NAS "Life Is Good" (Official discussion thread) Release date 07/17/12

[MarcusGarvey]

Man, when i got to "Stay" it just reminded me why Nas is my favorite rapper. Tangent: is he the best rapper ever, no, but he's so fucking talented as a lyricist, like he's a really really good rapper.

I give the album an 8/10. I could do w/o the Mary J Blige song, should've replaced it with Roses or even Nasty. "Summer on Smash" is meh.

Dam, I keep rewinding the first verse of 'Stay'

 

[its....JOHN B]

Nas did it again, shit just keeps getting better and better every listen, I didnt cry but Stay, You wouldnt understand, and world is an addiction literally put tears in my eyes they were so dope, there isnt a weak song on it and I know its to early to throw that word around, but no doubt in my mind this album is a classic, a genius at his work.

 

[moedays]

"Accident Murderers" bangs so hard in the whip. But "World is An Addiction" is becoming my favorite.

 

[5th Letter]

Why everybody hating on the Mary j Blige song? I like the sample and nas was spitting as usual. The only wack song is summer on smash.

 

[za'kiss]

125k is decent but people have to realize that NaS didn't have any hits singles. He released 5 singles and only "Daughters" Charted on the RnB Charts. Those sales are off name alone. This was a grown man album, it went over a lot of the youth's head cause they've been brainwashed by trash fast food hip hop for too long. I also blame Radio and label politics. Sure NaS went hard on Promo but the fact NaS could release a positive song about being a father and radio completely don't show it love shows you that the system is fucked up right now.

They only want to play songs that show negative images of Black America but a song about fatherhood can't get love? "The Don" also didn't get as much airplay as it should. It's all good, NaS will go GOLD but I'm hot cause the system in Hip Hop is fucked up right now. They only want ignorant shit on the radio, R.I.P. Conscious Hip Hop, sorry but you won't get airplay if you talk something positive they only want rappers talking negative. 125k Real Heads out there. Hip Hop is Dead, real shit don't sell anymore.

The reason I don't fully agree with this is that although he released 5 singles for this album, none of the singles are very accessible or have much crossover appeal. Rather unlike "I Can" and "If I Ruled the World..." there's no classic hooks or catchy melodies. They're all pretty rugged Hip-Hop tracks, including "Daughters," even if the concept and lyrics are generally more accessible. Nas is not a commercial artist. He's a street/independent artist with a partially commercial fan base that's been with him for years. He'll do his numbers based on name alone, that I agree with, but let's not pretend like the singles for this album would've done well in any decade. Their poor performance is not so much a sign of the times as it is that they just aren't very good singles. In fact, I think if Nas released "Cherry Wine" as the one and only single for this album a month ago he'd be looking at 200-250k type numbers. That's a track with a great hook and a huge commercial guest feature in Amy Winehouse. It's simply the most accessible song on the album. But Nas isn't very savvy with the commercial markets.

 

[Elzo69Renaissance]

Why everybody hating on the Mary j Blige song? I like the sample and nas was spitting as usual. The only wack song is summer on smash.

He used that sample on Geting Married, she used it on the i love you remix w smiff and wessun

 

[jono]

Now that I've heard it a few more times. The only "weak" track is Summer on Smash, its not really Nas' style to be honest.

A few tracks like World's An Addiction, & Back Then are okay songs but kind of the fillers.

Accident Murderers, A Queens Story, Loco-Motive, Daughters are on the 2nd tier. Good to great tracks.

No Introduction, The Don, Cherry Wine, Bye Baby, Stay, Reach Out & You Wouldn't Understand are the elite cuts to me.

7 elites

4 good

2 "fillers"

1 "weak"

So if you have the regular copy then I give that

14-3=11/14=78.6% (its math I know but its the best way I can grade albums) 78.6% round it up to 79% is a C+ or B- depending on your scale.

For the deluxe version

Nasty = Elite

The Black Bond = Good

Roses= Elite

Where's The Love = Good

deluxe version

9 elites

6 good

2 filler

1 weak

So that's:18-3=15/18=83% or a solid B.

I have the deluxe version myself.

Its a good album, worth paying money for definitely.

 

[buttuh_b]

Best album so far this year followed by Ab-Soul and Killer Mike.

 

[Melanin_Enriched]

I want a video for black bond tho. Want that shit looking like a blockbuster trailer.

 

[BobOblah]

A few tracks like World's An Addiction, & Back Then are okay songs but kind of the fillers.

what?

 

[buttuh_b]

The whole album could be a movie honestly. Nas is a fuckin fool b.

 

[JDSTAYWITIT]

Why everybody hating on the Mary j Blige song? I like the sample and nas was spitting as usual. The only wack song is summer on smash.

maybe because the artist he chose to feat on that track already did that record......and did it much better at that

 

[jono]

I didn't see anything too special about either song honestly. Back Then is a song that kind of comes and goes, World's An Addiction is pretty soulful but then again its featuring Anthony Hamilton. They fit fine on the album but they don't bring anything to the table really.

Each song I picked as a standout brought something to the table either bomb ass bars, dope production, something tangible to hold on to and I couldn't find anything in those two tracks.

I wouldn't say they are skippable but I'll be damned if they are on the same plateau as Stay, Cherry Wine or Bye Baby.

We talking about Nas here anyway, aint like the shit is wack. Its all relative. If I put World's An Addiction up against Stay its no competition. If I put Back Then up against Cherry Wine, again no competition.

They aint garbage, but could I see them being replaced by The Black Bond or Roses or Nasty in the final cut? Yeah either one of those would have been better off on the original version.

 

[can'tyoutell]

just checked the snippets and it sounds good. Honestly, I don't need snippets to buy a Nas album.

 

[T-Rel]

Album is dope front to back, weakest track by far is the Swizz Beats joint. That Amy Winehouse collabo is crazy!

I can play this album all the way through w/o skippng tracks. 4/5 imo

 

[daddysean]

To get white folk attention he should have released the Winehouse joint as the first single.That's why he stays losing,dude been in the game 20+ yrs he knows better

 

[H-Rap 180]

To get white folk attention he should have released the Winehouse joint as the first single.That's why he stays losing,dude been in the game 20+ yrs he knows better

That's what's wrong with mainstream HipHop.
=youtube_gdata_player

Everybody trying to cater to whites instead of just making music from the Soul.

 

[GeE-757]

i aint know nas was n da car wit tupacz old homeboy STRECH b4 strech got kill;d

 

[H-Rap 180]

Nas need to get Lauryn Hill on a remix too Mumo.

 

[GeE-757]

smh@ nas watz this about him wantin feminem on da remix 2 daughterz?? is nas serious?? im glad that aint happen cuz i wouldnt have bought da album