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.