Mitchell Heckmann

This compilation is absolutely fantastic. Nas is my favorite rapper, and although the majority of these songs were recorded in his 30s (as they were intended for Hip Hop is Dead, Untitled, Life is Good, Nasir) they still demonstrate Nas’ excellence as a rapper and lyricist in the part of his career where many people believe he declined as an artist. The production on this project is highly diverse, ranging from boom-bap 90’s sounds to more electronic-based modern sounds. Nas features a wide range of producers, including Swizz Beats, Pete Rock, and Kanye West. On the track “Vernon Family,” Nas raps over a Pharrell beat and delivers a gritty and confident flow, discussing his experiences growing up in the projects and what he has learned during this time. The track “Adult Film” has Nas’ discussing how he views his romantic relationships over solid jazz/pop-style production from Swizz Beats. However, I found certain tracks lacked a hard-hitting sound that I feel complements Nas more effectively, like in the track “Highly Favored,” which contains a grainy, subtle jazz sample that fails to “pack a punch”. Despite this, Nas manages to deliver a strong flow and interesting lyrics. One track that I’m conflicted about is “Jarreau of Rap”, which highlights Nas’ technical abilities as a rapper, but the beat, in my opinion, tries too hard to be unique and instead gives off a “jumpy” and overworked quality. Overall, I feel this project effectively reveals Nas’ ability to rap brilliantly and smoothly in a variety of different production styles.