Nas's Best Album

I get into this debate with my friends all the time, and everybody always has his opinion on why this one or that one is Nas’s best album. I am going to try and do a critique of all his albums, and drop them one by one, based on one flaw or the other, till I come up with the best Nas album. Nas has 9 studio albums not counting collaboration albums, so you know it is going to be a tough job.

I will start by listing all the 9 albums in hierarchical order, from the oldest to the latest. Illmatic (1994), It Was Written (1996), I Am... (1999), Nastradamus (1999), Stillmatic (2001), Godson (2002),  Street's Disciple (2004), Hip Hop Is Dead (2006), Untitled  (2008). And then I would start the elimination of the albums one by one till I get the best. I would take Nastradamus off first. Although it was the first Nas album I heard in its entirety, and till this day, is one of my all-time favorite Nas albums, I have to agree that it has some weak links. Maybe if a song like the one with the bravehearts (quiet niggas) was taken off, then it would be a better album. I love every other song on the album, and I think that Nas achieved everything he planned to with the album, but, like a lot of the time, it goes over people’s heads. But still, it is not on the level of the other Nas albums.

Next to go would have to be I Am. Just like Nastradamus, it has some weak links…or just generally not as hot as a Nas album is meant to be. It is so funny how high Nas’s own standards is based on the critical acclaim from his debut album (Illmatic). Personally, I even prefer Nastradamus in its entirety to I Am, but I know I Am had more structured songs. People need to know that Nastradamus was released 8 months after I Am dropped…basically the same year. So, you understand what Nas meant when he said “Your greatest success is my worst blonder”- which means that, even though Nastradamus is considered his worst, it is still better than most of the albums rappers are dropping now…and it went Plat.

The next album to go off would have to be Street’s Disciple. Ironically, the album is in my top 3 Nas albums ever. I compare the album to Nastradamus because of its dark nature, but I think there are some songs that are just okay, and because of who Nas is, it creates a hole in the armor of the album. The song with Maxwell is one of them. But just like every other Nas albums, it is timeless. My friend just got a new copy 2 months ago, and he had people at the Bar we were play the album. It just felt great listening to it again.

Next to go would be Hip Hop Is Dead. I have to confess that it’s really hard trying to get one album, and say it is Nas’s best, but by picking the ones with the weakest links, and just comparing each individual album's hotness to the other, I can successfully knock off the albums till I get to the best. The track with Snoop, Play on A Player is the weak link on this album. Every other song is what it was meant to be.

 

It Was Written, although many say is his best, i think has some weak links too. The album is Nas's most commercially successful album till date, selling over 2.5 million copies in the U.S alone. I think it was very ground-breaking for the time it dropped...moving away from just "3" 16 bars and a hook songs, to creative and concept songs like "I Gave You Power". I would have to let it go because of songs like "Shootouts" and "Suspects"...this songs are cool, but not on the standard of the other tracks on the album.

Next to go would have to be Godson. This album is one of his greatest, because he was under a lot of pressure at the time; the beef with Jay-Z, losing his mom- and for him to come back after making a classic like Stillmatic, and make another classic, which doesn’t try in any way to imitate the concept of the last successful album, I think for that alone, you have to give It to Nas for this album. But, I am sorry, it still has to go. I can’t even pick one weak song on this album. Every track is where it is meant to be, and just as hot as any other hot Nas song.

We are left with Stillmatic, Illmatic and Untitled. I think I should just stop here, cos these three are all classics. Although the first two are more recognized, maybe because they both got 5 mic (classic rating) ratings from The Source magazine; I can confidently put the Untitled album on the same level as them. I think, considering versatility, in terms of story-telling abilities, diverse subject matter, and just being generally more matured, I would pick Untitled and Stillmatic over Illmatic. So, Illmatic is off. Now, the toughest decision is to pick between the two best Nas albums of all time. Oh My God!!!! This is really tough. But…I would have to go with Untitled. Yes, i think Untitled is a better album in its entirety than Stillmatic.

Stillmatic was fire!!! It was an angry nas turning his rage to creativity. And I think it is one of the greatest rap albums ever. But, people need to understand the artistic nature of the Untitled album. Although being a highly politically inclined album, it was still very rounded with songs like “we make the world go round”, and “hero”. From the beginning of the album, to the very last track, every track is unskipable. Can you think of another album where there are no album feeler, or no low point? This album is just incredible. If you don’t think so, then it is probably over your head like a bulimic on a see-saw. So, I say- Untitled is Nas’s best album till date.