Nas - Life is Good

In August 2011, Nas released 'Nasty' as the lead single for his new project Life Is Good. The track showcased a veteran rapper still hungry to demonstrate his skills; the freewheeling, hook-less virtuoso performance reminding listeners of an artist still desperate to top the classic Illmatic. Then all went quiet. Fans had to wait until the following April for a second single, the rousing, Heavy D produced 'The Don' further whetting appetites for the main event. After numerous well received track leaks, July 17th has rolled around, Life Is Good finally held up to the scrutiny of the hip hop community.

'No Introduction' opens the album, soft piano backing the Justice League produced track. Nas ranges over a variety of topics, cushioning gangsta trash talk between revolutionary plans and reminiscing about meetings with Biggie. The financially draining divorce that thematically shapes much of the LP is lightly brushed upon, revealing the motivation for the album: "I wrote this piece to get closure/ Some of you may know Kelis/ This goes to her with love, also goes to y'all to see/ The craziest things already happened to me/ Either you'll be laughing with me or be laughing at me."

Second track 'Loco-Motive' finds Nas on sparkling, vintage form. The listener is transported back to the grimy 90's, the train wheels providing the backdrop for the Queensbridge native to paint pictures of the dark New York underbelly. On a similar subject, 'A Queens Story' becomes a more personal ode to friends lost since his career blossomed.
Rick Ross drops in on 'Accident Murderers' for the only rap feature on the album. Rozay holds his own impressively against Nasty Nas, the two MC's trading bars menacingly in a musical relationship that seems to be flourishing. The album then changes tone as it moves into 'Daughters', an introspective, meditative discussion of the challenges raising his teenage daughter. The track reveals a matured father figure, a far cry from the occasional misogyny of previous releases.

The Anthony Hamilton assisted 'World's An Addiction' is arguably the best effort on an album filled with highlights. Over Hamilton's haunting hook, Nas documents a world of flagrant excess and damaging addiciton, despairing at the crumbling world he sees around him. The LP then moves into a soulful lull on 'Stay', the MC becoming conversational over the hazy, saxophone driven instrumental. Also included is 'Cherry Wine', a product of an unlikely friendship with Amy Winehouse.

Unfortunately, there is one misstep included in the track listing. 'Summer on Smash' features the schizophrenic, all or nothing approach that characterises the production of the increasingly redundant Swizz Beats. The blatant attempt at radio exposure hinders an album that is otherwise excellent.

Life Is Good ends with the emotional 'Bye Baby', in which the rapper tries to make sense of his failed marriage. Nas' rhymes neatly encompass the variety of emotions synonymous with the break down of an important relationship, bittersweet memories sprinkled over a bed of directionless anger. This provides a suitable ending for an album that features the artist cradling his wife's green wedding dress on the sleeve, the only item left by Kelis after she cleared her belongings from the martial home.

Track by Track:

01. No Introduction (Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League) 8/10
02. Loco-Motive (Feat. Large Professor) 9/10
03. A Queens Story 9/10
04. Accident Murderers (Feat. Rick Ross) 8/10
05. Daughters 8/10
06. Reach Out (Feat. Mary J. Blige) 8/10
07. World’s An Addiction (Feat. Anthony Hamilton) 9/10
08. Summer On Smash (Feat. Miguel & Swizz Beatz) 6/10
09. You Wouldn’t Understand (Feat. Victoria Monet) 7/10
10. Back When 7/10
11. The Don 8/10
12. Stay 9/10
13. Cherry Wine (Feat. Amy Winehouse) 8/10
14. Bye Baby 9/10

The Verdict:


After a run of consistent, if unspectacular projects, Nas has returned with an album of astounding quality, fully justifying the hype generated over the course of the year. With 10 solo albums under his belt, Nas appears likely to extend his astonishing longevity a little further yet.


9/10

Nas - HMV Picture House, Edinburgh 26/06/12

Stepping onto the stage, hip hop godfather Nas was greeted by the enthusiastic, sweltering crowd packed into the HMV Picture House. Wrapped in a jumper promoting yet unreleased new album Life Is Good, the rapper opened with a raucous rendition of 'Hip Hop Is Dead', the track brought to life by the live band accompanying the MC in an attention grabbing opening gambit. 
"Lets go back to where it all started," he then proclaimed, launching into a medley of tracks from classic debut album Illmatic and tipping the crowd into a frenzy. 'N.Y. State Of Mind', 'Life's a Bitch' and 'It 'Aint Hard To Tell' were all given an airing. Nas is well known and admired for his complex lyricism over a multitude of projects, so it was perhaps inevitable that the MC would fluff his lines at some point. A slippage occurred during 'The World Is Yours', the rapper briefly forgetting his words in a delivery that was otherwise technically flawless.

The song selection ranged widely over Nas' decorated career. Popular singles 'Hate Me Now', 'Get Down' and 'If I Ruled the World' were brought to life with gusto, tracks linking seamlessly in a breathless performance. Guitar and rapper were merged to strong effect on Fox News baiting 'Sly Fox', while the tempo was mercifully slowed by the bluesy 'Bridging the Gap', a collaboration with his father Olu Dara.
The aforementioned forthcoming Life Is Good featured heavily on the set list. The reflective 'Daughters' was contrasted with the freewheeling 'Nasty', in which the rapper demonstrated exactly why he is considered one of the most talented MC's to ever pic up the mic. New single 'The Don' rose the atmosphere to a crescendo, a rousing way to end the show.


75 minutes after he first appeared, the Queensbridge native left the stage. Though there was no encore, the crowd were left satisfied by a breathless, honest performance from a true hip hop legend.
With 6 million dollars worth of backdated taxes to pay, it's fair to say Nas will be doing many more tours and adding to the discography that already stretches into double figures (including collaborative projects, upcoming LP Life Is Good will be his 12th official release) for some time to come. On this evidence, he will always be welcome back.  

Ja Rule: Pain Is Love 2

The original Pain Is Love was released in 2001, debuting at number one on the Billboard Chart. In addition, the album had two number one singles, and was eventually certified 3 times platinum in the US. Over ten years later, an incarcerated Ja Rule releases the sequel, Pain Is Love 2 to minimal fanfare. Having not had a charting album since 2004, it is fair to say that Rule has fallen so far off of the hip hop landscape that he is now practically invisible. Gone are the days where Muder Inc. ruled the charts, singles such as 'Always On Time', 'Between Me And You' and 'Livin' It Up' dominated airwaves both at home and abroad.


Reassessing former glories forms a central theme of the album. On 'Real Life Fantasy', Ja reminisces about his former label mates, lamenting the fact they never kept in touch and exploring his darker moods: 'None of that matters/ When the mirror shatters/ All I see are pieces of me/ Scattered'. Anita Louise provides a radio-friendly hook, representing just one of several singers on the album. 
The track listing features no additional rappers, but several unfamiliar R&B names appear. This can be taken as an indication of how far the stock of Ja Rule has fallen in the hip hop world, but it is not necessarily to the detriment of the album. The lack of rhyming support allows the listener to focus on what Rule has to offer, the relatively short 12 tracks providing a cohesive feel to the LP. The vocal talents assisting the album are admittedly not top quality, but there are some bright spots to be unearthed from the rough. Amina particularly shines on the haunting 'Spun A Web', while Leah Siegal is well suited to the rock stylings of 'Parachute' and 'Pray 4 The Day'.


The aforementioned rock influence works well throughout the album. It is clear that Ja Rule regards himself as akin to a fallen rock idol, alternating between bitterness and quiet acceptance that the musical landscape has changed. The electric guitars driving 'Parachute' suit Rule's signature gravelly voice, while 'Pray 4 The Day' finds the rapper in a reflective mood over softer strings.


For the main part it is clear that Rule understands his former glory has all but dispelled, and with that the nature of his music must adjust is he is to continue recording. A recourse to the old formula is evident, however, on 'Black Vodka'. The sultry track is sure to appease those nostalgic for the smooth R&B hooks that initially propelled the rapper to the forefront of early 2000 era hip hop. The track is a timely reminder that when he is on form, there are few who can produce the rap/R&B hybrid better. The harder edge to his music, reminiscent of the rambunctious Murder Inc. swagger can be found on 'Believe', Ja growling his way menacingly over the fast paced beat.


There are a few notable flaws that bring the quality of the album down, however. If there is an archetypal example of a rapper who shouldn't use auto tune, then it is surely Ja Rule. Unfortunately, he employs this technique liberally on 'Strange Days', the song a struggle from start to finish. A promising instrumental on 'Superstar' is ruined by a lethargic chorus, while 'Drown' has difficulty getting off the ground with a slow, ponderous beat that Ja cannot lift alone. The sagging middle section of the album brings down the quality markedly.


Track By Track

1) Intro “Fuck Fame” ( feat Leah Siegal)
2) Real Life Fantasy ( feat Anita Louise) 8/10
3) Parachute ( feat Leah Siegal) 8/10
4) Super Star 6/10
5) Black Vodka 7/10
6) Drown (feat Somong and Kenny Dark) 6/10
7) Never Had Time (feat John Doe) 6/10
8) Strange days 5/10
9) To The Top ( feat Kalina of Dirty Money) 7/10
10) Pray 4 The Day (feat Leah Siegal) 7/10
11) Believe (bonus) 8/10
12) Spun A Web ( fear Amina) 8/10

The Verdict


This album was never going to be a classic. The composition and recording process were fragmented and subject to various pressures, which shows in the final quality of the finished product. Pain Is Love 2, however, is a refreshingly authentic Ja Rule release, the listener under the impression that only he could have recorded an album such as this. Fans looking for a nostalgia trip will be somewhat satisfied, but may also find something to surprise them.


7/10

Is Hip Hop Dead?

The early 2000's were the golden years for Hip Hop in terms of albums sales. Even the most depressingly average MC's could virtually guarantee a gold plaque (500,000) with every release. Fast forward to 2007, and sales were rapidly declining. For the first time in 12 years there was no rap album in the American top ten best sellers of the year. Sales of music in general suffered due to the recession, but hip hop was hit particularly hard. The ceaseless mantra of 'bitches, money and hoes' was growing increasingly stale as the gangsta rap market became saturated with cheap imitations. Consumers were crying out for something different.
The last 2 years, however, has seen a resurgence of quality music from a litany of new MC's. First up was Wiz Khalifa, fuelled by his mega hit 'Black and Yellow' and a huge underground buzz for his mixtapes. Rolling Papers sold 197,000 in its first week of release, eventually receiving gold certification. Hot on the heels of his success were standout projects Section 80 from Kendrick Lamar and Follow Me Home by Jay Rock. Though not commercially successful, the two albums displayed the wealth of young talent lurking just below the surface of mainstream hip hop.
After numerous delays, September saw J Cole finally drop his highly anticipated Cole World. Selling over 200,000 in its first week, the figures were particularly impressive as there was no particularly popular single to promote the album on the airwaves. Similarly, Wale received a remarkable career boost by signing onto Maybach Music. Compilation album We Are Maybach Music was well received, along with fellow freshmen Pill and Meek Mill, but the sales figures for sophomore project Ambition were truly remarkable. Over 160,000 units were moved in the week of release, compared to the 28,000 sold of 2008's debut Attention Deficit. Again, Ambition had no substantial single to promote. Love him or hate him, Drake is setting the standard for the rap/r&b hybrid, Take Care awarded a gold plaque within a week.

The success story of the year so far has been Mac Miller's Blue Slide Park. Despite being released on an independent label, the album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Chart with 144,000 sold. Without substantial promotion, the rapper relied on engaging with his large internet following to great effect.
Though these figures are unimpressive when compared to the multi-platinum albums of the first half of the last decade, or indeed against continuing superstars such as Eminem, Jay Z and Lil Wayne, placing them alongside recent work from established stars is worthwhile.

50 Cent- Before I Self Destruct 160,000 (2009)
Rick Ross - Teflon Don 176,000 (2010)
T.I - No Mercy 159,000 (2010)
Game - The R.E.D Album 98,000 (2011)

Taking these figures into account, it suggests that hip hop is certainly working on a reduced scale. This is not to say, however, that the quality of music is declining. The state of the music industry is forcing labels to go look for other ways to promote their product, the creation of twitter becoming an increasingly dominant force in the hip hop world. A 'back to basics' approach, with an increased focus on creating quality free mixtapes to build a large following has yielded excellent results for artists such as Drake, Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa. The new generation is now in a position to stand alongside the big hitters in the rap industry, with newcomers such as A$AP Rocky, Vado and Childish Gambino hot on their heels. Particularly exciting is the wide range of styles coming through the ranks. The introspection of J Cole, for example, is a world apart from the jaunty 'backpack' rap of Mac Miller.
Taking all this into account, it is clear that hip hop isn't dead. It's just smaller.