Ya'll know Nas is my man, and I been defendin' him since day 1 up in here, but nonetheless, I'll do an honest review of the album. Peep... 1. Album Intro - I think album intros are important, because they set the vibe of an album, especially in Nas's case, because theres always a certain message with each one of his albums. On "Illmatic" it was watch the fuck out, I'm 'bout to make waves in this game. On the second album it was I'm still raw, but I need to eat. And on his third its alot of ya'll hate me, but I dont give a fuck, ya'll still can't see me. A much angrier and more intense Nas steps to the plate on this album. 2. "NY State Of Mind" - I'm startin' to see some hatred come Primo's way lately, but ya'll can't front, he's one of the best ever, and definitely the most consistent ever. Sometimes I knock him because he uses the same formula too often, but this is Primo at his best, no formula, just a perfect theme for the lyrics. Nas is as raw as ever over this track, out of all the MC's Primo has worked with, I have to see his beats fit Nas the best. The perfect beat for the ghetto horror that Nas speaks of like only he can. Though Nasty Nas, the project murderer is M.I.A. he still lives somewhere deep inside Nas, and every once in a while takes over his brain, and forces the pen to paint poetry all over the track. We just got a Nasty Nas sighting ya'll. 3. "Hate Me Now" - Nas has always been at his best when he speaks from his heart and shows emotion, whether it be sad or in this case full of rage. It's no secret that Nas loves the streets, and the fact that people claim he lost street credibility kills him, but hes not afraid to speak on it. The track goes nicely with the intense and hard lyrics. This song is bound to get any club, or party or even a nigga on a bus hype ass hell. Even Puff Daddy's two cents doesnt hurt the song, it actually makes sense, seeing as he is the most hated entertainer in history. I think alot of people knocked this song before they heard it, you can't front on the lyrics. "Niggas fear what they don't understand, hate what they can't conquer/ I guess its just the fury of man, became a monster". Dope cut. 4. "Small World" - This song was taken off the Promo album that many of us, including myself couldnt resist coppin', It actually takes away from hearing the actual album, because it doesnt leave too much unheard material. This is a dope track that goes well with the lyrics. Nas speaks on how you pay for what you do, no matter how long it takes, and he tells another chilling ghetto tale. I think Nas has become the rap games Donald Goines, like he said ""Best story-teller, thug Narrator". 5. "Favor For a Favor" w/ Scarface - L.E.S. NEVER slips, and he impresses me everytime. I've never heard this cat make a wack beat. Obviously Nas wanted a hardcore mid-western type beat, and he was granted with it. Nas and Scarface exchange verses about handling each others beef and havin' each others back. I think this combination would've been much better a few years ago, though it doesnt seem like a forced combination, it does seem like they're both a little unfamiliar with each others style, and it was hard for them to adjust. You can't tell if its a song for NY cats or for 5th Ward cats. Not a throw away cut by any means, but nothin' to get too excited over. 6. "We Will Survive" - Another cut taken off the promo. Nas again, is at his best when he speaks from the heart. He tells Biggie and Pac about how he feels about there untimely deaths, and also a verse about whats becoming of young people in the ghetto. The chorus and beat were put together nicely by the Trackmasters (who, lets face it, don't get the props they deserve). "Ain't nothin' left for us but hoop dreams and hood tournaments/ thug coaches with subs sittin' on the bench/ either that or rap/ we want the fast way out of this trap" 7. "Ghetto Prisoners" - I definitely feet this joint. Nas in his most poetic form. He speaks about how us ghetto people gotta make things happen for ourselves or we'll never get out of this maze. Nas's head might be somewhere else, but it ain't hard to tell that his heart is still in the QB Housing Projects. "I'm one of those prophetic MC's, with blunted flows/ 700 souls in me", how deep is that? 8. "You Won't See Me Tonight" w/ Aaliyah - Nas and the musically unique and rather gifted Timbaland collaborate for their 2nd time on this cut. Timbaland impresses me again with the track, Nas describes his dream girl, and how its difficult for him to stay in a relationship. Even when Nas's lyricas are watered down they still have that ghetto poetry inside 'em that makes it that much better, though Aaliyah's chorus did nothing to halp the track, it doesn't hurt it either. 9. "I Want To Talk To You" - Damn, L.E.S., why is he virtually unknown? This cat is a genius on the production tip. A fierce Nas spits more angry lyrics this time at the American Government over an incredible track. A politically aware Nas yells "Water floods predicted/ Hurricanes and Twisters/ it's all signs of Armageddon, three sixes/ People vs. the system/ politics vs. Religion/ Holy War, Muslims vs. Christians". Definitely rewindable. 10. "Dr. Knockboot" - Did this really have to be on this album? This song doesn't fit at all, and has no business in the middle of all these hardcore and personal songs. Why was this taken off the promo and not "Blaze a 50.", "Wnna Play Rough?", Drunk By Myself", "Project Window", "Poppa Was A Player", or ANY other cut off the promo. It's cute the first couple times you hear it, and its good party material without a doubt, but it has no business on this LP. 11. "Life Is What You Make It" w/ DMX - Definitely a throw away cut. Nas and DMX have absolutely no chemistry at all, they both sound bored, DMX's verse has nothing to do with Nas's verses. It wasn't even necessary for Nas to go and kid the new "Hot MC", If anything DMX should be knockin' on Nas's door to do a track with him. 12. "Big Things" - Yet another East Coast MC expirementing with the mid-west Twista style of rhyme. When Biggie did it it was dope, 'cause he was the first from the East Coast to try it, and it shocked everyone, then Def Squad did it and ot sounded pretty good, then Jay-Z did it, but he was the one who originated it in the first place, but Nas has no reason to be doin' this. Hhis raspy voice and complicated lyrics can't be squeezed into a style so breezy. The lyrics in this song are actually quite fresh, especially the last verse dissin' former partner in crime Cormega, and the beat and chorus are nice too, but Nas just seems uncomfortable with this style. 13. "Nas Is Like" - Ya'll know the science on this one. The magic recaptured by Nas and Primo. Primo used his now very reckognizable formula for this track, nevertheless its a dope track, Nas spits flames over this one. 14. "K-I-SS-I-N-G" - Damn, it didnt take long for someone to take that "When A Woman's Fed Up" beat did it? Still, its a decent cut. Nas talks about the rise and fall of him and his wifes relationship, alot of us can relate to this shit, how many of ya'll said "Yo, me and this girl are never gonna break up", 1 year later you sayin' "damn, how did this shit get so bad?". Quality material, no masterpiece though. 15. "Money Is My Bitch" - Nas talks about how money seduced him and brought him down, over a hollow drum beat like that used in "Silent Murder" on IWW. Definitely well put together, the rhymes aren't top notch for Nas's standards, but it makes for a nice cut. 16. "Undying Love" - The story-teller Nas, maybe his best, and definitely his most comfortable style of rhyme. My man L.E.S. laces him again with a dope track. Nas tells another grotesque ghetto tale of how he caught Wifey cheatin' on him, then clapped her creep, then clapped her on accident, only to end up clapping himself to be with her, of course much more detailed in his words. Perhaps the best cut on the album. All in all, a great album IMO. Of course it has its flaws, every album does, but it also has many songs for you to vibe off for the Spring. When I hear Nas it reminds me of how much potential he has, he may not be the very best MC in the game (although....he probably is to me, him and G. Rap), but you can't front, he has the most potential in the whole rap game. He's got the voice, the lyrics, the fire, and the mind frame, he just needs the passion again. He needs to regain the the hunger that he once had, which is perhaps not possible, but even without that hunger he is still a remarkable lyricist. Instead of trying to pin point his flaws, why not appreciate the many good points that he still posesses. Peace.