There are few rappers who undeniably deserve a place in the hip-hop pantheon. Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, Eminem, Jay-Z, and, of course, Nas are among the undisputed greats who have the skills and influence to back up their reputations.
Nas established himself as an icon in the hip-hop world with his striking debut album, "Illmatic," in 19994. However, Nas has been going downhill since then; "Street Disciple," his newest release, is hardly Nas at his greatest.
Lyrically, the album is good. The flow and beats are sub-par, however, especially for an artist with as much talent as Nas. His lyrics do prove thoughtful, addressing problems in the world today ranging from Bush's presidency to the recent hurricanes in Florida.
But while his lyrics prove interesting, he just cannot back up the size of this double CD. There are good tracks on the album, but many songs seem extraneous. For instance, "The Makings of a Perfect Bitch," seems contrived and awkward. Yet while good hooks on this album are few and far in between, some songs, like "Disciple," are still catchy.
Many of the lyrics on this double disc are just downright cheesy. For instance, the hook, "I see people hating other people / Tell me what's the reason" is blatant and boring. This dearth of good music lends to the thought that, perhaps, Nas should have released just one solid CD instead of over-extending himself.
On the cover of the album, Nas sits at a table with twelve "disciples" surrounding him. This imagery, and his last album "God's Son," suggest that Nas is comparing himself to Jesus. This blatant idolatry, while extreme, wouldn't be so frustrating if it didn't take precedent over the quality of the music. People buy albums for the music, and expect it to be good;. Nas should spend less time thinking up elaborate ways to elevate his image, and figure out how to live up to his earlier material.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of "Illmatic" and it has been re-released and re-mastered. If you are looking to pick up a Nas album, your money would be better spent on the tenth anniversary edition of "Illmatic" rather than "Street's Disciple". The former is authentic and the latter seems contrived. Nas is one of the greatest, and we owe it to him to appreciate his greatest work. If the re-released "Illmatic" outsells "Street's Disciple" maybe Nas will get the point, and rediscover his previous genius.
