Nas - I Am... (Original Version, 29 Tracks)
- Thread starter 2CT
- Start date
GetRichOrDieTryin
Superstar
link
Need that
I'm finally allowed to post here! Figure I'd make this my first post.
Every Nastradamus song besides Project Window was actually recorded after I Am... was released. Columbia originally wanted to put out the bootlegged/leftover I Am… songs (basically every song here not on the I Am… retail) on a follow up in 99, but Nas decided he would rather just record a new album instead (that’s why Nastradamus feels rushed). Here’s my own personal version of I Am..., keeping in mind the original double disc concept of an autobiography.
Nas - I Am…the Autobiography
Disc 1: The Rise
1. Fetus (Belly Button Window)
2. Project Window ft. Ron Isley
3. Poppa Was A Playa
4. N.Y. State of Mind Pt. II
5. Find Ya Wealth
6. U Gotta Love It
7. Nas Is Like
8. You Won’t See Me Tonight ft. Aaliyah
9. Daydreamin’, Stay Schemin’
10. Sometimes I Wonder ft. Nature
11. Ghetto Prisoners
12. Small World
Disc 2: The Fall
1. Life Is What You Make It ft. DMX
2. The Hardest Thing to Do is Stay Alive
3. Money Is My bytch
4. Favor For A Favor ft. Scarface
5. Blaze A 50
6. Hate Me Now ft. Puff Daddy
7. We Will Survive
8. The Rise & Fall
9. My Worst Enemy
10. Drunk By Myself
11. Undying Love
12. Amongst Kings
Disc 1 (aka The Rise Disc) starts with Nas’ birth (Fetus), his childhood and upbringing in the Queensbridge housing projects (Project Window), his father’s infidelity to his mother (Poppa Was A Playa), as well as his rough adolescence (N.Y. State of Mind Pt. II). As a teen, he makes arguably the greatest hip hop album of all time, Illmatic, (Find Ya Wealth), and is crowned rap's prodigal son (U Gotta Love It, Nas Is Like). Nas’ newfound success turns him into a player, where he toys with the emotions of a girl he’s seeing (You Won’t See Me Tonight). Despite better living since blowing up on the rap scene, he finds himself involved in petty beefs (Daydreamin’, Stay Schemin’). Queensbridge and his deceased/incarcerated friends also still rest heavily on Nas' mind (Sometimes I Wonder, Ghetto Prisoners). Furthermore, Nas himself is still in the streets and associating with shady people (Small World) who are scheming on him, which foreshadows his troubles to come.
Disc 2 (aka The Fall Disc) starts with Nas on the top of the world after going platinum with It Was Written. He has a flashy new “get money or die" outlook on life (Life Is What You Make It, Money Is My bytch). He thinks he won’t get caught up in the game like others (The Hardest Thing to Do is Stay Alive), is now making new connects in different states other than NY and adopts an arrogant mafioso persona (Favor For a Favor). He finds himself getting involved in increasingly bizarre, fantastical capers (Blaze A 50) and reaches a new height of egomania when he viciously claps back at critics who say he has changed (Hate Me Now). A turning point happens when fellow rappers 2pac and Biggie are murdered, which temporarily snaps Nas back to reality. He pens a mournful tribute to them and reintroduces his introspective side (We Will Survive). He then starts self-doubting his own career (The Rise & Fall), wondering if he has lost sight of what made him a great rapper in the first place and admits his own personal flaws. He finds his mind in a dark place (My Worst Enemy), and resorts to self-pity and suicidal drunk driving (Drunk By Myself), but stops this self-destructive behavior when he ultimately sees the positives in his life. However, this hope is short-lived: Nas' life ends when he kills his wife (possibly the same girl from You Won’t See Me Tonight), the man she is cheating on him with and himself (Undying Love). In the afterlife, Nas pleads his case to God to give him another chance. God grants his wish and sends a reborn Nas back to Earth as a prophet (Amongst Kings).
It’s fascinating to think of how Nas career would have been different if he had released something close to this in 99. I think the biggest question is would the Jay battle still have happened? It was probably inevitable with all the subliminals they were sending each other, but Jay definitely wouldn’t have been able to lean on the "Nas fell off” angle if all of this amazing material had dropped as originally intended.
Every Nastradamus song besides Project Window was actually recorded after I Am... was released. Columbia originally wanted to put out the bootlegged/leftover I Am… songs (basically every song here not on the I Am… retail) on a follow up in 99, but Nas decided he would rather just record a new album instead (that’s why Nastradamus feels rushed). Here’s my own personal version of I Am..., keeping in mind the original double disc concept of an autobiography.
Nas - I Am…the Autobiography
Disc 1: The Rise
1. Fetus (Belly Button Window)
2. Project Window ft. Ron Isley
3. Poppa Was A Playa
4. N.Y. State of Mind Pt. II
5. Find Ya Wealth
6. U Gotta Love It
7. Nas Is Like
8. You Won’t See Me Tonight ft. Aaliyah
9. Daydreamin’, Stay Schemin’
10. Sometimes I Wonder ft. Nature
11. Ghetto Prisoners
12. Small World
Disc 2: The Fall
1. Life Is What You Make It ft. DMX
2. The Hardest Thing to Do is Stay Alive
3. Money Is My bytch
4. Favor For A Favor ft. Scarface
5. Blaze A 50
6. Hate Me Now ft. Puff Daddy
7. We Will Survive
8. The Rise & Fall
9. My Worst Enemy
10. Drunk By Myself
11. Undying Love
12. Amongst Kings
Disc 1 (aka The Rise Disc) starts with Nas’ birth (Fetus), his childhood and upbringing in the Queensbridge housing projects (Project Window), his father’s infidelity to his mother (Poppa Was A Playa), as well as his rough adolescence (N.Y. State of Mind Pt. II). As a teen, he makes arguably the greatest hip hop album of all time, Illmatic, (Find Ya Wealth), and is crowned rap's prodigal son (U Gotta Love It, Nas Is Like). Nas’ newfound success turns him into a player, where he toys with the emotions of a girl he’s seeing (You Won’t See Me Tonight). Despite better living since blowing up on the rap scene, he finds himself involved in petty beefs (Daydreamin’, Stay Schemin’). Queensbridge and his deceased/incarcerated friends also still rest heavily on Nas' mind (Sometimes I Wonder, Ghetto Prisoners). Furthermore, Nas himself is still in the streets and associating with shady people (Small World) who are scheming on him, which foreshadows his troubles to come.
Disc 2 (aka The Fall Disc) starts with Nas on the top of the world after going platinum with It Was Written. He has a flashy new “get money or die" outlook on life (Life Is What You Make It, Money Is My bytch). He thinks he won’t get caught up in the game like others (The Hardest Thing to Do is Stay Alive), is now making new connects in different states other than NY and adopts an arrogant mafioso persona (Favor For a Favor). He finds himself getting involved in increasingly bizarre, fantastical capers (Blaze A 50) and reaches a new height of egomania when he viciously claps back at critics who say he has changed (Hate Me Now). A turning point happens when fellow rappers 2pac and Biggie are murdered, which temporarily snaps Nas back to reality. He pens a mournful tribute to them and reintroduces his introspective side (We Will Survive). He then starts self-doubting his own career (The Rise & Fall), wondering if he has lost sight of what made him a great rapper in the first place and admits his own personal flaws. He finds his mind in a dark place (My Worst Enemy), and resorts to self-pity and suicidal drunk driving (Drunk By Myself), but stops this self-destructive behavior when he ultimately sees the positives in his life. However, this hope is short-lived: Nas' life ends when he kills his wife (possibly the same girl from You Won’t See Me Tonight), the man she is cheating on him with and himself (Undying Love). In the afterlife, Nas pleads his case to God to give him another chance. God grants his wish and sends a reborn Nas back to Earth as a prophet (Amongst Kings).
It’s fascinating to think of how Nas career would have been different if he had released something close to this in 99. I think the biggest question is would the Jay battle still have happened? It was probably inevitable with all the subliminals they were sending each other, but Jay definitely wouldn’t have been able to lean on the "Nas fell off” angle if all of this amazing material had dropped as originally intended.
spliz
SplizThaDon
Great start to the site bro.
IllmaticDelta
Veteran
That tracklist above is dope, second favorite to my own and I usually don't like other lists like that.
I just got a couple questions because I've done so much research on this album in the past 7 years it's crazy.. But..
Isn't the Rise and Fall made in '00 to '01 for Death of Escobar? I always see two different origins for this song online.
I always heard Ghetto Prisoners, Favor for a Favor and Life is What you Make it being tracks that were made after the leak to meet the deadline.
You Won't See me tonight I see a couple people say sometimes that it was confirmed for the album in like 98 and also see people saying it was a recording after the leak. (I don't necessarily believe that)
"U Gotta love it" place on the album. I never seen it on any bootlegs but since it's on lost tapes i assume that's why it gets the pass. Same with My Worst Enemy (even though both these tracks could fit, definitely the latter)
I see people only give Project Windows from Nastradamus a pass, a recent reddit AMA with Nas someone asked about the OG I Am... And his answer wasn't the best (basically what we know, leaked tracks, I am, lost tapes) but he also said some tracks from Nastradamus (and I emphasise the plural). That said, some lyrics on Some of Us have Angels kinda seem as if it fits the I Am theme..
Now this is your mom, your good luck charm
Pushin you to do no wrong, prayin for you that you live long
Nobody kill my baby, but she know her baby crazy
In and out of jail, mom's screamin, "God take me!"
This is your pop, chip off the old block that made him
The man of the house, mom and pops seperatin
Spittin image of a gangster the way pop walked
The way pop talked, got older and you thanked him now
This is your hood, poor folks drugs and robberies
Turnin into the things moms wanted you not to be
I've made my own tracklists and finally have one I like, it's not a double disc because that another thing about this album that wasn't 100% announced as a double, just speculation from what I've seen.
I wish OGs from that time who remember the leak (I just turned 25 so I'm assed out) would get together and try to piece this together as well as industry insiders.. Likelyhood is low though.
It's either the people gotta figure this out or someone gotta ask Nas on the low low.
He probably hasn't re-released it or said anything due to label politics.
I just got a couple questions because I've done so much research on this album in the past 7 years it's crazy.. But..
Isn't the Rise and Fall made in '00 to '01 for Death of Escobar? I always see two different origins for this song online.
I always heard Ghetto Prisoners, Favor for a Favor and Life is What you Make it being tracks that were made after the leak to meet the deadline.
You Won't See me tonight I see a couple people say sometimes that it was confirmed for the album in like 98 and also see people saying it was a recording after the leak. (I don't necessarily believe that)
"U Gotta love it" place on the album. I never seen it on any bootlegs but since it's on lost tapes i assume that's why it gets the pass. Same with My Worst Enemy (even though both these tracks could fit, definitely the latter)
I see people only give Project Windows from Nastradamus a pass, a recent reddit AMA with Nas someone asked about the OG I Am... And his answer wasn't the best (basically what we know, leaked tracks, I am, lost tapes) but he also said some tracks from Nastradamus (and I emphasise the plural). That said, some lyrics on Some of Us have Angels kinda seem as if it fits the I Am theme..
Now this is your mom, your good luck charm
Pushin you to do no wrong, prayin for you that you live long
Nobody kill my baby, but she know her baby crazy
In and out of jail, mom's screamin, "God take me!"
This is your pop, chip off the old block that made him
The man of the house, mom and pops seperatin
Spittin image of a gangster the way pop walked
The way pop talked, got older and you thanked him now
This is your hood, poor folks drugs and robberies
Turnin into the things moms wanted you not to be
I've made my own tracklists and finally have one I like, it's not a double disc because that another thing about this album that wasn't 100% announced as a double, just speculation from what I've seen.
I wish OGs from that time who remember the leak (I just turned 25 so I'm assed out) would get together and try to piece this together as well as industry insiders.. Likelyhood is low though.
It's either the people gotta figure this out or someone gotta ask Nas on the low low.
He probably hasn't re-released it or said anything due to label politics.
Last edited:
DirtyMoney
Banned
Bless me
Im glad that these unrrleased songs weren't released as I Am.
I Am is a great album if you were a teenager or older when it came out.
Hate Me Now has the one one the biggest budgets of any video in Hip Hop history the time it came out.
The other single prod. By Premo was an instant classic.
The Scarface feature is fire.
The production was great LES did his thing also.
Only on the internet / the coli. Does I am album get panned.
Mist of the unreleased tracks have a drastically different vibe and quality than I AM retail release.
I can't understand the obsession with the songs surrounding this era in Nas career.
Very bizarre.
I Am is a great album if you were a teenager or older when it came out.
Hate Me Now has the one one the biggest budgets of any video in Hip Hop history the time it came out.
The other single prod. By Premo was an instant classic.
The Scarface feature is fire.
The production was great LES did his thing also.
Only on the internet / the coli. Does I am album get panned.
Mist of the unreleased tracks have a drastically different vibe and quality than I AM retail release.
I can't understand the obsession with the songs surrounding this era in Nas career.
Very bizarre.
MouseTeeth
All Star
Dope outlook...i don't even think Nas himself would've put this much introspection into that album had he dropped it lol
That tracklist above is dope, second favorite to my own and I usually don't like other lists like that.
I just got a couple questions because I've done so much research on this album in the past 7 years it's crazy.. But..
Isn't the Rise and Fall made in '00 to '01 for Death of Escobar? I always see two different origins for this song online.
I always heard Ghetto Prisoners, Favor for a Favor and Life is What you Make it being tracks that were made after the leak to meet the deadline.
You Won't See me tonight I see a couple people say sometimes that it was confirmed for the album in like 98 and also see people saying it was a recording after the leak.
"U Gotta love it" place on the album. I never seen it on any bootlegs but since it's on lost tapes i assume that's why it gets the pass. Same with My Worst Enemy (even though both these tracks could fit, definitely the latter)
I see people only give Project Windows from Nastradamus a pass, a recent reddit AMA with Nas someone asked about the OG I Am... And his answer wasn't the best (basically what we know, leaked tracks, I am, lost tapes) but he also said some tracks from Nastradamus (and I emphasise the plural). That said, some lyrics on Some of Us have Angels kinda seem as if it fits the I Am theme..
Now this is your mom, your good luck charm
Pushin you to do no wrong, prayin for you that you live long
Nobody kill my baby, but she know her baby crazy
In and out of jail, mom's screamin, "God take me!"
This is your pop, chip off the old block that made him
The man of the house, mom and pops seperatin
Spittin image of a gangster the way pop walked
The way pop talked, got older and you thanked him now
This is your hood, poor folks drugs and robberies
Turnin into the things moms wanted you not to be
I've made my own tracklists and finally have one I like, it's not a double disc because that another thing about this album that wasn't 100% announced as a double, just speculation from what I've seen.
I wish OGs from that time who remember the leak (I just turned 25 so I'm assed out) would get together and try to piece this together as well as industry insiders.. Likelyhood is low though.
It's either the people gotta figure this out or someone gotta ask Nas on the low low.
He probably hasn't re-released it or said anything due to label politics.
According to a post in the comment section on http://thedjcoopblogs.blogspot.com/2012/07/i-am-autobiography.html, the following is the December 98 leak of I Am, which seems right to me:
01. Fetus (Belly Button Window) (later on The Lost Tapes)
02. Small World (later on I Am...)
03. Money Is My bytch (later on I Am...)
04. Project Window (later on Nastradamus)
05. Poppa Was A Player (later on The Lost Tapes)
06. Dr. Knockboots (Do's And Don't) (later on I Am...)
07. Day Dreamin' Stay Schemin
08. Sometimes I Wonder
09. HardestThingToDoIsStayAlive
10. Drunk By Myself (later on The Lost Tapes)
11. Wanna Play (later on Dame Grease's "Live On Lenox" The Album)
12. Blaze A 50 (later on The Lost Tapes)
13. We Will Survive (later on I Am...)
This backs up that Ghetto Prisoners and the DMX and Scarface joints might've been recorded after the leak, as well as the Primo joints? That might've been Columbia telling him "you need some dope guest appearances" like a late 90's checklist. Same with the Aaliyah/Timbo joint, but it's also possible that not every song he recorded leaked.
I'm really not sure about Rise & Fall. Some websites, like hiphopdx, say it was for I Am...: Nas Is Like: 9 Lesser Known Cuts From Nas' Illustrious Catalog I've read on some message boards that it was floating around on mixtapes before I Am..., similar to Find Ya Wealth. I'm pretty positive U Gotta Love It was popping up on mixtapes in 2000 too, but with his voice sped up.
One thing is for sure. He recorded a LOT of music in this era. Rare stuff like Triple Threat, Cookout and The Curse (which popped on this I Am sampler) Nas, Nature (4) - Excerpts From The Forthcoming Columbia Release I Am... / Excerpts From The Forthcoming Columbia Release For All Seasons
And nice catch on Some of Us Have Angels. Come Get Me also has the "I wild on haters in album three, next level, I take y'all nikkas to 3-D" line. Meaning maybe it was an I Am... holdover? I can't tell if he's talking in past or present tense there, lol. Still, I'm going off the Nastradamus Wikipedia page:
"In 1998, Nas started recording his third album under the title I Am… with intentions to be a double-disc album. Due to bootleg, he cut out some songs and released it as a single disc in 1999. Months later, Columbia Records decided to release the left out material as a follow up album, however Nas decided to record all new material under the title Nastradamus."
That four song transition from Undying Love = 
My tracklist borrows heavily from the original 13 track leak, I think that list actually had something to with the original. I sequenced all the younger point of view songs at the beginning while following the leaked tracklist as a guide to form the rest from what made sense based on mad research. I added only what I believe may have been an original track. Keep in mind we still may not have them all. That said,
I Am...
1. Fetus (Belly Button Window)
2. Project Windows
3. Poppa Was A Playa
4. N.Y. State of Mind II
5. Find Your Wealth
6. Small World
7. Some of Us Have Angels
8. Money Is My bytch
9. Dr. Knockboot
10. Daydreamin' Stay Schemin'
11. Sometimes I Wonder
12. Hardest Thing To Do Is Stay Alive
13. Drunk By Myself
14. Wanna Play Rough
15. Blaze a 50
16. We Will Survive
17. Hate Me Now
18. Undying Love
19. Afterlife... / Amongst Kings
(bonus tracks for me)
Pray
Nas Is Like
Formarting it this way has allowed me to do this with my other albums:
Death of Escobar (contains tracks like My Worst Enemy, Rise and Fall, U Gotta Love it, My Way, Make it Last Forever)
http://claaa7.blogspot.com/2014/05/nas-doe-limited-edition-volume-1-death.html?m=1
I just remove Poppa was a Playa and Drunk by myself from the tracklist because I have those songs on I Am, instead I add Doo Rags at the beginning (closer to the actual lost tapes) and Purple towards the end.
Add the Japanese Stillmatic bonuses (No Ideas original, everybody's crazy, black zombie) to Stillmatic.
When you do that, you've dismantled The Lost Tapes completely and use every song on the album and then you get 3 (I Am, Death of Esco, Stillmatic)
just what I do.
I feel the fascination on this exists because it was one of the first widely leaked major releases that had some consequences to go with it (like stated, depends on who you ask)
Mostly anyone I've ever talked to the original >>>>>> what released. Nostalgia and stuff is cool, I just want the better version if it exists because big things and undying love on the same album
I Am...
1. Fetus (Belly Button Window)
2. Project Windows
3. Poppa Was A Playa
4. N.Y. State of Mind II
5. Find Your Wealth
6. Small World
7. Some of Us Have Angels
8. Money Is My bytch
9. Dr. Knockboot
10. Daydreamin' Stay Schemin'
11. Sometimes I Wonder
12. Hardest Thing To Do Is Stay Alive
13. Drunk By Myself
14. Wanna Play Rough
15. Blaze a 50
16. We Will Survive
17. Hate Me Now
18. Undying Love
19. Afterlife... / Amongst Kings
(bonus tracks for me)
Pray
Nas Is Like
Formarting it this way has allowed me to do this with my other albums:
Death of Escobar (contains tracks like My Worst Enemy, Rise and Fall, U Gotta Love it, My Way, Make it Last Forever)
http://claaa7.blogspot.com/2014/05/nas-doe-limited-edition-volume-1-death.html?m=1
I just remove Poppa was a Playa and Drunk by myself from the tracklist because I have those songs on I Am, instead I add Doo Rags at the beginning (closer to the actual lost tapes) and Purple towards the end.
Add the Japanese Stillmatic bonuses (No Ideas original, everybody's crazy, black zombie) to Stillmatic.
When you do that, you've dismantled The Lost Tapes completely and use every song on the album and then you get 3 (I Am, Death of Esco, Stillmatic)
just what I do.I feel the fascination on this exists because it was one of the first widely leaked major releases that had some consequences to go with it (like stated, depends on who you ask)
Mostly anyone I've ever talked to the original >>>>>> what released. Nostalgia and stuff is cool, I just want the better version if it exists because big things and undying love on the same album
Last edited: