Official Nas Thread

[Piff Perkins]

Yup. I know a few people in real life that had it as their fav Nas album at one point.

I don't get the current defense for I Am. It's not a bad album, there are classic records on it. But it also has arguably Nas' worst song and a couple other ehh ladies tracks. Nor do I think talking about the leaks/cancelled double album harms anything. A lot of albums have gotten ruined or harmed by labels or bad decisions, and if anything it makes people more interested. The Beach Boys' had a classic album (Smile) get scrapped for no logical reason. The last Beatles album was ruined by Phil Spector over producing it. KMD's Black b*stards got fukked with and scrabbed by the label.

I Am is basically a 3 or 3.5/5 album that would have been a classic if somebody convinced Steve Stoute to add more of the old tracks alongside the new ones to make it more coherent.

All that being said you're right, a lot of people liked it at the time. But people liked all types of albums that weren't that good lol. I remember Joe Budden saying the hood loved that album. There's always a disconnect between the hood, casual fans, and purists when it comes to rappers like Nas and Jay.

 

[Ziggiy]

I cant lie, this would be kinda corny...didnt Nas say he sick of celebrating and being attached to Illmatic.

He’ll ALWAYS be attached to Illmatic. Its wildly considered the greatest rap album of all time THIRTY YEARS after its debut. Billboard put it at number 1 last year. NOT Doggystyle. NOT Ready To Die. NOT The Chronic. NOT The Blueprint. NOT Aquemini. NOT Get Rich Or Die Trying. NOT Food & Liquor. NOT Good Kid M..A.A.D City. He makes a grip of money every time he performs it so while he probably won’t go on a national 3-4 year round Illmatic tour anytime soon he’ll never abandon THE album that literally stands as the benchmark for Hip Hop perfection.

 

[H.S.]

I cant lie, this would be kinda corny...didnt Nas say he sick of celebrating and being attached to Illmatic.

He’s dropped like ten albums since then.

 

[JustCKing]

In 1999, Nas only had four albums by the end of that year. The more albums Nas has released, the less I Am... is seen as a top tier album in Nas's career.

For me, the album fell off after "You Won't See Me Tonight". Then it picks up again with "Nas Is Like". Then falls off again up until "Undying Love". I was expecting that Nas/DMX track to be crazy, but it was underwhelming especially compared to "Favor For A Favor". For me, the album is basically:

NY State of Mind Pt. 2
Hate Me Now
Small World
Favor For A Favor
We Will Survive
Ghetto Prisoners
You Won't See Me Tonight
Nas Is Like
Undying Love

The other knock against I Am... is that it isn't the personal, introspective album that the title suggests. If some of the songs intended for the album from Lost Tapes to the leaks were added, it would indeed be a stronger album.

 

[spliz]

I don't get the current defense for I Am. It's not a bad album, there are classic records on it. But it also has arguably Nas' worst song and a couple other ehh ladies tracks. Nor do I think talking about the leaks/cancelled double album harms anything. A lot of albums have gotten ruined or harmed by labels or bad decisions, and if anything it makes people more interested. The Beach Boys' had a classic album (Smile) get scrapped for no logical reason. The last Beatles album was ruined by Phil Spector over producing it. KMD's Black b*stards got fukked with and scrabbed by the label.

I Am is basically a 3 or 3.5/5 album that would have been a classic if somebody convinced Steve Stoute to add more of the old tracks alongside the new ones to make it more coherent.

All that being said you're right, a lot of people liked it at the time. But people liked all types of albums that weren't that good lol. I remember Joe Budden saying the hood loved that album. There's always a disconnect between the hood, casual fans, and purists when it comes to rappers like Nas and Jay.

Put it like this. When u see people reacting to it now with blind eyes and no narrative attached. They love it more times than not. I can always put on I Am and not think twice. Especially spring/summer time. And this era is one of my fav for Nas as a lyricist. It was him at his most poetic. Ironically it’s him at his most street as well.

 

[Budda]

Put it like this. When u see people reacting to it now with blind eyes and no narrative attached. They love it more times than not. I can always put on I Am and not think twice. Especially spring/summer time. And this era is one of my fav for Nas as a lyricist. It was him at his most poetic. Ironically it’s him at his most street as well.

I Am has the most important songs in Nas discography probably, Nas is Like and Hate Me Now are two of Nas most timeless tracks outside of Illmatic for different reasons..

 

[Alexander Wiggin]

Put it like this. When u see people reacting to it now with blind eyes and no narrative attached. They love it more times than not. I can always put on I Am and not think twice. Especially spring/summer time. And this era is one of my fav for Nas as a lyricist. It was him at his most poetic. Ironically it’s him at his most street as well.

it was also that period where Nas was at his most introspective, we got to know more about what his history was, family situation and his thought process. That's also where Nas was at his best in terms of storytelling, he was doing a lot of them cinematic tracks at that time. My original version of iam is almost 70% storytelling tracks on there

 

[Ziggiy]

I Am has the most important songs in Nas discography probably, Nas is Like and Hate Me Now are two of Nas most timeless tracks outside of Illmatic for different reasons..

Yes and no.

Nas first 6 albums have a string of his most important songs if we’re talking longevity of his catalogue. You’re right about Nas is Like and Hate Me Now. But if we disregard Illmatic, If I Ruled The World and Street Dreams have real arguments for his most important songs, as does Ether, One Mic, MADE YOU LOOK, I Can, and yes, even though purists try their damndest to fight it, You Owe Me has proven to stand the test of time as an important Nas song.

 

[Big Mark]

Yes and no.

Nas first 6 albums have a string of his most important songs if we’re talking longevity of his catalogue. You’re right about Nas is Like and Hate Me Now. But if we disregard Illmatic, If I Ruled The World and Street Dreams have real arguments for his most important songs, as does Ether, One Mic, MADE YOU LOOK, I Can, and yes, even though purists try their damndest to fight it, You Owe Me has proven to stand the test of time as an important Nas song.

yes, Nas's greatest hits from 07 are basically still his greatest hits. But his deep cuts from 94 til now are insane.

 

[ADP]

well... you guys started it... cant help but to post this everytime I AM gets brought up, probably done it in this thread several times, might be addicted to it... anyway this to me is the GOAT style of the GOAT, and he has quite a few eras... LT shouldeve been his first double or even triple album but thats more standom perhaps...

 

[kes929]

I don't get the current defense for I Am. It's not a bad album, there are classic records on it. But it also has arguably Nas' worst song and a couple other ehh ladies tracks. Nor do I think talking about the leaks/cancelled double album harms anything. A lot of albums have gotten ruined or harmed by labels or bad decisions, and if anything it makes people more interested. The Beach Boys' had a classic album (Smile) get scrapped for no logical reason. The last Beatles album was ruined by Phil Spector over producing it. KMD's Black b*stards got fukked with and scrabbed by the label.

I Am is basically a 3 or 3.5/5 album that would have been a classic if somebody convinced Steve Stoute to add more of the old tracks alongside the new ones to make it more coherent.

All that being said you're right, a lot of people liked it at the time. But people liked all types of albums that weren't that good lol. I remember Joe Budden saying the hood loved that album. There's always a disconnect between the hood, casual fans, and purists when it comes to rappers like Nas and Jay.

Ain’t no way I am is 3 or 3.5. That title is more for nastradamus. I am is no less than a 4. It also depends on your age group. I am was my real introduction to Nas. I have it as a personal classic, but I remember people loving and bumping that album heavy when I was younger. Nobody said I am was wack at all. It also got great ratings back then.

 

[kes929]

Can somebody tell me outside of Dr Knockboot (which people loved at the time) and big things what songs are weak on I am? I just looked at the tracklist again and it doesn’t have a miss up until dr knockboot. Starts off with New York State of mind pt 2, hate me now and small world.

 

[The Dust King]

I Am is basically a 3 or 3.5/5 album that would have been a classic if somebody convinced Steve Stoute to add more of the old tracks alongside the new ones to make it more coherent.

i am now has two versions, retail and original

 

[Ziggiy]

Can somebody tell me outside of Dr Knockboot (which people loved at the time) and big things what songs are weak on I am? I just looked at the tracklist again and it doesn’t have a miss up until dr knockboot. Starts off with New York State of mind pt 2, hate me now and small world.

Life is What You Make It is disappointing by Nas and DMX standards and i’ve personally never been the biggest fan of Money Is My bytch. But I like Big Things and Dr Knockboot so go figure I guess.

 

[spliz]

Life is What You Make It is disappointing by Nas and DMX standards and i’ve personally never been the biggest fan of Money Is My bytch. But I like Big Things and Dr Knockboot so go figure I guess.

Dr Knockboot is dope. Big Things while it got play from me is objectively not a great track. Life is What U Make It is fire to me. Give Jay that same beat and put it on Vol 3 and give DMX his same verse and it’s considered a hit record. Jay likely drops it as a single.

I think it’s only like 2 bad tracks on I Am honestly.
Big Things,
Money Is My bytch(the hood fukked wit it tho. So did I back then. I can’t really listen to it now tho.)
I Wanna Talk To U(It was instant skip back in the day. I LOVE it now tho. It’s crazy how that works..)