This list is concerned with the lyrics, and not the beats, although all the beats happen to be great.

Also, it's kinda long, so it doesn't matter if you skip the song reviews, but at least read the bit at the bottom before responding. Here goes:

10. PURPLE - This song is enveloped by seemingly random/trivial lines at the begginning and end, but in the middle is Nas at his most introspective. It's like he started writing but his train of thought was hijacked by self-doubt. The second verse attacks his own Scarface persona from NY State of Mind, and he stresses his new state of mind is "purple." When he raps

Somebody tell these shorties reach for the stars
Instead they tell 'em how to reach through the bars

he admits he once exerted a wrongful influence over young listeners. Definitely one of Nas' best, with potent images and a far more subtle use of rhyme/assonance than usual.

9. NY STATE OF MIND PT 2 - "Neighbors, look at every bag you bring through your doors" like an airport. Except no one is leaving. The first verse is observations about social problems, ending with details of his crew's diminishing numbers, like a countdown. Verse two is like we've arrived in Nas world, seeing through his eyes, and seeing how his own actions are the cause of the problems observed in verse one.

8. POPPA WAS A PLAYER - If gotdamn Dear Mamma can make the Source's top ten tracks of all time, then this has a place in Nas's personal top ten. It's the subtle things that count - how his mother's shouting is described as "barking" in the first verse, and then by the 3rd verse she's forgotten about. How he excuses his father's lies as "smooth talk," refusing to say a bad word. Then the twist of how he doesn't have bad feelings towards his father, and how his father made him the man he is (with all the flaws that might entail).

7. ONE MIC - Each verse starts out meditative ("writing names on my hollow tips") then moves into a violent stage ("niggaz roll up, shootin from wheelchairs") getting more intense until the militant mission statement stage ("this is what Nas is about, the time is now!"), except for the last verse where the format reverses. His voice gets louder/angrier accordingly, and all the time the flow of the words expands and keeps pace. If you're going to do those angry, me vs. the world raps this is how to do it... except you'll be copying Nas.

6. DEJA VU - You may not have heard this one, but if you did, you'd recognise the first verse from Verbal Intercourse. There's two additional verses, both in the same league as the first. What else do I have to say? The song seems to trace a dissent into the complete materialism of the last verse, part explains it, part condones it. Along with "from the womb to the tomb" there's more good lines like "miracles never leave the churches" and "a mask and a nine I think will make my problems sink/ down a canal similar to how we bling."

5. 2nd CHILDHOOD - It's interesting how Nas shrouds the picture of his childhood with names of people so we never get any real information, but when he turns to the two other cases of someone reliving their childhood, he describes things clearly and the negative side of things is far more apparent. The characters are unaware of their own problems. Also, there's something I find profoundly sad about people who never keep the same friends because they can't grow up.

4. DOO RAGS - This is basically a better version of Memory Lane. The mood as far more nostalgic, the lines far more insightful ("when I wondered if I was here for the cause or because"). There's something about innocence lost (when our blackness started disintegratin/'til awareness started penetratin), and about how he doesn't dwell too much on the thoughts of each verse, but rounds it all up with "but now them shorty's here now, so..." For once Nas's flow is equal to what he had on Illmatic, and the rhymes etc. in this are off the hook. Also, probably his best chorus.

3. UNDYING LOVE - Simply incredibly storytelling. That image of the ceiling fan spinning slower and slower until it stops, and at the same time Nas's mind slowing down until he sees his wife's bedroom and freezes. It avoids being cheesy, and makes the unspoken point of how his friend got caught up in his own revenge scheme.

2. NAS IS LIKE - In case you haven't noticed, Nas is obsessed with cycles. Ever since "I lay puzzle as I back track to earlier time" Nas has been slipping "it's like a cycle" or something similar into loads of his songs. The second verse of Nas is Like takes it to extremes: from car wheels, to watches, to the stockmarket, to history itself. Balance is also important in this song: baby born/man murdered; hustlers/players; happiness/misery; heaven/hell. Then there's a series of progressions from verse to verse: gunshots-bulletproof glass-"bustin heat through your windows;" also "I spent time in the game, kept my mind on fame" to "It's a dirty game, is any man worthy of fame?" And then the fantastic 3rd verse (if nothing else, it's a Nas rendition of What by Tribe). What is Nas like? Life itself? Can't say, but notice how the third verse lines alude to things he's discussed earlier in the lyric.

1. ONE LOVE - This is a masterpiece. As a story, it masterfully builds up towards the last verse. Think how you feel like you know the person he's writing to without hearing him speak, and how you can imagine what his wife is like from just a few words. Think about how "I even got a mask and gloves to bust slugs" leaves an ominous mood. Think about details like the guy using the gun he was "shot last year" with. When the third verse arrives there's an instant change to a more philosophical tone, like someone delaying the delivery of bad news. Then there's that unforgettable kid ("only 12 trying to tell me he liked my style"), Nas flees the country, and we're left to wonder if the advice he gave the kid was healthy, and if the song was really about Nas and not the guy he was writing to. There's also touching notes like how he says "put half a hundred in your convesary" and not "i gave ya 50 bucks" and how Nas trusts his friend with possibly incriminating info. Lastly, most of Illmatic is unfocused, but the letter format allows Nas to stay on track while he's on top of his rhyming abilities and flow.


Right. Well you might be wondering why there's only 1 song from Illmatic on that list. The reason is that the lyrics on most of Illmatic are abstract, rambling, aimless... Nas mixes battle rhymes in with street knowledge and as a result none of the songs are really "about" anything (and I'm not considering the brag-rap/battle tracks, because in general they're kinda vacuous of insight). Even worse, you can tell Nas is just sticking together slick rhymes - some of the NY State... lines were originally from another song called Villain. Since making this list, my opinion of Illmatic has lessened. I also noticed that It Was Written... is pretty much complete garbage. Even I Gave You Power doesn't have that much real content to it. Rewind is better... it nearly made the list. I also noticed that for God's Son he's on some annoying Eminemish autobiographical shit.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

since i'm not a big nas fan, but yeh, great

-
Gang Starr / Nujabes blend - https://youtu.be/lsci1vu6ick
DOOM Tribute - https://youtu.be/qmBQ2BDefKM
Donut of the Heart cover in Javascript - https://youtu.be/afLc2CkC8lk

Through the lights cameras and action, glamour glitters and gold
I unfold the scroll, plant seeds to stampede the globe
When I'm deceased, by then the beast arise like yeast
to conquer peace leaving savages to roam in the streets
Live on the run, police paying me to give in my gun
Trick my Wisdom, with the system that imprisoned my son
Smoke a gold leaf I hold heat, nonchalantly
I'm grungy, but things I do is real it never haunts me
while, funny style niggaz roll in the pile
Rooster heads profile on a bus to Riker's Isle
Holdin weed inside they pussy with they minds on the
pretty things in life, gettin props is a true thug's wife
It's like a cycle, niggaz come home, some'll go in
Do a bullet, come back, do the same shit again
From the womb to the tomb, I presume the unpredictable
Guns salute life, rapidly, that's the ritual

Here's a toast to my foes trees and women (Deja vu)
It's like a whole new beginning

Much thugs and alcohol what a mixture
Just picture your life as a whole judged in court they convict ya
They telling you your state of mind like you worthless
So he curses his mom saying Bible verses
That's all she works with
But miracles never leave the churches
Instead it hits the pockets of the preacher just to purchase
A house with a swimming pool labels me a sinning fool
I'm just a nigga who inherited a winning jewel
So be a trend setter when ever subject to
Respect this is in all respect due is the essential
The street life hustle in the struggle broke ghettos
War and coke settles slow inside of glass kettles
German levy on my TV lifestyles of living easy
Got my crew tense plottin attempts to get whips with BBs
Pushin cakes new NRXs with templates
Celebrating elevation in the seeds that we make

Escobar life, gems and raw tims
Gators for pretty boy haters in Vegas
With chicks trickin fortunes
I'm glistening, housing cops whistling
Still I'm drifting in a high of blunts is like insulin
'95 I arrive high zonin'
Stash ? ? in my trunk I flash teeth golden
Look at me now mom I'm blowin
But how far, cars and bitches got me out
On things you never dreamed I could have vouced for
Snake niggas sliver on their air lites
I ain't a Christian but I find that we're praying like
Never the one to act all the time to a saint
A mask and a nine I think will make my problems sink
Down a canal similar to how we bling
Cause stink diamond flooded spinks shines on my linx
Drug money, snorting bitches in the end of time
Got my nine till I flatline nigga gimme mine


Probably lots of mistakes.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

in very low quality, nonetheless, great track no doubt

i hope he puts this in the lost tapes pt. 2

-
Gang Starr / Nujabes blend - https://youtu.be/lsci1vu6ick
DOOM Tribute - https://youtu.be/qmBQ2BDefKM
Donut of the Heart cover in Javascript - https://youtu.be/afLc2CkC8lk

>i hope he puts this in the lost tapes pt. 2

Yeah, that could be a thread on itself. I got this track called "Untouchable freestyle" that's pretty good. I wonder if there will be any tracks bootleggers/downloaders haven't heard before.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

...and for that i applaud you. i am a pretty big nas fan myself, but i'm gonna definitely have to listen to some of these songs again now.

good post.



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if you don't see the film 'koyaanisqatsi' before you die, ask god for a refund when you see him.
your life was wasted.

illgaluminati - part of a global terror network

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illgaluminati - oblong as fuck

my avatar: the amazing Metal Storm VLE, the world's first totally electronic handgun, with a fire rate of up to half a million rounds per minute! www.met

absolutely. i am a nas fan myself and i agree with your analysis of those songs. nas does not get enough credit in my opinion. his concepts are dope..

Nice. Well-thought out. I appreciate your time, knowledge, and opinion.

10. NY State of Mind- He just states his steelo here. Good storytelling and one of the best lines ever "I never sleep cuz sleep is the cousin of death". But really there are so many stand out lines in this song...if I listed them all I'd have written out the whole song.
9. I Gave You Power- Well obviously, he just creates a great metaphor here. Not too much to say, everyone can see why this song is great.
8. Nas Is Like- At this time, people were waiting for Nas to come out with some fire, and he gave them that and more. Classic song.
7. Purple- The mood is just there. The lyrics, the music, and tone of his voice. It's like a real mellow thing. Can just see it in your head. Amazing track.
6. Fetus- Most people have issues with their parents, but to put it in that way...where he isn't even born yet. Just something a lot of people can feel, even if he kind of took the idea from Hendrix it's still a masterpiece of a song.
5. Get Down- This is one of my all time top songs. Just everything about it, the whole storytelling and painting a picture. Fits the track perfectly.
4. Doo Rags- Reflective and retrospective. Just lookin back, thinking. It's like he's thinking on record. Just his mind exposed, his memory and everything. Kind of lowkey and mellowed out. Real nice.
3. What Goes Around- Do you HEAR what he's sayin? The whole repetition of "posion". The power and matter-of-factness with which he states his points. this is FACT, not just opinion. that's how it feels on this song. he says a lot of shit that needs to be said, over and over till people get it.
2. One Love- Well obviously. The storytelling. You can just sit back and listen and relate. I mean it's real New York. East Coast and just, amazing. That's really all I can say. It's great.
1. Heaven- This is just...wow. I mean it's so powerful and moving. Just the whole feeling behind it, about trials and tribulations and wanting to give up. Poetic major...

Others: One Mic, The Message (one of my all time favs), Project Windows, Undying Love

peace
Shiloh

- - - - - - - - - - -
"I'm so sorry I can't wait no longer/I have to go now, I will leave my number/Call me up tonight, let's go out tonight/Come and be with a thuggin, huggin, snugglin, underneath the stars that shine so bright/hey yo hey yo hey yo" -

>10. NY State of Mind- He just states his steelo here. Good
>storytelling and one of the best lines ever "I never sleep
>cuz sleep is the cousin of death". But really there are so
>many stand out lines in this song...if I listed them all I'd
>have written out the whole song.

Yeah this was almost in. You're right about the sheer quantity of great lines, and also how it "states his steez." As the first track, it shows his storytelling power, battle rhymes, "street poetry" and persona. But that's sort of what excludes it - it doesn't make enough sense in itself.

>9. I Gave You Power- Well obviously, he just creates a great
>metaphor here. Not too much to say, everyone can see why
>this song is great.

Yeah, but there's the thing about how Organized Konfusion did this concept first. And anyway, I just don't think there's much content of interest. At least in Rewind there's the thing about how the only thing that's the same in reverse as forwards is the sex in the middle.

>6. Fetus- Most people have issues with their parents, but to
>put it in that way...where he isn't even born yet. Just
>something a lot of people can feel, even if he kind of took
>the idea from Hendrix it's still a masterpiece of a song.

Again I wanted him to take it further.

>5. Get Down- This is one of my all time top songs. Just
>everything about it, the whole storytelling and painting a
>picture. Fits the track perfectly.

The beat is crazy. I considered this too, but in the end I couldn't make much overall sense of the sprawling story.

>3. What Goes Around- Do you HEAR what he's sayin? The whole
>repetition of "posion". The power and matter-of-factness
>with which he states his points. this is FACT, not just
>opinion. that's how it feels on this song. he says a lot of
>shit that needs to be said, over and over till people get
>it.

Hmm, maybe I'll check that again.

>1. Heaven- This is just...wow. I mean it's so powerful and
>moving. Just the whole feeling behind it, about trials and
>tribulations and wanting to give up. Poetic major...

Also a close contender. I like how "would you pack up your bags and leave it all behind?" is sort of a rhetorical question, and the song is really about problems on Earth, not about heaven. Shame there's no thrid verse.

>
>Others: One Mic, The Message (one of my all time favs),
>Project Windows, Undying Love
>

Project Windows is nice. So are most of the songs from Lost Tapes.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

Great Analysis.your thoughts are deep.

>3. UNDYING LOVE - Simply incredibly storytelling. That image
>of the ceiling fan spinning slower and slower until it
>stops, and at the same time Nas's mind slowing down until
>he sees his wife's bedroom and freezes. It avoids being
>cheesy, and makes the unspoken point of how his friend got
>caught up in his own revenge scheme.

When he starts singing "I thought you looooooved me" - that is BEYOND cheesy.

--------

I have mentally blocked out all instances of Nas singing.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

n/m

"I am the Lizard King, I can do anything..."

Reminds me of the East Coast everytime I hear it.

DAMN!

10.get down
9.the message
8.made you look
7.undying love
6.heaven
5.one love
4.halftime
3.the world is yours
2.nas is like
1.what goes around

i dig the fact that after illmatic (which was dope from a to z), nas always manages to have a song on his album that the mainstream doesn't care about but still is very very dope..
it was written = i gave you power
i am = undying love
nastradamus = i don't know i don't have it
stillmatic = what goes around
god's son = heaven

rafiki aka phinydee

The Nastradamus song would have to be Life We Chose. I think we all can agree that this was his worst album, but Life We Chose is one of my all time favorites. It would make my top ten easily.

2nd verse:
what's love when you don't give your man enough dough he wanna stick you / What's love, you got beef nobody rollin wit you / What's love, you locked up, and your family don't care / Is love a four-letter word, that deceives the ear / What's real, when you know your man's girl is a hoe / And you don't even let him know, cause you fucked her befo' / What's real, when you talk behind a man's back / then you see him and give him dap, now explain that / What's trust, when they seperate your case / When you at your court date, your co-d' can't look in your face / What's trust, when you keep your wife away from your man / And he never crossed you, but you claimin he's fam' / What's trust, when you get bust, your niggaz don't retaliate / They blaze purple haze with em the next day / God forbid one of my niggaz get hit, I'ma go haywire / Won't hesitate, I'ma spray fire / But everybody's different, you won't know how you react / til you in that position, and that's an actual fact / The hearts of men change as time goes on, who's wrong / You was hungry when you stuck Duke, he came back to buck you / Who's wrong? Foul all your life, now you 90 / On your death bed you regret bein grimy / What's lust, to bust nut? What's a thug? / A ghetto child raised around drugs, til he's old enough to bust slugs / Then what's jail, to rehabilitate / or to make a nigga worse
when he come home to catch another case / Life's about decisions, you choose it, you gotta live it / You did it, heaven or hell or prison / Who knows when your clock'll stop tickin, get your weight up / Save up before it's over neighbor, I told ya / You gettin older player, look at those who gave up

I'm sorry, I can't agree with you on that. Listen to Memory Lane again, the 2nd verse in particular.

someone please explain what one mic was about

<---this guy..

www.dontdatehimgirl.com

It describes Nas's state of mind ie. feels like everyone's against him (which contemporary interviews hold testimony to), and all the anger that entails, wanting to go out in a blaze of glory, taking his enemies down with him etc. ... I'm sure lots of people can relate. But it's irrational behaviour, and he reflects this by calming down by the end of the last verse. The cadence he uses is the perfect way to capture the situation.

Also, there's the idea that all his fortune is built on what he was able to do with just a microphone, essentially.

Does that explain it?

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

"New York State of Mind part 2"?

good list otherwise...

------------------------------------------------------------
"This nigga would wet his pants and melt the 6 Snickers in his back pocket if Pimp C asked him to say what he typed to his face."--DeePhunk on
Bol the Blogger

.....I pour a Heineken brew, for my deceased crew on Memory Lane.'

I like the time you put into your list. Love the commentary.

But never ever should you have a list of Nas's best lyrical content without Memory Lane in the top 10....top 5. That IS QUINTESSENTIAL NAS. If you were to go to another planet, that IS the song you play to describe Nas, hands down.

Oddly though, I agree with your inclusion of 'Doo Rags' so high(so unearthly beautiful, that cut), and I do agree that 'One Love' is the best Nas song lyrically, with, IMO, the best verse in the history of rap, the last verse in 'One Love.'

----------------------------------------------------
"O-E"--Inaugural Member, Okaysports Hall of Fame

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Someone posted last week that Memory Lane was as if Nas had read a book of insightful information, but only read the first half of each sentence. It's kinda scattered. It's called "Memory Lane" but the nostalgia isnt' particularly obvious. He "pours a brew to his deceased crew" but it's not like the song had been about fallen friends. I mean he touches on theses things, and it does have a good case for being in the top ten, but it could be more cohesive. Doo Rags IS cohesive, and yeah, practically every word is perfect.

Also, quintessential Nas and quintessential Illmatic are not the same thing...

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

::plays korr::

1. The Genesis
2. NY State Of Mind
3. Life's A Bith
4. The World Is Yours
5. Halftime
6. Memory Lane
7. One Love
8. One Time 4 Your Mind
9. Represent
10. It Ain't Hard To Tell.

By the way, anyone who really thinks "Rewind" is better than "I Gave You Power" deserves to be dragged out in the street and shot.


---

---
In memory of my sig..

A while ago I would probably have put that as my list as well. And almost be serious about it. But did you read what I said? Most of the tracks on Illmatic have no cohesion. It's like if you chopped toghether lots of Shakespeare soliloquays you would have some great lines, nice sound, but it wouldn't make overall sense.

And fuck I Gave You Power. Once you know what's happening (and you do, straight away, thanks to Nas's whiney voice in the intro) there's NOTHING of interest. Well, maybe that's too harsh, but I don't think there's anything special in his execution of the idea (even if it's a good one. or a stolen one).

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

each song has touch us differently..nas is in my top five, hands down one of the greatest that ever did it...great post!

"NO ROGER NO RERUN NO RENT"

"You ain't nobody in this piece unless you've been the subject of board hate." - labelle


"NO ROGER NO RERUN NO RENT"

1)LIFE'S A BITCH - My favorite Nas verse, plus a beautiful jazz beat (I think Nas' dad plays the outro riff). This track is, as I understand it, is about growing up.

"I woke up early on my born day, I'm twenty, it's a blessing
The essence of adolescent leaves my body now I'm fresh
My physical frame is celebrated cause I made it
One quarter through life some God-ly like thing created"

Nas has reached the end of adolescence and the beginning of manhood. He's known a lot of peeps who never made it this far, so he's grateful regardless of how fucked up shit is.

"Got rhymes 365 days annual plus some
Load up the mic and bust one, cuss while I puffs from
my skull cause it's pain in my brain vein money maintain
Don't go against the grain simple and plain"

The end of adolescent rebellion. Nas has gotta make money for himself, support himself, and conform enuff to join society and be successful in it. Jung describes this as giving up the teenage ego I think. Basically, there's more to life than just doing what you want all the time.

"When I was young at this I used to do my thing hard
Robbin foreigners take they wallets they jewels and rip they green cards
Dipped to the projects flashin my quick cash
and got my first piece of ass smokin blunts with hash"

Nas dabbles in crime, sees what it is that ppl respect in life, gets laid for the first time.

"Now it's all about cash in abundance, niggaz I used to run with
is rich or doin years in the hundreds"

Nas sees that, while things can seem hopeless where he is right now, there's ppl who came from the same circumstances to wind up on both ends of the spectrum. He's gotta accept full responsibility for making choices that determine his destiny.

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

My favorite lyric ever. On paper it can appear to be hopeful, but when you hear you know that the line really represents giving up on childish dreams & trying to escape reality and being resolved to make the best of what little you have. It's really a line completely devoid of hope.

"Once I stood on the block, loose cracks produce stacks
I cooked up and cut small pieces to get my loot back
Time is Illmatic keep static like wool fabric
Pack a four-matic that crack your whole cabbage"

He used to sell small packages to earn quick cash to go out and party w/. Now he's seeing the bigger picture of how short lifee can be if you party it away and never make anything of yourself. He's gonna still hold his own tho.


2)VERBAL INTERCOURSE - Nas' 2nd best verse; this sums up Nas' whole discography basically. THe prophet sits back and observes the march of evolution/human history with a mix of resignation & melancholy.

"Cue the lights cameras and action, glamour glitters and gold"

He's gonna break life down for you, cutting a swath thru all that hollywood BS.

"I unfold the scroll,"

Deciphers prophecies.

"plant seeds to stampede the globe
When I'm deceased, plot in the beast arise like yeast
to conquer peace leaving savages to roam in the streets"

He plants seeds not just by 'stabbin women like the phantom', but also thru his lyircs which plant mental seeds in listeners domes. They guarantee his immortality and if the rhymes hit their target, these kids will grow up within the beast (the system that put him in the ghetto in the first place) to start the revolution and make the pigs fuckin squeal. His life mission.

"Live on the run, police paying me to give in my gun"

Just had to remind you that he's the ultimate rebel/gangsta/thug/badass/give him chicks.

"Trick my Wisdom, with the system that imprisoned my son"

Who knows what his genius could've accomplished if it hadn't been imprisoned by the system's web of deception('even my brain's in handcuffs').

"Smoke a gold leaf I hold heat, nonchalantly
I'm grungy, but things I do is real it never haunts me"

We smoke regular green leaves, but the prophet smokes gold shit fit for Imhotep himself. He may be forced to do gangsta shit (either lyrically or in reality), but he understands why it's neccessary and won't lose sleep over it.

"while, funny style, niggaz roll in the pile
Rooster heads profile on a bus to Riker's Isle
Holdin weed inside they pussy with they minds on the
pretty things in life, props is a true thug's wife
It's like a cycle, niggaz come home, some'll go in
Do a bullet, come back, do the same shit again"

Meanwhile the cycle of poverty continues in the black community, and it's inevitable (altho heart-breaking) so he can't let himself be distracted by it, other than to give props to those who stay strong in the struggle.

"From the womb to the tomb, presume the unpredictable"

He's a prophet. He called bank on Vanderjacht's field goal in Tampa last monday.

"Guns salute life, rapidly, that's the ritual"

Death makes life sacred, and what you do with the time you are here penultimately important.


3)MEMORY LANE - This is Nas reminscing on his life and giving you a snapshot of all the shit that contributed to who he is today.

"I reminisce on park jams, my man was shot for his sheep coat
Childhood lesson make me see him drop in my weed smoke"

"No sign of the beast in the blue Chrysler, I guess that means peace
For niggaz no sheisty vice to just snipe ya
Start off the dice-rollin mats for craps to cee-lo
With sidebets, I roll a deuce, nothin below (Peace God!)
Peace God -- now the shit is explained"

Dodging police, bullets, incarceration, addiction & hopelessness is all in a day's work in the nieghbourhood. This explains why 'the shit that he writes is even tougher than dice' and why he has such profound insight.

"My intellect prevails from a hangin cross with nails
I reinforce the frail, with lyrics that's real"

He is now the Christ-like savior of hip-hop who gives strength to the weak with rhymes that make sense out of and give meaning to their suffering.


4)ONE LOVE - The easiest track opn Illmatic to decipher, which is why a lot of people rate it the best I think. I have it as the 3rd best track on the album cuz of the emotion behind it.

"so stay civilised, time flies
though incarcerated your mind
I hate it when your mum cries
it kinda wants to make me murder, for real-a
I've even got a mask and gloves to bust slugs but one love"

^these lines give me chills everytime I hear them, along w/ Nas' hopeless advice to the kids on the park bench;

"words of wisdom from nas try to rise up above
keep an eye out for jake shorty what
one love"

I actually pretty much agree with you for Life's a Bitch and Verbal Intercourse... except I'd excluded them because they only have one Nas verse (AZ even does the hook on Life's a Bitch). Deja Vu, however, has the Verbal Intercourse verse in it, plus two more. So I included that.

I think there's an overall dark humour in life's a bitch (even in the title). You're right that "buck that bought a bottle" is not emphasizing hope, although I think it's kind of ironic more than anything else (I believe we've had this conversation before). Same with the "rich or doing years in the hundreds" - I mean this has got to be humourous, you ethier make loads of money of a drug smuggle... or go to jail for a very long time.

I feel Memory Lane is just kinda unfocussed... my opinion of it has changed several times, and I'm still openminded about it.

It's also true that One Love is the most easily comprehended on Illmatic. At first I didn't like it too much because of that. But when I listened carefully I noticed how subtle it was. You're right about the "mask and gloves" line being ominous, and then the dark atmosphere takes a sort of unreal turn at the start of the 3rd verse. The changes in mood are pretty much unparalleled, I think.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

i can't condone any list that leaves out "the message" and "the world is yours".

It's just the same old thug/mafia talk that plagued It Was Written.

I like The World Is Yours. It's good how it tries to balance materialism and philosophy. Also how it cleverly puts birth, sex and gambling together at the end of the second verse.

What I don't like (maybe I'm missing something) is how he says "no crew to keep my crown or throne" then a few lines later says something about his peeps.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

...my favorite track by Nas...oh yeah...and you forgot about "I Gave You Power"...them some of his best lyrics on them 2 tracks man...

does he say anything profound on either of them?

(particularly on Aint Hard to Tell, which is basically you standard battle rap thing)

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

In between us on the scarface album, Confusion on nas'

I try to give another nigga advice, shoot dice
Do plenty of shit cuz this life, how many you get?
How many niggas do you know get two
Besides a nigga who snitch to skip a life-bid, be one a' your crew
I don't respect killers, I respect O.G. knowledge
Codes of the streets got new rules, but no guidance
Lessons, detrimental to a young disciple
Focus, take care of your brothers, niggas do as I do
Keep your enemies close, where they can see you
It's not your enemy who get you
It's always your own people"

i really love this song and nas outshines scarface IMO

---------------------
"Life without knowledge is death in disguise." - Talib

and if you count guest appearances
his joints with
scarface
wu tang on the w
mobb deep
and raekwon
(mentioned above)

get mentioned

"like, the roots are so rad."
-q tip

of his joints and guest spots, pull up a seat:

I'm a Villin - This is a very raw and young Nas, maybe some of you have found it on the net, I like it because sometimes MC's just sound dope when they are young and hungry.

Made You Look - Because this song just flows on like a war chant. Good combo of beat and lyrics.


One Mic - I love the way it starts slow... builds.. then explodes, then over again. The way a movie is told, but he did thru song.


The World is Yours - This is the 1st Nas joint I ever heard, and I was an instant fan.

Halftime - Like a big brother to Made you Look, this joint just rolls and he runs ripshot all over it.

Eye for an Eye - Off of Mobb Deep's The Infamous, in the context of the song his verse dominates over Mobb and Raekwon.

I Gave You Power - This song like picked up where Organized Konfusion's "Stray Bullet" left off. And SB is a great visual song, but almost pales in comparison to "I Gave you Power."

Verbal Intercourse - Off of Rae's Only Built for Cuban Linx, maybe the hottest verse off a classic album. It's the same verse as that Deja Vu song mentioned earlier.

NY State of Mind - Like an official announcement to the Hip Hop world. Where he's from, what's he about. Dark Primo beat, dark lyrics, shining song.

Stillmatic - God Son returns, it's official, the blast that but the Jigga man on his ass, and put hip hop on alert. One verse, over the Paid In Full beat. Peep:

Ayo Nasty Nas, what up?
~Ain't nothing, a lot of cowards frontin'.
I hear what you're saying, but yo, this is all love for me, you know?
~No doubt, smoke them cowards, you STILLMATIC

Ma, I'm sorry who the fuck I AM, I can't trust my fans
Out of luck, no constructive plans
My friends stay powdered up, I'm so drunk, can't stand
You said if I would sober up, I'd be a powerful man
Turned out the street life, you prayed I wouldn't
But every church in the world can't save our children
I stayed out late, you heard shots, thought it would be
Your older son on the ground dead, but fortunately
The bullets had some other names on it, the brother was blind
I hit the el, than we yell out, "It wasn't my time!"
I loaded up shells, one by one, you smelled blunts from my room door
Little Nasir was at war
And little did I care what you saw
Crew deep with a few heat, now it's time we settle the score
But in the projects, I visit Muhammad, in linen garments
Preaching Man, Woman, and Child, the living Prophet
And I'm similar, Nasir Bin Olu Dara
Visqu Allah, fist full of dollars in the dice game God
The Ice King, God, the Black Christ, elegant stance
Clothes fit me like a crime boss, the menacing man
I see the world collapsing, young pregnancies
Young girls are fast and in their Sasoon jeans, no prophylactic
All this fast shit and fly jewelry, now makes my eyes teary
N Y City, grab a hold and ride with me
Rip the FREEWAY, shoot through MEMPHIS with money bags
Stop in Philly, order cheese steaks and eat BEANS fast
And bring it back up top, remove the fake king of New York
You show off, I count off when you sample my voice
I rule you, before, you used to rap like the FU-SHNICKENS
NAS designed your BLUEPRINT, who you kidding?
Is he H TO THE IZZO, M TO THE IZZO?
For shizzle you phony, the rapping version of SISQO
And that's for certain, you clone me, your wack clothes line
I'd rather wear Sean John, you bore me with your fake coke rhymes
And those times, they never took place, you liar
UN was your first court case, you had no priors
You master fabricated stories of streets and sound slick
Have you surrounded, you and the faggots you down with
While they riding NAS, trying to boost their careers
Corny as CORN-MEGA, all you Hip-Hop queers
Since ILLMATIC, IT WAS WRITTEN: I AM...NASTRADAMUS
That's the answers to the puzzle I gave you, now here's a promise
My next few albums, instead of projects
They'll be a difficult test inside the cover for the mind's optics
Come in my hood, but bring the guns with you, it's dark
Headed through Brooklyn, Queens, Harlem, Staten, and Bronx
Headed through Compton, Oaktown, South Central, and Watts
New Orleans, Mississippi, Chi-town, every block
I'm trying to have my positive ways, I put my rhymes on page
Did crimes and headline on stage
I signed a contract, so here it is, you have it
Streets disciple, I'm STILLMATIC

~Peace~

There have been some really good insight into nas' songs. I think nas is just a lyricist's lyrisist and he leaves so much room for interpretation in his rhymes. Well here are my top ten

1} One Love- This song goes at the top simply for the third verse alone. It definitely is up there as one of the greatest verses in the history of rap. So much detail, so much emotion, so vivid. You feel like you are there sitting next to him smoking a blunt with that 12 year old kid. These lyrics give me goosebumps:
"I had to school him, told him don't let niggaz fool him/
cause when the pistol blow the ones that's murdered be the cool one/Tough luck when niggaz are struck, families fucked up/
Could've cought your man, but didn't look when you bucked up/
Mistakes happen, so take heed never bust up at the crowd catch him solo, make the right man bleed."
Those lines so beautifully portay the despondence and hopelessness of life in the ghetto. I get a little misty when he says "tough luck when niggas get struck, families fucked up." But anyways this song just cannot be topped.

2.} Memory Lane
3.} Doo Rags
4.} The World is Yours
5.} New York State of Mind
6.} New York State of Mind Pt II {slept on classic}
7.} Nas is Like
8.} Life's a Bitch
9.} Verbal Intercourse {that verse made it nas' song and not raekwon's}
10.} Poppa was a Player

Do you think Nas chose these names to be symbollic (seems kind of likely) and if so, what point do you think he's making?

Also, I challenge someone to name a hiphop song as deep and well crafted as One Love.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

you know what i never thought of that.
herb ice and bullet
being behind bars

and being things that frequently get people there...

excellent.

"like, the roots are so rad."
-q tip

no prizes

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

Gimme an hour and a PM Dawn rekkit and I'll come up with an identical analysis.

************************

your post confuses me

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

then one by one, you go through everybody elses opinions and shit on them

get the fuck outta here bitch nigga

..........................................................
You ride up to the club nigga, I don't give a fuck!
Sit yo' ass in the club bitch, I don't give a fuck!
Drinkin' Cris in the V.I., I don't give a fuck!
Talkin' shit 'bout me bitch I don't give a fuck!
You gotta pocket fulla money nigga, I don't give a fuck!
You drinkin' off with them ho's bitch I don't give a fuck!
In the club wit yo' pussy click, I don't give a fuck!
Security on my dick bitch, I don't give a fuck!

-----------------------------
Inaugural Member, OkaySports Hall of Fame (LOL)

I posted some criticism on Nas lyrics. I wanted people to respond with their own opinions. When people posted their own criticism, I responded with my own opinions. I was encouraging critical thinking. It's called a discussion.

EDIT: oh wait, you're one of these new members that flames everyone. Why did I even pay attention.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

You ride up to the club nigga, I don't give a fuck!
Sit yo' ass in the club bitch, I don't give a fuck!
Drinkin' Cris in the V.I., I don't give a fuck!
Talkin' shit 'bout me bitch I don't give a fuck!
You gotta pocket fulla money nigga, I don't give a fuck!
You drinkin' off with them ho's bitch I don't give a fuck!
In the club wit yo' pussy click, I don't give a fuck!
Security on my dick bitch, I don't give a fuck!

-----------------------------
Inaugural Member, OkaySports Hall of Fame (LOL)

But you're right, you're truly a member in every sense of the word.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

You ride up to the club nigga, I don't give a fuck!
Sit yo' ass in the club bitch, I don't give a fuck!
Drinkin' Cris in the V.I., I don't give a fuck!
Talkin' shit 'bout me bitch I don't give a fuck!
You gotta pocket fulla money nigga, I don't give a fuck!
You drinkin' off with them ho's bitch I don't give a fuck!
In the club wit yo' pussy click, I don't give a fuck!
Security on my dick bitch, I don't give a fuck!

-----------------------------
Inaugural Member, OkaySports Hall of Fame (LOL)

alot of posts and nobody mentions escobar 97? This one song easily identifies an entire part of his catalogue. Somebody please tell me I am not the only one who feels this way..

nah

for a college dissertation or something? It was posted about a month or so ago, but I can't remember the screen name.

I want to know what the essay said.

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

cause I actually want to know about this essay

--------------------
Why do you choose to mimic these wack MCs?
Why do you choose to listen to R&B?

"There are obviously many things which we do not understand, and may never be able to." Leela

*puts emceeing in a box*

compared to the original its like rah digga's latest hit going up against the biggie classic from the "whos the man" soundtrack