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songs
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Queens Get The Money
- 02:12
- 66,993 plays
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- 2
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You Can't Stop Us Now
- 03:04
- 90,190 plays
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- 3
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Breathe
- 03:34
- 93,020 plays
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- 4
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Make The World Go Round
- 03:49
- 121,806 plays
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- 5
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Hero
- 04:02
- 278,100 plays
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- 6
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America
- 03:51
- 94,767 plays
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- 7
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Sly Fox
- 04:23
- 83,117 plays
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- 8
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Testify
- 02:45
- 74,910 plays
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- 9
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N.I.*.*.E.R. (The Slave And The Master)
- 04:33
- 76,877 plays
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- 10
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Untitled
- 02:51
- 69,535 plays
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- 11
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Fried Chicken
- 02:50
- 52,279 plays
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- 12
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Project Roach
- 01:48
- 64,033 plays
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- 13
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Y'all My Ni**as
- 04:16
- 70,749 plays
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- 14
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We're Not Alone
- 05:39
- 66,826 plays
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- 15
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Black President
- 04:28
- 69,939 plays
album review
Never averse to getting the pants of others in a twist, Nas said in 2006 that what developed into this self-titled album was, at the time, titled the six-letter version of the "N" word. The following year, the NAACP buried the five-letter version (along with each variant, as the obituary states) at a Detroit ceremony, replete with a horse-drawn carriage, a casket, and the presence of "hip-hop legend Curtis Blow" [sic], according to the NAACP press release. Whether it is believed that the word was truly placed six feet deep or merely swept beneath the proverbial rug, the word, regardless of its last syllable or the context in which it is placed, still carries a lot of power. Millions of Def Jam marketing dollars could not have ensured as bright a spotlight on their artist. All he had to do was mention the one word as an album title. And from that moment until the album's release, through each leaked track, mixtape, and article tracking the status of the album, more attention was paid to the MC's moves than in the recent past. An album with a proposed title of, say, East Coasta Nastra, would not have been anticipated with nearly as much scrutiny or speculation.
Nas uses the "N" word as a mere jumping-off point for his self-titled album, its initial title and final content even more closely related than the title and content of Hip Hop Is Dead. It's his most purposeful album; nearly every verse goes beyond talking trash and recalling exploits to address the change of title, the "N" word, race relations, stereotypes, the long arms and legs of Fox, love for his people and country, and the United States from slave ships through the possibility of a black president. It carries a stern lyrical focus all the way through, including the radio-aimed/Polow-produced anthem "Hero" ("If Nas can't say it, think about these talented kids with new ideas being told what they can and can't spit"), the gleaming "Make the World Go Round" (where a proud Nas, clearly reaching out to a younger crowd, refers to the featured Chris Brown as "the young Mike Jackson"), and the appropriately greasy "Fried Chicken" (a cunning track in which Nas and Busta Rhymes seem to embrace and parody dietary and sexual stereotypes at once). There is as much content here to absorb, to think about, discuss, and debate, as there is within Ice Cube's Death Certificate or anything by Public Enemy or BDP. While it is not a feast from a production standpoint -- the album is not bound to silence those who contend that Nas is not the best selector of beats -- it doesn't have the hastily slapped-together flow of Street's Disciple or Hip Hop Is Dead. A couple tracks might sonically resemble inferior versions of years-old tracks that helped make Nas a hip-hop deity and, nearly ten years after Nas was first accused of selling out, he might still sound a little awkward over radio-friendly productions. But the MC has never made an album as engrossing or as necessary as this one. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
Nas uses the "N" word as a mere jumping-off point for his self-titled album, its initial title and final content even more closely related than the title and content of Hip Hop Is Dead. It's his most purposeful album; nearly every verse goes beyond talking trash and recalling exploits to address the change of title, the "N" word, race relations, stereotypes, the long arms and legs of Fox, love for his people and country, and the United States from slave ships through the possibility of a black president. It carries a stern lyrical focus all the way through, including the radio-aimed/Polow-produced anthem "Hero" ("If Nas can't say it, think about these talented kids with new ideas being told what they can and can't spit"), the gleaming "Make the World Go Round" (where a proud Nas, clearly reaching out to a younger crowd, refers to the featured Chris Brown as "the young Mike Jackson"), and the appropriately greasy "Fried Chicken" (a cunning track in which Nas and Busta Rhymes seem to embrace and parody dietary and sexual stereotypes at once). There is as much content here to absorb, to think about, discuss, and debate, as there is within Ice Cube's Death Certificate or anything by Public Enemy or BDP. While it is not a feast from a production standpoint -- the album is not bound to silence those who contend that Nas is not the best selector of beats -- it doesn't have the hastily slapped-together flow of Street's Disciple or Hip Hop Is Dead. A couple tracks might sonically resemble inferior versions of years-old tracks that helped make Nas a hip-hop deity and, nearly ten years after Nas was first accused of selling out, he might still sound a little awkward over radio-friendly productions. But the MC has never made an album as engrossing or as necessary as this one. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
more albums by this artist
See all-
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- Stillmatic (Parental Advisory)
- Released 2001
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- Hip Hop Is Dead (Parental Advisory)
- Released 2006
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- Illmatic (Parental Advisory)
- Released 1994
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- It Was Written (Parental Advisory)
- Released 1996
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listener reviews
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basketball q
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- By BASKETBALL Q
- 4/24/2009 21:59:20
- Nas has some good music
- 1 out of 1 people
- think this is useful
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Luvbberz Nas
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- By CrazySMM 0930
- 4/4/2009 01:37:39
- Nas is one of da best rappers. I luv him.
- 2 out of 2 people
- think this is useful
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Needle in a haystack...
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- By Kekashi
- 2/22/2009 13:13:12
- Albums of this caliber are a rare find.
- 1 out of 1 people
- think this is useful
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return of the real
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- By natedeze1
- 10/20/2008 20:09:24
- yo this album is a classic. it is a true to his style and bring up some good points. if you get this look up the n****r tape also, you might learn something about yourself
- 3 out of 3 people
- think this is useful
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Classic...
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- By blaquejag
- 9/17/2008 21:13:46
- ... as just about everyone of his album are.
- 2 out of 2 people
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Saving the Ni664z...
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- By KOTH4X
- 9/9/2008 08:47:02
- This Album, is why i grew up listening to NaS, and why i chose him over Jay-Z when i decided who was really "The Best Lyricist Alive", ya digg? Dude, got madd skillz. Not only does he have skills, but he has style and overall that shows in his lyrics. Hands down, Best Hip-Hop Album created to date. End of Story...<^*The CooLesT*^>
- 2 out of 2 people
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- By CtSalt3
- 7/25/2008 14:58:37
- this is a ill album. 2 bad ppl these days dont have the patience to listen to it.
- 2 out of 2 people
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Easily The Best Album of Year
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- By JJ209
- 7/17/2008 22:26:10
- Somehow Nas made every mainstream rap album that came out the past 2 years almost pointless! With every track he grabs your ear not just hearing it listening to it.Everybody should be listening to this album right now, not just hip-hop fans.
- 4 out of 4 people
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Must Have
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- By Moe1up
- 7/16/2008 16:15:50
- If you read this, either you have it or need to get it. Find The Green Latern "The N*igger Tape" too. Excellent companion.
- 2 out of 2 people
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get the album
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- By acedameter25
- 7/16/2008 00:17:10
- best cd of 08
- 2 out of 2 people
- think this is useful
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