So what's everyone's final opinion on the latest Nas album?

[K.Dub]

check my sig

[jeromechickenbone]

Best Hip Hop major release album of the year hands down.  Nobody is putting out the types of singles he's putting out, and nobody has near the substance he does with his music with the position he's in.  He's still creative, and innovative.  He's not scared to be himself and do music that he wants, and not just pander to a particular audience like everyone else is doing.

I'll admit I was less than thrilled when I heard Will.I.Am and Scott Storch on the boards.  But Nas was still Nas on those songs.  He wasn't switching up his style. 

So yeah, it's a great album and the most important Hip Hop album in 06 EASILY.

[herpes]

^^^^ yep people diss this album way too much... only Nastradamus is wack imo

sure I am had a couple of wack tracks, but for the most part it was a dope album and has 3 of nas's dopest joints, ny state of mind pt 2, nas is like, and favor for a favor.

[WestCoasta]

overall it's ok

I tried to get into it but there are some shitty tracks on it

he also got some choppy flows here and there

and he seemed to get outshined by some guest spots

could have been better, wasn't feelin the concept of the hip hop is dead shit

[floatin_above_everything]

The Game's verse is weak '' im in the record shop some choices to make, illmatic on top shelft the chronic on the left homie, blablablawhateverwhateverblabla i stole both splitted the twenty on the dub sack '' Black Republican is a 10 tho..

U dead wrong, Game came sick on that : "For my niggaz/it was too complex when Nas rhymed/I was the only Compton nigga with a NY state of mind." And I don't even feel Game like that.

[Sikotic™]

Great album. I really didn't have a problem with any tracks. Nas came correct. He brought decent produciton. Good guest appearances. what more could you ask for?

[ecrazy]

He's The Greatest Rapper Alive. - Still Consistent.

[swangin and bangin]

He's The Greatest Rapper Alive. - Still Consistent.

your tha gayest guy alive

[Bedford Iz Active]

5/5. Period.

[eazye]

Great album. I really didn't have a problem with any tracks. Nas came correct. He brought decent produciton. Good guest appearances. what more could you ask for?

[Tanjential]

I am is pretty dope. nastradamus only whack one that i've heard. all his other shit is stellar.

what do you mean disappointed with storch and will on the boards? they were some of the only tight beats on the record, which is the problem with the record: Nas rips it on beats that don't deserve him, peep: the first 3 tracks on the LP. Nas rips the shit out of all of them but I never bump them cause of that gay ass synth string shit on carry on tradition and shit like that. sounds corny as fuck(yeah that is storch, but the play on playa beat is as dope as the dre beat).

I think black republicans is a fucking cartoon it's so ridiculous but Nas rips it and wrote a song that put Jay z in the position of admitting his sell-outed ness, how's that for a post victory victory? nas doesn't call himself a republican once in that song, Jay does...cause it's the truth with his sell out ass.

but yeah, this record would have been classic with more dope beats. but nas brings it, concept albums by virgos are always the shit (roger waters and pink floyd for example). they're just analytical people (like myself, virgo)

-T

[jeromechickenbone]

I am is pretty dope. nastradamus only whack one that i've heard. all his other shit is stellar.

what do you mean disappointed with storch and will on the boards? they were some of the only tight beats on the record, which is the problem with the record: Nas rips it on beats that don't deserve him, peep: the first 3 tracks on the LP. Nas rips the shit out of all of them but I never bump them cause of that gay ass synth string shit on carry on tradition and shit like that. sounds corny as fuck(yeah that is storch, but the play on playa beat is as dope as the dre beat).

I think black republicans is a fucking cartoon it's so ridiculous but Nas rips it and wrote a song that put Jay z in the position of admitting his sell-outed ness, how's that for a post victory victory? nas doesn't call himself a republican once in that song, Jay does...cause it's the truth with his sell out ass.

but yeah, this record would have been classic with more dope beats. but nas brings it, concept albums by virgos are always the shit (roger waters and pink floyd for example). they're just analytical people (like myself, virgo)

-T

I meant I was disappointed initially when hearing they were gonna produce on Nas' record.  Not they're not necessarily talented guys, (Will is a beast) but more because it's the same shit with every other hip hop album.  It's like there's 12 producers that mainstream artists work with and release as singles.  Nobody venturing out trying something creative, they'd rather play it as safe as possible and regurgitate a sound thats been used 1000 times because it's proven to be commercially successful.

Nas hadn't followed what everyone else in hip hop had been doing on that tip, and that's why I'm able to continue to support and bump his shit.  He's true to himself.  But after I heard he was signing to Def Jam, I knew there was gonna be huge pressure for him to go a much more streamlined / mainstream route than he had gone in the last several years. 

So then I hear "Carry On Tradition".  It's pretty much a generic Storch beat - exactly what I expected from him.  But Nas wasn't gonna do some club shit with it, he's gonna do his own thing.  He's gonna have a very worthwhile song and message just like he pretty much always has.  I was able to get over the fact that Storch produced it because Nas kept it real.  And it just proves that Nas isn't defined by the producers he uses which about 90% of the mainstream rappers could never claim in their career. 

So, sonically, I think this was Nas' most mainstream sounding album since Nastradamus.  But what separates this album from a Nastradamus is Nas is being himself.  The production was more streamlined, but the lyrics were every bit as thought provoking as any Nas album ever.

Would I have rather had a Nas album with only Primo, L.E.S., Salaam Remi, Chucky Thompson?  Of course.  But if the reality is that Nas had to appease the heads at his label, at least he did it with integrity.  He managed to go for a broader sound without abandoning his hardcore fanbase.  That's pretty tought to do.

And it's funny that you mention Black Republican.  Nas & L.E.S. is one of my favorite combos ever, and thats one of my least favorite songs.  Jay-Z is so fucking horrible I can't even listen to it.  I can't stand to hear him talking at the beginning of that track.  I never thought Jay could suck as much as he does these days.

[late night]

only track that sux is who killed it.

[Tanjential]

i woulda had Primo do the beat to blunt ashes(such a dope lyrical concept, such a sad sonic experience), had AZ rip a song with Nas instead of black republicans, Have Jay and Nas on some 22 two's or One Love type shit together and the record would have been classic.

also, who killed it is a dope concept track, it serves its purpose well. "Now that hip hop is dead(track 5)...who killed it?(track 6)" dope shit

-T

[MIAMI4LIFE]

I thought the production on the album was good Nas gets criticized cause he doesn't have the best ears for beats but I think all the beats on the album were dope, they served their purpose especially the Blunt Ashes beat Nas goes with it and its a dope song