Nas nasir album review
The reason for this delay aren’t clear as of yet, though given Kanye’s recent penchant for working on albums up until the moment of release, it’s fair to think he might’ve done the same here.
#NAS NASIR ALBUM REVIEW FULL#
It was delayed for almost a full day before it finally hit streaming services Saturday, June 16. Nasir didn’t show up at midnight though, or even a few hours past midnight.
It had been six years since the last Nas album and two years since he made “Nas Album Done,” a song for DJ Khaled on which he ensured that the album in question was finished and coming soon. On midnight of Thursday, June 14, the long-awaited new album from Nas, which we had recently and suddenly learned was being produced by Kanye West, was expected to materialize immediately following a listening party in Queens.
For now, let’s enjoy one of 2018's best releases.The way Nas’ new album was released is as noteworthy as the music itself. Considering his impact though, how could one expect anything less than greatness from Nas? Is it better than Illmatic? It Was Written? Stillmatic? God’s Son? Life is Good? The Lost Tapes?! Only time will tell where this ranks in his discography. Overall, this is another win for Kanye West and Good Music and a triumph for Nas. Who else can brag like this so effortlessly?Īfter splitting heads open for six tracks, Nas concludes this project with “Simple Things.” Instead of a righteous anger this time, he reminds us that he drops “lines that prestigious schools read to their students.” He’s all about his craft and “longevity,” and hip-hop is all the better for it. Nas’s best bars from this album are arguably on this track: “I can sell Alaska to Russia, no pressure…” It strikes a similar tone as “If I Ruled The World ” except Nas isn’t waiting on reparations, he’s taking it. The Dream and Kanye West serenade us (mostly The Dream) with their vocals. There’s nothing like “Everything” though. Along the way, he lets naysayers know that he doesn’t “owe” them. Nas is a glutton for the finest restaurants, blunts, and beats that he murders. “Cops Shot The Kid” is repeated almost endlessly in the background until it numbs the ears it’s as if they’re emphasizing America’s lack of compassion for such tragedies.Įlsewhere, Nas is devours everything in sight on “White Label.” This instrumental is one of Ye’s best on the album, as he loops an Iranian sample, backed by powerful horns. Ye’s production and Nas’s lyrics are a seamless marriage. Nas’s revolution continues on “Cops Shot The Kid” where his pro-black attitude denounces racist police departments. Fact check every rhyme to your heart’s content… just know that Big Brother is watching. 070 Shake and Diddy compliment Nas’s rhymes in between verses but there’s nothing like the knowledge being dropped. This album is “Not For Radio,” as the opening track exclaims. It’s a visual that communicates pain and shows the lack of humanity extended to the marginalized. It depicts how black children are criminalized early on, and are forced to abandon their innocence. No doubt Nas fans will reserve a special place for this album in Nas’s discography. The Kanye West assisted Nasir finds a fiery Nas searing off ears as he reflects on his life and offers an unrepentant perspective on America’s ills. He's all for black empowerment, but he's also a witty journalist with his ear and eyes on the streets.
Artists and listeners-old and new-should take notes: as you move forward, drop wise gems for those that come after you.Īlong with his personal trials, Jay-Z sprinkled gems of wealth building and economic empowerment on his album. Time and time again, these two former rivals continue to raise the bar for hip-hop. It was a precursor of sorts a prelude to the mature disposition of Jay-Z’s 4:44. Just like the wine in his cup, this was a Nas that had aged and outgrown the topics of his youth. On his 2012 release, he reconciled with a nasty divorce, fatherhood, and poured “Cherry Wine” with the legendary Amy Winehouse. The last time Nas came through with a solo venture, he was declaring that Life Is Good.