Nas - King's Disease II (Discussion Thread)

[Piff Perkins]

Only God knows how Nasir Jones has managed to have such a long n fruitful career without MUCH radio support.

I get so heated at my local urban stations here in Dallas. They never play Nas shyt. Going back to his hottest era. (I can got the most burn) But everytime Nas does a sold out concert here, the two major stations act like his biggest supporters. Like they really fukk with him.

That shyt be turning my stomach

I suspect it's like this in a lot of major cities across the US.


His success /longevity/relevancy is actually baffling.
I'm struggling to find a comparable artist of similar path

He's arguably the only one doing it too. When you look at the top selling, consistent rappers from the 90s Jay and Snoop probably have the most hits. I'd have to sit down and think but I'm pretty sure no one is coming close to them single for single. Just looking at Spotify for instance, Jay gets 25mil monthly listeners while Snoop gets 20mil. Nas is at 9.3mil. Yet no other 90s rapper who has a similar modest amount of hits like Nas is at that level. Method Man has about 3mil monthly listeners for instance. DMX has more hits but is at 8mil.

One album doesn't do that. A lot of people want to focus on Illmatic but if Nas truly only had one album he'd be GZA or OC status at worst, or on that Jadakiss level (2 mil listeners monthly). It's impressive longevity and the most UNIQUE path to longevity. Multiple eras of fans who heavily fukk with whatever album came out when they were young/outside. You got the IWW folks, you got I Am fans, Stillmatic, and now you got some younger people who fukk with KD1 and KD2 heavily.

 

[Tasha And]

It's impressive longevity and the most UNIQUE path to longevity.

Quoted for emphasis.

 

[Mastamimd]

He's arguably the only one doing it too. When you look at the top selling, consistent rappers from the 90s Jay and Snoop probably have the most hits. I'd have to sit down and think but I'm pretty sure no one is coming close to them single for single. Just looking at Spotify for instance, Jay gets 25mil monthly listeners while Snoop gets 20mil. Nas is at 9.3mil. Yet no other 90s rapper who has a similar modest amount of hits like Nas is at that level. Method Man has about 3mil monthly listeners for instance. DMX has more hits but is at 8mil.

One album doesn't do that. A lot of people want to focus on Illmatic but if Nas truly only had one album he'd be GZA or OC status at worst, or on that Jadakiss level (2 mil listeners monthly). It's impressive longevity and the most UNIQUE path to longevity. Multiple eras of fans who heavily fukk with whatever album came out when they were young/outside. You got the IWW folks, you got I Am fans, Stillmatic, and now you got some younger people who fukk with KD1 and KD2 heavily.

It's crazy hearing people say Stillmatic is his best album, and folk are catching on to Life is Good, KD series is getting it's props, etc.

 

[xiceman191]

He's arguably the only one doing it too. When you look at the top selling, consistent rappers from the 90s Jay and Snoop probably have the most hits. I'd have to sit down and think but I'm pretty sure no one is coming close to them single for single. Just looking at Spotify for instance, Jay gets 25mil monthly listeners while Snoop gets 20mil. Nas is at 9.3mil. Yet no other 90s rapper who has a similar modest amount of hits like Nas is at that level. Method Man has about 3mil monthly listeners for instance. DMX has more hits but is at 8mil.

One album doesn't do that. A lot of people want to focus on Illmatic but if Nas truly only had one album he'd be GZA or OC status at worst, or on that Jadakiss level (2 mil listeners monthly). It's impressive longevity and the most UNIQUE path to longevity. Multiple eras of fans who heavily fukk with whatever album came out when they were young/outside. You got the IWW folks, you got I Am fans, Stillmatic, and now you got some younger people who fukk with KD1 and KD2 heavily.

Ice Cube is about at the same amount of monthly listeners as Nas. (I think he may be slightly higher than Nas or its the other way around)

 

[Mastamimd]

Folk always say goofy shyt like he hasn't had a hit since whatever time but that makes things even better....dude is still relevant years later without radio or club singles. Says a lot.

 

[Mastamimd]

Ice Cube is about at the same amount of monthly listeners as Nas. (I think he may be slightly higher than Nas or its the other way around)

Cube is slightly higher

 

[wire28]

KD2 has a great balance to it similar to LG. stuck in the nineties gang can eat, new schoool can eat, us who love nas from all eras are feastin

hit boy really helped him bridge the gap

dont even ask me how

 

[Alexander Wiggin]

Folk always say goofy shyt like he hasn't had a hit since whatever time but that makes things even better....dude is still relevant years later without radio or club singles. Says a lot.

especially when the purpose of a hit nowadays is not the same as before. Hits during the physical era was to sell singles AND sell an album. Now with the streaming theres no purpose for a single anymore, you can drop anytime, make a series of big tracks, people gonna listen to your big single but not necessarly listen to the all album because of the playlist effect.
And every artists ain't on the same plateau regarding to charts. eminem was never a big single guy, is best hits rarely went platinum, but he sold millions of records. some sells milions of single but don't sells albums.

old artist who's music stands the test of time continue to eat because of streaming. the versuz effect showed that

 

[Robbie3000]

So nas verse on Composure is what I'm tripping on this week. This is easily my favorite nas album since God Son.

Both verses so dope.

“Had yellow jaundice when I was born
Kept me in an incubator, ten days long
I made up songs, I was like humming tunes ten years later
Writin’ in my room ten years after that on stage like it’s too soon, but”

 

[HNIC973]

He's arguably the only one doing it too. When you look at the top selling, consistent rappers from the 90s Jay and Snoop probably have the most hits. I'd have to sit down and think but I'm pretty sure no one is coming close to them single for single. Just looking at Spotify for instance, Jay gets 25mil monthly listeners while Snoop gets 20mil. Nas is at 9.3mil. Yet no other 90s rapper who has a similar modest amount of hits like Nas is at that level. Method Man has about 3mil monthly listeners for instance. DMX has more hits but is at 8mil.

One album doesn't do that. A lot of people want to focus on Illmatic but if Nas truly only had one album he'd be GZA or OC status at worst, or on that Jadakiss level (2 mil listeners monthly). It's impressive longevity and the most UNIQUE path to longevity. Multiple eras of fans who heavily fukk with whatever album came out when they were young/outside. You got the IWW folks, you got I Am fans, Stillmatic, and now you got some younger people who fukk with KD1 and KD2 heavily.

I would add Busta to that list he has a insane amount of hits as well

 

[kes929]

Everybody knows KD2 album of the year

 

[kes929]

Only God knows how Nasir Jones has managed to have such a long n fruitful career without MUCH radio support.

I get so heated at my local urban stations here in Dallas. They never play Nas shyt. Going back to his hottest era. (I can got the most burn) But everytime Nas does a sold out concert here, the two major stations act like his biggest supporters. Like they really fukk with him.

That shyt be turning my stomach

I suspect it's like this in a lot of major cities across the US.


His success /longevity/relevancy is actually baffling.
I'm struggling to find a comparable artist of similar path

I feel your pain. Nas dont get much love on the radio in Dallas. I heard that joint with him and Jay on the radio a few times but thats it. It amazing how Nas has lasted this long.

 

[kes929]

He's arguably the only one doing it too. When you look at the top selling, consistent rappers from the 90s Jay and Snoop probably have the most hits. I'd have to sit down and think but I'm pretty sure no one is coming close to them single for single. Just looking at Spotify for instance, Jay gets 25mil monthly listeners while Snoop gets 20mil. Nas is at 9.3mil. Yet no other 90s rapper who has a similar modest amount of hits like Nas is at that level. Method Man has about 3mil monthly listeners for instance. DMX has more hits but is at 8mil.

One album doesn't do that. A lot of people want to focus on Illmatic but if Nas truly only had one album he'd be GZA or OC status at worst, or on that Jadakiss level (2 mil listeners monthly). It's impressive longevity and the most UNIQUE path to longevity. Multiple eras of fans who heavily fukk with whatever album came out when they were young/outside. You got the IWW folks, you got I Am fans, Stillmatic, and now you got some younger people who fukk with KD1 and KD2 heavily.

This was well said bro

 

[DeuceZ]

It's amazing how Hit and Nas outdid Kings Disease

Hits verse on composure is also

AOTY back to back you love to see it

 

[prophecypro]

He's arguably the only one doing it too. When you look at the top selling, consistent rappers from the 90s Jay and Snoop probably have the most hits. I'd have to sit down and think but I'm pretty sure no one is coming close to them single for single. Just looking at Spotify for instance, Jay gets 25mil monthly listeners while Snoop gets 20mil. Nas is at 9.3mil. Yet no other 90s rapper who has a similar modest amount of hits like Nas is at that level. Method Man has about 3mil monthly listeners for instance. DMX has more hits but is at 8mil.

One album doesn't do that. A lot of people want to focus on Illmatic but if Nas truly only had one album he'd be GZA or OC status at worst, or on that Jadakiss level (2 mil listeners monthly). It's impressive longevity and the most UNIQUE path to longevity. Multiple eras of fans who heavily fukk with whatever album came out when they were young/outside. You got the IWW folks, you got I Am fans, Stillmatic, and now you got some younger people who fukk with KD1 and KD2 heavily.

I wouldnt put too much emphasis on monthly listeners on spotify cause they fluctuate up and down for certain artists. Its just a snapshot of whos listenning to your music at one time. Its not necessairly whos following you or anything.

Last month Nas had 12.3 million listeners (Mostly cause of KD 1 and The Weeknd/Belly jonint ) At the time I noticed he was ahead of big current Afrobeat and international mainstream rappers like Stormzy who have been massive the past 5 years


I do agree though hes got a unique hard to explain place in the rap scene. Just look at how he s brought up in Verzuz discussion. Some think he has a deep catalogue which he does, others think he only has 3 tracks and cant compete with nobody.

I just think because the sound of hip hop has changed past 15-17 years and the era that was Nas peak (NY radio R&B/Rap collabo) started fading and he couldnt find a mainstream place. Yet he kinda has