Fuuuuck it took me one hour to type!!!!
1. No introduction : gonna reserve my judgement here...coz really i dont remember what i heard..just that weird feeling that it sounds wrong...beatwise...yeah it sounds cinematic like some people said...but on some Tim Burton movie maybe..hell I don't know anymore..shyt was way too orchestral to me.
Nas, like on the whole album, sounds hungry as fukk!!
"they hate it when u too real" "now u laughin at me or with me"
2. Loco motive (leaked)
3. Now this joint is special. The beat, is hard!!! Like train, it's very 90s hiphop, and like the intro it's very orchestral. Salaam tried to make it less repetitive as possible..it barely has a loop, it's a mix of a 90s Primo beat with classical music in the background or some shyt ( but not like that boring re-generation). Background melody keeps changing..violins etc..I even
Think I heard a "Nautilus/Daytona 500" sample.
Nas murks it, ferocious flow, storytelling Nas.
Another "ya guns are virgins" reference here btw. And i believe dude mentionned smthg about Being the "only black guy in the club" lmao if that refers to that famous picture of him with white people around at a party..
4 & 5 leaked
6. Reach out : damn when this starts, u go right back to the mid nineties..theres even a dj scratching on this joint i believe..
old school r&b beat, Mary on the hook, first the breaks of the MJB/smiff n Wessun "I love you" song, then fukkin nas starts rappin over the classic piano loop of "I love you"...
IWW FLOW, flossin about the lifestyle ..."I describe it, hope ya visualize it"
But somehow..whole thing doesn't have the same impact that the original song had..MJB kinda disappointing with her part
7. Worlds an addiction : "life, pain, betrayal" says A. Hamilton..
Nas starts with the immaculate flow "snitches & rapists in the streets..""thou shall not be selfish"
There's hardly any beat to this song..
8. SOS
Typical average swizz track..just like when brave heart party came in, u wonder wtf its doing there, in the middle of the album..beat not that bad during nas verses..chorus sucks, swizz repeat "summer on smash" and Miguel "life is good, life is good" or the other way around whatever..
Then the kid starts singing in Spanish...FOH
9. You wouldn't understand
Nice Buckwild beat..kinda 1980's old school electro-funk, but laid back.
Nas flosses but with substance. Great rhymes about "my success symbolizes loyalty, great friends.."
10. Back then samples MC Shan
("you love to hear the stories, again and again, about how it all started way back when")
feel good track, "nothing like a summer NYC days"
Touches on history of hiphop "before they was an audience there was a process"
Kills it "nas real name, stage name, how could u let these lames claim king"
11. Don leaked, and really kills the vibe of the album at that moment...horrible sequencing again Nas...
12. Stay
Woopty doo sample (cyhi da prince) but much more mellow, barely any drums there. Very jazzy.
Storytelling...affair with a married woman ("she had the hottest sex so I'm a just stay) . Second verse about a close friend who he fell apart with, really need to listen to that verse, seemed very strong & personal.
"now we're enemies but ur hatery can't enter me"
13. Cherry Wine. Nice Amy vocals, they found lyrics of hers that fit her & nas well
"where is the man who is just like me, he was hiding..." she sings
Sounds like "can't forget about you" same vibe, but more jazzy. Nice horns
14. Bye Baby
This song y'all have to hear...beat is dope, it's old school 90s r&b but bouncy..I'd swear hearing a blackstreet or Aaron hall vocal sample...shyt just feels so right..so smooth AND powerful at the same time...
"u know why I walked away" talks about her father...
"no matter who u fukked that was before me"
"I was your Johnny Deep, u was my Janis Joplin"..
And goes deep into the separation process...talks money issues etc...has an incredible line about cuttin in half (money) "payin half...half your soul" or smthg can't remember..but shyt was crazy and a beautiful ending..
They didn't have the bonus tracks...
So no need to make a real judgement now..even myself, I can't say i feel I've really listened to the album
Correctly...what ruined my experience was the intro...and probably having a streak of 3 average songs (reach out, addiction, SOS) being played after 2 already leaked songs..
The album Finishes real strong. I owe the intro a real second chance!
Overall Nas flow is just untouchable...untouchable! Best I've heard from any rapper since IWW. Lyrically since I would waste time writing, I'd miss on a lot of things..I see now how hard it must be for bloggers to write smthg after one listening session...wait they don't..they'll write 5 line for the whole album..so hope u appreciate the work, fr what it is..if you can, hold on another 10 days and don't listen to any leaks..
I came out thinking the album
Has no replay value and for the past 5 hours all I think about is playing it again!! I think that sums it all up.
Peace
what you know Nagra. You and Big Bizz always got the inside track
YOU AINT GOT NO NASTY N###A?!")
