Nas - Hip Hop is Dead

After long thought and some laziness I am finally beginning the album reviews on the site. I love music, and have been and avid listener of Hip Hop since an early age, this will not be the only music I review but the only music I have a very deep connection with. With that said here goes...

When I first heard of Nas' new album coming out I bought the XXL magazine with Nas on the cover, I was shocked to read his interview responses saying "Hip Hop is dead, so fuck it, let's bleed the bitch and make our money" I was kind of pissed and not that excited at all to hear the album. The album came out 2 weeks early through illegal means and I got a copy from my #1 Hip Hop download source (good lookin out Kalig). I sat back and listened, jaded from his interviews before the album drop, I really hated every song except "Where Are They Now" and "Can't Forget About You".

Then out of no where he starts doing more interviews in better spirits, maybe because album sales were good, or maybe because older rappers started responding to his question "where are they now?", and he did a complete 180. The the remixes of "Where Are They Now" came out, and it seemed like Nas inspired a resurgence of, well, real Hip Hop. The album started to make more sense to me. He talks on the album about how he can't really do what he wants because the days of lyricism are gone, he is forced to dumb his music down. There are some really good tracks and some really terrible ones. The production is quite bad but very relevant to todays market of mainstream Hip Hop. The best way to put it, is the album is good for todays state of the rap game, but if you are an Illmatic fan it is one of his worse efforts. In the end the album entitled Hip Hop is Dead (purely named to cause controversy and push record sales in my opinion) may have just saved Hip Hop music.

Now the track by track...

"Money Over Bullshit" - this is your typical hard beat, dope rhymes, a couple little shots at Dip Set , and young rappers who are trying to get famous by dissing a veteran. The chorus is pretty ill, not catchy but nicely put together lyrically.

"Can't Kill Me" - terrible beat, sounds like some wack ass disco video game music, the lyrics are pretty shitty too, I mean dude is talented but he really just doesn't bring it on this track, this is more of the "Escobar" Nas, and the chorus is really wack too. Fast Forward>> for sure.

"Carry on Tradition" - the beat is weak, but lyrically it is one of the best songs, I love the difference he shows between the O.G.'s of the game and the young ones. He also talks about the reasons why black people are always beefing rather than working together. The basic message, carry on tradition from the old days and know the game you are in. Goes at them young rappers hard on this one. Chorus is ok.

"Where Are They Now" - dope beat, basically just a shout out asking where all these 80's and 90's MCs are now. One of the greatest tracks on the album.

"Hip Hop is Dead" - Nas reuses the beat from his street single of his last album entitled "Thief's Theme" which was an ill track. I just can't excuse this. Get a new fucking beat man, plus Will I Am made it all super soft and R&B sounding, his breaks are cool and at the end when the sample is gone it actually sounds like a different track and like it had some potential. As it stands I do not listen to this track, it's an FF>> for sure.

"Black Republicans" - Great beat, but it over powers the lyrics and competes with the MCs too much, I think the sample should have stayed but had a pitch change or just a filter over it to make the drums and the lyrics stand out more. Poorly produced. Jay-Z's verse is better but both verses aren't all that great.

"Not Going Back" - it's actually a good idea for a song, considering where Nas is at now, living in LI with his wife. The beat is a piano that is maaaad played out, and the intro is embarssingly bad. His flow is sloppy, and it's got kelis on the hook, not anything special, I'll give it a big FF>>.

"Still Dreaming" - the beat is dope, a typical Kanye West production, but Kanye should not be allowed to rhyme on a Nas album. His verse is terrible he barely rhymes using the same word "out" at the end of most of his lines. To put it simply he sucks and ruins the song for me. The over all theme is pretty weak. FF>>.

"Hold Down the Block" - sounds like a real soft Dr. Dre knockoff but it's tolerable. Lyrics are ok, I don't really get it. If he had a message it is lost. FF>>.

"Blunt Ashes" - is horrible, probably one of the worst, the beat is depressing and a bouncy track so Nas sounds sloppy as hell on it. I only listened to it a few times to review it. The lyrics are good but the flow sounds like some "it's my first day on the mic" shit. FF>>.

"Let There Be Light" - Another sample that sounds familiar but it works great for the theme of the song, the first line is tight, "Let there be light, no gang banging in NY tonight" it's a positive song, and it is good, lyrically tight, flow tight, and the message never gets lost.

"Play on Playa" - this uses a well known Marvin Gaye sample that I used back in college when I had dreams of Rap stardom. I think Ice Cube used it for an interlude as well. The track is dope, it is what the title says, plus Snoop came correct. I think Snoop smashes Nas on this track, hahaha. Just one of those tracks that bumps well in the whip.

"Can't forget About You" - I really love this sample, it is that old NY sound that makes me reminisce. Chrisette Michele really sounds ill on the hook, and the sample coming through towards the end of hook is genius. Another homage type track but it doesn't get tired for me. Flow and lyrics are on point on this one. The best line of the song "never on scheduele, but always on time."

"Hustlers" - Dr. Dre on the track, typical hard Dre beat with Nas rocking some generic rhymes, the Game completley ruins the track, he just sucks all around, but especially on this track. He should not be allowed on Nas albums, period. So I listen to Nas' verse then I give it a good FF>>.

"Hope" - Contrary to the title of the album and the message repeated through out, Hip Hop will never die, but it's dead again, according to this track. Lyrically the best track on the album hands down. Thankfully no wack ass producer was allowed to touch it, straight acapella goodness.

And that is it, I know it was a bit late but whatever. Peace.