Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead

In 2006, Nas was coming off one of his least commercially successful records yet, the double album Street's Disciple, a project that I was sadly somewhat in the minority for really liking - most considered it packed with filler and inconsistent in themes, and admittedly it was home to some of the most ill-conceived Nas songs of all time, especially the deeply perverted "The Makings Of a Perfect Bitch". Street's Disciple also had nothing in the way of a big hit, for the first time in Nas' career being void of either a Nas classic or a charting single (because even Nastradamus had "You Owe Me"). The album was good, but not interesting enough to warrant much attention from anyone who wasn't directly following the Nasir career (which everyone probably should've been after his incredible releases prior to the double LP).

In order to drum up more attention in his now well over a decade long career as a recording artist, Nasir set about brainstorming a publicity stunt that might get him back some of the attention he would need if he wanted to keep up with his ever present rival Jay-Z, with whom he had admittedly ended the feud in the previous year. Therefore, he came up with the brilliantly corny album title Hip Hop Is Dead, and decided to annoy the listening public as much as possible by using the same exact sample in the album's lead single (also the title track) as he had in the previous album's lead single "Thief's Theme", only this time with some added Will.I.Am to really rile the hip-hop heads up. Why would you make a song about hip-hop being dead, and use a production and hook by one of the people most responsible?? (Although in my eyes hip-hop never really died, and even had a great resurgence around 2010). 

Nevertheless, it worked, as this project along with the next couple all hit no.1 on the charts and meant Nas could go on to release some of the best albums by a '90s rapper in the 2010s and 2020s decade, as his continued relevance kept the eyes of rap fans worldwide on his every move. But for now, we're focusing purely on Hip Hop Is Dead, and asking the question - was it merely the title that bought this album the success it got, or was the music something to do with it as well? Let's find out. 

1. Money Over Bullshit (prod. L.E.S. & Wyldfyer)

There'll be no mucking about with spoken word intros this time it seems - Nas gets straight to it here with an absolute banger of a track, where his aggression and hunger trumps any performances we saw on his previous album. I mean, seriously, has Nas been at the Red Bull on this one? Because his energy here is incredible, and makes for a very entertaining four minutes of music where the bars never seem to stop, even though there is a bullshit hook thrown in there to chant along to at concerts. Here Nas discusses not only the main theme that the album title indicates towards, but also other concerns with social welfare that he tends to get into on every album, and the overall message that life is indeed a bitch. "Dreams of falling in the elevator, passing floors / suddenly stop, the doors open up to a brick wall". The relentlessness of life at the bottom of the social ladder. This song is incredibly written and even more well performed, and my god does that beat set the macabre tone of the album perfectly. What a way to begin. QB Bitch!!

2. You Can't Kill Me (prod. L.E.S. & Alvin West)

And then we're immediately underwhelmed with the song's follow up. Okay, in the song's defence, Nas does fucking murder this once again - he doesn't sound quite as engaged as on "Money Over Bullshit" sure, but the storytelling on this one is concise and well written, and the flows are out of this world, even if I'd rather not hear about Nasir's girl "spreading that asshole like a wide-mouth bass" ever again. Unfortunately, the instrumental on here is bland as a peanut butter sandwich, and the hook is even worse. Nas has never been a good chorus writer even on his best records (think "My Country"), but we're really scraping the bottom of the barrel of creativity with this one. It's almost as if it's only there to push the runtime up to that of a normal song - why else would he feel the need to interrupt the narrative with some wilfully terrible singing?

3. Carry On Tradition (prod. Scott Storch)

At this point in the album Nas appears to do the unthinkable and actually stick to the album's concept for a few full tracks, so enjoy it while it lasts. "Carry On Tradition" does suffer from similar issues to the previous track however - the instrumental is pretty uninteresting, probably the least menacing in Storch's entire catalogue, meanwhile the chorus is pretty uninspired too. Thankfully, both are listenable, and being the greatest rapper of all time and everything Nasir manages to push this song to a certain quality with verses detailing his varying quibbles with the rap game, my favourite lyric being "I had off time, I was bored with this / I could have made my double LP just by sampling different parts of "Nautilus"" - if Nas lacks one quality on the mic it's the ability to make me laugh, but I'll readily admit I chuckle every time I hear that one. "Carry On Tradition" is musically alright, but it's the engaging and focused lyrics that make this one worth listening to for the Nas enjoyers out there. He is truly awesome. 

4. Where Are They Now (prod. Nas & Salaam Remi)

While I can't imagine anyone deliberately playing "Where Are They Now" while working out or taking a walk to the local pub, it is cool how Nas was able to show off his knowledge of old school hip-hop on a track like this, even if he possibly could have done a little more than simply name a load of random artist names that just happens to rhyme sometimes. Also, the hook sounds really nice, even if the high pitched guitars that play during the verses give me somewhat of a headache. Yeah, this one's interesting. 

5. Hip Hop Is Dead (feat. will.i.am) (prod. will.i.am)

The lead single and most popular track from the album is this will.i.am joint that infamously samples the same riff as Nas' single from just two years prior "Thief's Theme", only inevitably it makes it sound a hell of a lot less gritty and a hell of a lot more bouncy this time around. Still, I kind of like this track, even though I very much understand some of the negative reception it received initially and even to this day. Nas' rhymes don't really relate to the rapidly deteriorating (in his mind, that is) state of hip-hop as much as they should on such a track, with him instead discussing the ever important topic of "grindin', hittin' Brazilian dimes from behind", which is apparently such a brilliant line that it had to be echoed twice more to really pump the message into the listener's brain. Other than that odd choice, you're getting solid rhymes from Nasir, who has dumbed down some of the passionate anger here in order to appeal more to his mainstream audience, and a bouncy beat that interestingly switches up to something more old school for a live feel at the end, which was a nice touch. This song is... odd, but I do like it. Just not as much as "Thief's Theme". 

6. Who Killed It? (prod. Salaam Remi & will.i.am)

I.... what?? 

7. Black Republican (feat. Jay-Z) (prod. L.E.S. & Wyldfyer)

After uniting on stage in 2005, officially squashing the tension that had seemed to have gone on forever in the hip-hop world, Nas and Jay-Z joined each other in the studio to record this banger, where the pair bond on their similarities - they are both black men who have become incredibly successful and rich, yet occasionally feel amounts of guilt, feeling like "black republicans", even though they don't want to turn their back on their hoods. This collaboration stands as easily the strongest since the opening track, whether it's down to the elongated introduction over that triumphant instrumental, the memorable hook, or the verses from Jay-Z and Nas which are both some of their best from the year 2006. Everything about this is triumphant and energising, and makes me feel on top of the world. Beautiful song. 

8. Not Going Back (feat. Kelis) (prod. Stargate)

God the acting on the skit that introduces this track is bad. Thankfully, the rest of this song is pretty awesome, strong enough that I actually used to have it as my favourite song on the album, although now I prefer listening to the two songs either side, and also the opener. I wonder if it's that horrible skit that plays a part in that, or the goofy gimmick on the bridge towards the end. Because otherwise it's all good - for being the first instrumental here produced entirely by someone I've never heard of (although apparently they produced tons of hit singles in the 2010s??), this beat is actually really strong, and furthermore Nas' performance here is pretty entertaining. And as for Kelis, she sings just about well enough here to make us forget the memories of the terrible hook on "American Way" from the last album. This is pretty strong stuff. 

9. Still Dreaming (feat. Kanye West & Chrisette Michele) (prod. Kanye West)

I always forget how quickly this album suddenly picks up in quality. "Still Dreaming" is the album's clear standout, even with the incredible "Money Over Bullshit" kicking things into gear earlier on. Even with Late Registration, Be, Finding Forever and Graduation all being released around this project, this instrumental still stands as one of Ye's best and most hypnotic from the era, with the brilliant Chrisette Michele sample worked beautifully into the deep bass, classic Kanye drums and glittery sound effects that permeate the track. When Kanye is on the beat, best believe I'm automatically paying more attention. And with that in mind, Nasir still manages to keep me engaged with the writing, with some brilliant verses about people surrounding him who expected something from him just because he got famous, and also a rich coke addict who got arrested for organising a hit on someone for stealing her car - yeah that verse was kind of random. But still, Nas is as brilliant as ever, and Kanye's opening verse and hook are dope as you'd imagine too. This song is fucking phenomenal, easily the best on this album. It's a shame this brilliant track run couldn't last longer. 

10. Hold Down the Block (prod. Mark Batson)

I'm actually kind of surprised that I enjoyed this track that much on this listen. I always used to write it off as one of the more forgettable cuts along with "You Can't Kill Me", but actually it's got a really nice chill sound to it and some legitimately great lyrics detailing Nas' status as the man who his old friends in the hood go to when they find themselves in deep shit. I'm not the greatest fan of the sung hook from one Mark Mayfield, but everything else about this track is smooth and very pleasant to listen to. Good track.

11. Blunt Ashes (prod. Chris Webber)

A lot of people are somewhat indifferent towards this track, not so much due to the production by Chris Webber the NBA player, which is actually pretty fucking nice, but instead because of our host's somewhat disengaged performance on the track - yes he's storytelling, but his flow sounds tired, and the "I'm stoned" gimmick runs thin quickly. If it weren't for the legitimately interesting and oddly dramatic production work on the track, this would probably land as one of the weakest cuts here. 

12. Let There Be Light (feat. Tre Williams) (prod. Kanye West, co-prod. Devo Springsteen & Paul Cho)

One of the worst Kanye beats I've ever heard accompanies a corny sung hook and some below average rapping. I'm sure those who hoped for a "Still Dreaming" quality track here headed for the nearest bridge with a large boulder immediately. 

13. Play On Playa (feat. Snoop Dogg) (prod. Scott Storch)

What's up with the sequencing on this album? We've had four dark and socially conscious tracks in a row, followed by this fuck 'em and chuck 'em anthem of a Snoop Dogg collaboration that sounds exactly like something that would show up on one of his albums, and nothing like your usual Nas song. This is actually better than the last track simply because it doesn't make me cringe every time, but still, any song with the line "finest females I spit game on, I sprayed her" repeated throughout isn't going to be making my Best Of Nas playlist. I could take it or leave it. 

14. Can't Forget About You (feat. Chrisette Michele) (prod. will.i.am)

This christmassy track was the second and final single for the album, and like the first it was produced by a certain will.i.am whilst being about reminiscing on the genre he was a large reason for the deterioration and gentrification of. Huh. But this track is actually a lot better than "Hip Hop Is Dead", and for a few reasons. Firstly, the instrumental doesn't bring up memories of another, better Nas song. Secondly, the Chrisette Michele vocals here are almost as beautiful as those on "Still Dreaming". And finally, Nas actually stays on fucking topic, rapping about hip-hop's past while this time admitting that he might be sounding like a bit of a boomer, when he says "and I don't want to keep bringing up the greater times" - self awareness is the first step to making sure your music doesn't become a shell of what it used to be. And with this, Nas proves he's still capable of making good singles, even if it's not really "Made You Look", or close to that song. 

15. Hustlers (feat. The Game & Marsha Ambrosius) (prod. Dr. Dre)

This notorious collaboration sees Nas teaming up with the hottest West Coast MC of the times, The Game, and rapping over an instrumental made by a guy he also had teamed up with from the West in the past, Dr. Dre. I find it quite intriguing how Dre is collaborating with The Game here though - I thought Dre was still firmly standing by 50 at this time, and wasn't he in the midst of beef with not only Jayceon but Nasir too? Whatever, at least we got the track, which is good even if Marsha's chorus is pretty weak. I always found The Game's verse on this one to be one of the most memorable moments on the entire LP thanks to his recounting of a visit to the store when he couldn't choose between The Chronic and Illmatic so he just stole both - meanwhile Nas does a good job and Dre's beat is decent, if weaker than his work on Jay-Z's Kingdom Come the previous month. This is certainly interesting, if not the best possible outcome for a star studded collaboration such as this. 

16. Hope (prod. Nas & L.E.S., co-prod. Alexander "Spanador" Mosely)

I wonder why a song with absolutely no instrumental at all required three different producers. That just doesn't make sense. On this track, the finale of this concept album, Nas spits an acapella verse with the help of some Chrisette Michele background vocals, detailing his final thoughts on the state of hip-hop, coming to the final conclusion that in fact the genre will probably never die, therefore rendering this entire album somewhat pointless. Huh. Still, at least we could end with some pleasant singing - it's much preferable to a bullshit outro, so that's something. 

My CD of this album comes with a bonus track for the UK (there are two other bonus tracks on different pressings, but I haven't heard those yet - maybe I'll cover them some other time).

17. The N... (prod. Salaam Remi)

Also known as "Don't Hate Me Now" in some corners of the internet, this theme song for Nas' new alias "N" is built around a marching band drum pattern that makes it seem somewhat gimmicky, especially with that ridiculous hook. This one really isn't worth tracking down unless you're a Nas completist like me - it's clear why it wasn't included as part of the main album. 

So, is hip-hop really dead? Well, of course not, but as we established earlier I think even Nas knew this as much as anyone else - it's pretty clear this title was mostly for attention, even if quite a few tracks here do go into the concept. But more importantly, is the album any good? Well.... sure. Hip Hop Is Dead is definitely not my favourite Nas album though, and in fact it's one of my least favourites. I've seen many people on the web saying that Nas is a great rapper who has a terrible ear for beats, something he even addressed on his 2018 track "Simple Things", but that's something that I disagree with for the most part. Sure, he often is more engaging than the music behind him, but that's because he's the greatest rapper of all time. Of course he's going to outshine most beats that aren't all time classics. And honestly, on Nastradamus I thought the beats were the only thing worth listening to it for, as Nas appeared to be off more than half a xan on that one. However, the beats on Hip Hop Is Dead, teamed with the bullshit hooks, are where Nas is finally let down. Some of these beats are great, specifically those from tracks 7-11, where the album as a whole is at it's strongest too (I mean, is it possible to not love "Still Dreaming"?) - but for the most part, the beats on here are pretty uninteresting, whether it's due to lack of any interesting instrumentation ("Carry On Tradition") or simple passiveness ("You Can't Kill Me", "Play On Playa"). Nas manages to distract us from this most of the time with his controversial messaging, and I will say that the rapping here is extraordinary most of the time, with Nas displaying hunger and passion that honestly wasn't visible on much of the more calm and collected Street's Disciple. But now it's my turn for a controversial take - Street's Disciple is better than this. I think the production on that album is better, and the hooks are stronger too. Hip Hop Is Dead has some legitimately brilliant moments - "Black Republican" and "Still Dreaming" are all time great collaborations, and "Money Over Bullshit" is one of Nas' strongest album openers ever. But overall I think this could have been much better, despite the fact that Nas does manage to stay on topic on much of the record. This album is one that will forever be known for it's title - because when it comes to the music beyond, Nas has far more interesting work to discover. Like his next album for example....

Best Tracks: Money Over Bullshit, Black Republican, Not Going Back, Still Dreaming, Hold Down the Block, Can't Forget About You

Worst Track: Let There Be Light 

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