I'm really happy he's stepping his business and philanthropy up, I really am....but new fukking album please
I get it, he's in his 40's now, 20 year rap career behind him. He's easing into the part time thing meaning we won't see him drop an album every other year or even a side project like Firm or Distant Relatives....... but again, I also feel like this is actually one of the few eras where a vet like him can actually gain and hold the attention of this particular younger audience (People are more socially conscious online, I feel more people respect Nas' legacy now even if they don't listen to that era, Kendrick Lamar and J Cole are two of the three most popular young rappers right now, very much in that Nas lineage etc etc etc). I even feel like more young respect Nas now than even 10 years ago when it was south ringtone rap and NY/Dipset Mixtape fans and people were more cynical and were siding with Jay and 50 and Cam and took things like HHID cynically....
And he's got a young beast of a manager who will literally fight tooth and nail to put his clients (We talk about how rejuvenated Nas' whole Life is Good campaign was, look at what Saleh did with fukking Future off of just 2 mixtapes this year. I'm telling you he's gonna help YG take that leap on his sophomore album too.). So definitely the time is now, I wouldn't wait anymore longer, music is not like movie franchises, you can be a legend but don't be totally out of sight and out of mind and take more than 4 years between albums. I honestly think Red and Meth should have dropped LP's in the early 2000's.
I don't think its a laziness factor, I really do think after the divorce and the tax things he wanted to get dead serious about money investment and its probably more profitable to go on a tour or do club events than drop album where you're probably taking more out of your own pocket than a label budget and won't recoup, but you need that new music in this era and push as much as you can even now even if you're an establish legend so there's still young people coming to your shows. Him, Jay, Snoop, some of the Wu dudes, they were able to keep it going with shows and diverse audiences cause they dropped shyt in three decades.
I'm sure there's also maybe a bit of a apprehension because its going to be his last major label album....and I dont think deep down he wants to see what its like to finally not have a big machine back you up and promote you. Mass Appeal looks like a decent well formed small botique lable with the mixtapes and indies its dropping for Run the Jewels, Fashawn, Dave East, Boldy James and Bishop Nehru but I'm sure Nas does want to fully go small time . Dude's been on a major since he was what 17? He's 42 now, I understand that's a weird leap to take this late, but you gotta try it.
Sorry for the
but this is what happens when you aint got else to talk about in terms new music
i didnt say he won, i said that he still went in though. 
