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For those familiar with The Boondocks, this Untitled (2008) Nas album seemed like one big episode of Huey Freeman going off about Niggers. Huey does this thing where one in every five or so episodes, he talks about something specifically related to what he calls “Nigger moments”, a time when black people get into this train of thought. Occurences have been direct confrontation from a stupid mistake, cheating in relationships and going about resolving it, getting paid and losing it all at once, etc. Nas does something similar by showing how they act in specific situations, how they are portrayed in the public, or how they can improve upon the definition. The whole album pressed upon this theme and Nas kept it very realistic about all the facts and his take on them. Though at times it bounced around different topics of black life, the album when listened to from start to finish told a coherent story.

Nas’s recent release of his untitled album brings back memories of Illmatic (1994). He’s calm, he’s succinct, and he’s talking about things personal to him. With simple beats and a purpose to his lyrics, Nas shines though on this album. I love it when a veteran emcee like Nas comes back to the table to talk about real topics (media, government, music game, imprisonment, etc.) and how it relates to him personally.

• Simple Beats: Past albums were a little heavier on the production front, especially Hip Hop is Dead (2007). This album though has very simplified beats, making it sound like the production came from the mid 90s. One of the biggest advantages this gives is that it directs your ear’s focus to Nas’s lyrics instead of the beat. And Nas’s lyrics are some of the best in the popular hip hop arena.
• Relaxed: It’s hard to say if someone is actually relaxed during a session in the studio. But from the gaps in between Nas’s words and his ability to talk in between his bars, he sounds very calm and relaxed on all the tracks. This allows the words + purpose of his lyrics to come out so he’s not talking down or in force to us, but instead, feels more like a conversation.
• Respectful: There has been a spurt of old school emcees which have hated on the rap game and on how freshmen artists are finding more money than them. Nas talks about this and though he says his money comes primarily from album sales vs. ringtones, he has not expressed hate towards others. He understands the game and how it is a business. This in turn, to me, makes him a smart emcee, not a desperate rap star living in the past.

I will go on the record to say that I don’t think this is his best album ever. He’s done better with his rhymes and his lyrical content, and even his flow has been more dynamic in the past. But what I do appreciate is Nas’s ability to stick to conscious lyrics, a theme + purpose for his album, and being able to create something like this even though he’s a popular artist. That makes him an Obnoxious artist in my books!

On a future note, my prediction is that the following tracks will become radio play singles: Make the World Go Round (ft Chris Brown & The Game) and Hero (ft Keri Hilson). And then during Barack Obama’s campaign, I’m sure they will play Black President. A solid track to have on their road to the White House (even though the chorus says “we ain’t ready to have a black president”). Be also sure to check out the clip from Friend Chicken I attached above. Such a great personification that both Nas and Busta Rhymes did on that track!