Released June 2008
Downloaded from NaS or DJ GL Website [Promotional]
Summary: Pre-Album Mixtape
Comment: As I understand it, the original songs on this mixtape are tracks that didn't make the "Untitled" album. I think Nas made the right choice leaving them out. Thematically, they fit, but the beats aren't up to par (somebody please remix Cop Keep Firing). "Be A Nigger Too" remix doesn't work for me at all. The highlight has to be Black President and there are some other decent highlights.
Rating: No Grade (NaS Super-Fans Only)
The Nigger Tape Intro: N/A
Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It (NaS Verse - GL Remix): C
Cops Keep Firing: D
Black President (GL Mix): B+ (almost the same - album has supperior quality)
Association feat. Stic-Man: C
Legendary (Mike Tyson): D
Ghetto feat. Joell Ortiz (GL remix): D
Seen It All (GL Mix): C
Esco Lets Go (GL Mix): C+
Be A Nigger Too (GL Remix): D
Surviving The Times (Original Cool and Dre Version - GL scratched): C+
Nas Timeline: N/A
The Nigger Tape Outro: N/A (Very Appropriate)
Friday, August 29, 2008
NaS - Untitled - Review
Released July 2008
Purchased in Stores
Summary: NaS' 2nd album on Def Jam
Rating: 5.0 Stars
Comment: NaS continues to embrance musical experimentation (and therefore the risk of having beats that people hate) with this release. NaS has always talked of evolving, of not trying to retread what he has done (or, with Stillmatic, explicitly and intentionally retreading to make a point), but early in his career, he often "experimented" by following musical trends and doing collabos with existing artists. Beginning with the "God's Son" album and then especially the "Street's Disciple" and "Hip Hop Is Dead" albums, NaS got serious about having his albums creatively stand out in both in music AND lyrics.
NaS also challenged himself thematically, as he did with his last album, in naming it (originally titled "Nigger", then changed to nothing, which I am told should be interpreted as "Untitled"). This time around, he really came through, successfully discussing and exploring the racial and political themes the original title suggests, throughout the album.
Looking at the album song by song, there are number great songs (N.I.G.G.E.R., Hero, Sly Fox , Black President), more than either of his last two albums. After that, there is a drop off to a small set of very good songs ('You Can't Stop Us Now','Breathe' & 'Fried Chicken', the last of which grew on me) and then a large chunk of solid album cuts, some of which I particularly enjoyed despite their flaws ('Testify', 'Queens Get The Money', 'Y'all My Niggas').
In my opinion, there is only one dud track: 'Project Roach'. Weak beat that the concept/lyrics don't overcome. 'Make The World Go Round', 'America', 'We're Not Alone' and 'Untitled' are decent album cuts, but I just didn't really dig them.
Comment Update (10/06/08): I think this is Nas' best album since Illmatic. I'd put it ahead of Stillmatic. What he accomplishes with beats and rhymes is impressive. He makes an album unlike anything I've every listened to.
Queens Get The Money: C+
You Can't Stop Us Now: B+
Breathe: B+
Make The World Go Round: C+
Hero: A-
America: C
Sly Fox: A-
Testify: C+
N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master): A
Untitled: C-
Fried Chicken feat. Busta Rhymes: B
Project Roach: D
Y'All My Niggas: C+
We're Not Alone: C
Black President: B+
Bonus Tracks
Be A Nigger Too (Left Off Album Due To Sample Clearance Issue): B+
Like Me (iTunes Exclusive): ? (Never Heard It)
Grades Updated 9-14-2010
Grades Given 8-29-2008
Purchased in Stores
Summary: NaS' 2nd album on Def Jam
Rating: 5.0 Stars
Comment: NaS continues to embrance musical experimentation (and therefore the risk of having beats that people hate) with this release. NaS has always talked of evolving, of not trying to retread what he has done (or, with Stillmatic, explicitly and intentionally retreading to make a point), but early in his career, he often "experimented" by following musical trends and doing collabos with existing artists. Beginning with the "God's Son" album and then especially the "Street's Disciple" and "Hip Hop Is Dead" albums, NaS got serious about having his albums creatively stand out in both in music AND lyrics.
NaS also challenged himself thematically, as he did with his last album, in naming it (originally titled "Nigger", then changed to nothing, which I am told should be interpreted as "Untitled"). This time around, he really came through, successfully discussing and exploring the racial and political themes the original title suggests, throughout the album.
Looking at the album song by song, there are number great songs (N.I.G.G.E.R., Hero, Sly Fox , Black President), more than either of his last two albums. After that, there is a drop off to a small set of very good songs ('You Can't Stop Us Now','Breathe' & 'Fried Chicken', the last of which grew on me) and then a large chunk of solid album cuts, some of which I particularly enjoyed despite their flaws ('Testify', 'Queens Get The Money', 'Y'all My Niggas').
In my opinion, there is only one dud track: 'Project Roach'. Weak beat that the concept/lyrics don't overcome. 'Make The World Go Round', 'America', 'We're Not Alone' and 'Untitled' are decent album cuts, but I just didn't really dig them.
Comment Update (10/06/08): I think this is Nas' best album since Illmatic. I'd put it ahead of Stillmatic. What he accomplishes with beats and rhymes is impressive. He makes an album unlike anything I've every listened to.
Queens Get The Money: C+
You Can't Stop Us Now: B+
Breathe: B+
Make The World Go Round: C+
Hero: A-
America: C
Sly Fox: A-
Testify: C+
N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master): A
Untitled: C-
Fried Chicken feat. Busta Rhymes: B
Project Roach: D
Y'All My Niggas: C+
We're Not Alone: C
Black President: B+
Bonus Tracks
Be A Nigger Too (Left Off Album Due To Sample Clearance Issue): B+
Like Me (iTunes Exclusive): ? (Never Heard It)
Grades Updated 9-14-2010
Grades Given 8-29-2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
NaS - Hip Hop Is Dead - Review
Released December 2006
Purchased in Stores
Summary: NaS' debut on Def Jam
Comment: TBD
Rating: 4 Stars
Money Over Bullsh*t: D
You Can't Kill Me: D
Carry On Tradition: B-
Where Are They Now?: B-
Hip Hop Is Dead: A-
Who Killed It: B
Black Republican ft. Jay-Z: B+
Not Going Back: B-
Still Dreaming Ft. Kayne West: B
Hold Down The Block: B
Blunt Ashes: C+
Let There Be Light: B
Play On Playa: C
Can't Forget About You: C+
Hustlers Ft. The Game: C
Hope: C-
Purchased in Stores
Summary: NaS' debut on Def Jam
Comment: TBD
Rating: 4 Stars
Money Over Bullsh*t: D
You Can't Kill Me: D
Carry On Tradition: B-
Where Are They Now?: B-
Hip Hop Is Dead: A-
Who Killed It: B
Black Republican ft. Jay-Z: B+
Not Going Back: B-
Still Dreaming Ft. Kayne West: B
Hold Down The Block: B
Blunt Ashes: C+
Let There Be Light: B
Play On Playa: C
Can't Forget About You: C+
Hustlers Ft. The Game: C
Hope: C-
Jadakiss - Al Qaeda Jada [Mixtape] - Review
Released in Early 2008
Purchased from iTunes
Summary: Mixtape of snippets, freestyles and short songs from Jadakiss' career
Comment: Couldn't give snippetts better than C+ - They're just too short and usually part of better full songs (i.e. the full song would probably get a better rating). I felt more free to give any grade to freestyles and short songs.
Rating: TBD
Look In Your Eyes: C
Reebok Commercial 1: B-
Freestyle Diss of Beanie Sigel: B
Who Want A Problem: F
Problem: C-
Flow: D
Yayo: D
New York: F
Reebok Commercial 2: C+
New York (remix) (snippet): C
Happy To Be Here (snippet): C+
I'm Not You (snippet): C+
Can't Leave The Block (snippet): D
J.A.D.A. (snippet): D
Still Feel Me: C
Put Your Hands Up (snippet): D
Ms. Jackson Freestyle (50 Cent Diss): B-
Diamond In The Rough (remix) (snippet): C-
Bring It Back (remix) (snippet): D
Just Wanna Please You (snippet): D
It Can Get Ugly (snippet): D
Day and Night (remix) (snippet): D
Checkmate (50 Cent Diss): A-
I Don't Give A F**k (snippet): F
Back To Life 2001 (snippet): C
Rap City Freestyle: C-
Cruisin (snippet): F
I Want A Girl Like You (snippet): F
It's Personal (snippet): D
Jada's Got A Gun (snippet): D
Show Discipline (snippet): D
Oh No (remix) (snippet): C-
The Setup (remix) (snippet): F
Just Wanna (snippet): C
It's Jumpin' (remix) (snippet): D
Blackout (snippet): C
Hot 97 Freestyle: C
Let's Go (a freestyle): C+
Fightin' Over Me (snippet): F
On My Way (snippet): F
Why (snippet): C
Family Affair (remix) (snippet): C+
Throw Back (snippet): C
Summers Over (snippet): C
Ni**as Done Started Something (snippet): C-
Ruff Ryder For Life (snippet): D
D-Block for Life (snippet): F
It's Time I See You (snippet): D
More More More (snippet): F
Keep Your Head Up (snippet): C
All That Counts (snippet): F
Heat (snippet): D
Last Day (snippet): D
Made You Look (remix) (snippet): C+
Resevior Dogs (snippet): C
Welcome to D-Block (snippet): F
John Blaze (snippet): C-
D-Block (snippet): C-
It's A Party (snippet): F
Purchased from iTunes
Summary: Mixtape of snippets, freestyles and short songs from Jadakiss' career
Comment: Couldn't give snippetts better than C+ - They're just too short and usually part of better full songs (i.e. the full song would probably get a better rating). I felt more free to give any grade to freestyles and short songs.
Rating: TBD
Look In Your Eyes: C
Reebok Commercial 1: B-
Freestyle Diss of Beanie Sigel: B
Who Want A Problem: F
Problem: C-
Flow: D
Yayo: D
New York: F
Reebok Commercial 2: C+
New York (remix) (snippet): C
Happy To Be Here (snippet): C+
I'm Not You (snippet): C+
Can't Leave The Block (snippet): D
J.A.D.A. (snippet): D
Still Feel Me: C
Put Your Hands Up (snippet): D
Ms. Jackson Freestyle (50 Cent Diss): B-
Diamond In The Rough (remix) (snippet): C-
Bring It Back (remix) (snippet): D
Just Wanna Please You (snippet): D
It Can Get Ugly (snippet): D
Day and Night (remix) (snippet): D
Checkmate (50 Cent Diss): A-
I Don't Give A F**k (snippet): F
Back To Life 2001 (snippet): C
Rap City Freestyle: C-
Cruisin (snippet): F
I Want A Girl Like You (snippet): F
It's Personal (snippet): D
Jada's Got A Gun (snippet): D
Show Discipline (snippet): D
Oh No (remix) (snippet): C-
The Setup (remix) (snippet): F
Just Wanna (snippet): C
It's Jumpin' (remix) (snippet): D
Blackout (snippet): C
Hot 97 Freestyle: C
Let's Go (a freestyle): C+
Fightin' Over Me (snippet): F
On My Way (snippet): F
Why (snippet): C
Family Affair (remix) (snippet): C+
Throw Back (snippet): C
Summers Over (snippet): C
Ni**as Done Started Something (snippet): C-
Ruff Ryder For Life (snippet): D
D-Block for Life (snippet): F
It's Time I See You (snippet): D
More More More (snippet): F
Keep Your Head Up (snippet): C
All That Counts (snippet): F
Heat (snippet): D
Last Day (snippet): D
Made You Look (remix) (snippet): C+
Resevior Dogs (snippet): C
Welcome to D-Block (snippet): F
John Blaze (snippet): C-
D-Block (snippet): C-
It's A Party (snippet): F
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