NAS HAS HAD THE BEST CAREER OF ANY RAPPER (PROOF INSIDE)
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buttuh_b
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With his 10th solo studio album just a week away, 21 years since his debut on 'Live at the Barbecue', now is the perfect time to take a look back at the greatest career in hip hop history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avcBPgUBCJI
The ? 's Son has come a long way from being hailed as the second coming of Rakim Allah coming from the Queensbridge housing projects. After spending more than half his life in the rap game, the youthful Nas is just getting started. After dropping the widely accepted Bible of hip hop Illmatic in '94 it would seem like Nasty Nas had no where to go but downhill. Although he has yet to match his vicious mid-90's golden era flow, he has gone on to have a better career than anyone could ask for from an artistic standpoint. While It Was Written was met with critical resistance initially, it has aged so well that it's now a certified classic embodying the mafioso era under the Escobar persona along with Raekwon & Ghostface's Purple Tape.
Fastforward 9 platinum & 2 gold albums later, it's not much Nas can say he hasn't done or been through. While projects like The Firm and Nastradamus are rightfully classified as missteps, even these albums are superior to many rappers' best works. Much like the great Tupac, Nas is a man with many faces. I think we all are. Nas has worn the commercial hat, underground underdog, socially conscious MC, storyteller, etc.. Some worked better than others but he's done it all. Rather than develop a stagnant catalog full of similar subject matter like some other great rappers, Nas came at us different EVERY time. He did it his way.
No other rapper who isn't white or had to remind us constantly of his status has done it for this long at this level while remaining relevant and maintaining artistic integrity. You can't please everyone so make the music you feel.
"Try telling Bob Dylan, Bruce, or Billy Joel they can't sing what's in they soul."
Nas has worked with everyone anyone would want to. When you have the respect of every rapper from the 70's, 80's, 90's, 2000's, 2010's just off talent alone you're doing something right. Who can say they've been on tracks with Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, KRS One, Kool G Rap, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, MC Shan, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Scarface, Ice Cube, Common, Jay-Z, Kanye West, 50 Cent, The Game, Ja Rule, DMX, Puffy, Q-Tip, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, R. Kelly, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Maxwell, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Amerie, Joe, Mobb Deep, CNN, AZ, Cormega, Big Pun, Jadakiss, Devin the Dude, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, T.I, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, Will Smith, Ron Isley, Gil Scott-Heron, Amy Winehouse, Nat King Cole, Carlos Santana, among others??
Nas has always been able to be either in or out of the spotlight. He didn't always have to be in the mix 24/7. As a very private laid back dude, Esco still spilled his heart on tracks when he felt necessary (but didn't overdo it like say Joe Buddens). ? that we all can relate to. Did a track with his blues playing father who he earlier vividly described on "Poppa was a Playa", the modern day "Poppa was a Rolling Stone".. We all got at least a few Nas tracks that hit very close to home whether you want to admit it or not. Some choose to believe and pretend that they're capable of living a perfect life without encountering bumps on the road. For most of us we accept that isn't a reality. We know it's problems in Africa that need to be addressed. Nas didn't shy away from this even this when he collaborated with Damian for a whole LP about the plight even though it might not have been the most popular idea in the mainstream. When he felt the need to call the rap game out on its current state he dropped Hip Hop is Dead. When they counted him out he gave us Stillmatic. When music was his only escape from personal tragedy we got ? 's Son.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9VQye6P8k0
Now is he the best business man? No. Has he had the most successful mainstream career? Not at all. But from an overall perspective, as a man and artist, he couldn't ask for it any different. Nas has made music full of substance that touched the people. He has had multiple smooth flows with different rhyme schemes over the course of his career. He is the epitome of a lyricist. Battle tested. Won some and lost some. From Jay-Z to 50 Cent to Biggie. He has shown the most respect for the art of rap in my opinion. He is the last pure MC.This thread is no disrespect to legends with great careers like LL Cool J, Scarface, Jay-Z, Rakim, Outkast, etc.. but Nasir Jones is numero uno.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mb5Fq6a3Fk
Now the naysayers will talk about his personal woes like they haven't had any themselves. But if we don't go through ? we don't become who we are today. We don't learn lessons in life. Through all the ? we gotta appreciate what's real. And this ties back to Nas today. Life is good baby. Through it all. So salute the GOAT and another 20 years on top of the game.
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Props on da thread Buttuh!! ? 's Son neva took a L in a battle though lol.
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Best thread in a while....real recognize real
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This is solid, ? Son across the belly.
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The greatest of all time
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Props on da thread Buttuh!! ? 's Son neva took a L in a battle though lol.
I think it can be argued that Mega and Cam got him but that's subjective.
I was putting together this folder of Unreleased/Remixes/B-Sides/Features/Miscellaneous of Nas material for yall and I'm really soaking in the fact that Nas has murdered so many guest verses through out his career. Like a lot. What are yall favorite features Nas has done for other artists??? -
Nas the GOAT
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nas will cake walk all over these rappers
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how is that when therr is a guy named TUPAC?? no disrespect 2 nas & all but i refuse 2 believe PAC would have J as a B0$$!
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how is that when therr is a guy named TUPAC?? no disrespect 2 nas & all but i refuse 2 believe PAC would have J as a B0$$!
EY WANKSTA i like tupac BUT NAS REALLY SHOW HIM NOT TO COME AT BRAVEHEARTS OR HIM, junGLE went there with a gun in his hand and told TUPAC U DONT WANT IT , so SOON AS SUGE knight saw that he went there and told pac lets move on,,, nas new york rappers bout that life... tupac got robbed by ny people,, tupac is nice he was one of the best no doubt... but when it comes to who got punkd that night his NAME IS TUPAC SHAKUR!!!!!!!!!
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Ghostface had the best album discography of 00s IMHO (take them feelings elsewhere ? ), but Life Is Good will be the album of the year.
No I.D has been a ? BEAST lately, this might be the best produced Nas album since illmatic, no joke -
deathrowzorrow wrote: »EY WANKSTA i like tupac BUT NAS REALLY SHOW HIM NOT TO COME AT BRAVEHEARTS OR HIM, junGLE went there with a gun in his hand and told TUPAC U DONT WANT IT , so SOON AS SUGE knight saw that he went there and told pac lets move on,,, nas new york rappers bout that life... tupac got robbed by ny people,, tupac is nice he was one of the best no doubt... but when it comes to who got punkd that night his NAME IS TUPAC SHAKUR!!!!!!!!!
u wanna b nikki so bad n ya sig YUK...NO MANN! lol -
The GOAT. "Name a rapper that I aint influenced". By the time he said those words he had outlasted all the legends who came before him.
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Nas is one of my top 5
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well said.
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Props on da thread Buttuh!! ? 's Son neva took a L in a battle though lol.
I think it can be argued that Mega and Cam got him but that's subjective.
I was putting together this folder of Unreleased/Remixes/B-Sides/Features/Miscellaneous of Nas material for yall and I'm really soaking in the fact that Nas has murdered so many guest verses through out his career. Like a lot. What are yall favorite features Nas has done for other artists???
I respect dat!! Nas pretty much killed every feature '95-late '96. Although da Nas feats were very limited back then -
@GEE
Them bushes Sigs you got got me dyin LOLOLOL!
Nas got a stellar career, this is olo album #10 and his sword is still as sharp as ever, I can actually see Nas dropping 10 more albums before he retires. I wonder if his Sun gonna be blessed with that flow that sounds like it's been submerged in the Fountain of youth.
LL, Too Short, E40 got some nice career/catalogs that fly under the radar too. -
Definitely a legend...his discography isn't my favorite, but I was sold on him after his first 2 albums. Jay & Pac are the other 2 I feel can be argued as being the best as far as body of work & impact on the game.
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@GEE
Them bushes Sigs you got got me dyin LOLOLOL!
Nas got a stellar career, this is olo album #10 and his sword is still as sharp as ever, I can actually see Nas dropping 10 more albums before he retires. I wonder if his Sun gonna be blessed with that flow that sounds like it's been submerged in the Fountain of youth.
LL, Too Short, E40 got some nice career/catalogs that fly under the radar too.
remember nas wrote illmatic when he was 15-16.. rick ross wrote hustlin when he was in his 30s..
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@GEE
Them bushes Sigs you got got me dyin LOLOLOL!
Nas got a stellar career, this is olo album #10 and his sword is still as sharp as ever, I can actually see Nas dropping 10 more albums before he retires. I wonder if his Sun gonna be blessed with that flow that sounds like it's been submerged in the Fountain of youth.
LL, Too Short, E40 got some nice career/catalogs that fly under the radar too.
fam i had 2 do it wit da sig cuz da ggggay-unit is gettin push;d back & bullied n da bushez n da 2k12 lol...but on topik i aint gonna front nas has had a solid career... -
GOAT thread of the Month... The topic should be stickied on the boards for all to read LoL...
Seriously, outside of maybe Jay or Scarface to a small minority, nobody's catalog is even ? close, and when it comes to the diversity in topics and themes, no one else is in the same ? universe- this is what non-fans don't seem to understand about Nas...
Illmatic, It Was Written, Stillmatic, ? 's Son, Streets Disciple, Hip Hop Is Dead, ? , and Distant Relatives all have very DISTINCT feels to them and touch on so many topics, especially dealing with BLACK PEOPLE. No other rapper has given such a voice to the people (not just Black) as Nas.
In ten years, after this new generation GROWS the ? UP and realizes they've been fed ? by the mainstream this past decade, you will see Nas' music stand the test of time and still be relevant to the point where he will gain a new generation of fans that weren't even listening to him when he was actually out and active that now wish he was still around...
And who knows... Maybe he will be...
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Can't sleep on Ghostface catalog either.
That collab album with Damien Marley was ambitious because you know albums like that don't sell but it was a good look for the culture.
@GEE yeah them clowns got some bad Voodoo on em, they been on a losing streak since 2009, I guess they should have never gone against Nas. -
Great thread.
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Can't sleep on Ghostface catalog either.
That collab album with Damien Marley was ambitious because you know albums like that don't sell but it was a good look for the culture.
@GEE yeah them clowns got some bad Voodoo on em, they been on a losing streak since 2009, I guess they should have never gone against Nas.
lol@ da bold....yeah woodface shouldnt have went @ nas or rozay n 09 cuz ross had a haitian put sum VOO DOO on BOO BOO & da gggay-unit..
http://youtu.be/-swuFFq1WTw
http://youtu.be/FjKFpWkGazU
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