The Needle Drop reviews: Nas - Life Is Good

[Clem]

Its definitely become a pejorative thats used loosely.

But theres kind of a weird phenomenon with these Pitchfork and Fantano reviews clashing with a lot of views on here and from really "hip-hop" centered publications.

You dont see XXL or HipHopDX reviewing Kate Bush or Sonic Youth albums, it would be kinda ridiculous no? Yet these primarily indie-oriented journalists review hip-hop albums like its nothing. Not just "artistes" like DOOM sh1t and Wu sh1t, but like Chief Keef and Gunplay shyt. Their credibility and intentions come into question as a result

Nas is screwed because hes a favorite to purists and traditionalists but hes also really popular and influential so hes on everyones radar. Hes easy fodder for indie critics as a result. Hes not fresh and new and working with the latest producers etc etc. His isnt esoteric or bizarre enough to be a critic darling either.

I don't think that is a fair comparison at all. A lot of the people writing for publications like SPIN or Pitchfork ARE hip-hop heads. Dudes that grew up listening to rap, STILL listen to rap, and love rap. These are people that cut their teeth on maintaining their own blogs and stuff. And I don't mean blogs like NahRight or Smoking Section which simply post every song that gets sent to their inbox (dudes are receiving payola anyway) I am talking blogs with thoughtful criticism, that is a credit to the genre. That being said Fantano is a fukking lame and generally clueless about all genres. I don't believe this is a case where Sage Francis fans are picking on Nas. Big Mel and Art Barr both dislike the record and they're not traditionalists?

It would be ridiculous if XXL and HipHopDX reviewed Kate Bush or Sonic Youth because they aren't equipped to do so nor do they have an interest. Both pretty specifically cover rap music while Pitchfork, SPIN, THE FADER, etc. cover music in general.

I think Nas fans are hypersensitive as well and receive some sort of validation from Nas being praised. There was a thread where people were collecting all of the positive reviews he received and like high-fiving each other. This is only really an issue because the review isn't positive enough.



Also, I think "Hate Me Now" is a great song.

 

[daze23]

its a double standard to call someone out for supposed irrational 'hate' of nas while doing exactly the same thing- irrationally hating on a reviewer

the internet is an exchange of opinions

like I said, I don't pay much attention to those that just want to disregard his opinions cause he's white, or whatever. there's a bunch of posters that just get a hard-on by saying "cac" a lot. but that's neither here nor there...

 

[Art Barr]

WHERE KRS AT?

WHERE RAKIM AT?

YOU CUT THE BULLshyt nikka... NAS 20 YR IN THE GAME AN STILL DROPPING GEMS... WHILE THEM nikkaS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND..

whut,....

krs just recently dropped classics in a row and a 4.5 duet album.

rakim just dropped a 4.5 album with only two questionable records and way doper than this nas album.

nas won't ever drop another actual quality lp...
hebhas sold out and was a cultural based rapper.
he is not built for being a sellout follow the trend type rapper.

that is what you iww toy bots don't get and never got.


art barr

 

[Art Barr]

also,..people hating on fantano.

definately don't know he is one of the best reviewer in quite some time.

plus an avid collector and enthusiast of every genre.

he is always on point.

so nikkaz hatin and calling him names.

i know are not knowledgeable.

plus i know from reading their bullshyt responses over the years.

they could never review shyt on dudes level, at all.


art barr

 

[wise prophet]

You ain't the only one.

What makes ya'll take his opinion so serious? <---serious question by the way.

I'm pretty sure the average poster on here has more hip-hop knowledge than him. Then you add the fact that the large majority of reviews are all positive, XXL gave him a perfect so you know the source gonna give him something close to that also. Why is this hipster doin' these type of numbers

That's just the way it goes, the negative viewpoints are always more talked about than the positive. "This is Nas, he made Illmatic! He represents real hip-hop! He's the GOAT" when you get comments like these everybody expects positive glowing reviews. So when someone pops up and says "it's not that good" you gonna have all kinds of people coming after him.

Same thing happened with The Dark Knight Rises. A lot of positive reviews but the first negative one got so much backlash on Rotten Tomatoes that the people in charge of RT temporarily disabled comments for the first time ever. The negatives aren't seen as normal or expected so they stand out more. It's why Armond White is so well known among film critics.

I usually agree with dude's music reviews tho and this one I kinda agree with it also and the points I don't agree with I can see where he's coming from. On first listen album was decent, not bad, not great just kinda forgettable. Might change if I listen to it again.

 

[Art Barr]

the internet is an exchange of opinions

like I said, I don't pay much attention to those that just want to disregard his opinions cause he's white, or whatever. there's a bunch of posters that just get a hard-on by saying "cac" a lot. but that's neither here nor there...

most of those people talembout cac this, cac that.

ain't had not one actual white person.

they encountered actually physically or administratively hold their lives back.

they ain't even earned a place in life to come under the ire.

of anyone white to do anything to them, personally.


art barr

i got real ivy league princetkn grads and ibm vp white people. the real man, as the enemy.

plus i am really blackballed for real.
yet, i don't be saying that cac bullshyt like y'all.

plus i know i have way more reasons.

including, i am way more angry at white america.

for real reasons than you, motherfukkers ever could be, for real.

 

[daze23]

That's just the way it goes, the negative viewpoints are always more talked about than the positive. "This is Nas, he made Illmatic! He represents real hip-hop! He's the GOAT" when you get comments like these everybody expects positive glowing reviews. So when someone pops up and says "it's not that good" you gonna have all kinds of people coming after him.

Same thing happened with The Dark Knight Rises. A lot of positive reviews but the first negative one got so much backlash on Rotten Tomatoes that the people in charge of RT temporarily disabled comments for the first time ever. The negatives aren't seen as normal or expected so they stand out more. It's why Armond White is so well known among film critics.

I usually agree with dude's music reviews tho and this one I kinda agree with it also and the points I don't agree with I can see where he's coming from. On first listen album was decent, not bad, not great just kinda forgettable. Might change if I listen to it again.

these are just new phenomena that exist because of the internet. but that also includes a lot of these reviewers. the internet allows these basement reviewers to get their opinions out to the world, and then the internet allows the world to respond to those opinions

I think the relevant saying is "if you can't take the heat, stay out the kitchen"

 

[Art Barr]

you a legend b

preciate it,...handshake!!


art barr

 

[Abstract83]

Dont care whether he likes it or not as long as he bought it before speakin on it lol. But yo I usually like his reviews. Its seems like he's not much of a Nas listener. Just like every underground head who likes illmatic only. For ya that do like it 1 up for hiphop

 

[Tetris v2.0]

I don't think that is a fair comparison at all. A lot of the people writing for publications like SPIN or Pitchfork ARE hip-hop heads. Dudes that grew up listening to rap, STILL listen to rap, and love rap. These are people that cut their teeth on maintaining their own blogs and stuff. And I don't mean blogs like NahRight or Smoking Section which simply post every song that gets sent to their inbox (dudes are receiving payola anyway) I am talking blogs with thoughtful criticism, that is a credit to the genre.

I get what youre saying, but I dont think Spin and P4K have the same scope AT ALL. Spin will likely review a Rock album (say like, I dunno Audioslave) and some Kelly Clarkson sh1t, where as Pitchfork wont even acknowledge it.

I dont think that they are reviewing "music in general" but rather cherry-picking their reviews to correspond with their overall brand. They know who their audience is, and what they want to hear. I sincerely believe that they purposely sh1t on "genre" artists like Nas cause Im certain there are writers up at Pitchfork that would give him a glowing review, but they dont want that...

 

[Big Mel]

Albums already aging poorly. Second spin and I'm bored. Lots of lullaby beats.

 

[AkaDemiK]

Albums already aging poorly. Second spin and I'm bored. Lots of lullaby beats.

we care

 

[Clem]

I get what youre saying, but I dont think Spin and P4K have the same scope AT ALL. Spin will likely review a Rock album (say like, I dunno Audioslave) and some Kelly Clarkson sh1t, where as Pitchfork wont even acknowledge it.

Sorry I should have been clearer. I mean they don't exclusively cover one genre.

I dont think that they are reviewing "music in general" but rather cherry-picking their reviews to correspond with their overall brand. They know who their audience is, and what they want to hear. I sincerely believe that they purposely sh1t on "genre" artists like Nas cause Im such there are writers up at Pitchfork that would give him a glowing review, but they dont want that...

I just don't really understand what they have to gain by shytting on Nas. Would him getting a 6.8 be considered them shytting on him?

 

[yseJ]

the internet is an exchange of opinions

like I said, I don't pay much attention to those that just want to disregard his opinions cause he's white, or whatever. there's a bunch of posters that just get a hard-on by saying "cac" a lot. but that's neither here nor there...

yes, youve said that already
dont see how its pertaining to the point though. does that mean hypocrisy is ok on internet or something ?

also, no matter what the review reasoning was, as long as it had a negative connotation, nas stans would attack it. even if it was the most intricate review in the world and work of art by itself.

thats just how stans roll. I just noted that its funny and ironic people were attacking big mel on some "you hate nas and hence why you are saying these things" when they attacked the reviewer just because he didnt like a nas album.

 

[Stacks]

Art Barr, now with this I don't mean any disrespect, but with your constant rambling on how you're blackballled (awaits the "you're contradicting yourself" comments), how you're so heralded by those in power, how you have links within the industry and how *gulp* we wouldn't have the internet without you ... why are you even bombaring hip-hop boards, rather than using powers for good and attacking the powers that be?

If anyone can do it, you, Art, can