There was never an OG version. It was songs that were intended to be on the album that were compiled into that bootleg. The double album that was planned NEVER leaked. The ones floating around are fan made from songs that appear on the album, leaked songs that weren't on the bootlegs, songs on Lost Tapes, and songs that were on the bootlegs.
Nas "I Am" got 4.5 Mic when it came out. WHY DOES THE COLI&the internet HATE IT?!
- Thread starter Asicz
- Start date
There was never an OG version. It was songs that were intended to be on the album that were compiled into that bootleg. The double album that was planned NEVER leaked. The ones floating around are fan made from songs that appear on the album, leaked songs that weren't on the bootlegs, songs on Lost Tapes, and songs that were on the bootlegs.
@JustCKing
Was there even a bootleg version of I Am on the streets at that time prior to the release of the retail I Am?
Was there even a bootleg version of I Am on the streets at that time prior to the release of the retail I Am?
Homeboy Runny-Ray
From Around The Way
THIS
altho i think it was a sign of the times. that period personified the balance between gritty & commercal.
People, haters, fans, and critics can say what the hell they want to say but Hate me Now, Nas is Like, Undying Love, Small World, NY State of Mind 2 can rival the top 5 songs on any Nas album and definitely the top 5 ANY other rapper's best, most classic album. fukk the hate! I fukks with I am!
Article discussing the original plan for I Am... from 1998:
Nas Declares Here "I Am" On Next Album
It looks like Nas wanted more songs with Premo. Three were released if we count "Come Get Me", which made it on Nastradamus.
Nas Declares Here "I Am" On Next Album
It looks like Nas wanted more songs with Premo. Three were released if we count "Come Get Me", which made it on Nastradamus.
This is why that fake track listing fans put out was bullshyt. It didn’t have tracks like hate me now or you won’t see me tonight
Those were created with bias. They removed anything remotely commercial from the album as if those songs wouldn't have been on the double album. When clearly there was a plan that those songs would've been included.
spliz
SplizThaDon
This is actually why some people I know had it has their fav Nas album at release. Regardless of how anyone slices it. I Am being garbage is some retroactive history rewrite shyt. IWW was only hated by purist. The streets loved it. nikkas try to say it was more commercial but honestly it was more street than nikkas wanted Nas to be. It wasn’t as introspective in tone as Illmatic. Illmatic has nikkas falsely thinking Nas was some backpacker and he was trying to chase trends with IWW but on the contrary Nas at his core is a street nikka who loved jewelry, flossin and hangin wit his nikkas. nikkas couldn’t understand that Nas was ALL of those things between Illmatic and IWW.
Dont sleep on We Will Survive, Small World, Favor for a Favor, Ghetto Prisoners.
As far as im concerned, this only adds to the mystique, aura and legacy of Nas.
the "comeback" of Stillmatic made it more epic, since people hated on I AM.
the "comeback" of Stillmatic made it more epic, since people hated on I AM.
prophecypro
Hollywood North
In retrospect this is a pretty great album with only 2-3 duds
I had 0day access before this dropped and remember seeing the double album floating around on ftp sites. Still mad as fukk I don't have those files anymore. Anyways the high highs prop this album up, undying love is probably one of the best written songs ever, even outside of hiphop.
C-Styles
Superstar
I AM will always be the most balanced Nas album as if he was on BAD BOY and to be honest, you can introduce any fair weather hip hop fan to Nas with this album and they'll come out with a great appreciation of hip hop in general because of his great storytelling in this project like "Small world" and "Undying love". It's more classic low-key than it was written was 
Homeboy Runny-Ray
From Around The Way
I AM will always be the most balanced Nas album as if he was on BAD BOY and to be honest, you can introduce any fair weather hip hop fan to Nas with this album and they'll come out with a great appreciation of hip hop in general because of his great storytelling in this project like "Small world" and "Undying love". It's more classic low-key than it was written was
its not classic.
but i agree that it is his gateway album, and the album you should use in order to introduce him to casuals or younger fans.
they dodged a bullet with that one.
potential flop.