Nas

every song on this city is well written. the ideas are creative and new and i blieve this album to be a movement within itself. Nas finaly dedicated a whole album to the "good fight". this CD represents the gif Hip-Hop been asking for, but i wont be suprise that if it get overlooked. fans seem to want what they like in an artist and cannot except the fact that every artist serve their own perpouse also. Nas keep doing you god!!

In the words of Flavor Flav, Woowwwwwwwwwww. I must be dreaming this can't be true, just kidding Nas never lets me down. I knew he was going to come on strong, especially with the name he was going to use for the album, I knew he wasn't going to put that word up for just nothing. This is a real collectors item right here. I often say that hip hop is now dead, but when MC's like Nas come out with albums like this, I say there must be a few breaths left in it. I was amazed people was putting this album down without picking it up and actually listening to it.
My favorite songs on the album includes, You Can't Stop Us Now, Hero, America, Sly Fox, N.I.*.*.E.R, Y'all My Niggas, and Black President. I want to start off with saying I loved that Nas made the song Sly Fox. I am intrigued that he made this song. I remember back when, I was telling my family and friends that Fox is a prejudice network, and I remember them disagreeing with me thinking I was wrong or I had something against them. But when you hear the same stupidity on the network about Barack Obama is muslim, after he said he wasn't 20 times, and how Bill O'Reilly went to Sylvia's restaurant and ranted about the problems with black culture, something must be going on with fox. But any who. My next favorite was You Can't Stop Us Now, beautiful beat with a flow to back it up, the song was about how African American culture has came from to what it is now, a very true and amazing song. Nas' track America expresses the wrong American image we have today. "This old German said I was a thug with a notty head Looked at my Benz and called that a Nazi sled With a face like he wondered where I got my bread Probably all these stones he see From my shows overseas."

Real classic, please get this album, could be a long time before an album like this come out again. Thank You.

This product was shipped in a timely manner. Great condition and an excellent CD. Definetly worth while! The case was in excellent condition. I seemed like it was brand new!

This album is very political. If you are a liberal you will love this album but if your a repulican you will most likely find it offensive.

Ben

What makes a patriot - his or her allegiance to the flag - the amount of tax money he or she pays - or his or her race? How do we prove our patriotism? Do we become patriots simply when we accept the tenets of so-called patriotism? True patriotism lives in the heart; patriotism is not pinned to the lapel or a hand salute.

Nasir "Nas" Jones is a patriot; he challenges and fights against the adversary. More specifically, Nas fights against the men (and women) who run this country without considerations for the lower class or the middle class. Nas fights against those who would "shackle" those beneath them, white, black, brown, or yellow. Nas fights against these so-called patriots.

Fighting patriotism is patriotic. And in America, which was founded on rebellion and revolution, fighting the government or the Man is a form of patriotism. Nas fights patriotism, but he uses his brains and his voice rather than a gun. Music, be it gangsta rap or Bob Dylan's folk tunes, challenges "The Man." Therefore, music is a form of protest. Music is patriotism.

Nas fights fire with fire; he uses the voice of protest in order to fight against the slave masters in this country. Some may say he is unpatriotic or anti-American - this is nonsense! In our country, during this time in our history, fighting patriotism IS PATRIOTIC.

This album is meant to give us hope. Nas drops wicked lyrics and knowledge over wicked beats.

Fight the sly fox. Peace.

I'm going to keep it short and just say, If this album isn't in your top ten favorite hip-hop albums something is terribly wrong.

I ordered a CD, got the CD in the mail it had a skip. Contacted customer service asking for a replacement. Sent the CD I received back, got the replacement which had another skip. This time I asked for a refund and was given one right away.

If your a Nas fan, you need to get the CD that started it all! Favorite tracks: life's a bitch and ain't hard to tell but then again, the whole cd is what it is and should be! A REALLY GOOD ALBUM!

New York MC Nas' debut album Illmatic is often hailed by critics as well as fans as one of the best hip hop albums of all time for a reason. In that way, it strikes a chord with the critics because little to nothing in mainstream rap at the time was as intelligent or well produced, and it garnered as many fans as it did because it was probably the catchiest, most smooth listen the hip hop industry had ever heard. Both sides of the coin play themselves out equally importantly. The album is loaded with catchy hooks, loops and beats, which are bolstered by the now legendary foursome of rap producers DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip. They treat the samples with care, making most of the album sound simultaneously pure and nostalgic (as the cover suggests) with their hazy jazz productions. The backbeats range from dark compositions (N.Y. State of Mind, Represent) to lighter jazz pieces (Life's a Bitch, Memory Lane), and both modes work effectively. The performance of these producers alone could have been enough to make this album a classic, but Nas remains the centerpiece of the album, with a smooth flow and consistently contemplative lyrics throughout. He mostly raps about what it is like to live in the ghetto, but he does it with sophistication and care, and even when he indulges in self promotion, the results are cool and composed, as opposed to the outwardly ridiculous trash talking of most gangster rap. Even on the rare occasions that the beats slip up short of excellence (One Time 4 Your Mind), Nas keeps his words and delivery solid enough to keep each song solid. But what makes the album particularly surprising is how equally matched the DJs are with the MC. Each song has at least a few memorable hooks, beats, instrumentations, or details, and several instantly quotable rhymes. Leaving the album at a scant forty minutes with no more than ten songs was a smart move too; the brevity leaves the listener that much more fixated on what is there, and thirsting for more. Latter efforts would not be as popular or influential, but at least for the span of Illmatic the world belongs to Nas.

illmatic is easily one of the best hip-hop albums ever recorded, all ten songs are classic. if you don't have it, get it - you'll be glad you did.

2. the message 5/5
3. street dreams 4.5/5
4. i gave you power 5/5
5. watch dem niggas 4.5/5
6. take it in blood 5/5
7. nas is coming 5/5
8. affirmative action 5/5
9. the set up 4.5/5
10. black girl lost 4.5/5
11. suspect 4.5/5
12. shootouts 5/5
13. live nigga rap 4.5/5
14. if i ruled the world 5/5

This is one of the many classics that Nas created. It has always been difficult for me to understand how some people distinguish his so-called "good" albums, from the "great" ones to the "bad"?

To me, nothing gets better than the best!
Go NAS!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember the first time I saw the video for "If I Ruled The World". The beginning of that video has a scene where Nas and Cormega are sitting in a sick S-Class Benz in front of the projects in Queens. In the background I noticed a beautiful "spanish" guitar arrangement that I just knew would be on the album.

At that very moment I thought, "Illmatic 2". I just knew it would be the second coming, but it turned out to be something different. Not in a bad way, just different.

The album starts out in classic Nas fashion, respecting the past, specifically, the trials of his ancestors, but it doesn't come off the way he intended it to. All in all, it was awkward, but hey, it's all good. Next up is " The Message". I think the beat is absolutely bananas and the lyrics are solid, but what disturbed is the way Nas begins to delve into this shootout scenario towards the end of the song. That was never really his M.O., but it was standard fare for the times, so I could dig it.

Nas then plays into the mafioso lifestyle in full with "Street Dreams". He did it just as well as Raekwon would have, but this song has never been one of my favorites. " I Gave You Power" reunites Nas and DJ Premier. This song is still dope to this day as Nas describes another day in the life of a gun. As a metaphor driven composition, this is probably the best song I have ever heard. "Watch Dem" is pretty good and the message is simple. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer...

The next few songs are decent, but none of them are home runs. Nas caught a lot of flack for "Nas Is Coming", but he went out on a limb rhyming over a West Coast beat provided by Dr. Dre in the middle of the East/West turf war, when in reality, he should have been commended. " Affirmative Action " was a very good posse cut until Foxy failed miserably in her attempts to explain drug mathematics to the world.

"Black Girl Lost" was an excellent track in which Nas points out the traps set for women who try to live the fast life. JoJo from Jodeci adds some dimension to the song with good effect. "Suspect" and "Shootouts" were good, but I have feeling that the production let him down a little. Also, it was reported that Method Man was supposed to be on the latter, which I am sure would have been a winning combination. " Live N Rap" was just Nas and Mobb Deep getting busy on a track.

The album ends with" If I Ruled The World" featuring Lauryn Hill. Nas really caught some criticism from the purists for this one, but Nas still delivers some strong messages, something that you would NEVER hear on the radio today unless it was Common, and only Common.

All in all, this is a 4 star album because Nas spreads himself a little thin in terms of the image he attempts to portray and because the production sometimes did not match his incredible rhyme cadence. Still a good album to cop though.

now im a fan of NaS and i love him (ask my boyfriend) this is one of my favorite albums by him. his lastest has to be my all time favorite i could listen to that album front to back. he's a true emcee. he has pure talent. i've been a fan for years and i think he fell of with nastradamus but everyone has at least one album that aint their best

This was Nas' sophmore album and still one of his best albums to date. After this album he took more of a "commercial or materialistic approach" which lasted until he released Stillmatic. Stilmatic was when he went back to his more political style of music. This album is packed with classic tracks. If you're a rap fan you will love this album.

This album was so important for Nas's career. If he wouldnt have done this album, im afraid people would have lost interest in Nas. After the terrible Nastradamus, and the mediocre at best I Am, He needed to get another homerun. And to be honest, i guess this wasnt really a home run, but it definetly got the bases loaded for the home run to follow in the form of God's Son. But none the less, he stepped his game up from his previous two releases to prove he was still relevant in rap. The biggest thing with this album was the swagger, and its more hardcore/street appearance. Now, we all know that Nas has always been street, but on songs like the very eerie and dark "Got Urself A..." he shows his true darkside. And then it also re-emerges on the bitter and angry "My Country". But Nas is at his best on tracks like the diss track aimed towards Jay Z "Ether" which is proclaimed as one of the best diss tracks of all time, and then on "2nd Childhood" where he takes the more mellow approach about describing how he is living his childhood again. But one of the very best songs on this album is the single "One Mic". Arguably one of the best hip hop songs of all time with its strong message and just down rite epic production. Like i said earlier, this is definetly not the best rap album, or even the best Nas album, but its a really strong album that just adds to his thristy catalouge. Basically this album just re established an diminishing career that needed a lift, and that lift came in the form of Stillmatic.



Grade:
B

Where is the track silent murder. I remember when this first came out I got the tape of it. Hey it was 96 they still sold those. That was a bonus track and it was fire. I have it on a home made mixtape I made but still you would think after all these years they would have included it ow well. This to me is nas best album beat, lyrics at the time it was hated on for not being illmatic but still this joint is one of my favorite rap albums period!!!!!! I can't diss Nas anymore because he has found his way and stopped bling blinging it up. Before his new joint comes out pick up the N@#ger mixtape. Later

whether or not others feel this cd. Stillmatic is one hell of a release by Nas as he returns to form this time around slaying them on a variey of subjects throughout the cd. Whether its a stab back at Jay-Z on the heated "Ether" or Prodigy or Cormega on "Destroy and Rebuild" he's letting folks know that Nas is one of the best MCs out there without a doubt.

He also does something i don't believe i've heard on a song period with "Rewind" where he raps in reverse throughout the track and turns this into one of these best songs on the cd even though its just over a couple minutes. It makes you want the song to last that much longer. Also of note are tracks like "My Country" with Nas making a political stand on issues of war and taking care of our country first vice being all in everyone else's problems with all the things going on at home. I couldnt agree with him more. "What Goes Around" is basically about karma all the bad/negative things that you do to others will come back on you in spades as he weaves this story for the listeners like a pro.

"Got Yourself A Gun" is another burner from Nas that lets anyone thinking he'd fallen off know that there's no chance of that happening. "Rule" feat. Amerie is also another track worthy of several listens as he raps over this with Amerie providing excellent vocals along with it. "2nd Childhood" is about a person that despite all the years of life. They've still yet to reach that phase of being out on their own and doing their own thing. Still staying at home and having others carry them basically just like a child.

"Stillmatic" has to be one of the hottest rap albums not only of that year released. But even now i don't see how folks are dismissing this excellent cd when there is so much garbage out there that continues to get played. "Stillmatic" will still be around and folks will still be nodding their heads to it and feeling just what Nas is saying.

Big ups!!

Nas is in my opinion one of the greatest emcee of all time, he is one of very few that stays true to the real Hip Hop and has never went commercial unlike some artists. I see some negative reviews and it interested me cuz how could this be a mediocre album, and the reason why there are negative reviews is because people are comparing to this his landmark debut album "ILLMATIC". People should not compare this album to Illmatic because no one can top that album not even Nas himself, and he knows it, just listen to his lyrics in the Intro ("They thought I'll make another "Illmatic"
But it's always forward I'm moving
Never backwards stupid here's another classic") just because this is Stillmatic (a supposed sequel to Illmatic) does not mean it will be the same as Illmatic and people have to get over that. So I'm gonna review this album as a totally different album not comparing to Illmatic.

Nas's albums always starts with intro but this is the first where he actually raps in the intro and this is his best intro out of all his albums in my opinion. There are 14 tracks on the album (including bonus track) and all of them are different with a different concept different feel and all of them are top-notch songs. As always Nas's lyrcicsm is as sharp and precise as razor sharp sword cutting into paper, compared to Jay-Z (his old rival) he is a mile ahead always creating imaginary visuals creating a story for your listening pleasures. This album is probably his third best 1)Illmatic 2)It Was Written and this should not be missed go and cop this album.

TOP 5 TRACKS

1) One Mic - in my opinion this is the best song Nas has done of all time, he really puts people in the times of what he is rapping as if you were really there, his lyrics are as deep as they can get going from everywhere to personal, political or metaphorically he raps his heart out on this song and you can feel it.

2) Ether - the classic diss record to Jay-Z. This diss record is probably one of the best of all time and completely destroys Jay-Z's diss record to Nas (Takeover from the Blueprint Album) he completely kills Jay with this record which is probably why Jay-Z decided to call off the beef because he knew he lost. LOL

3) 2nd Childhood - a classic record with DJ Premier productions and there last collaboration, he raps about how it would be if he was reborn all over again, a great example of Nas's storytelling ability.

4) The Flyest feat. AZ - an underrated song, this is a homage to there first collaboration which was "Lifes a Bitch" which was on Illmatic and this is one of the best beat wise and chemistry wise between Nas and AZ, 1000% entertaining listening two great rappers exchaning words and verses and also a very catchy hook.

5) What Goes Around - this is a hard track with Nas goin back to his socio-political rhymes rapping about all of the bulls*** and blasphemy in the world, this is Nas going back to form and it is always nice to hear.

Now this is a great return to form from one of the best MC's that this world has ever seen. This is his best album since It Was Written in my opinion. Skip Nastradamous and even I Am and pick this up, great album.

Highlights
Ether (F*** Jay Z)
Got Urself a...
One Mic

I really don't do reviews because I feel no news is good news and if you say anything it should be in your disregard or your dissatisfaction of a certain thing. With that said, the Nas CD is great...just what I needed.

I remember this album when I was in the 6th grade. I love this album so much. This album is another creative milestone in the history of hip-hop and the artist himself. Nas receives the kind of respect that true rap wordsmiths continually target for themselves and it all boils down to his lyrics. His insights and observations concerning his generation can be read from his lyrics sheet as pure prose. When backed by the sonic collages of master producers, the signature combustion is his own. this album jibes with the coast-to-coast aestetic that is emerged in the wake of the late rap stars' deaths. This album is the latest chapter in the chronicle of rap's leading visionary (in 1999).

I don't know exactly when it happened, but one day, during this new century, I woke up and realized Hip-Hop had died. However, in 1999, everything seemed to be going great for it. I would never have guessed things would evolve into the way they are now. Where we have extremely simple and unpleasant beats with hooks of never more than two or three words in them, repetitive unoriginal topics of money, strip clubs, women, and the display of a glamorous lifestyle. There's no longer such thing as songs you can't dance too that actually sound good at the same time. The sounds being played in the clubs that every one loves now days sound absolutely horrible, and i don't understand who could find them pleasurable. What happened to the days when you actually heard instruments in your music. What happened to the days where the instrumentals of Hip-Hop songs were actually somewhat complex. What happened to the days when the hooks to Hip-Hop songs actual contained more than just a few words that are repeated over and over again. The only survivors of the wipe out of Hip-Hop are Nas, Kanye West, and The Game. They actual have something to say in their music. Their music has purpose. I can't say that about any other Hip-Hop artists--- CORRECTION: There are no other Hip-Hop artists. Lil' Wayne, Soulja Boy, Vic, and all those people are not Hip-Hop artists. They are not ARTISTS period, and the noise that they play a part in creating is NOT Hip-Hop.

I'm listening to this album right now, and all it makes me want to do, is lay down and close my eyes, and remember the days when it came out, and I first heard it. Days when I used to the record store down the street from my house which closed about five years ago, and is now U.S. Cellular. I remember how all I ever wanted or needed was music. It was my air, it was my food, it was my drug. When i finally made it home after a long day of school, it was the best refreshment in the world. Music today doesn't have the ability to give you the feeling it used to. And it's honestly, the music's fault. Not mine. There are so many qualities in older Hip-Hop music, that is completely absent in the new music today that is falsely referred to as Hip-Hop. I'm sad to say it but Hip-Hop lived it's life, and though I'm not sure of its actual death date, it's been gone for a while.

R.I.P. Hip-Hop

A Dope album by one of the dopest mc's in the rap game awesome lyrics and awesome flow

After Nas's Two Disc I Am... was leaked onto the internet people started disregarding all the material on the two releases. I Am is a lot better than Nastradamus. The guest appearances don't distract from this well crafted CD.

A second NY State of Mind opens this CD. It's as good as the first. The controversial video Hate Me Now follows and is an enjoyable track. The nest four tracks are amazing. From then on the DMX featured track stands out, and Nas Is Like and its succeeding songs are definite masterpieces.

Highly recommended.

I don't listen to a lot of Hip Hop music. Most of it I don't like at all. But it's different with Nas. His lyrics are (mostly) intelligent, edgy, frequently engaging and exhilerating, and I really like the tone of his voice. God's Son and It Was Written are my favorite Nas albums, but Lost Tapes, Street's Disciple, Hip Hop Is Dead and Untitled are very good, too. Heaven off God's Son is probably my favorite Nas song; the lyrics deal with finding inner peace, and, towards the end also works as a touching "inner dialogue", if you will, with his deceased mother. I love the last verse, where Nas goes: "I'm talkin' about a heaven in your own heart / In your own world, baby, in your existence / To my moms, look at me, baby / I love you, girl, your boy is shinin', God's son." Those last words give me goosebumps.

Man, Nas killed the game with this album. This is still one of my favorite rap albums of all time, right behind Illmatic. This album is so good, but the coolest thing about this album is that it shows that even the toughest guys have an softer side. Im not saying in any way shape or form that Nas is soft, or fake, im simply stating that this album is alot more emotional and spiritual than any of his other work. And its a good thing because he really opens up, and the result is some of the best storys ever told in the form of Nas's killer lyrics. NaS has always been know as a rapper that does not hold back his feeling for anyone. What he feels he says, plain and simple. And he shows alot of that on this album. Some of the many highlights on this stellar album include the very chill and laid back "Get Down", the dark and dimented Eminem produced "The Cross" where NaS pretty much says that he is keeping Hip Hop alive, which most would agree with. And then the big hit single which is definetly a NaS greatest hit, "Made You Look" is another great song. But if i had to choose just one song to be my favorite on this album, i would have to choose "Book Of Rhymes", because not only is NaS in tip top shape with his flows on this record, but the production is amazing on that song as well with its lasery sharp production and mid tempo boom boom clap beat. Nas really just went out and made a really personal record instead of trying to make a street banger, he just made an album thats true to him. This is definetly, at least in my opinion, NaS's second best album behind the obvious Illmatic. Which i dont think that anyone will ever come close to the level of that album. But the thing that really kinda dissapoints me about this album is that it got really overlooked. It still went Gold, but this album should honestly be a couple times platinum. Overall, Nas really brought rap back with this album. And its good that this album was as good as it was because after I Am, and Nastradamus, people started to think that NaS was falling off. Now Stillmatic, was good to, but not nearly as good as God's Son, thats why i say God's Son really brought him back.



Grade:
A-

I don't think there's a doubt in anyones mind that Nas is a legend in the rap industry and will eventually go down as on of the best rappers of all time. This CD(in my opinion)topped Stilmatic(his previous album). Although he was never album to release another albums such as iLLMATIC or It Was Written, he delivered 2 more classic albums after that being Stilmatic and Gods Son.

Yes, Nas is an incredible rapper, one of the best still around. In '94, he released the groundbreaking, Illmaitc. Two years later, he released an album that raised the mainstream bar a little, but **** it, it was genius. All of it. I Am... was okay, some nice cuts but nothing as a whole album. The same goes with Stillmatic. I won't speak about "the album", let's not go there. In 2002, we received an incredible album and his true comeback. Now let's break the album down...

"Get Down". Great track and Nas shows off his story telling skills here. Using a James Brown sample, he tells various storys. 9/10
"The Cross". Another solid track, good beat by Em. The title says it all. Just saying he's here to bring New York back. 8.5/10
"Made You Look". This is one of the best party, non-poppy tracks I've heard in awhile. Thank you Nas. 9/10
"Last Real N**** Alive" is an outlash to the time of hip-hop. Just amazing skills displayed by Nas here. 10/10
"Zone Out" is by far the worst song, so far. Its barely listenable. The album was flowing so smoothly then this came on. But I admit, BH display some nice lyrics. 6.5/10
"Hey Nas" is just another attempt by Nas to be a love man. Its a decent song and singing doesn't ruin it. 8/10
"I Can". You probably heard this by now. Nice attempt Nas to give back to the community and the kids. 8.5/10
"Book of Rhymes" returns the album on flow as the first four songs. Good concept by making it seem like he's rhyming out of different pages of rhymes. 10/10
"Thugz Mansion (N.Y.)" is basically the same song from 2pac's Better Dayz album but he removed 'Pac's first verse and put in his own. I won't hate on this. Nice touch. 9/10
"Mastermind". Nas puts some more solid lyrics here. 9/10
"Warrior Song" is another nice song to repeat. I didn't know Alica Keys produced, new to me. But she sang the chorus and produced this. Decent. 8.5/10
"Revolutionary Warfare" is one of my favorites on this CD. Unknown to the public rapper, Lake, makes an apperance. I love trading rhyme verses and this has that. 10/10
"Dance". I'm crying right now, thank you Nas...10/10
"Heaven". Chorus is annoying but it has a message. Flow is very nicely done by Nas. Lyrics are great. 9/10

Closing Comments: By no means is this a classic, but its a damn good album, the note of It Was Written. If you wanna get into Nas, I suggest Illmatic first. After that, It Was Written or this are good choices. Its filled with very nice cuts. Only one bad track. But Nas gave us a nice album in 2002, so I thank you Mr. Jones.

-Peace

I think that NaS is as strong as a MC as he ever was and I think that lyrically and idealistically, this album would be a 5 star. The only problem(s) that brings NaS down is the beats. I have always thought that you didn't need good beats to make a classic album,that you just needed the rhymes and skills on the mic,but boy was I wrong. The beats on this CD are just OK for NaS. I HATE the beat for "Mastermind" I think its too early 90s RNB sounding and his flow didn't go top the beat. I wasn;t feeling it at all. Other beats that I didn't like was the ALicia Keys produced "Warrior Song". It was just a off beat piano that sped up and was only on beat for the drum breakdown.Beats aside, NaS comes through lyrically as expected. His story telling skills on "Get Down" shine through gorgeously, while his street anthem "Made You Look" is something that you could just chill out to and nod ya head at the same time. NaS covers ideas such as spirituality on "Heaven" and tells all in his name dropping auto bio "Last Real Nigga Alive". His inspirational track "I Can" is OK,I suppose and "Zone Out"(feat Bravehearts) is just average,too. Jungle and Wiz don't prove to be anything above average for a commercial MC,while NaS completely KILLS the track(it has a sick beat too).Overall This CD is pretty good and is worth a listen if you're into supporting real rap,or if you're a NaS fan in general.

Top 5 tracks
1.Get Down
2.Heaven
3.Made You Look
4.Last Real Nigga Alive
5.I Can or Zone Out

If you're like me you're reading this review because you can't quite make up your mind if you wanna get a certain product. While I may be a Jay-Z fan I do appreciate the fact that Nas is possibly the best Rapper alive. I don't know what these joker's shout about Lil Wayne for, he is no legend and certainly NOT the best in the game today.

Nas' 'Hip Hop Is Dead' is a very good album with some thought provoking lyrics which aim to get his point across. Standout tracks include: Can't forget about you, Not going back, Black republican, Carry on tradition and Hustler's. 1 of the other reviews described this album as not a conventional rap album. I would also like to echo this sentiment, don't expect to find heavy car-bumping beats or catchy hook's. Also it is more of a mature fan's listen.

While it may not be a conventional rap album it is 10x better than most of what is put out at the moment (Lil Wayne+50 Cent followers take note). In conclusion this is a must have for any Nas fan and a very good listen for any Hip hop fan. If a friend has it, borrow it and judge for yourself.

Well, Nas is arguabley the best rapper alive. Of course everyone has their own opinion and before i get jumped on for calling him the best rapper alive, let me restate that, HE IS A LEGEND. But im not gonna lie, this album was a let down. With a name like Hip Hop Is Dead, you kinda expect a little more. You expect Nas to save hip hop with this album. But he didnt really do a whole lot to save it. I mean, i dont want to understate this album, because its definetly not bad, but its also definetly not Illmatic or even God's Son. But its still alot better than alot of the other crap being put out right now. But as far as Nas goes, i definetly do expect better. He still has his game tight as far as i can tell, his swagger is still intact and firey as ever. The only real problem with this album, is some of its tracks are just boring. Like the just flat out stupid "Who Killed It?", where NaS doesnt even rapper, he instead talks like an old man over an actually really good beat. The same can be said about "Still Dreaming", it just felt like these songs never really picked up. But then on standouts like the Scott Storch produced banger "Carry On Tradition" where he spits about how the game has changed since he came in. And then on the more laid back Chris Webber produced (Yes, the legendary NBA player!) "Blunt Ashes", Nas spits venomous blows to the mic. But other than those two stellar tracks, there are only a few standouts that are actually worth listening to more than once. Nas is still one of my favorite rappers of all time, maybe my favorite, but i will be the first to admit that this album was definetly a miss, at least with the standards i have for Nas. It just lacks that fire that his other albums had.



Grade:
C

and everything. but towards the end the cd could use a shot of life. It's not one of Nas' best albums as there are others that rock it from beginning to end better than "Hip Hop is Dead". But the cd does have a theme that is worth listening to for the most part and it has some solid songs that i enjoyed like:

"Still Dreaming"
"Where Are They Now"
"Hustlers"

there are some others that are cool and what not but also several that just don't feel right here. Whether they were rushed or just incomplete i'm not sure. But this seems to be one of his more uneven cds in recent memory. It might sell well and is worth it only if your a long time Nas fan otherwise. I would just download the songs here that you enjoy, but not the whole cd itself.

Don't get me wrong, i enjoyed the cd because i'm a Nas fan from way back. But if hadn't been into him for this long. I might have been more inclined to not buy this straight up as it stands however. I don't regret the purchase of this one.

Nas is a great lyricist; this album is proof of that statement. I really enjoyed "Hip Hop is Dead" mostly because of his delivery and he finally has some good production. Most of his past albums have only sub-par production, but this one is a big improvement, so he should be commended for that. The guest appearances helped gussy this album up, too. Snoop, Game, Chrisette Michelle, Jay-Z and Trey Williams all do a splendid job with their features. This is a concept album, and although I see where Nas is coming from when he says hip hop is dead, but he seems delusional because sometimes he says he feels like it's dead then he says it will never die, hmmm. I'm confused, I must say.

Every track here is worth taking a listen to, but the highlight is definitely "Let There Be Light." This is one of his finest moments as a rapper. The production is magnificent, Trey Williams did a great job with singing the hook, and Nas's delivery and lyrics are amazing. "Money Over Bulls***" is another fine moment on this album. The beat lures you in as the song begins, and Nas takes it from there with his supreme skill. "Blunt Ashes" was particularly memorable because he mentioned many of favorite celebrities and their demises. It was truly interesting how he worded certain things. "Black Republican" and "Can't Forget About You" are great! Jay-Z does well on "Black Republican", but he doesn't outshine Nas on his own track (I think Nas made sure of that.)

I highly recommend this album to rap lovers. I'm sure you will find many songs that you will enjoy and replay over and over. This is a nice album!

Mikeisha's Top 5

1. "Blunt Ashes"
2. "Let There Be Light"
3. "Money Over Bull****"
4. "Hustlers"
5. "Black Republican"

I am a huge nas fan, illmatic, it was written, I am, stillmatic, lost tapes ... all classic. This album was beyond dissapointing, it was 90% filler tracks. The fact that so many people gave it 5 stars proves hip hop really is dead.

Can someone please tell me why didn't these songs make it to the final masters of I'AM & Nostradmus???? WTF!!!! I HATE RECODS LABELS!!!!


-kidd

All I can really say is "wow." This is an amazing album from start to finish. I remember when Nas first came out in 1994 with "Illmatic." I always thought he was a good rapper, but I recently started listening to him more because he is my best friend's favorite rapper of all time. Too, many people say that "Illmatic" is one of the best hip-hop albums of all time, so I wanted to listen to a lot more of his music. The more I listen to him, the more I understand why he is so revered in hip-hop and rap. He has never been the type of rapper that is too concerned about being platinum; he is more concerned about getting his points across in his music. Nas, you have finally gotten through to me with "Lost Tapes."

I rate every song on here between four and five stars. I can't remember the last time I listened to an album and every single song blew me away. He gives lots of energy on each song, enthralls you with his wordplay, and definitely worth mentioning is the fact that the production is fantastic! One of the problems I had with his first two albums was the bad production. Had his production been better on those two albums, the quality would have been brought up several notches. On "Lost Tapes", the phrase "less is more" works because many of the tracks only have drum and piano, but they worked perfectly. "Doo Rags" and "Blaze a 50" are both piano and drum heavy, have memorable moments, and great energy. In "Doo Rags", Nas reminisces about the past and the listener can't help but reminisce with him because most can relate to his words in that song. This is easily one of his best songs ever. "No Idea's Original", "Black Zombie" and "Fetus" are also highlights that will receive lots of rewinds from me.

This is real hip-hop, people! Get your hands on this album somehow, someway, and be enlightened as to why Nas is considered one of the best who ever did it. Reiteration: This is Nas's best album!

Mikeisha's Top 5

1. "Doo Rags"
2. "Nothing Lasts Forever"
3. "Purple"
4. "Fetus"
5. "Black Zombie"

theres not an ok song on this album this is sum of my fav from nas

I wish these songs were part of their coinciding albums. But they still make a really dope mixtape.

I highly recommend this album to any Nas fan or anyone who is looking to become a Nas fan.

My only beef with this album is that there are several other songs that probably should have been on here too. Like "One on One," "Street Dreams Remix," "One Plus One," and "Stay Chiseled."

Tommy's Favorite tracks --

Purple
Doo Rags
U Gotta Love it
Black Zombie (weak chorus, ridiculous beat)
Nothing Lasts Forever
No Idea's Original

I grew up with all the greats Rakim, KRS-One,so on and so forth...now both them men have gave props to Nas...a legend in the rap/hiphop game gives someone props you know they're beyond great...now onto the album at hand...I was riding the subway in Queens when I came across this billboard with Nas "Lost Tapes" I was in heaven a new Nas album...now in typical fashion the man hasn't let me down...Drunk by myself...Fetus...two albums which he lyrically puts your ear drums to the test of greatness...any Nas fan and or any real Rap/Hip Hop fan would be doing themself a great justice by getting this album...enough said

Fresh off listening to Nas's great new Untitled album, I felt compelled to go back and re-listen to all his old efforts from start to finish. Beginning with Illmatic and ending chronologically with Untitled, it's fair to say that Nas changed considerably as a rapper throughout his career. This needs to be kept in mind when listening to this album

In late 1999, he was in the midst of this strange Nastradamus image, which saw him torn between his street grit of Illmatic and the commercial-driven efforts of It Was Written and I Am..., which were both good albums in their own right, yet found Nas juggling his subject matter between realistic and interesting street poetry to the money, bitches and success that seeped into the entire rap game.

The best part of Nastradamus is the fact that there is VERY little of the flashy, bling-oriented raps that we found on I Am... These songs are much harder, and find Nas revisiting the street life. I tend to take his raps with a grain of salt, because I just don't think that he was ever "on the block" in 1999 as much as he preaches, but it's at least consistent with his Illmatic roots.

Now to the songs. Yeah, there are a few bad ones on here. The last third of the album (five songs) drags along and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, considering that the first two-thirds of the album is strong. Contrary to what many would have you believe, there are a few gems here:
-Project Windows: one of Nas's most beautiful songs, with Ronald Isley's beautiful voice flowing over the chorus. The rhymes are vintage Illmatic, and it's the album's best song.
-Come Get Me: a monstrous beat from DJ Premier, this song is similar to "Nas Is Like" off the I Am...record. The beat cruises along, and Nas's rhymes, although not as original or clever as I'd like, flow perfectly.
-Some of Us Have Angels: a fresh, original concept song that works well.

Those three songs are great, and like I said earlier, the first two-thirds of the album is very good. Beginning with the song "God Love Us," though, the album begins to fall flat. "New World" is a strong social commentary song that is horribly misplaced at track 13. It's sandwiched between two awful songs before and after it, and it would have functioned perfectly as the final track after "Family" to close out the album. Besides this song, however, the last third of the album is pretty poor - trite lyrics, uninspiring beats, etc.

But isn't this what plagues most Nas albums? I Am... had "KISSING" and "Money is My Bitch", poor songs. Stillmatic, good as it was, had a couple crappy songs in "Braveheart Party" and "Poison". God's Son had the lame "I Can" and "Warrior Song", and "Street's Disciple" was too drawn-out over two discs. So Nas has a history of this. Granted, Nastradamus has more missteps and useless songs than you'd expect from him - about five on this album - but the first two-thirds of it and "New World" make for a solid collection of songs. It's a decent Nas album, and it should be purchased by fans of his, especially those that enjoyed the It Was Written and I Am... albums.

This takes a lot of crap because it's from the same artist that made Illmatic, the greatest rap CD ever made. Nastradamus is still a great album and Nas still brings the dopest rhymes the genre has ever seen. If you're a Nas fan, this is a must have, and if you listen to Dipset, or any other wannabe rap out there, then even Nastradamus will sound like a classic. Even Nas's worst album deserves a 5 because its still a great CD.

NaStradamus has a number of good songs, but none are captivating. I do like some like Last Words, Shoot Em Up, Family, and Big Girl, but there isn't enough to qualify this as a good CD.

If you're a fan of NaS you should definitely check this out. His rap is excellent even if the songs aren't always the same.

Solid recommendation though.

didnt care for this one has to be the worst one to me. only a few tracks i was feeling. but i say get it anyway

This album ranges from awful to boring. You can tell uninspired work when you hear it and this album was as uninspired as they come. Now, I love Nas and its hard to deny his immessurable contribution to hip hop but this album was booty simple and plain. The Good: Project Windows with Ronald Isley is dope but Ronald Isely could have given a better performance. New World has a corny beat but lyrically it's above average. The same thing could be said about Life We Chose. Last Words is Nashawns best performance ever is also a standout. The Bad:His first single Nastradamus is bland and corny. I found myself nodding off to uninspired garbage like Some Of Us Have Angels and God Loves Us. The DJ Premier produced Come Get Me has a dope beat but Nas tries too hard to keep up with the beat.
The Ugly: Family featuring Prodigy is hot garbage plus you know its a problem when both Nas and Prodigy bust some suspect verses(especially back then) on a track. Quiet N****s with The Bravehearts is pure rubbish plus anything with Bravehearts on it is bound for wackness. Shoot Em Up sounds like a Christmas carole on acid and Big Girl could have easily been the worst track on the album until you hear Nas's second single You Owe Me with Ginuwine. Big Girl is pretty much Nas's attempt to rap fast(and he fails miserably) over a sissy love ballad sounding beat. You Owe Me was an awful second single with Nas busting the most dookiest rhymes of his respectable rap career over the worst beat that Timbaland has ever produced(that beat sounds like a disco rehash)! Bottom Line: Nas's Nastradamus is not only Nas's worst album, its one of the worst rap releases of 1999. Nas's heart was not in this album and when you heart is not in it, you will make suspect music. Nas not only went through the motions on this album, he revolutionized the term "going through the motions". Nas is still a great MC and he is entitled to one mistake and boy was this album a mistake. Anybody who tells you different is a Nas fan to an unhealthy degree and a prime example of this is the top 1000 reviewer who says there are no wack songs on here. If you believe that then why give this album 3 stars? Exactly. Now you have all the proof you need that top 500 and 1000 reviewers are nuts!

Wish there was more unreleased cuts on the album, but Surviving the Times is enough for 4.5 stars

The reviewer who states that this sorry excuse of a compilation is all the Nas you need obviously knows very little about Nas and his music. Now, I own every Nas cd ever released, so take it from me: This doesn't even come close to capturing the best of Nas. Sad!

Yeah, Yeah Nas is One of the Most Skilled Lyricist and Skilled MC's over the past 20 plus years, but more often than not He hasn't always brought it on record. the cool things about Hit packages is that you get all the essential Cuts that blew up and then some extra. now "Ether" Should have been on here to me,but I dig the overall selections. I dug Nas mainly from 94-99. hit alot of miss since then, but this collection is cool and all I need from Dude.i wish he would get back to just bringing it on the Real and no More gimmicks to sell his Product he should be above that at this stage of the game.

... to mainstream "success" and shiny suits while ryhming "Oochie Wally" (maybe his lowest moment) back down to somewhere in the middle, Nas's career has been quite a roller coaster ride of ups and downs trying to straddle the fine line of commercial success and street credibility. Unlike 2pac, Big, and Jay Z, Nas has always had problems pulling it off and taking a look at his catalog of albums shows exactly that... drifting from great, (Illmatic, The Lost Tapes) to good, (Stillmatic, It Was Written) to passable (Nastradamous, I Am). It's really a true testament to his MC greatness that he's been able to keep afloat through it all, including bouncing back strong from a wicked attack from the most popular MC at the time when Jay Z busted him hard (probably even revived his career with his counter attack). This isn't a bad selection of tracks (though every Nas fan can think of more than a few that are missing) but if you are new to Nas and want a true "best of" album then you'd be better served to pick up his first album Illmatic and get blown away by it's brilliance (9 tracks, not including the intro, produced by some of the best producers ever... DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Pro, and an incredible offering by Q-Tip?! Not to mention the best guest spot EVER by AZ!). So 4 stars for this, a good collection of tracks for the casual fan of Rap that just wants to hear a little of what Nas has had to offer through the years without investing too much time or money.

I'm not going to beat anybody over the head about how much of a Nas fan I am. Or if your a true Nas fan then you will get this no matter what. No thats BS if you like wasting money or don't have Nas albums then get this. I didn't buy this. My nephew got it and we bumped it together. All it did was make me listen to his albums.

This is only Nas radio hits. Even if your new to Nas this really isn't a good place to start. To truly understand Nas as a mc you have to get his albums. Illmatic, Lost Tapes, It was Written & Stillmatic would be a great start. This does Nas no justice at all. A greatest hits for him should be 2 disk with several bonus tracks.