Nas - I Am... (Original Version, 29 Tracks)

[The Dust King]

Some of us never thought they’d get around to relative the original I am.

he wasnt talkin about doe he was talkin bout mp3s

otherwise i agree, always thought it was lost tapes or nigh

Wish universal:def jam woukd do this cause tical 2 underrated but was skitted the fukk out and a lot of it gets lost amongst the sound changing in and out with the sermon stuff/trackmasters vs wu. Plus they own all the songs. This one feels way more “tical”.

im pretty sure thers an original tical2

Looking at the track lists for both I Am.... and Nastradamus, which songs leaked and which songs were new? I feel like I've never gotten an answer to that question.

pretty much everything LES and Alvin did, including remixing some of the leaked songs

nastradamus and IAM recorded parallel, dame and tim were reached out to

"You Won't See Me Tonight" tells the story of an emotionally unavialable fling. To me that leads into "Drunk By Myself" where he talks about his wife being unavailable sexually which he gives as a reason for drinking and the depression. That leads into "Undying Love". I also figured with the song "Poppa Was A Playa" and Nas being a playa on "You Won't See Me Tonight" would connect due to the "like father like son" thing. It plays out more like chapters of a real autobiography in that way.

amazing, repped

Sony has no contribution to this other than a co-sign

its Sony releasing it LOL

its they label

 

[vdfebduderocks]

this will be interesting to hear it again based on the perspective on how the album was supposed to be sequenced. That'll determine whether the I Am Double Album would've been successful back in 99. Very possible indeed.

 

[ThirdAct]

Here's my version again:

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).

Seems Rise & Fall and My Worst Enemy were probably recorded after I Am came out. My Worst Enemy along with Seeds of Heaven were recorded more QBs Finest era (Infinite Arkatechz linked with Nas at a listening party for Raekwon's Immobiliarity) while Rise & Fall was specifically for Death of Escobar. They fit the concept of Nas autobiography so perfectly, especially Rise & Fall, that I'd just put them on there anyway. I guess if I HAD to replace them in my tracklist I'd go with The Curse as an interlude, just the one verse, and then Triple Threat or Wanna Play Rough.

 

[Bugzbunny129]

he wasnt talkin about doe he was talkin bout mp3s

otherwise i agree, always thought it was lost tapes or nigh



im pretty sure thers an original tical2



pretty much everything LES and Alvin did, including remixing some of the leaked songs

nastradamus and IAM recorded parallel, dame and tim were reached out to


amazing, repped



its Sony releasing it LOL

its they label

Im sure they would have it. Im just saying some of these “lesser” albums could have new life with some fresh takes. 98/99 was the year of filler where every album was bloated as hell. They could have new life as smaller albums.

Like an uncontrolled substance release looking like this

Movas n shakas
Tru master
9th chamber
SoS
Nightshift
Execute them
Elevation
Lovin you
Rec room
Friction
Rap burglars
Trouble man
Tres leches
Show n prove
Semi automatic

Or maybe even immobilarity

Casablanca
100 rounds
Respect power
Real life
Wutang cream team lineup
Live from new york
Frozen
Friday
The Game
Street mic mechani
Sneakers
The table
John blaze
Its not a game

 

[HHID]

Here's my version again:



Seems Rise & Fall and My Worst Enemy were probably recorded after I Am came out. My Worst Enemy along with Seeds of Heaven were recorded more QBs Finest era (Infinite Arkatechz linked with Nas at a listening party for Raekwon's Immobiliarity) while Rise & Fall was specifically for Death of Escobar. They fit the concept of Nas autobiography so perfectly, especially Rise & Fall, that I'd just put them on there anyway. I guess if I HAD to replace them in my tracklist I'd go with The Curse as an interlude, just the one verse, and then Triple Threat or Wanna Play Rough.

Yo, since u did this breakdown, I can't help but posting this mixtape I did around 2005-06. I think I posted it here some years ago, but anyway it's a good occasion to check it.

Did it with the exact same idea as you in mind, but used different tracks from the 1994-2002 era to make it even more complete. Called it The Audiobiography and not Autobiography coz it mixed autobiographical parts with some more fictitious parts of his lyrics, all the mafioso shyt mainly.

But it goes from being a fetus, to growing up in the pjs, getting into teenage thug shyt, drug dealing, making it to kingpin status and starting feeling himself (IRL & on wax). Til doubt kicks in (streets Dreams remix last verse) & getting introspective, darker. Wife cheating, suicide, rebirth and then some more introspective stuff & contemplating his life/career.

01-intro
02-fetus_(belly_button_window)
03-poppa_was_a_player
04-teenage_thug
05-project_windows (original)
06-new-york_state_of_mind_part_II
07-the_message
08-one_love
09-eye_for_an_eye_ft_raekwon
10-escobar_'97
11-give_it_up_fast_ft_mobb_deep
12-firm_fiasco_ft_az
13-phone_tap_ft_az_dr_dre_&_nature
14-life_is_mine
15-mo'_money_mo'_murder_mo'_homicide_ft_AZ
16-street_dreamer_ft_r.kelly
17-gangsta tears
18-worst enemy
19-drunk_by_myself
20-undying_love
21-the_afterlife
22-amongst_kings
23-stillmatic_intro_(remix)
24-one_mic_(ty_fyffe_remix)
25-you're_da_man
26-my_way
27-rise_&_fall

Added a few surprises here and there, like introducing tracks with their original samples, putting some remixes/blends most of y'all never heard...

Bear in mind I had no material/software at all, my cross fader was the keyboard arrows

Hope y'all like it

 

[Ziggiy]

I think most of Nastradamus was new. With I Am..., I think they scrapped some of the leaked songs.

Correct


Nas rush recorded Nastradamus which is why its all over the place sonically. Its also probably Nas worst sequenced albums

 

[Ziggiy]

"You Won't See Me Tonight" tells the story of an emotionally unavialable fling. To me that leads into "Drunk By Myself" where he talks about his wife being unavailable sexually which he gives as a reason for drinking and the depression. That leads into "Undying Love". I also figured with the song "Poppa Was A Playa" and Nas being a playa on "You Won't See Me Tonight" would connect due to the "like father like son" thing. It plays out more like chapters of a real autobiography in that way.

You my friend. Have earned a Rep

 

[Izanami]

Has the tracklist release yet?

 

[Nostalgic]

 

[2ATMsYouSteppinOrWhat]

LET’S FKKING GOOOO!!!

love shyt like this

 

[up in here]

Correct


Nas rush recorded Nastradamus which is why its all over the place sonically. Its also probably Nas worst sequenced albums

Nastradamus really needed to be sequenced better. I rearranged the songs and it's one of my favourite as albums.

Mine goes like this:

The Prediction
Life We Choose
Nastradamus
New World
You Owe Me
Project Windows
Come Get Me
Shoot Em Up
Last Words
Family
God Love Us
The Outcome

It just makes alot more sense to have the more upbeat songs early and finish with the darker more emotive songs. God Love Us sounds like he end to me. Sequenced like this, it's a dope album

 

[Nostalgic]

LET’S FKKING GOOOO!!!

love shyt like this

That IG page is dope (IMO)

It sheds light on alot of NY fashion, drug lords and untold ny hip-hop history.

 

[Playaz Eyez]

So he’s releasing the OG version ???

 

[Big Mark]

They need to release Cds and streaming too.

 

[2ATMsYouSteppinOrWhat]

They need to release Cds and streaming too.

Yeah hopefully this version gets released on streaming. Imma cop the vinyl but i’m most likely going to leave it sealed just for collectors purposes