"Positive: Nas is a great rapper who usually has pretty tight lyrics. There were some pretty good tracks on his last attempt: I am. There are 5 tracks on this record that I find worthy of listening to. "Quiet Ni**as" is my favorite track cause it's something I agree with Nas about. A few songs have good rapping but nothing else.Negative: Beats sometimes lacking. Choruses seriously lacking. "Life We Chose" sounds like Nas isn't quite with the beat. "Nastradamus" is so "Made-For-MTV" that's it hurts. It surprises me how pretty good rappers continue to try to attract Backstreet Boy fans by "selling out". The track "Big Girl" is so bad/comical it could be on Adam Sandler's next CD. The beat for "New World" is another comical experience for the true hip-hop fan. I heard he made this 7 months after "I am". He should have waited a little longer. The bad by far outweighs the good on this album and Nas has older albums that top this with only the intro."
Who is this... Nas or some COMMERCIALISED G?
Hip Hop Lover | New York | 12/11/1999
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Basically, Nas ain't street. This is a brother who would RATHER RAP about dollars, cars, girls and watches than his roots and NY State of Mind. Illmatic, which has never left my CD Player since 94', was just amazing. Words can't express how good it was. I definately say GO AND BUY Illmatic and LEAVE THIS POOR EXCUSE FOR A CD TO COLLECT DUST IN SOMEONE ELSE'S ROOM.Peace."
People people...
kasey barkle | SYDNEY.... in da HOOOOOOOD! | 02/04/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"i did not start my Nas catalogue from Illmatic, so perhaps i'm not close minded like many people, who probably didn't either... I own every Nas album, Including Qb's finest, The Firm, and the rest, and I downloaded all his unreleased material, and most of the songs he guests on... in other words, I have heard basically every Nas song there is... I'm very selective in my hip hop tastes, I like very few rappers, including foremost Nas, N.W.A, Jurassic 5, RUN DMC, Tribe Called Quest, Mission and a few others.
I did not buy this album, due to the fact that everyone said this was his worst album where he fell off drastically. However, my manager, who has been listening to Hip Hop for over 17 years (since 1985), told me to F--- it, don't care what others say, you get it, and tell me what you think...
I did, i bought it, and it was awesome, great production and great street poetry as usual by Nas, easily a step above 'I Am', on par with It was Written...
I believe the only reason people think he fell of with this album, is you listen to other peoples opinions, afriad to form your own... but i reckon F--- what they say, I bought it, i listened to it repeatedly, and I think Nas's wordplay in this is very enjoyable, taking every oppurtunity to throw the phrasing on it's head, people who say this album is his worst is just following what other people say, to afraid to admit what a good album it is...
how has he sold out or gone downhill? 80% of the album is about street life, and the other 20% is talking about people and their relationship to themselves through god... considering he did it in a few months, which is no excuse for a bad album, put its all the more reason for giving him praise to do a still awesome album in such a short time...
and what the hells wrong with everyone about the production? i think it's awesome production... you called it sold out, i call it good... i don't like the production being overpowering anyway, let's conceontrate on the LYRICS people...
I cant be bothered pointing out why you all are sheep, believing he fell off, just because 'The Source' says so...
Plus for the rest of you unbelieving mother truckers, 'Illmatic' is my favourite Album of all Time...
Be true to yourself...
If your a true Nas fan, you would've learn't that by now (plus your parents should've taught you that anyway... HAHA)One Love,"
Nas worst CD but He still delivers quality lyrics
Terrell D. | Memphis, TN (M-Town) | 01/08/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Ok. It is Nas worst cd, but he still has some hits on dis joint. I look at some reviews and wonder if some of those people even heard this cd? I see it like this, every mc who puts out solo efforts is gonna have a cd that doesn't stack up to his or her other albums(Eminem:Encore,Jay-Z:Blueprint 2 to name a few).In Nas case I still think this cd is acceptable. I think its those people who judged this album based it on one song;the song he did with ginuwine. I didn't really like that song but as soon as I heard the rest of tha album I got over it. At least all his albums are different in their own right so I can't knock him for tryin somethin new, besides he came back super hard with stillmatic and shut everybody up. Yes its his worst cd but compared to other mc's "flop" albums he still gets it done."
Yet again, more sick tunes from Nas.
James | tha UK | 12/11/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've read other people's reviews about this being for Nas's real fans who've been wit him the whole time. I'm sure it's true for a lot of peeps, but not me. I've never really heard Nas before now. I ain't got none of his other albums, but i still rate this album hard. So the next album for me is I Am, then Illmatic and so on! So to all y'all hip-hop fans buy this album, NOW! This guy's got real talent, make the most of it. Well dunn Nas, again. RESPECT! Oh, and big up to all man at Rastrick High!"