Nas: Untitled

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Nas: Untitled

P.S. 24th..part of the reason I like the Spurs is they play nearly a whole CD's worth of Dream Theater during their games. And not just old stuff, oh no...someone is making sure they update it with new albums. I suspect Tim.

I pretty much guarentee its Timmy "Merlin" Duncan lol

you would be suprised how many rappers rhymes dont reflect thier intelligence....

David Banner
Killa Mike (youll hear shades of it though)
Ludacris

just to name a few

these guys are actually pretty smart...

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Nas: Untitled

you would be suprised how many rappers rhymes dont reflect thier intelligence....

David Banner
Killa Mike (youll hear shades of it though)
Ludacris

just to name a few

these guys are actually pretty smart...

Whether the man himself is intelligent or not is irrelevant. It's about whether that intelligence is applied as a musician. Some rappers condescend their fans, and decide that their intelligence is best served in a business capacity, and they opt to dumb down tracks to be as mindlessly catchy as possible.

This doesn't help rap as an art form, particularly when you're trying to find the diamonds amongst the coals, and give rap the same kind of discussion you'd give jazz, rock or classical.

You're probably right about Timmy. I don't remember any DT before he got there, and he does play D&D....

[Streets]

Re: Nas: Untitled

I need insight for a guy like Nas, because at a glance he just seems like a rapper who glances at books and wraps his words in scripture voicings trimmed with gansta fan service.

The first two quotes I posted are from Illmatic. Nas was I think 17-18 when he wrote the lyrics which made the album all the more impressive.

I don't think that Nas is for everyone. Like I said, he alienates a lot of his fans with the fact that he is constantly changing as an artist. I definitely think he is worth giving a chance and is not just "empty talk". Their is a lot of substance to his rhymes, and like I said, he tells a lot of great stories. Some of his lyrics and metaphors are much less direct than Lupe's and thus need more unpacking. However, the fact that Nasir is your favorite rapper's favorite rapper says something about his level of intellect and ability to make music, IMO.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Nas: Untitled

The first two quotes I posted are from Illmatic. Nas was I think 17-18 when he wrote the lyrics which made the album all the more impressive.

I don't think that Nas is for everyone. Like I said, he alienates a lot of his fans with the fact that he is constantly changing as an artist. I definitely think he is worth giving a chance and is not just "empty talk". Their is a lot of substance to his rhymes, and like I said, he tells a lot of great stories. Some of his lyrics and metaphors are much less direct than Lupe's and thus need more unpacking. However, the fact that Nasir is your favorite rapper's favorite rapper says something about his level of intellect and ability to make music.

I don't think what I said in the quoted post sums up Nas, it's just the impression I get from a casual listen. Growing up in Queens, I've passively heard him, but I haven't given him a fair listen, which is why I asked you in the first place.

That having been said, Lupe's opinion about rap means absolutely nothing in terms of Nas's merit. Dimebag Darrell's favorite guitar player was Ace Frehley, and Ace sucks, lmao. What influence's people in their formative development as artists doesn't always have the same gravitas as the result of that influence.

My overarching question about Nas is whether he has a real perspective worthy of discussion within his lyrics. That's what I'm considering when I read his lyrics and listen to your answers.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Nas: Untitled

Whether the man himself is intelligent or not is irrelevant. It's about whether that intelligence is applied as a musician. Some rappers condescend their fans, and decide that their intelligence is best served in a business capacity, and they opt to dumb down tracks to be as mindlessly catchy as possible.

This doesn't help rap as an art form, particularly when you're trying to find the diamonds amongst the coals, and give rap the same kind of discussion you'd give jazz, rock or classical...

Oh, most definitely.....and thats why, whether you like Jay-Z or not, this is one of the realest verses youll ever hear on the subject....

The music business hate me
Cause the industry ain't make me
Hustlers and boosters embrace me
And the music i be makin
I dumb down for my audience
And double my dollars
They criticize me for it
Yet they all yell "Holla"
If skills sold
Truth be told
I'd probably be
Lyricly
Talib Kweli
Truthfully
I wanna rhyme like Common Sense
(But i did five Mil)
I ain't been rhymin like Common since
When your sense got that much in common
And you been hustlin since
Your inception
**** perception
Go with what makes sense
Since
I know what i'm up against
We as rappers must decide what's most impor-tant

this song single handedly changed my view on him....

[gta95]

Re: Nas: Untitled

"It drops deep, as it does in my breath
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death
Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined
I think of crime, when I'm in a New York state of mind"

"I switched my motto -- instead of sayin **** tomorrow
That buck that bought a bottle could've struck the lotto"

"Life's a Bitch, but God-forbid the bitch divorce me
I'll be flooded with ice so hellfire can't scorch me"

"As the night close down on the Earth like gray dark rings
Light of cities in the nights, destination for Kings
with big dreams, like Castro, overthrew Bautista
from Cuba, and pointed nukes toward the U.S.
About to shoot us for revolution; that's how you gotta move
A lot of rules, some locked in solitude
Curse the day of they birth confused, who's to be praised?
The mighty dollar -- or almighty Allah
I'm like the farmer, plantin words, people are seeds
My truth is the soil; help you grow like trees
May the children come in all colors, change like leaves
but hold before you, one of those, prophetic MC's
with blunted flows, seven hundred souls in me
Each channelin, from past to present times, heaven shines
light on those, innocent to how the world grows
Some men become murderers, and some girls become hoes
And you accounted for, everything that you heard
Do not speak to fools; they scorn the wisdom of your words
My heart is wise, bloodshot eyes, the saga never dies
Ghetto prisoners rise rise rise"

"Life is every man's kingdom, a dyin man's past
and a newborn's, first time to be here at last
And shouldn't have to grow up fast, and suffer our pain
Hustlin harder than the generations here before he came
Goin through the same bull**** as our fathers
Readin history, but who's the authors?
For some the game is easy, for most of us the game is much harder
But never lose faith; through the years just get smarter"

"Look at what this country's got
There shouldn't be nobody homeless
How can the president fix other problems when he ain't fixed home yet?
The earth wasn't made for one man to rule alone
To all colors increases, to home it belongs"

"Look way deep inside yourself
Discover the diamond inside, find ya wealth
Once you get it, you gotta live it the limit
Niggaz never wanna see you with it, **** THEM THO'"

"He who has ears, let him hear
And he who has sight, let him see
He who has life, let him be
See everything goes through change
Those who know don't talk
and those who talk don't know a thing
Men are born soft and turn tough
Dead lay a stiffened heart, I've been kissed by God
I've been hurt, I've been marked for death, almost ripped apart
by the beast but he missed his mark"

I could go on ALL DAY (lol). The man is a poet, and he's a storyteller. I posted some snippets showcasing the poetic/intelligent side of Nasir, but if you wanna hear the man spit whole stories, you have to listen to songs in their entirety.

- In "Rewind" he spits a hood tale from the ending back to the beginning.
- In "Poppa was a Player" Nas recalls how his dad used to cheat on his mom, but he still loves him because he was always there".
- In "I Gave You Power" he raps from the perspective of a gun.
- In "Drunk by Myself" he raps about life from the perspective of a lonely alcoholic dealing with his own demons
- In "One Love" he raps as if he is writing a letter to all his friends in jail.
- In "Fetus" he raps from the perspective of himself as an unborn baby.
- "Blaze a 50" is a sinister tale about Nas and his girl scheming to get their hands on her husband's life insurance money.
- In "Undying Love" (VERY underrated song) he raps about a man at the end of his rope who catches his wife cheating on him, kills her, then kills himself. It's a song filled with passion and crazy emotions, but the part that kills me every time is at the end, you can hear a cop walk in and he only sees the aftermath... two dead bodies. He looks and you can faintly hear him say "Stupid f***ing n***rs". Powerful line, because he only sees the aftermath, not the story/buildup to that point.


And again... I could go on all day.

Beautiful. Nas has been my GOAT since the first day I heard the Illmatic. No album has captured me the same way since.

[Streets]

Re: Nas: Untitled

Is there another meaning for the whole Fried Chicken thing? It's kind of a dope track even if not, but the whole "it's gonna be the death of me" thing makes you wonder

"Misses Fried Chicken, you gon be a n****'s death
Created by southern black women
To serve massa and his guests"

The chicken was created by southern black women, and is also a metaphor for black women. It's a metaphor for black women giving birth to future generations of black women who "serve" (i.e. are raped by) "massa and his guests". Thus, she is going to be the death of him... not literally. Obviously chicken is bad for you, and that's the literal meaning, but deeper, I think the line is in reference to seeing Ms. Fried chicken serve massa and his guests. It hurts to watch this transpire and will be the death of him.

[gta95]

Re: Nas: Untitled

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Song of the album? I haven't copped the leak, but from the three or four songs I've heard, this could be up there.

[Streets]

Re: Nas: Untitled

Song of the album? I haven't copped the leak, but from the three or four songs I've heard, this could be up there.

That's my vote ("Sly Fox" is a close second). I actually like the version of "Hero" on the N**** Tape better b/c of all the samples scratched in by DJ Green Lantern

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCmWuzGs9AE

Nas' vocals **Blood of a slave, heart of a king**

Kanye's vocals **What does it take to be a legend like Nas is?***

Nas' vocals **There's one life to live, so live it the best you can**

Kanye's vocals **What does it take to be a...***

HERO!!!!!



Sick.

[Complex]

Re: Nas: Untitled

This is a great album. 8 out of 10 IMO. The concepts on it are second to none.

[gta95]

Re: Nas: Untitled

That's my vote ("Sly Fox" is a close second). I actually like the version of "Hero" on the N**** Tape better b/c of all the samples scratched in by DJ Green Lantern

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCmWuzGs9AE

Nas' vocals **Blood of a slave, heart of a king**

Kanye's vocals **What does it take to be a legend like Nas is?***

Nas' vocals **There's one life to live, so live it the best you can**

Kanye's vocals **What does it take to be a...***

HERO!!!!!
Sick.

Yea same wit Black President. I'll just use the N****r Tape version in my playlist. I'm tempted to cop it early but imma what and be excited on the 15th (I'm pickin up Killer by Tech N9ne that day too, its pretty nice)

[trobinson97]

Re: Nas: Untitled

I pretty much guarentee its Timmy "Merlin" Duncan lol

you would be suprised how many rappers rhymes dont reflect thier intelligence....

David Banner
Killa Mike (youll hear shades of it though)
Ludacris

I kind of agree. If you're just listening to a lot of the singles then no, those songs don't largely reflect how smart they are, but if you listen to their albums, it'd be hard to miss unless you were just set on not hearing them; especially in the case of Killer Mike.

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[Flyboy]

Re: Nas: Untitled

Oh, most definitely.....and thats why, whether you like Jay-Z or not, this is one of the realest verses youll ever hear on the subject....

The music business hate me
Cause the industry ain't make me
Hustlers and boosters embrace me
And the music i be makin
I dumb down for my audience
And double my dollars
They criticize me for it
Yet they all yell "Holla"
If skills sold
Truth be told
I'd probably be
Lyricly
Talib Kweli
Truthfully
I wanna rhyme like Common Sense
(But i did five Mil)
I ain't been rhymin like Common since
When your sense got that much in common
And you been hustlin since
Your inception
**** perception
Go with what makes sense
Since
I know what i'm up against
We as rappers must decide what's most impor-tant

this song single handedly changed my view on him....

Such a dope verse.

[Streets]

Re: Nas: Untitled

Such a dope verse.

Agreed

[supremeslang]

Re: Nas: Untitled

I want to hear this album so badly, but I refuse to download. Gotta support my favorite artist on July 15th.