Nas- Untitled Appreciation Thread

[Wild self]

"Black President" summed up 2008 for me. High gas prices, recession, hopelessness, the inage of a melanin man in office

 

[DoubleClutch]

Still surprised at how much nikkas slept on "Louis Farrakan" shyt was so dope to me

"No revolutionary gets old or so I'm told
Your left full of bullet holes when you tell the people go free
Oh, it's a matter of days before they try to take me"

Top 10 NAS song to me. It blows my mind how he hasn't been killed or "silenced" after some of the things he's said.

Also he helped organize the million man march.

Pretty genius/concept song by NAS. He usually has a few on every album that stand out.

Plus the production is

I just wish NAS did another verse

 

[AntLive1981]

Album was ahead of its time, totally relevant to today.

 

[barackosama]

Remember when I first heard queens get money

 

[GeeEffKay]

need to revisit this

 

[pez]

Playing this on the strength of this thread. Nas signed mine!

 

[MercuryHayes]

Album was so ahead of its time..

If this came out today...

Louis Farrakhan is one of Nas' best tracks ever

 

[Asicz]

Would you have survived the Dark Ages?

 

[mr.africa]

dope

 

[Chip Skylark]

What about We're Not Alone where Nas gave his thoughts on Aliens and Conspiracy theories? I always thought that was a great song.

How did this album get overlooked by the masses?

We're not alone

"It's good to be alive, it's good to be alive"

Those hooks are Godly

 

[Danie84]

No matter where it Came From it's Celebrated now people are made if they Ain't One

 

[winb83]

They should have let him call this album what he wanted to. Dope album.

 

[King Ming]

It's up there #classic

 

[King Ming]

Now as I stated before. ONE of Nas's primary reasons for, not just the album title, but the album's overall SUBJECT MATTER, was to prove that he as a rapper had the same right and wear-with-all to speak on subjects concerning race relations from an African American viewpoint. Speaking to the fact that the name and implications of a rapper daring to title his album ****** created such a negative backlash from both certain media outlets AS WELL AS civil rights leaders, was in effect labeling him exactly what the WHITE WORLD considers a ******. You wanted copy and paste quotes from Nas himself? Here you go.

If Cornel West was making an album called ******, they would know he's got something intellectual to say," Nas continued. "To think I'm gonna say something that's not intellectual is calling me a ******, and to be called a ****** by Jesse Jackson and the NAACP is counterproductive, counter-revolutionary."

Breaking Music, Celebrity, Entertainment, Movie and World News | MTV

The James Baldwin quote was not a quote pulled from myself in defense of Nas. It was quote Nas HIMSELF used, as recited by the Last Poets on the second track of the album entitled You Cant Stop US Now. For my thoughts on the importance of the track and my analysis and Opinion on Nas's message on the song itself, please refer to my page one track by track breakdown

Also, Nas's motivation was to teach. To provide an avenue of social commentary and reflection that has been rarely seen in modern day mainstream hiphop the last decade. For every youth who doesn't necessarily pay the closest attention in history class but can quote rap lyrics word for word (and this is not to say its directed PRIMARILY towards this demographic,nly stating that it is a point hit) they may come out the listening experience a little more enlightened on certain topics. Again as an example of proof I quote Nasir himself from the same interview:

"No disrespect to none of them who were part of the civil-rights movement, but some of my n---as in the streets don't know who [civil-rights activist] Medgar Evers was. I love Medgar Evers, but some of the n---as in the streets don't know Medgar Evers, they know who Nas is.

I would also like to add that Nas not ONLY spoke on things such as race relations, he touched upon important topics within the recording industry itself. All of the bull**** that artists who do not wish to conform to snap dances and ringtones must endure in order for labels to support them. After hearing about the frustrations of artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Chamillionaire, and Saigon had in getting thier music and message to the masses, Nas lyrics from 2008 hold poignancy and continued relevance.

This universal apartheid
I'm hog-tied, the corporate side
Blocking y'all from going to stores and buying it
First L.A. and Doug Morris was riding wit it
But Newsweek article startled big wigs
They said, Nas, why is he trying it?
My lawyers only see the Billboard charts as winning
Forgetting - Nas the only true rebel since the beginning
Still in musical prison, in jail for the flow
Try telling Bob Dylan, Bruce, or Billy Joel
They can't sing what's in their soul
So untitled it is
I never change nothin'
But people remember this
If Nas can't say it, think about these talented kids
With new ideas being told what they can and can't spitI can't sit and watch it
So, sh!t, I'ma drop it
Like it or not
You ain't gotta cop it
I'm a hustler in the studio
Cups of Don Julio
No matter what the CD called
I'm unbeatable, y'all

Nas here, is expressing on his LEAD single, the frustration and alienation that rappers who dare to have actual CONTENT forefront in thier music face. People actually had the audacity to call this song "filler" when its actually an honest and straight forward track basically telling it as it is. THIS among other examples, is what Nas got RIGHT.

Damn

 

[re'up]

I remember listening to this on an IPOD on a flight to NYC, my first time, the day after it was released. I think I waited til I was on the flight to even hear the album.

Saw The Dark Knight in Union Square opening night, it was a dope and iconic summer. End times, before the Recession.

Was running back Untitled and Testify around the time I was at the protests in May.