N.I.*.*.E.R." is phenomenal, and very appropriate to what the MC is spittin'. "Untitled" isn't bad, while the Busta Rhymes featured "Fried Chicken" is stereotypical, but a fine listen. I'm glad to hear Busta Rhymes "back" (after 2006's questionable BIG BANG).

The brief "Project Roach" features the Last Poets once again, while "Y'all All My Ni**as" finds Nas spittin' more heavy rhymes, though the production is a bit too subdued here for me. Still, it is a solid Nas track. "We're Not Alone" (featuring Mykel) finds more conservative beats from Nas. Despite the retro-production, Nas still paints the pallet well with his rhymes. However, Nas does so better on earlier tracks such as "N.I.*.*.E.R." or "Breathe". He makes up for any laxness of the exceptional "Black President". "Black President" may be my favorite with its sick production work, alongside it's message and it's inquiries. Nas's politics on this particular track are right on point and bring up relevant questions amongst the African-American population. Sure Nas has a political agenda with such a track, but it is certainly a fine listen, no matter what your political affiliation or otherwise.

Overall NAS is better than HIP HOP IS DEAD. Sure I've heard stronger hip-hop albums, but it certainly one of the strongest hip-hop albums of 2008. Alongside of that, it is one of the best albums of 2008. I'd be surprised if Nas didn't receive a Grammy nomination. Grammy or not, this is a 4 star album. Period.