Review: 3/5
Nas is back with a new album and boy it feels weird saying that. Having grown up on Nas’ tapes during the 90s and being one of the biggest Nas’ heads as a kid, I feel weird turning up some Nasir Jones. For the record, I didn’t listen to that Distant Relatives album, so this for all intents and purposes my first time listening to Nas (since I haven’t heard from him in four years and have an incredibly short attention span). So it is with fresh ears that I take in Life is Good. Let’s get into the breakdown foo!
Best Songs: A Queens Story, Accident Murderers, Daughters, Stay, Nasty, World’s an Addiction
1. “No Introduction” (Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
Nas taps Ross production crew for when he wants to put on a tux for the anti-intro. There’s way too much going on for my taste and while it does sound faux-majestic, I don’t care about Nas’ war stories.
2. “Loco-Motive” feat. Large Professor (Produced by No I.D.)
This song makes me want to rock a hoodie, baggy jeans, wheat timbs and stick up my local corner store. What up Abdul?
3. “A Queens Story” (Produced by Salaam Remi)
Sounding like Dream Shatterer‘s long lost brother, Nas seeks revenge for a slain friend.
4. “Accident Murderers” feat. Rick Ross (Produced by No I.D.)
A very relevant song for those living in the ‘hood during the summer.
5. “Daughters” (Produced by No I.D.)
You can’t help but feel something about this song while at the same time laughing at yourself for feeling something about this song.
6. “Reach Out” feat. Mary J. Blige (Produced by Salaam Remi, Rodney Jerkins, DJ Hot Day & Nas)
Really we’re going here? Have we run out of all soulful piano loops?
Best line: I was the good seed, he was the wise gardener.
7. “World’s an Addiction” feat. Anthony Hamilton (Produced by Salaam Remi)
Cinematic.
8. “Summer on Smash” feat. Miguel & Swizz Beatz (Produced by Swizz Beatz)
I wish Nas went “Hate Me Now” over this beat, instead we get Nas on auto-pilot and Miguel randomly singing in español. And for the record, I despise with every fiber of my being Swizz Beatz’ on any hook.
9. “You Wouldn’t Understand” feat. Victoria Monet (Produced by Buckwild)
Nas is really just blabbing on like an old man here, if I wanted someone to preach at me I would listen to J Cole. On a side note, this beat could really use a young AZ on it.
10. “Back When” (Produced by No I.D.)
I guess I would have to be from Queens and over 35 to care what Nas’ talking about. Either way, I’m tired of all these “back in the day” records. Nostalgia has its time and right now isn’t it.
11. “The Don” (Produced by Salaam Remi, Heavy D & Da Internz)
I was way too excited when this song came out and have since calmed the fuck down. I apologize. This song isn’t as good as I initially thought. Nas is just blabbing on about being The Don. I think what initially drew me to this track was the inventive production.
12. “Stay” (Produced by No I.D.)
It’s hard to hate on any Nas track that features a saxaphone and this is no different.
13. “Cherry Wine” feat. Amy Winehouse (Produced by Salaam Remi)
This is like the music you would hear in a really classy lounge that’s completely empty.
14. “Bye Baby” (Produced by Salaam Remi & Noah “40″ Shebib)
Sampling late 80’s r&B is fresh, shout out Guy. But I can’t say i care about Nas divorce. I thought it was really fresh back on Getting Married from 2004’s Street’s Disciple that he made a song about his wedding day, but a bad song about a bad subject depresses the hell out of me.
Last Word
While Life is Good is definitely a refreshing album, I’m placing it as my fourth or fifth favorite Nas album after, Illmatic, It Was Written, Stillmatic and Lost Tapes. Longtime Nas fans will be happy that he’s returned to what he does best, providing gripping cinematic experiences. More telling though is that Nas finally doesn’t care about keeping up with trends as he once did in the past, remember when he was an Italian kingpin? If anything this album makes the case that rappers can make albums as they get old so long as they stay true to themselves. This album isn’t perfect, and it seems at this point Nas will never have an album that matches his earlier work, what’s important particularly for those nostalgic for that 90s New York sound is that Nasir Jones remains the torch bearer.
As far as my tastes go, the problem I’ve had with Nas is the same thing Jay-Z pointed out when the two were warring circa 2000 and that’s the pretense of intelligence that Nas brings to his lyrics. Or as Jay-Z so aptly put it, “Just because a nigga where a kufi don’t mean that he bright”. I don’t feel Nas is a smart guy. Sure his early work had an air of profound wisdom but maybe because I’ve become old or maybe because it wasn’t really there, Nas’ image as a street sage is all a sham. It’s similar to the argument one could make for the RZA and for that matter Wu-Tang. Either way, it seems like Nas has lost his penchant for creating the concept record. Remember records like “I Gave You Power”, “If I Ruled the World”, “Nas is Like”, “2nd Childhood”, “One Mic”? Nas not only showed that he was capable of being entertaining but also thought provoking at the same damn time, something he’s seemed to have lost over the years. Essentially, what Nas fans, like me, really want is Nas to make an album of 10 concept records that bridge the gap between these two divides that would make life good.
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