Jul 12, 2016 Nas is one of the greats and this album is a testament to that. The Message is one of my favorite Nas and Hip-Hop songs of all time, and I have personal love for The Set Up as well as If I Ruled the World. My only true gripe with the LP is the abundance of weak hooks. However, Nas more than makes up for it with great verse after great verse, whether it be Nas's ability to depict the world around him or his effortless flow. Love the Dre production on Nas is Coming, as well as the Cornega and AZ features. 9.2 /10 for me
Jul 12, 2016 That's a great start! Bumping in the whip is one of rap's most sought qualities. However, "lit" is a term usually used to describe contemporary rap. I'd like to see you justify its usage for a classic 90s album. Also, I might consider tweaking the rating a little big as you rewrite. I will have office hours later today if you need more 1on1 help.
Jul 12, 2016 9/10 It's my third favorite Nas album after Illmatic and Stillmatic even though it contains most of my favorite Nas songs. The Message and If I Ruled the World are certified top 5 Nas while I Gave You Power is his best concept wise. Like someone said, the only weak points are the hooks but Nas' storytelling overcomes that. Recommend Friday Night Lights
Jul 12, 2016 By far my favorite Nas album. "It Was Written" strays away from the gritty sound of Illmatic and is a much more polished sounding album. If "Illmatic" was Nas observing crime through his bedroom window as a kid, "It Was Written" is Nas as a teen going out and experiencing that lifestyle himself. Per usual Nas can illustrate hood stories like very few can: with such detail and charisma. He takes you from wherever you are and places you in his setting. A classic album that I still have the urge to listen to till this day. 8.7/10 P.S. Foxy Brown's verse on Affirmative Action still gives me goose bumps lol
Jul 12, 2016 Can never listen to the album without having to stop it and go listen to Sting's Shape of My Heart instead.
Jul 12, 2016 8/10 Besides the intro, I love this album so much. Street Dreams, I Gave You Power and If I Ruled The World are some of the first Nas songs I'd recommend to someone.
Jul 12, 2016 9.2/10 it is a fantastic body of work. Of course it's more accessible than Illmatic but that doesn't make it bad
Jul 12, 2016 Surprisingly enough, this is one of those albums that I really haven't spent enough time with. It's definitely a great album, but I don't really know why I haven't listened to it much - and haven't for a while. I plan on listening tomorrow, and I will update this post accordingly.
Jul 12, 2016 9.5/10 Outstanding album from my favorite rapper. Every song is amazing. Easily one of my top 5 favorite albums.
Jul 12, 2016 it's crazy to think that this was was considered "selling out" 20 years ago lolll. but yea i'd probably rank it just below Illmatic and The Lost Tapes (maybe Stillmatic depending on the day) but It Was Written is crazy good. from the posse cut Affirmative Action, production from Dre in his prime on Nas Is Coming, to The Message (in my personal top rap 10 songs) the album is pretty d--- impressive especially for coming directly off the heels of "the greatest rap album of all-time." also nothing beats listening to I Gave You Power for the first time. 9/10 classic
Jul 12, 2016 This album aged beautifully, It outclasses illmatic lyrically and production wise, but has a slightly less consistent tracklist. I cant think of an album that excecuted the mafioso-style better than this. Favorite tracks: Take it in blood, affirmative action, the message 9.5/10
Jul 13, 2016 One of the Nas albums that I haven't listened enough to, so I'll give it a spin today (right now as we speak actually). If I Ruled the World, Street Dreams, The Message, I Gave You Power are awesome songs tho. Will give my rating soon.
Jul 13, 2016 9.6/10 So many god d--- classics on this album. I Gave U Power was truly innovative at the time. The Message has been quoted in so many hip hop songs over the years. It took subliminal shots at Biggie and 2Pac (it's why Pac dissed Nas on Makaveli). Take It In Blood and Affirmative Action are f---ing amazing. "Life's a b---- but God forbid I let the b---- divorce me" That Foxy verse.... I always seem to overlook Black Girl Lost on this track list, too. "To get his mind all you do is give him somethin priceless" Nas Is Coming was a big deal to me because it was Nas and Dre, at the height of East vs West. There's so many great lines in this album, plus it's a mix of his Illmatic flow and the start of his conceptual writing and story telling (I think his story telling REALLY went all out on I Am, which I've always thought is his most underrated album, along with God's Son). Nas def my GOAT
Jul 13, 2016 It's tough to argue against I Gave U Power, but I definitely think Rewind competes with it. I also think Money Is My b----, Fetus and even Book Of Rhymes are really close, as far as conceptual songs. (Book of Rhymes might be a stretch, because they're just free-verses, but I love how he executed the song). What I love about Nas is, to me, he's a rapper in it's truest form. Not just the whole multisyllable, lyrical aspect of it, but the ability to paint pictures with his lyrics, and to push the envelope with his conceptual writing. I know when Nas drops an album, he's going to take risks. Some will hit (songs mentioned above) or he'll miss horribly (Fried Chicken lol, or Who Killed It lol)
Jul 13, 2016 Nas came off of murking the greatest hip-hop posse's second-rate flagship leader in Raekwon (AKA Lex Diamonds of Wu-Tang) best track from Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. So it was natural the album of his that dropped the following year was going to showcase him in his prime. Gotta give it a good 9.3, bro. "If I Ruled The World" was such a great Kurtis Blow flip and even Street Dreams was an underrated second single from that joint right there. He solidified himself as a power player and a major problem, competitively-speaking, for Mainstream Hip-Hop's Head Honchos and Rap Juggernauts. Nas Is Coming is as epic as it's always been. And I'm sure it's been said, time and time again. But if we're going to be cliche, it might as well be something generally revered as empirically objective assertions. Needless to say, Foxy Brown's verse on "Affirmative Action" probably ate up the whole album. And it remains classic for this very reason. Dare I say it, the most incomparable female rapping performance of all time. Especially for the simple fact that this was a 17-Year-Old young lady. Still gotta bow and tip your hat to that.
Jul 13, 2016 Some dope production on this. In addition to the tracks I previously mentioned, Shootouts, Black Girl Lost, Affirmative Action, Take It In Blood, Nas is Coming are also highlights. Really consistent album. 8.8/10