The Dre track was dope as fuck on the commercial for the album and then when we got the album we were like “nah...” LOL

That beat isn’t bad though. It’s the hook that really does it in.

And I disagree that those songs are soft “sonically” compared to Illmatic.

Live N Rap is harder than Life’s A Bitch.

Memory Lane has a softer more melodic sample than I Gave You Power.

The comparison to Illmatic is something old jaded heads like you have an issue with.

Fact is, if Nas never switched it up, he would’ve been hated for that.

I personally don’t need every song to be hard. I like more dynamics to my albums. So joints like Watch Dem and Black Girl Lost and If I Ruled The World actually make a more complete album in my opinion.

And Nas is rapping his ASS OFF on IWW more than he was on Illmatic.