Nas- Life Is Good (Album Feature)

Short and sweet- Nas has delivered another classic. Album number ten for The Don will compete for top spot this year.

There aren't many rappers that are able to rap over beats that Nas raps over. Songs produced by Salaam Remi, No I.D. etc always require a rapper with 'something meaningful to say', you cannot mumble your way through their production. This is why Nas is so engaging and captivating, he is such a storyteller, you vicariously live his experiences and carry his baggage through the 18 tracks (4 bonus tracks on Deluxe Version). There are plenty of rappers with creative lyrics, but Nas delivers in a way that is so easy to comprehend/follow.

Tracks like 'Daughters', 'Stay', 'Bye Baby' are all very personal, ... about his divorce with Kelis, Nas' ex-wife and fellow-musician, by whom he has a son. But you also feel his transition from old to new life, and it seems times have definitely changed since Illmatic- child support, fending off predatory players- much like himself, from his teenage daughter...

"they say the coolest players and the foulest heartbreakers in the world/God gets us back, he makes us have little girls"

"When he date, he straight, chip off his own papa
When she date, we wait behind the door with the sawed off
Cuz we think no one is good enough for our daughters"

...unpaid taxes, ageing- Nas now "20 years in this game lookin 17" like he raps in 'The Don'.

"I'm pushing 40, she only 21/Don't applaud me, I'm exhausted, G."

Bit of trivia- the green dress in the album cover was the only thing left in Nas' house after their divorce- a part of her wedding dress. Cool concept (can't wait to explain to you 2 Chainz's album cover...).

What Nas had to say:

"I found [the dress] in my house and thought, 'It's going somewhere'. Either on the cover of my album, or burning in a garbage can. I was angry when I first found it. Hurt and angry - but I don't think she left it deliberately to hurt me. It's just part of the dress, so I don't know where the rest of it is. But it made all the sense in the world for me to hold on to that. I guess that's just my personality."

Anyway, this album is one for a lazy weekend morning, preferably with a clear head to take in his literary imagery. It's awesome that rappers like Nas, Jay-Z etc at their age still remain and are willing to continue sharing their veteran lifestyle in the rap game. Listen, and try and tell me rap isn't poetry at its finest.

STANDOUTS:

Daughters (prod. by No I.D.)





Summer On Smash (feat. Miguel and Swizz Beatz) (prod. by Swizz Beatz)

`

World's An Addiction (feat. Anthony Hamilton) (prod. by Salaam Remi)



Stay (prod. by No I.D.)



Cherry Wine (feat. Amy Winehouse) (prod. by Salaam Remi)