Murs-athon pt. 11 - Fornever

Followers of the career of underground MC Murs would know that his popularity hit its peak around 2008 with the release of his major label debut album Murs For President, a project that I actually really enjoyed, and had a nice varied sound only slightly upset by the placement of four break up tracks that play simultaneously towards the end. Murs had finally hit the big time, and realised his dream of getting his music out to the masses, so what next? Well, Murs, true to his underground roots, departed the Warner Bros. label very shortly after the release of this album, and decided the best thing to do now that he had reached a peak was simply to make the music he wanted to for the underground fans that came up with him in the first place. He started this endeavour with the release of a third Felt album alongside Slug in 2009, an album that I'm not listening to right now because this Murs-athon only consists of solo stuff and collaborations with producers, and not stuff with other MCs. Speaking of collaborations with producers, after the Felt album Murs knew that he would have to continue his streak of releasing a 10 track album with 9th Wonder every two years until further notice, and so on April 13th of 2010, their fourth album together Fornever was released. Man, that spellchecker is going to kill me during this write-up.

Now, as with every Murs-athon, this review is going to be more of a reaction - I've never heard the project before, and as I write these introductory paragraphs, there's not a single song on this album that has passed through my ears. There is one difference now, however - I'm slightly sceptical about this one. Yes, Murs For President was pretty damn great, but the last of these 10 song 9th Wonder collaboration albums Sweet Lord really wasn't that good at all in my opinion, and as such I don't know whether or not this project is going to impress. One thing that they've switched up a bit from previous projects is the inclusion now of more features - this album has guest appearances from Kurupt (twice!), VerBS, Suga Free, Sick Jacken and Uncle Chucc, and it even appears to have a verse from 9th Wonder himself, albeit under the pseudonym 9thmatic. These names do instill a bit of hope in me that maybe this won't be the miserable drag that the Sweet Lord first listen was, and there is one song here that I'm particularly looking forward to, that being track 7 "I Used To Luv Her [Again]", which appears to be marketed as a sequel to the classic Common song. Speaking of which, why have Murs and Common never worked together? They're both all about peace and love, so where did that collaboration end up? C'mon, I need answers!!

As I've been bumping Murs For President a lot, I am kind of in a mood for Murs at the moment, and so I'm hoping that Fornever (awkward title and all) will be a pleasant listen, albeit one I don't expect too much out of. Let's get it going!

All songs are produced by 9th Wonder (but you already knew that). 

1. Fornever (feat. Kurupt)

"Murs Rules the World", "Varsity Blues", "Murray's Revenge"... Murs has been on a good streak of title tracks so far, so let's hope that doesn't end here. Going into this I was slightly worried that Kurupt was just going to be some kind of announcer on his appearances, but rest assured the man actually does get a verse in the middle here, so that's dope. Murs also outraps the fuck out of him, as Kurupt spends most of his time talking about fantasies of filming himself having sex for some reason, and he also finds time to namedrop Snoop Dogg and Kim Kardashian in a reference I'm sure people got back in 2010, but I honestly couldn't care less about now. So yeah, Kurupt's content was a little disturbing, but thankfully the hosts really saved this one. 9th bought through one of his classic chipmunk soul instrumentals that goes down a treat, and Murs sounds just as hungry on here as he was on Murs For President, and perhaps even more aggressive. "Smokin' on the front porch at my mama's house"! This was dope. 

2. The Lick (feat. VerBS)

Well, that's certainly not a promising title. Thankfully, I enjoyed this one even more than the opening track. For this cut, 9th provides a smooth and laid back instrumental that of course utilises some vocal samples, and this beat matches the vibe of the lyrics perfectly, as Murs and the guest rapper VerBS (who I'd never heard of but showed promise here) recount just an average day on the streets chillin' out and not doing anything crazy. The song isn't intense or brutal, and it's not going to make any "top 10 Murs songs" lists simply because it's so low-key, but rest assured that this is actually another really dope song, one with great production and great rapping from the pair of MCs. Did we really need the little rant from Reverie at the end, though??

3. Asian Girl (feat. 9thmatic)

As I mentioned in the introductory paragraphs, 9thmatic is actually just 9th Wonder's alias used when he is rapping, and I believe that this is also his first ever appearance spitting on a track - at least that's what his lyrics lead me to believe. I quite enjoyed this one, and it's definitely better than the majority of Sweet Lord (which, according to 9th, is being bumped by "dudes out in Asia" - I'll believe that when I see it), but there were some glaring flaws. Firstly, this song does come across as ever-so-slightly racist, but more importantly, it suffers from the 9th Wonder (or should I say 9thmatic) verse, in which he completely disregards the topic save from the occasional mention of "Asia". Honestly, this song was kind of stupid as hell even if Murs did actually stay on topic, but hey - I enjoyed it. The instrumental was bouncy, and the lyrical content was fairly amusing in a "this really shouldn't be amusing" kind of way. Pretty solid track. 

4. Let Me Talk (feat. Suga Free)

Kurupt and now Suga Free? The West Coast oldheads must have been going crazy when this thing dropped. Anyway, this track is another relationship song from Murs, this time with him sort of arguing with a spouse that we can't actually hear, albeit in a more humorous way than a song like "Domestic Violence", or more recently "We Cry Together". Murs approaches the subject in a fun manner and with creativity that was sorely missing for most of the Sweet Lord album, and the song is only made better by the Suga Free verse, where the man sounds slightly manic, almost like DMX if he was old, goofy and from the West. This track was really enjoyable, and one of the best relationship songs I've heard from Murs yet. 

5. Cigarettes and Liquor

Surprisingly, it's taken us until halfway through the album to get a track with just Murs rapping, and no featured MCs. And yet despite this, this one manages to be in my opinion the best track so far, no easy accomplishment considering everything has been at least somewhat dope (I say "somewhat" as "Asian Girl" had its issues). On this track, Murs discusses how it's so ridiculous that, despite the fact that they're out to kill you and are inevitably going to worsen and shorten your life, people still are consuming huge amounts of cigarettes and liquor (or really, alcohol in general). The instrumental here heavily reminds me of that on Xzibit's track "Shroomz", and I'm inclined to believe that they use the same sample, although I can't tell for sure. What I can say is that this instrumental is groovy as hell, and Murs rides it as easily as his extreme dirt-bike. This track is great, and the fact that it has a strong message only makes it better. Nice stuff!

6. Vikki Veil

So far, this album has been rather humorous and uplifting, but for this one the tone changes drastically, as Murs spits a tale about a women who was completely unlike him who he accidentally allowed himself to fall in love with, only for her to break his heart by the end. The vocal sample in the instrumental that repeated the title of the song felt kind of intrusive at first, but after about a minute I actually started to really like it, and by the end of the song I was considering this to possibly be the best instrumental on here - this beat is intense and quite dark, and really switches up the mood. Murs' lyrical content on here isn't as dark as this beat, but nonetheless the rapping is still quite depressing and hits hard. This track was great, and easily one of my favourites yet. 

7. I Used To Luv HER [Again]

Well, that's annoying. On the back cover, the word "love" is deliberately misspelt as "Luv", but inside the booklet it's spelt correctly. That type of shit really pisses me (the extreme nerd) off. Still, I'm going with what it says on the back. The song itself is actually more of a sort of cover than a remake - I was worried that Murs was literally just going to lay down all of the original lyrics after the first verse, which is identical to that on the original Common song (here's a review for Resurrection, by the way), but thankfully he started to actually switch things up during the second and third verses to offer his own perspective on the changing dynamic of the genre, and towards the very end he started actually dissing the use of autotune, which was gaining a lot of popularity around the time this album came out. This part could have come across as corny, but I think Murs kinda made it work, even though he does sound a bit like he's offering his opinion, rather than making good music and shutting the fuck up (props to those who caught the reference). This obviously doesn't hold a candle to the original Com song, but for what is essentially a tribute I enjoyed it a lot. They could have cut out the last minute or so, though - I mean, six minutes? Really??

8. The Problem Is... (feat. Sick Jacken & Uncle Chucc)

I believe I'm right in saying that this was released as the lead single to this album, and had a music video uploaded for it a couple of weeks before the album came out. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've never heard anything from the two guests here, but I'll be interested to see what they bring to the table nonetheless. It's quite obvious why this one was released as the lead single, as it's easily got the most mainstream sound out of every song so far, whether you're looking at the fairly dramatic 9th production, or the sung hook from Uncle Chucc that's fairly catchy, if not anything you might be humming to yourself on the tube at 3AM after a night at the club. This song is rather serious, with Murs delivering a motivational verse that tells the listener to not focus on the bad but instead the good, and guest MC Sick Jacken delivering some content about how black people are appallingly still being oppressed by society, and this has to change. The song's flavour is a little too mainstream for Murs, but nonetheless it's pulled off tastefully enough, and ends up working well. I enjoyed this one a lot. 

9. West Coast Cinderella

Any song that has "cinderella" in the title is going to worry me - let's hope Murs dispels this. I hadn't heard a Roger Troutman style vocoder on a Murs song since "Live My Life" off of his debut album, so that was a nice little surprise - something the track was not. Sure, 9th provides a pleasant instrumental on this one, the storytelling from Murs is engaging and well thought-out, and as I said I do enjoy the vocoder. Sounds all good, but truthfully I cannot take this "cinderella of the hood" style story seriously - if you're looking for a gangsta tale from the hood, you're probably better off heading to the local library and joining the storytime circle than putting on this song. Look, Murs, we know you're trying to be all about positivity, but, in the immortal words of Rap Critic: dude, there's a fucking limit!!

10. Live From Roscoe's (feat. Kurupt)

Kurupt returns, and this time to contribute to a laid-back celebratory West Coast style tune that goes down as well as honeycomb ice cream: that's very fucking well, by the way. 9th's piano-led instrumental on here is easily one of my favourites on this whole album, and Kurupt decides to thankfully not get vulgar as hell for his verse, and instead just reflect on life in L.A. in the '80s and '90s, back when he was a young drug dealer. His storytelling on here is great, and I also really enjoyed his flow. Then, after a creative hook which utilises the vocal sample in the beat to great effect, Murs comes in with his verse and it's even better, with him just speaking on his current experiences, and how he lives a life that he can celebrate and enjoy to the fullest. This track was brilliant, and honestly the perfect way to finish off this LP. What a song. 

Wow... I don't know if it was the inclusion of features that helped, but this album was actually way better than I thought it was going to be, and an enormous improvement over their previous collaboration Sweet Lord. Yes, the album isn't flawless, but I wouldn't say there was a single outright bad song on there, and the highlights were genuinely excellent, whether it be "The Lick", "Cigarettes and Liquor" or "Live From Roscoe's". So, why exactly did this album work so well? Firstly, we have the production work from 9th Wonder, which is just astonishing in my opinion. There's a lot of variation on here in terms of the beats, with some being intense and quite sad, some being poignant, and some just being groovy and chilled out. Whatever track you head to here, you're going to end up with some dope production, and some of the best beats give the work on Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition and Murray's Revenge a run for their money - that's seriously high praise considering I've come to see both of those records as 2000s classics. Moving on, we can talk about the features. I honestly think the worst feature was bloody 9th Wonder himself, as his verse on "Asian Girl" just kind of ignored the topic altogether, but even then his performance didn't hurt the track too much. Also, Kurupt wasn't that good on the opening track. All the other features did great, though - Kurupt made up for his efforts on the title track on the final song, Suga Free and VerBS both provided humorous performances, and Sick Jacken's verse was one of my favourites on the whole damn album. I definitely think that the inclusion of more features helped this album feel a bit more varied than Sweet Lord, and as such it's more entertaining. But the main thing that really puts this album way above its predecessor is the performance from Murs. Aside from the weird-ass concept on "West Coast Cinderella", I enjoyed literally every single performance from Murs here. The man sounded properly engaged throughout, and came with both personal and socially conscious content, as well as quite a bit of humour, and these three different styles come together to help this thing be even more diverse than it otherwise would have been. Murs really does kill this one, and I'm honestly so happy right now that I liked this album. This one's definitely worth checking out, and washes out all the bad memories of Sweet Lord without being too diversifying from the pair's original sound. Man, these guys are so underrated. 

Expectations: Exceeded as a muh'fucker

Best Track: "Cigarettes and Liquor"

Worst Track: "West Coast Cinderella"

Catch up on all the other Murs write-ups here!

Jay-Z & R. Kelly - The Best Of Both Worlds

You know, if I were to have a disstrack as scathing as Nasir Jones' "Ether" aimed my way, I'd probably weigh a few options up to bounce back from it. One option would be: write a calculated diss track back, one that dismantles any visible flaws with the Nas record (there are a couple, believe it or not), and continue to push the points I made on my original disstrack "Takeover". Another option would be to simply ignore the beef, and continue to make great music, something anyone who released The Blueprint just a few months prior should be able to pull off. Take the loss like a man, thereby actually taking a win of sorts, meanwhile maintaining relevance in the genre. Either of these would be viable, and back in the early 2000s I would have had all the time in the world to do either of these things (obviously nowadays that could never fly - no response in a few weeks and you're out). And then, there are some options which could be chosen, but really only an idiot would head for. Like, I don't know, making a shitty album with an R&B artist aiming purely for radio play, or releasing a weak, rushed diss that was just mean but not clever in any way. I mean, who the hell would do that?

Jay-Z, that's who.

Today's post discusses the former of the two options that Hov confronted head on - I think the less that's said about "Supa Ugly", the better, to be honest. Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to head straight to the next solo album in Jay's catalogue and forget about this album too, I have so far been writing all the reviews on this blog in order of the artist's discography, and his effort with a mr. Robert Kelly The Best Of Both Worlds does sadly count as a key part of the Jay-Z catalogue. That's right, a collaborative album with R. Kelly. Fuck.

So, how did this album come to be in the first place? Well, Jay and Kelly's friendship had actually been bubbling for quite a few years prior to the release of this album - it's a little-known fact that back in 1996, the pair teamed up for "All Of My Days" alongside Changing Faces, a song that appeared on the Space Jam soundtrack. R. Kelly then included a posse cut on his 1998 studio album R. entitled "We Ride", that included verses from Hov, as well as Cam'ron, Noreaga and Vegas Cats. It wasn't until 2000, however, that the pair really started to show their working relationship off. Firstly, Hov showed up on a remix to the R. Kelly song "Fiesta", and a couple of months later Kells returned the favour with an appearance on Hov's song "Guilty Until Proven Innocent". I won't lie and claim I've ever bothered to check out the former, but the latter, that appeared on Jay's 2000 studio album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (and has therefore been covered on here before), is a song that I actually enjoy quite a bit, despite the fact that it's aged as well as a beached whale on a plane of hot sand. And after Jay's triumphant 2001 that unfortunately for him kind of ended in tears, the pair decided that the best thing to do to forget Jay's beef issues was to record an album together as quickly as possible, and fill it to the brim with radio-friendly cuts for the ladies. Forget the soulful songs about his past and hardcore bangers for the streets - this was Jay-Z at his most fucking commercial, and as such the album was received as well as a bucket of liquid nitrogen to the face. Everyone hated the shit out of this album, and it isn't worth even trying to pretend that I'm not included in that. 

The album sucks, people.

(And, no, I haven't listened to Unfinished Business - please let me know if that one's worth listening to.)

But really, the question is: why? Why is this album so bad? What within it is good, if anything? Let's dive into it, and hope my write-up can be a more enjoyable piece of work than the actual album I'm discussing. 

Also,

FUCK R. KELLY.

1. The Best Of Both Worlds (prod. Megahertz)

Over some triumphant production from Megahertz that actually sounds quite nice, in an expensive and grand sort of way, Jay and Kelly introduce themselves, and, uhhh... it isn't that great. Sure, the beat's good, and I like how Jay actually addresses the song "Ether" on his verse at the end, but on the other hand, the constant breaking up of Hov's rapping by Kelly's repetition of the hook gets old fast, and it isn't until the very end of the song that we actually get a verse from Jay that's more than two bars long. R. Kelly also gets a solo break in the middle somewhere, and the less said about that, the better. I also find it funny how Jay proclaims in the intro "it's here, niggas", as if anyone actually had hype about this album, and thought it would be good in the first place. I mean, a song here and there, sure, but surely no-one thought this whole thing was going to be a good experience. Surely.

2. Take You Home With Me A.K.A. Body (prod. Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters) & R. Kelly)

Looks like the pair headed to the internet for a "stupidly confusing song title" generator to come up with this name - I mean, why the hell would you put an "A.K.A." inside a song title, and on a song that appears on a studio album at that?? I mean, this title would look cluttered on a mixtape. Funnily enough, the song itself is completely lacking in something this title exhibits: uniqueness. I mean, this beat is straight up shitty, and nothing about the vocal performance from R. is exciting in any way. Sure, the melody on the hook could have worked, but Kelly delivers it as if he was about to drop off to sleep, and his verse isn't any better. Jay-Z is left to carry the weight, and fails miserably, delivering two of the most forgettable verses of his career, where he both mispronounces "Louboutins", and claims that he "ain't a r&B dude" while making a whole album with a fucking R&B artist. This is truly crap.

3. Break Up To Make Up (prod. Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters) & R. Kelly)

Despite the instrumental on this one sounding a little bit better than that on the last track, this one still ends up managing to be actually worse than that song as a whole - how the fuck they managed that I don't know. Jay-Z's verses really just sound phoned in, the beat gets very, very drab after a short while, and if you're looking for a nice and pleasant bit of singing, you're better served holding a screaming baby next to your earhole than listening to this chorus. "You and me having sex after an argument, that shit's the best" might be the worst and most cringe-inducing thing anyone has ever said on record. This shit sucks.

4. It Ain't Personal (prod. Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters) & R. Kelly)

Surprisingly it's taken until track 4 for R. Kelly to come up with a melody I actually want to sing along to - I've got to admit that the delivery of the line "'cause this is business, it ain't personal" is pretty damn smooth. Also, I don't know how the exact people that came up with the last two beats also made this one, as this instrumental is chilled out and vibey, and it's actually really damn good. Sure, it doesn't match up with what we heard on The Blueprint, but I still enjoy it quite a bit. Unfortunately, that's where the positivity ends - Shawn Carter has yet to properly sober up, and as such delivers two half-assed and dull verses, and everything else R. Kelly does besides the aforementioned line is really just not interesting. I don't know why they felt the need to get an R. Kelly verse on all these songs, thereby making the whole album far more about him than Hov. If it had been strictly Jay on the verses and Robert on the hooks, maybe this album would have turned out better. Probably not by much, but still.

5. The Streets (prod. R. Kelly)

Now this is the reason why you should go through these generally despised records by great artists at least once - because amongst the bullshit stuff like this song exists that is actually dope, but is simply lumped together with the rest of the rubbish. This track isn't exactly the greatest thing of all time, but if you're OK with streaming the disgusting human that is R. Kelly, then this one is probably worth adding to your Jay-Z playlist. Kelly apparently manages to work better behind the boards without the help of the Trackmasters, delivering an instrumental here that's actually pretty interesting and powerful in my opinion, as well as a hook that really works. Jay-Z meanwhile delivers his first truly great performances, with two verses that end up telling a story in a slightly odd order, that ends up in him going to prison. The general message: if you can avoid it, stay away from a life of crime. My only gripe would be that R. Kelly gets two verses too which really weren't needed, but otherwise this one is actually pretty great.

6. Green Light (feat. Beanie Sigel) (prod. R. Kelly, co-prod. Tone)

And just like that, it all goes back to shit. R. Kelly (with the help of one Trackmaster) cooks up an up-tempo instrumental that utilises a guitar riff, and the results are about as unpleasant as one might expect. R. Kelly takes up most of this one with his incredibly goofy chorus and utterly hilarious verse where he attempts to do some kind of double time flow, but then slows down for an unbelievably awkward "it's about to be some shit". I mean, did anyone else catch that? Jay and guest star Beans - you didn't think Jay had left his sidekick in the dust after The Blueprint, did you? - are both crammed together in the second verse, and don't really contribute much of worth anyway, but by that point you'll have probably all but given up on this one. Shame.

7. Naked (prod. R. Kelly)

Apparently unsatisfied with assaulting a few underage girls, R. Kelly decides to take it upon himself to do the same with the listening audience on this miserable trite. I really can't bring myself to give a fuck about this R. Kelly solo, but I will admit that the "baby tonight, I wanna see you naked" at the end had a pleasant melody that sounded like it would have ended some album on a poignant note - that's the melody, not the lyrics, that I'm talking about there. Unfortunately, R. takes it upon himself to moan over these smooth vocals loudly and obnoxiously, thereby rendering even that part null and void. What a piece of shit this song - and, let's be honest, the man - is. 

8. Shake Ya Body (feat. Lil' Kim) (prod. Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters) & R. Kelly)

You know, when first going through this album a few years ago, I probably thought that it couldn't get any worse than tracks two and three (I say probably because I can't actually remember my first listen of this album - I think I probably fell asleep). So you can imagine my surprise when we got to this track. Oh my, is it bad. The production on this song is fairly slow and also unbelievably irritating, but not as irritating as the hook, where Lil' Kim comes across less sexy and more like someone you want to punch in the face repeatedly for being such a fucking stuck up nuisance. R. Kelly handles the first two verses, or should I say mishandles, Jay-Z comes with a verse that sounds like it was freestyled right after a couple of hours in the strip club, and Lil' Kim's verse is also pretty terrible besides the Ice Cube and Onyx references, which were mildly intriguing. As a whole, this was horrible.

9. Somebody's Girl (prod. Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters) & R. Kelly)

Even though it's not particularly good, this is more in line with what I wanted to hear on this album, that being a fairly club bangin' beat, a catchy hook, and Jay-Z holding down all of the verses. This instrumental is fairly groovy and entertaining, the melodies on the hook are nice, and Jay-Z delivers some alright verses about stealing my girlfriend that are pretty much par for the course on a mainstream rap album. The delivery of "I'ma crack her motherfucking forehead" was also pretty hilarious. The problem is that in Hov's vast catalogue, you're not ever really going to want to come back to this song - it just isn't very interesting. It's sad, therefore, that this is easily one of the better tracks here. 

10. Get This Money (prod. R. Kelly, co-prod. Tone)

I think this might have been one of the singles, which would make sense, as the wild-west style instrumental would sound perfectly at home in a club setting, even though it gets fucking old after about thirty seconds. The chorus on this one works fairly well, but unfortunately R. Kelly once again tries to do a quicker rap flow on his two (!) verses, and the results are painful at best - did we really need those "fee-fie-fo-fum, here I come" lines? Jay-Z doesn't fare much better, as he sounds pretty off beat during his contribution for the most part. The intro of this song is honestly the best bit, as the beat sounds pretty dope at first, but it really just doesn't seem to hold up throughout the whole song for some reason. Oh well - could be worse. Could be "Shorty".

11. Shorty (prod. Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters) & R. Kelly)

The only, I repeat, ONLY, interesting moment in this one is when R. Kelly refers to Jay as "the dizel", which just is funny to me - like, what the fuck is a "dizel"? Everything else is shite. The instrumental on this one just comes across as creepy and sinister, which probably wasn't the mood they were going for, but sadly does appear apt in the face of what we now know about R. Kelly. Meanwhile, the vocals on this one are all just rubbish - I mean, a beef between R. Kelly and Sisqò has to be the saddest thing I've ever heard about. You almost forget Jay-Z is even on this one, which is probably a good thing for his reputation to be honest. This shit is horrible. 

12. Honey (prod. Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters) & R. Kelly)

The instrumental on this one almost serves as a prelude to the weaker material we would get on Jay's upcoming solo album The Blueprint 2 - specifically, it reminds me of "As One", which incidentally is possibly the worst posse cut I've ever heard. Anyway, as for this, it's really bad. The instrumental is incredibly poppy and cheap, and Jay's first verse includes a horrible delivery where he sort of squeaks out the last word of quite a lot of the lines. The R. Kelly singing on this one is bland as it gets, and really, Jay-Z doesn't impress either. Why the hell they decided that this should be the lead single, I don't know - it's one of the most forgettable songs here. 

13. Pussy (feat. Devin the Dude) (prod. Charlemagne)

After having production throughout from Trackmasters and R. Kelly (besides the opening track), one would think it would be a breath of fresh air to hear a different producer finally contribute, but unfortunately Charlemagne's work on the final song here is completely lacking in energy and enjoyment. This beat is weak, but the chorus is weaker, being one of the most annoying on the album, and surprisingly the only one handled by Hov rather than R. Kelly. Jay's performance on here isn't great, and R. Kelly's is worse, but I will say that Devin the Dude bought a fairly hilarious verse - does that guy ever talk about something that isn't sex, though? Nonetheless, his verse here was good - it doesn't do nearly enough to save the song however. An underwhelming closer to an even more underwhelming album.

Sigh... I hadn't listened to this album in over a year, and so going back into it I wasn't sure if I would like it more or less. It's safe to say that the more mature and more observant me headed for the latter, and it wasn't as if I enjoyed it much back then either. Yes, not everything on this album is straight up godawful, but I can honestly say only one of these songs actually works as a whole, that being "The Streets", and everything else is either forgettable, heavily flawed thereby taking away from the positive elements, or just straight up crap, and it's surprising how many songs fall into that third category. Production-wise, nothing stands out about this. Aside from the intro and outro, every single song is done by The Trackmasters and R. Kelly himself in some way, whether it be all three men, two of them, or just one, and these guys really just can't make an engaging instrumental to save their lives. The beats that actually did work would be "It Ain't Personal", "The Streets" and "Somebody's Girl", and aside from that we had beats that were either cheap as hell or just simply boring. As for the other two beats, Megahertz provided something fairly nice for the opening track, but Charlemagne disappointed on the outro. And now, we come to the vocalists. There are three features - one was horrible, one was completely unnecessary and added nothing, and one was actually pretty fun. See if you can guess which one's which. Aside from them, the vocals are all covered by Jay-Z and R. Kelly. Yay. I'm sorry to the Hova fans reading, and rest assured that I'm also a massive fan of the guy, but Jay does not deliver on this album at all - in fact, he sounds pretty bored on over half of this, seeming to phone in, freestyle or simply half-ass most of his performances here. Yes, he has some great efforts, but most of the time I'm really not impressed by his work on this album. And as for R. Kelly, he provides a few good melodies, and then completely fucks everything else up, with the majority of his singing being uninspired, stupid, cringe-inducing and very generic and flat, all of which should not be factors attributed with the so-called king of R&B. So, to sum up, it's bad production, bad features, and bad performances on the part of the hosts. The only redeeming feature is that it does not contain the worst Jay-Z song - that honour remains with "Things That U Do". Should you listen to this? I'll let you work that one out for yo' motherfuckin' self. 

Best Tracks: The Streets

Worst Tracks: most of everything else, although "It Ain't Personal" and "Somebody's Girl" weren't too bad. "Shake Ya Body" is the absolute worst, though. 

Catch up on other Hova reviews here - they're much more positive, I promise!

Murs-athon pt. 10 - Murs For President

(Don't worry - it wasn't the underwhelming Sweet Lord that caused me to take a break from this series. It was simply how long this next bloody CD took to arrive!!)

It's probably a well-known fact among Murs fans that the man was, after many years of working in the underground on independent labels such as his own Veritech, Definitive Jux and Record Collection, finally signed to a major label (Warner Bros.) around 2007, with the promise of a major label debut for the year 2008. In fact, the album I covered in my last post, the 9th Wonder collab Sweet Lord, was released for free on the internet simply as a gift to the fans that had helped him along the way to eventual success. Behind the scenes of that project, however, Murs had his main focus on his next solo work, which would surprisingly be the first since 2003's ....The End Of the Beginning. A double single was actually released in late 2007 to promote this album (which I'll be covering at the end of this post), but it wasn't until September of 2008 that the album itself finally hit store shelves, after some very high-end and convincing promotion had been filmed. I mean, some of the promotional videos for this thing would probably make a Hollywood film wonder if they were doing enough, and it's safe to say that by the time this one actually touched down on the shelves of Best Buy and HMV, the hype was massive, more so than ever before on a Murs album.

Looking at the tracklist of this one, it's clear that Murs did succumb slightly to the newfound stardom, choosing both Will.i.am and Snoop Dogg to show up on this record, two artists the Murs of the early 2000s would probably have spit in the face of had he happened to see them in the street. This is slightly worrying, and what's more, there are no other guests besides R&B crooner Tyler Woods - no Living Legends, no Slug, no 3 Melancholy Gypsys, and no Little Brother. Strange, but at least the production list looks promising. Behind the boards we are going to have work from 9th Wonder, Scoop DeVille, DJ Quik, Khalil, Terrace Martin and Nottz, a list that hip-hop heads would dream to see alongside as great of a rapper as Murs. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of fans weren't massive enjoyers of this record, stating it as too radio-friendly for an underground artist like Murs, and also too lacking in political themes. Still, a lot of hip-hop fans who hadn't followed Murs up to this point were ecstatic with this one, and there's a lot of people that consider this one of his best, so as for what I'll think I have no idea. 

A divisive record, then, but going into it I've only heard one song ("Lookin' Fly", which I enjoy), and I have no idea really of what to expect from the thing. I know that some of Murs' most well-known songs appear on here, though, so hopefully I'll like those, and if I don't, I'm sure there'll be something here. Yeah, my expectations are high, but as long as it's better than Sweet Lord, I'll be happy. I mean, that album was just weak.

1. Intro (prod. Wild Animals)

Murs succumbs to the fully long and slightly pretentious rap album intro. Let's just hope this theme is followed through, lest this accidentally end up as a complete waste of our time.

2. I'm Innocent (prod. 9th Wonder)

Over an intense yet pretty smooth instrumental from 9th Wonder, Murs gets to introducing himself to his new, much larger audience, and might I say he surprised me. This song is phenomenal, with the instrumental serving as the perfect backdrop for Murs to spit consistent no-nonsense bars that paint the complete picture of himself, the anti-drug, anti-thug vegan, who despite this still knows how to spit his shit. I kind of wish the verse didn't cut out every 8 bars or so, but truthfully it's only because I did not want Murs to stop rapping. What a way to open up your major label debut.

3. Lookin' Fly (feat. will.i.am) (prod. Keith Harris, co-prod. will.i.am)

I've heard this song so many times, and I've only just realised that will.i.am is only a co-producer on it. Huh. Anyway, Murs accomplishes everything he needed to with this song - right after the hip-hop centric intro that appeals heavily to the fans of Murray's Revenge yet also shows the more mainstream hip-hop heads that he ain't playin' around, Murs comes with a mainstream sounding club banger that was surely bumped in whips around L.A. for months after it's release. Keith Harris (with apparent help from guest star will.i.am) provides an instrumental that jumps around from intense and triumphant to laid back and chill at the rate of a bipolar schizophrenic, and it works well enough for Murs to sound absolutely at home spitting his braggadocios "I'll take your girlfriend" bars over it, despite the fact that he'd never worked with anything like this before. Sure, the content is a bit stupid and played out, but the bars are memorable, the hook is catchy, and the beat's dope - what else does a club banger need? Will.i.am having an apparent mental breakdown at the end? No, but everything else is great, so I'll let that slide.

4. The Science (prod. Scoop DeVille, add. prod. DJ Quik)

Over a slightly eerie and chilled out instrumental from the pair of legendary West Coast producers shown above, Murs spits some of his personal revelations about society in the form of two rather lengthy verses, split up by some nice record scratching to give it that underground feel. Sounds basic, but hear me out - this is easily one of the best Murs songs I have heard yet. Not only is this instrumental fantastic, but some of the relations Murs makes on here between prison and slavery, and also his statement that it's not about black vs. white but rich vs. poor are just incredibly interesting, and certainly not something you might've expected the man to spit on his mainstream debut. The song is bold, and it's that boldness that makes it a classic Murs tune. I loved this. 

5. Can It Be (Half A Million Dollars And 18 Months Later) (prod. Scoop DeVille)

Well that's not a ridiculously stupid title that makes this look like the title of a 1990s pop rock album cut. Anyway, I do believe that this song was released as the official lead single to this album - I remember hearing it in some of the promo videos, and also some of the lyrics give that impression, given their "I'm back!" nature. I have no idea why the hell Murs likes to do these verses where there's a short break every 8 bars, but I wish he wouldn't, as it's very annoying. Still, I enjoyed this one - the (presumably incredibly pricey) Michael Jackson sample worked well in the beat, and Murs' lyrics are great, as they reflect on his past, and also find time to diss Nas, which I found pretty funny. This is probably the weakest song yet, but trust me that ain't no insult. It's still dope. 

6. Everything (prod. LT Moe)

Murs seems to spend most of this track reflecting on his past, and his lyricism is actually pretty solid, if not necessarily at the same level it was on "I'm Innocent" and "The Science". The real saving grace of this track has to be the production, which is sentimental, memorable and catchy, and with a great vocal sample in the hook that Murs meshes really well with. The production throughout this makes it one of the more catchy tracks in the Murs catalogue, and it's no wonder that this is one of his most popular songs to this day. And as I said, the verses are good - just nothin' crazy. 

7. Road Is My Religion (prod. Khalil)

Over a rather rock influenced beat from producer Khalil (now that's not a name I ever expected to see on a Murs album), Murs speaks about life on the road touring and promoting his music, something he probably got slowed down with following the hefty paycheck this album surely got him. This track was actually great in my opinion, as the heavy production provides the perfect backdrop to Murs' slightly depressing lyrics, and the actual rapping itself was very entertaining, with Murs providing some more of that storytelling flavour. Also, the hook is catchy as hell. This was a nice cut.

8. Sooo Comfortable (prod. Josef Leimberg)

Why the fuck is Kokane here. What. The. Fuck. What?? Not Kokane. NOOOO!

For some reason, Murs doesn't start rapping on this one till the 1:15 mark, instead making way for Kokane's illiterate ass. I mean, who the hell told this man he could sing? He just sort of moans out some drunken sounds for most of his appearance here, and that isn't unusual for the man either. Still, I was surprised by this one in that I actually enjoyed it - sure, Kokane sucks, but the instrumental on this one is wonderfully chilled, and Murs kills the verses with an inspired performance about... oh, you can see the title. This song was actually surprisingly great - Kokane's presence could well have ruined it, and it says a lot about our host that he didn't let that happen. 

9. Time Is Now (feat. Snoop Dogg) (prod. Terrace Martin)

Just when you thought the ridiculous guests would end at will.i.am, here's Snoop Dogg of all people to prove you all wrong. Is there an artist he hasn't collaborated with, though? Unfortunately, this collaboration doesn't entirely work. Terrace Martin's production is as bland as a rice-cake sandwich, and the uncredited chorus from LaToiya Williams is also terribly preachy and over-the-top. This song is a kind of motivational cut I guess, and as such Murs and Snoop do their best to adhere to that theme, but unfortunately Snoop's presence makes this seem far too much like an attempt for the pop radio, or perhaps some kind of promotional motivational song, and therefore I was never able to take this one seriously. Props to Murs for getting a West Coast legend on his song though, he must have been happy with that. 

10. Think You Know Me (prod. Nottz)

This was definitely a track I was pretty excited for after seeing the production credit - Nottz in my opinion is easily one of the more underrated producers in hip-hop. I was worried that this would be a mean-spirited relationship song when I saw the title, but rest assured that it's not - quite the opposite. Over a nice and hardcore West Coast beat, Murs spits some incredibly unique bars about how just because he's black and is wearing the clothes he's wearing, people think that he's a degenerate and an ex-con, and therefore it was very difficult to get a job - presumably this song is set well before he started to become a full-time musician. I'll admit that the hook from an uncredited vocalist called Khizman took a little bit of getting used to, but otherwise the rapping and production on this one come together to create a great track. I loved this one.

11. Me And This Jawn (prod. Nottz)

Nottz again? I must be dreaming. This time, however, it is a relationship song, but thankfully this one's actually pretty good, despite there being a fairly repetitive hook and bridge snuck in there. This song samples the very recognisable "For the Love Of You" by The Isley Brothers, which I personally previously heard in Common's "Puppy Chow", but I'm sure you'll know from somewhere else. The lyrics in this song are pretty heartfelt and don't have any kind of sad or dark ending, and while that comes across as a little bit pointless to a rap fan like me, I still see the purpose in it, and I can definitely vibe with it. Also, this beat's nice as hell. Not a great track, but not a bad one either. 

12. Love And Appreciate II (feat. Tyler Woods) (prod. 9th Wonder)

Okay, now this one I am interested in - not only is it produced by 9th, but it stands as the sequel to one of the songs on Murray's Revenge, an album I loved - let's hope this doesn't fuck it all up. And, hey - it didn't! Sure, the sung chorus from Tyler Woods grated on my eardrum as a nail file would, but then again I've never been a fan of male R&B singers, and as for the rest of this? It's dope! On the first incarnation of this song, Murs talks about a relationship that he and his partner had to rebuild, but on this one he turns his attention to the wider hip-hop scene to focus on how men always objectify women, and the real reason is that they're too insecure to express their true feelings. Murs' "hoes over bros" mentality here was a little bit unlikeable, but otherwise this content was very bold for the time, and 9th provides some nice backing for it too. This was a great cut. 

13. A Part Of Me (prod. Terrace Martin)

On what has to be the most surprising song here musically, Murs enlists help from the uncredited female singer Terrence "Scar" Smith for a hook that makes this sound more like some kind of prog rock song than anything else. The chorus is weird, as is the beat, but it's only made more odd by Murs' verses. The song is about a breakup, one which seems to have hurt Murs, as the first verse is spent talking on how he feels bad that he lost his love through his own actions. However, in the second verse, things heat up as the man goes on a rant about how it's actually her fault and she should have ignored all of his actions. After the final hook, he calms down, and just pleads for her to come back. The song is completely separate from what one might expect of a rap album, and yet it's all the better for it, as the structure makes this one of the most interesting songs on the album so far. This was really enjoyable. 

14. Break Up (The OJ Song) (prod. Knotch)

Fun fact: this is Murs' most viewed song as a solo artist on Genius. Let's see if it's worth the hype. Ehh, kinda, but I wasn't really blown away by this song like so many others on here, despite the fact that I can see why it's so popular. This instrumental is pretty nice and relaxing, with Murs complimenting it well with his break up bars. But that's just the problem. Break up bars. I like a song for the ladies now and then, but four in a row begins to grate on the nerves a little bit, and by the time we've reached this song that subject matter is wearing a little thin. Still, as I said I did enjoy this song - the rapping on here is pretty great, and the instrumental and sample were both really nice. Good stuff.

15. Breakthrough (prod. 9th Wonder)

On this one, Murs returns to the lyrical themes of the opening track, that being how real he is, and how the so-called thugs need to get out of the game because they're good for nothin' low-lifes, ya know? Murs actually brings his mum into the studio to sing on this one, which is nice, and he compliments the smooth but fairly uninteresting 9th Wonder instrumental well with his rhymes, which are spit with the passion that he has had all over this project. He clearly enjoyed this, didn't he? The spoken vocals on this track aren't mixed in well, and the beat isn't fantastic, but still, I found this to be a pleasant closer. Aaand, we're out. 

The following two songs were released on a double single to promote Murs For President, but never ended up actually making the album. Was there a reason for this? Let's find out. 

- Better Than The Best (prod. Nottz)

Seems like Nottz was down with Murs even before Murs For President was dropped. Crazy. This is a rather celebratory tune, with a fun beat that kinda reminds me of children's music, but whatever. Murs' actual rapping on this one is pretty good, but for a song called "Better Than the Best", you'd think he would've come a bit harder, or maybe done a bit more of a lyrical type of song. Still, I enjoyed this a decent amount, even if it doesn't really convey what the title is implying at all.

- Dreadlocks (prod. Rick Rock)

Definitely not what I was expecting - Rick Rock provides a synth-fuelled club banger beat that is unmistakably from the late 2000s, and as such aged like a dead rat. Still, I didn't hate this, as Murs just spends most of the song talking about the history behind and the perks of having dreadlocks, which, as can be told from the single cover, he has. This one isn't particularly grabbing, but still, it was fun enough, and a throwback to an older time, before people realised high-pitched synths sounded like dogshit. 

In conclusion, Murs For President is an enormous step up from the highly disappointing Sweet Lord album, from whatever direction you look at it. The production on this album is firstly much more interesting, with a variation of collaborators providing a mix of club bangers, West Coast tunes and more soulful cuts, all of which tend to sound great with the exception of one or two underwhelming beats here and there. From that unsettling vibe on "The Science" to the chilled out instrumental on "Sooo Comfortable", there's a lot here to enjoy, and there isn't a single beat here which I would describe as actually bad, which is crazy for an album released on a major label in 2008. Then we come to the guests - there aren't many, but unfortunately the three that receive credit all suck in their vocal contributions. Will.i.am just gargles and that's about it, Snoop clutters up an already cluttered track, and Tyler Woods' performance is just really not the type of thing I enjoy personally. Thankfully, there aren't too many features, and most of this LP is taken up by Murs. We already know Murs is a great MC, and on here he really does prove that. Right off the bat he delivers fantastic performances on both the opener "I'm Innocent" and "The Science", and a lot of his content down the line works really well too, even if I wish he'd split the four relationship tracks apart, instead of having them all crammed into one sorrowful spot. The MCing here is great, and Murs' pen game is as strong as ever - sure, he isn't the most impressive lyricist of all time, but his vocals and his content always impress, and here it's no different. Considering how underwhelming Sweet Lord was, I really wasn't sure how I'd feel about this album, so to come out liking it this much is a very pleasant surprise, and rekindles the passion I have in this Murs-athon that might've been lost otherwise. This album was great, and I definitely recommend it - just maybe check out some of his earlier stuff first.

Expectations: Exceeded

Best Track: "The Science"

Worst Track: "Time Is Now"

Read up on other Murs-athon posts over here!

Busta Rhymes - Genesis

A few weeks after the release of his sluggish and frankly rather disappointing fourth album Anarchy, Trevor Smith (codenamed Busta Rhymes by his illegal steroid supplier) was disturbed at his hairstylist by a phone call. It seemed the chief executive of Elektra Records, his label, wanted to see him, and he was being called to inform him that he must report to the company's offices immediately. Shivering with apprehension, he excused himself from the stylist and drove straight there in his Lexus SC500 convertible, wondering - was it a surprise party? A communal viewing of the new Shaft film? Or perhaps suggestion that a "Get Out" remix should be recorded alongside Master P and the theme tune from Mission Impossible? Full of ideas, Trevor arrived in the office and was asked to take a seat, and after some long hard staring with the chief executive, was finally shown a copy of the Anarchy album. Having had it placed in front of him by the executive, he was ordered to stare and contemplate some questions: "is this really the best you could do? Was this album the best use of your creative abilities, time and budget? And most importantly, where the fuck was the poppy radio single that we asked you for?" Trevor didn't know how to answer, and was instead simply dumfounded. How could he let himself, he the man who had charted top 10 consistently and gone platinum multiple times, be scolded by some snobby executive in a three-piece suit? Instead of answering these questions as instructed, Busta Rhymes stood up, flipped the gentleman and his pair of bodyguards off, and stormed out of the office with his teeth bared, remembering to sign himself out on the register as he went. Jumping into his vehicle, he grabbed the notepad kept in his glove compartment, scribbled some choice words whilst repeated utterings of "motherfucker" emitted from his slightly agape mouth, and headed back inside to give the receptionist what was... his final notice. 

That's right - Busta Rhymes had left Elektra Records, and most likely not in the way I described it, but anyway.

His release was celebrated at the Elektra camp by the eventual release of a greatest hits album for him, titled Total Devastation: The Best of Busta Rhymes, but as for the man himself, his departure wasn't such an abrupt choice as it might have seemed. See, during his last year or so with Elektra, Busta had formed relations with a man known as Clive Davis, and knew him well enough to receive the information that he was to be starting up his own label under the power of Interscope Records, a label that was to be named J Records. Busta was eventually one of the first artists to sign to this label, but would later be joined by others including Maroon 5, Liza Minnelli, Pearl Jam, and even fellow hip-hopper Erick Sermon. The label change did result in the postponement of the second Flipmode Squad album, but on all other fronts it looked like a positive move for Busta's career. A new label meant a new atmosphere, and this could mean a new direction in the man's music that would cause us as hip-hop heads to forget about the stale Anarchy album, and start to praise him in the same way we were in the late '90s. Busta saw this, and even decided to title his first album with the new label Genesis, to represent the supposed "genesis" of a new him. The singles were successful, and when the album came out it looked like we were in for something very interesting indeed.

On the one hand, Busta had clearly not listened to anyone who suggested his albums might be a bit too long, as this one was 20 bloody tracks and clocking in at just a couple minutes shorter than Anarchy, and that album's length was clearly one of its shortcomings. Also, the album cover wasn't as interesting as his previous four. On the other hand, however, the tracklist itself looked intriguing. The features consisted of Rah Digga, Puff Daddy, Jaheim, Kokane, Kelis, Mary J. Blige and the Flipmode Squad, and while some of these had worked with Busta before, the mixture of genres and moods these artists represented already signified that this might be a more diverse experience than his last effort. Production was handled by the likes of Nottz, Just Blaze, Dr. Dre (hell yeah!), J Dilla, The Neptunes and Pete Rock, and these were the type of credits to make the hip-hop fans go all giddy with excitement. Yeah, the last album's producer list was similarly potent and look how that turned out, but still, the hype for this album was pretty damn high.

But would the record deliver? Today, there seems to be a bit of a divide between people who think this is just as boring and bloated as Anarchy, and people who think this is one of his best, so which one of those am I? Let's see how long it takes for you to figure out.

1. Intro (prod. Nottz)

After a quick phone conversation with the aforementioned Clive Davis, Busta takes backseat to that Dolemite guy who previously showed up on the When Disaster Strikes... intro. The music from Nottz is nice, but do I really have to hear about "slappin dick in the mouths of these bitches" again? Really??

2. Everybody Rise Again (prod. Just Blaze)

A callback to When Disaster Strikes..., now followed by a callback to Extinction Level Event. Let's hope Busta doesn't spend too much time on this album reliving his glory days. I mean, imagine the next song was a homage to his verse on "Scenario"! That would be just too much, right? Right, Busta? Anyway, the song. This one has a more generic structure than the first "Everybody Rise" track, and also has a much more futuristic sound thanks to the electronic Just Blaze beat that sounds much less soulful that what he was cooking up for other artists around this time. Trevor brings the heat on this track via an interesting chorus with some nice melodies and trademark Busta ad-libs, and two verses filled with boasts-n-bullshit that happens to include the line "how I will beat you just like your father", which is slightly disturbing but also slightly funny if we're honest with ourselves. This is actually a really entertaining opener, and that scream of the title at the very end is haunting as an abandoned mansion. Great stuff.

3. As I Come Back (prod. The Neptunes)

Ahhh, a song-length callback to Busta's legendary verse on the A Tribe Called Quest cut "Scenario". Still, Busta makes this into completely its own song by rapping over another electronic and futuristic instrumental that this time is produced by The Neptunes - and as such, this one is perfect for the club setting. Despite the fact that Busta's verses are consistently broken up by his growls of anger, or perhaps raw sexual expression, I do enjoy this one, even though some of the lines are, shall we say, fucking misogynistic. The chorus is catchy as all hell, and man is this instrumental a banger. This is a dope cut.

4. Shut 'Em Down 2002 (prod. Pete Rock)

The first song that could possibly have appeared on one of his previous few albums, had it not been for how much older and calmer Busta just generally sounds on this album so far. This one is done by Pete Rock, and it is once again based around an interpolation of another song, this time being Public Enemy's "Shut 'Em Down", or rather the Pete Rock Remix of that song. Busta merely makes a few references to that song during the verses, but this beat being so similar to the original and the hook being the same makes it more difficult to focus on this as an all new song. Still, Busta Rhymes drops what are arguably the most potent verses on this album yet over this track, with some nice lines including "we drop the bomb first then get under your mum's skirt" and "lay flat, nigga, hit the deck, or face big disrespect, in addition the shit we wreck". I mean, these are the type of lines that make me just love Busta, man. So, while the song isn't entirely original, it's still pretty damn great nonetheless. 

5. Genesis (prod. Dilla)

The title track, in which Busta takes what appears to be a wall of white noise and the creepiest singing performance ever recorded, and decides he can tie that together to make a great song. Busta's two verses on here are actually impeccable in my opinion (the lines about shit and farting notwithstanding), as Busta raps about his passion for the hip-hop genre with a seriousness that you wouldn't necessarily expect from the guy that spent half of track 3 simply growling at the listener. Both verses here are very impressive, but the instrumental and hook really take away from this experience, which is a shame. And, wait... J Dilla produced this?

6. Betta Stay Up In Your House (feat. Rah Digga) (prod. Yogi)

This sequencing is kinda crazy to me, as this song produced by something called Yogi has clearly better production than the last track produced by J Dilla. Interesting. On this one, Busta and guest star Rah Digga appear to take part in some form of marriage counselling, as they spend the whole track starting and finishing each others sentences in a way that works better than you might ever imagine considering just how often they swap. You've gotta wonder who actually wrote what on here, because half of these sentences contain them literally spitting one or two words each before the other comes in. It's an interesting format, but as I said, it works, and the production and hook both makes this into a pretty triumphant cut. The line "I stalk like pedophiles" was uncomfortable to say the least, but otherwise this is a dope song.

7. We Got What You Want (prod. Just Blaze)

Apparently, Just Blaze originally made this instrumental as a joke, and Busta just happened to hear it and decide that he wanted it for his album. I wish he hadn't, though, as this is definitely one of the worst beats on the whole album. And Busta Rhymes, sensing the mood, decides to deliver some stupid-as-hell verses on this one too. Occasionally pausing for a large, over-exaggerated intake of breath (which doesn't make much sense considering these verses are possibly the slowest on the album yet), Busta busts some fairly generic, boastful rhymes that are delivered with his wonderful flows and voice, but don't really actually say all that much. Also, the hook from an uncredited Tracy Leila is incredibly aggravating. Not sure about this one. 

8. Truck Volume (prod. Dre)

This track probably made a lot of hip-hop heads start running around their rooms in excitement just at its prospect. A Busta Rhymes cut, produced by Dr. Dre? Wow! And, against all odds, "Truck Volume" actually does sort of live up to some of the expectations, even though it's the weakest of the three Dr. Dre produced songs on this album. The way Busta shouts "live nigga bully foot brass knuckle wrapped shit now" in the intro is absolutely hilarious, and after that we get a pretty nice opening verse, utilising vocals and flow that make me think this was one of the first songs recorded for this album - is anyone else reminded of Anarchy by some of these flows? The hook is catchy, but really it's that long and incredibly potent final verse that actually makes this one for me, with Busta displaying his humour and aggression all at once, especially towards the end. This is a great track.

9. Pass the Courvoisier (feat. P. Diddy) (prod. Nottz)

In light of recent events, let's just try and ignore the fact that P. Diddy is on this song, and focus on the rest of it. Oh wait, it's not possible because he appears all over this song. Diddy's presence on here automatically makes this one quite a bit less enjoyable, but I won't lie and claim that some of his musings aren't pretty funny, and man I'll be damned if this chorus isn't one of the catchiest on the whole album. Oh yeah, Busta's on here too, and he does a pretty great job with his parts in the verses. Nottz' instrumental has a bit too much going on, but again, I'd be lying if I said I don't enjoy this track. 

10. Break Ya Neck (prod. Dre)

An absolute classic tune, I don't care what anyone says. Dr. Dre and Scott Storch team up to provide an instrumental that will get your head noddin' at the start every time, and from there it's straight perfection all the way. Busta Rhymes wasn't the first rapper to do a Red Hot Chilli Peppers interpolation on his intro, but be sure he did it the best, and when he comes in for the verses this song heats up even more. The flows on this song are just out of this world, the hook is classically catchy, and the lyricism on this song is just great. There isn't a single criticism I can make about this one - it just is that good.

11. Bounce (Let Me See Ya Throw It) (prod. MelMan)

Mel-Man provides a fairly intense and dark instrumental for this one, but unfortunately Busta dissapoints by rapping about women shaking their asses, how he's going to kill you and your crew, and other such unrelated topics that seem to always appear in abundance on club songs. Sure, the beat's good and the hook is catchy, but really these verses aren't worthy of a much weaker rapper. This song is and always will be a disappointment.

12. Holla (prod. Dre)

The final Dr. Dre prescription of the record, and it's pretty damn great, if not as enjoyable as "Break Ya Neck". Then again, sex with Scarlett Johansson wouldn't be as good as "Break Ya Neck". Anyway, this instrumental is easily one of the more experimental on this album, with the weird synthy sound effects giving the song an almost spacey vibe, something Busta actually comments on towards the beginning of the song. The verses on here are filled with pieces of incredible lyricism including "my vernacular is spectacular" and "smash you niggas like mashed potato", among others, and it just shows why Busta is such a great artist in my opinion - he can just think of these goofy things to say but then say them in the best and most clever way possible. Also, this hook is dope. The song ends with a rather gruesome skit that leads us directly into...

13. Wife In Law (feat. Jaheim) (prod. Diamond D)

It was surely only a matter of time before we got to a song that flat out sucked, and while "Bounce" had its major issues, this song is just flat-out unenjoyable. Over a dreary instrumental from Diamond D, Busta Rhymes describes in detail his sexual relationship with his "wife-in-law", a codename for the woman he is cheating on his actual wife with. Isn't that a nice sentiment? The chorus from Jaheim is boring as shit, and aside from the twist at the end which I thought was a long time coming, I really can't find any enjoyment within this one. It's whack as fuck.

14. Ass On Your Shoulders (feat. Kokane) (prod. Battlecat)

Remember how on When Disaster Strikes... they removed "Survival Hungry" on later pressings to make way for the successful post-album single "Turn It Up (Remix)/Fire It Up"? Well, we have a similar situation here. On re-presses of Genesis, which actually featured a slightly different (and worse) cover art, this song was replaced by "Pass the Courvoisier Part II", presumably because Busta thought this was the worst song. However, I would actually argue that this is an improvement over the previous track. Sure, Kokane's performance is as ear-splittingly bad as ever, but Battlecat's bouncy electronic instrumental works really well, and Busta glides over it like a swan, making this into an actually alright track. But who the fuck thought it was a good idea to bring Kokane to the studio??

15. Make It Hurt (prod. Dilla)

After a fuckin' weird skit that I'm sure some found funny but I don't really understand, the next song starts, and it's another Dilla-laced joint that contains a far more impressive instrumental than his previous contribution here. This spaced-out beat is absolutely perfect for Busta Rhymes, as he relays his verses with great energy and flow, and also a nice hook where the beat switches up a bit, that comes together to make one of the better club tracks on this LP. Just ignore the fucking horrible subject matter, and you'll be fine (Jesus, I forgot how misogynistic this album was). Also, anyone else find the way this song cuts off at the end to be sublime, and a great introduction to the next track? Especially since the next one's a single. I just love that shit. 

16. What It Is (feat. Kelis) (prod. The Neptunes)

This song was released as the lead single to this album, but it wasn't initially promoted for it at all. Originally, this was intended purely for the Violator V. 2.0 compilation album that Busta was a part of, but then I guess J Records liked it enough to allow it to be added to this record too. That, or they wanted an excuse to get Kelis' name on the thing. Regardless, I'm actually quite glad that this Neptunes produced banger made the album, as that's just what it is - an absolute banger. Busta dedicates his verses to the female species for what seems like the millionth time on this album, which is annoying, but in this club banger context it actually works, and his softer vocals on this one fit perfectly over the nice Neptunes beat. Kelis' chorus is as creepy as a John Carpenter score, but thankfully everything else about this one is great. Nice track. 

17. There's Only One (feat. Mary J. Blige) (prod. Michaelangelo)

Mary J. Blige shows up for a collaboration that celebrates the pair's uniqueness in their chosen genres, only over an instrumental that has no celebratory flavour to it at all. That's a relief, as something like that would have ended cornily, but that still doesn't mean I'm a great enjoyer of this one. Busta's verses barely stick out to me at all, and Mary J's melodies ain't hittin' in the way most of her stuff does. Also, I don't know what makes Busta thinks people would want to roller-skate to specifically this track, but okay then. This is a whole is merely ehh.

18. You Ain't Fuckin' Wit Me (prod. Michaelangelo)

Busta takes a beat from Michaelangelo (who also provided the last track) that, as he puts it so eloquently, "sounds like Frankenstein's baby". Interesting analogy, but I can see it. This beat is weird as a red banana, only a lot more practical, as I actually think this instrumental is one of the best on the whole LP, something a few people might disagree with. It's just so inventive, I can't help but love it. Busta Rhymes doesn't really say much of worth on this song, though, and the chorus is a bit annoying as hell, so therefore as a whole this song doesn't go down perfectly. That's not because of the beat, though - the beat's dope. 

19. Match the Name With the Voice (feat. Flipmode Squad) (prod. Just Blaze)

Ahh, another chapter in the ever depressing saga of Busta Rhymes' Flipmode Squad. In this incarnation, Lord Have Mercy is long gone, but it seems that Roc Marciano (who was promoted on a couple of tracks from Anarchy) has also departed, leaving the lineup standing as just Busta, Rah Digga, Rampage, Baby Sham and Spliff Star. Sad times. On this track, Busta introduces a sort of game where we as listeners are supposed to match the name of each member with the voices we hear on the track, which makes sense - that means we'll be able to find the best verse without letting bias from reputation get in the way. Unfortunately, the game is made null and void when you realise that all the members reveal their names right at the beginning of their verses. I mean, at the end, maybe, but at the beginning? That's just fucking stupid. Sure, the beat's dope as hell and all of the MCs perform amicably, even including Spliff Star, but I just can't get over that stupidity, and I'm sure you won't be able to either. This song ends with a pretty hilarious and rather long skit that takes us into the final track. 

20. Bad Dreams (prod. Nottz)

Over an organ instrumental from Nottz that intends to remind the listener of church music, Busta spits easily the most interesting lyrical content on this whole album, talking about a bad dream he had in which he actually ended up having "beef with the devil". This song is weird as hell, with the instrumental offering up a very unsettling atmosphere, and Busta's actual verses being some of the most abstract shit I've ever heard from him. I will say, however, that this song is fucking great. I love the beat, and hearing Busta finally spit some shit that isn't about partying or being a thug or fucking bitches is a welcome treat on an album that is full of that content. This is fantastic, and one of my absolute favourite post-'90s Busta tracks.

Genesis is a rather long album, one that can occasionally be a bit tiring, but compared with his previous effort, it's a massive step up, and actually one of the better albums in his catalogue following the turn of the new millennium. This shit is dope, with Busta Rhymes delivering his verses with more humour and apparent excitement than ever before, and the production on this thing is so varied you'll swear you were listening to two ten track albums mashed together. On the one hand, you have electronic instrumentals on tracks like "Everybody Rise Again" and "Break Ya Neck", but then you also have more natural and old-school beats showing up too, like "Betta Stay Up In Your House" or "Pass the Courvoisier". The beats are varied, but still don't stop this album from having its consistent sound, and this is helped by the hooks, which are all pretty party-ready, no matter what song they appear on. I must say that some of the hooks on here aren't very enjoyable, but the ones that are really do work and get the listener singing along, which is always a plus. And as for Busta, he shows himself to still be one of the best to ever do it on here, despite the fact that his subject matter isn't very varied or interesting. Sure, the man doesn't come through with too many meaningful diatribes on here, but what he lacks in that aspect he makes up for in delivery, flows and lyricism, all three of which he is great at on most of these songs. His rapping on this album is stellar most of the time, and while there are a few tracks where his performance gets stale or overly misogynistic, those ones tend to be saved by a dope beat or a nice hook anyway (see "Bounce" and "Make It Hurt"). Also, some of the absolute best songs of Busta's discography appear on this album, including the bangers "As I Come Back" and "Break Ya Neck", and the more chilled out cuts "Holla" and "Bad Dreams". Sure, it doesn't really come close to matching the potency of Busta's first three studio albums, but I would still make the case for this being one of the funnest and most entertaining albums of the early 2000s, and one everyone should check out. This album really is a banger, and as the "genesis" of a new, more playful Busta Rhymes, it worked a treat. Dope stuff.

Best Tracks: Everybody Rise Again, As I Come Back, Shut 'Em Down 2002, Betta Stay Up In Your House, Truck Volume, Break Ya Neck, Holla, What It is, Bad Dreams

Worst Tracks: Bounce (Let Me See Ya Throw It), Wife In Law, There's Only One

Catch up on other discussions surrounding my favourite '90s rapper here!

Nas - The Lost Tapes

Since the next project in the Jay-Z discography for me to review happens to be his first collaboration with R. Kelly (which I don't really want to have to listen to again), I figure it's time to introduce a little procrastination, and cover a Nas record first instead, one universally regarded as one of his best. And get this - it's not even a studio album!!

Some of my loyal readers may remember my review for Nasir Jones' third studio album, I Am..., more specifically the opening paragraphs in which I discussed that project's initial double album concept, a vision that was put to sleep when half of the LP was leaked via MP3 technology, forcing Nas to re-record the album, which resulted in a very inconsistent yet still pretty good final result. What this did mean, however, was that there were a bunch of unreleased Nas tracks that were either floating around the interweb like directionless eels, or sitting in a hard drive in the Colombia offices having never actually seen the light of day. Some speculated that Nastradamus would consist of these unreleased records, but nope - only two songs on that album were actually taken from the I Am... The Autobiography sessions, with the rest being recorded from the sofa of Nas' apartment whilst he was half asleep and fighting a nasty head cold (or at least that's what I presumed, having listened to the album). It's also rumoured that a couple of the more Nas-centric joints on that QB Finest album I reviewed were taken from the double album, but even if that was the case there are only so many songs on there to prominently feature the man, and even they can't all be from The Autobiography.

By the time Nas released Got Ur Self a Gun as the lead single for Stillmatic, many presumed that these songs were never going to see official release, as they were recorded in a darker period of his life, one the man may not wished to have revisited at any time in the near future. So, when promotional pressings of Stillmatic were issued with a bonus sampler and promotional image-behind-the-disc (or whatever that's called) for something called "The Lost Tapes", fans were ecstatic - it looked like Nas was ready to put out these tracks after all, and by the time the buzz from the incredible Stillmatic record had died down in mid-2002, The Lost Tapes was primed and ready to hit stores. 

Fans of Nasir who hadn't already heard the bootleg versions of these tracks probably picked this one up expecting some pretty solid cuts reminiscent of the I Am... album, perhaps without the radio-friendly guff that appeared on there, but not much more. What they got from this entirely solo record was something different - a cult classic with some of the best rapping and production ever heard on a Nas LP. That's right, this thing is widely regarded as one of the best projects Nas ever released, and is often held alongside and even above the proper studio albums Nas put out at this time, Stillmatic and God's Son, and that's pretty high praise, considering those are both often considered some of the best hip-hop albums of the early 2000s. And this album has no features! None whatsoever! So, looks like it'll be an impressive listen, but was it? Well, we know who's duty it is to tell you...

1. Doo Rags (prod. Precision)

The opening track here seems like it would have originally appeared early on in the I Am... The Autobiography tracklist, as Nas spends most of this one talking about his teenage and young adult years, and about the trends, and the mindset he was in. He also speaks as his current self on some societal issues, obviously nothing new for Nasir. I don't want to deliver spoilers, but I think I can say with the confidence that this is a top 3 track on The Lost Tapes - Precision's instrumental, that reminds me of Kanye West's Late Registration for some reason, is absolutely beautiful, the chorus from Nas is brilliant, and all three of his verses sound focused and thematic, with great flow and delivery matching the mood of the music. This is one fantastic opening track. I mean, how can you not love that piano?

2. My Way (prod. The Alchemist)

Even though this album is often remembered as a collection of purely content from I Am... The Autobiography, there's actually a few Stillmatic leftovers thrown in there too, this being one of them. Why this was left off and not "My Country", which had a hook that sounded like it was recorded while Nas was drunk and unaware his vocals were being recorded, is anyone's guess. This one contains a very potent instrumental from The Alchemist, which is intense and relaxing simultaneously somehow, and on it Nas talks about the pros and cons of fame - yes, it's not exactly new subject matter for the genre, but Nas touches on it in his own way. The part about Ill Will was touching, and the chorus on here is all kinds of catchy too. Why he included the line "alcoholic, on toilets I shit blood" I don't know, but everything else here is simply excellent in my opinion. Great cut.

3. U Gotta Love It (prod. L.E.S.)

This one contains the only vocal that doesn't come from Nasir on the whole record - the "it's what they want, huh" is taken from an Esco track, but it's actually AZ's vocal, from the song "Affirmative Action". This track includes an L.E.S. beat that you would swear was actually provided by a certain young Alchemist, and on it Nas appears to discuss a multitude of subjects, including his sex life, his aspirations as a child and even his preference of gun. The track is thematically a bit random, and tied together by a hook that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but still, this track does work quite well, what with the nice instrumental and some very good Nas bars in there. An enjoyable track.

4. Nothing Lasts Forever (prod. L.E.S.)

Originally titled "Make It Last" according to the aforementioned sampler released with the first few pressings of Stillmatic, a fact I'm sure no-one else finds interesting, but there we go. Anyhow, this track is fucking great, as Nas raps about what you would expect from the title - the changing dynamic of where he grew up, and the people he used to be friends with. The track is very reminiscent and slightly sad, and is only made more so by the fantastic L.E.S. beat which would probably have the best piano loop on here if it wasn't for the fact two of the best piano loops in hip-hop full stop appear elsewhere on the tracklist (that'd be "Doo Rags", and one that's yet to come - see if you can guess it). The hook is ever so slightly cheesy, but Nas' verses make up for that, and I'll be damned if that beat doesn't at least make you feel something. 

5. No Idea's Original (prod. The Alchemist)

For all you Wu-Tang heads out there, this one includes exactly the same sample used in Ghostface Killah's track "The Watch", which was probably recorded around exactly the same time as this one. Interestingly, both tracks were intended for the artist's 2001 albums, but removed and revealed on later projects (well, "The Watch" did leak before Bulletproof Wallets was even released, but whatever). That sample definitely sets this one apart from the sound of the first four songs - where they all featured mellow, piano-based instrumentals, this one is percussion heavy and features prominent electric guitar, and also only features one long Nas verse, which I'm sure most will appreciate. The track deals with the workings of Nas' mind, and is almost like a diatribe of his thoughts looking at the outside world, ending with some spiritual bars that include one of the man's more profound lines - "God or guns, which is better protection?". The track isn't as pretty as the last four, but it's still damned good, that's for sure.

6. Blaze a 50 (prod. L.E.S. & Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters))

So far, The Lost Tapes has been a fairly mellow ride that the whole family can enjoy, but that all stops here, as Nas spends "Blaze a 50" spitting one of the more brutal storytelling tracks of his career. Interestingly, this one was originally leaked as part of the I Am... The Autobiography album, despite being (let's hope) a false narrative. On this one, Nas meets a woman whilst at one of his exclusive parties, who tells him that she doesn't like her husband much anymore, and if he were to die she would get a hefty wad of cash out of it. Nas hears this, decides to fuck this woman, and then go ahead and kill the husband and the maid he's apparently having an affair with, only to change his identity along with the woman. He then decides that if she is to get scared and go to the police, he'll be the one to suffer, so he replaces her cocaine with smashed glass (how the fuck didn't she notice that??), causing her to die from internal bleeding, and so he can keep all the money for himself. Or that's what I got out of it, anyway. The storytelling on here is intense, shocking and incredibly unique, and it's only made better by the intense instrumental that I'm shocked to find The Trackmasters had a hand in. I mean, this shit doesn't even sample anything! Anyway, this is easily one of the best songs here.

7. Everybody's Crazy (prod. Rockwilder)

Another one taken from the Stillmatic sessions, and since this beat has very little in the way of a melody, instead a kind of electric pulsating sound with fairly tame drums in the background, you can probably tell it was produced by Rockwilder, who tended to provide a lot of instrumentals with this same formula - seriously, listen to this and Jay-Z's "Do It Again", and you'll see the beats are very similar, only this one has a more relaxed tone to it. This is probably the worst instrumental on this whole album, but that doesn't mean the song is bad, as Nas gets a bit aggressive and spits some convincing threats at you that actually don't really fit the tone of this beat at all, but still sound good nonetheless. This one is problematic, but I definitely wouldn't sleep on it. It's still pretty dope.

8. Purple (prod. Hill, Inc.)

The most popular song on this album by quite some margin, seemingly due to the fact that this is simply a great song. Production on this one comes from something called "Hill, Inc.", which sounds like a group that would make cheap early 2000s beats that aged horribly, but actually made something quite beautiful here (they also produced the beat for Busta Rhymes' incredible single "Where's Your Money", another track on this album, a song on Large Professor's solo debut, and absolutely nothing else). Nas' flow on this one is simply sublime, but really I could say that about every song here, and the lyrical content that discusses some of the ills he sees around him (that he uses the "purple" to escape from) is very interesting. This is truly a Nas classic, and definitely deserves the fame it has garnered. 

9. Drunk By Myself (prod. Al West & Poke and Tone (The Trackmasters))

Probably (or rather, definitely) the emotional high of this particular album, "Drunk By Myself" features Nas recounting a (most likely fictional) tale of a time when he got drunk, went driving, became suicidal thinking of all the negatives of life, and then almost decided to kill himself when he sobered up and went back home, wondering what the hell just happened. It's a very depressing and highly dramatic song, especially in comparison with most of the rest of this thing, and really only "Blaze a 50" matches its vibe, but that's all good, as that was one of the best songs here anyway. This track is incredible, and- wait, Trackmasters produced on this one too? The fuck??

10. Black Zombie (prod. Hill, Inc.)

Hearing the sound of a lion roaring on this album probably wasn't what most people expected, but then again I also didn't expect such a horrible chorus to appear on this track. I mean, seriously, what's up? That chorus could have been better sung by a drunken, fat Scottish man with no teeth and a belly the size of the barrel of beer he's guzzling from. But whatever - besides the incredibly cringeworthy hook, I do enjoy this one, as Nas raps over another Hill, Inc. beat that's fairly mainstream sounding but still pretty chilled out, and with that brilliant laid back yet calculated flow he uses on a lot of this record. The lyrical content here focuses on how a lot of black people should be revolting against the society that's oppressed them, instead of just accepting their plights and the disadvantages they face in America, and while a song like this could have come across terribly preachy, Nas does it pretty well on here. Except for on the chorus. The chorus sucks.

11. Poppa Was a Playa (prod. Deric Angelettie) (but really, prod. Kanye West)

The final (well, supposedly final...) song on this album is a dedication to Nasir's father Olu Dara, and despite being credited to Deric Angelettie of The Hitmen in the booklet, this song was ghost-produced (who knew that was a thing?) by none other than Kanye West, and in 1999, before he had ever even sent a beat to Jay-Hova. That's a crazy fact, and even thought there are no sped-up soul vocals in here, the rich sound of the beat still does sound quite Kanye-ish when you think about it. This track details Nas' perceptions of his father, and how he realised the man's ills as he grew up, and still stuck beside him. It's actually very sad that Nas is one of the few rappers that seems to have a good relationship with his father - most hip-hop artists we know and love have recounted abusive and deadbeat dads on their songs, which shows how common those things are in the places where a lot of rappers grow up, and also why a lot of rappers are as angry as they are. It's because a lot of them never had a role model, something all the hip-hop naysayers fail to recognise, and are ironically "ignorant" of (a common criticism these people have). Anyway, I digress. Nas' lyrical content over this instrumental is wonderfully insightful, and this would definitely have made a great addition to that I Am... The Autobiography concept. It certainly makes a great final song here, that's for sure.

..... eeeexcept it's not actually the final song. The following song is tucked in right at the end of "Poppa Was a Playa", and on the same track. 

- Fetus (prod. The Trackmasters)

This is the one song on the whole record that isn't entirely in its original form (I think) - the version that was supposed to actually open I Am... The Autobiography has a slightly different instrumental, with the same dark piano melody, but with a lot of other different sound effects that make it sound quite different from the one we see on The Lost Tapes here. That version was also titled "Fetus (Belly Button Window)", which is a more confusing and also more stupid title anyway, so it's good they changed it. This track sees Nas describing what he saw from his "belly button window" while his mother was pregnant with him, and also his first moments having just been born, and it's interesting to see him describe a load of shit that he obviously never actually experienced (I mean, I don't think you can actually peer through a belly button - if so, there might be a problem). This production work is fantastic, being a bit intense and creepy, and the perfect music for an intro track, Nas' flow is predictably fantastic, and the lyrical content is certainly interesting. I also appreciated the short sample break in the middle, which takes a line from the Nas classic "One Time 4 Your Mind". This is actually a great little gem in my opinion, one more people should check out.

For a project that's made up of random loosies not even all taken from the same period, The Lost Tapes makes for an incredibly cohesive and consistent listen that really is one of the best Nas projects, and deserving of it's title of "best hip-hop unreleased music compilation of all time" (a confusingly named accolade, but a relevant one nonetheless). But it's more than that - even if this was released as an official studio album, it would still be remarkably good. See, since this is just a compilation of unreleased music, it required no radio singles, no R&B features, no meddling from the label, and no ill-advised conceptual direction either. It's simply a collection of some of the dopest Nas material from the late '90s and early 2000s, and also standing proof that had I Am... The Autobiography been released in its intended form, it would probably have turned out as one of the best double albums in the history of hip-hop. It's also evident that that project would have had a far more laid-back sound than the I Am... we received, that is if the production on these tracks hasn't been altered at all from their original incarnations (obviously "Fetus" was). Looking at these tracks, I'm surprised to say I think the Stillmatic outtakes ("My Way", "No Idea's Original" and "Everybody's Crazy") are generally some of the less intriguing tracks on the record, with the I Am... outtakes standing as some of the clear highlights. And what highlights they are. "Doo Rags", "Nothing Lasts Forever", "Blaze a 50", "Purple", "Drunk By Myself", "Poppa Was a Playa" and "Fetus" all stand as some of my favourite Nas songs ever released, with a few of those probably being contenders for a top 20 list if I ever did such a thing. These tracks exhibit outstanding production, incredibly interesting lyrical content, lightning flows and actually great hooks, that all come together to create consistently perfect songs. And even the songs I didn't mention aren't bad at all - I have small gripes, mainly with the hook on "Black Zombie", but also the beat on "Everybody's Crazy" and a couple of others, but really these are nitpicks, and taken as a whole this album appears completely perfect. It's a relaxing experience that features some of the best rapping of Nas' discography, and if you're a fan of the man's music, you should definitely check this thing out. If the fact that a compilation of his outtakes can be a classic album isn't proof that Nas is a legend, then I don't know what the hell is. 

Best tracks: Doo Rags, Nothing Lasts Forever, Blaze a 50, Purple, Drunk By Myself, Poppa Was a Playa, Fetus

Worst Tracks: Black Zombie (but only the hook)

Read up on other Nas reviews (that are most likely just as positive) over here!