Review of Nas – “Untitled”
After controversy over plans to title his new CD N***er (without the *'s) Nas's album comes out today and is now untitled. I understand why there was a controversy but I feel most of it was overblown. I'm not sure if Nas was just doing it as a publicity stunt or really wanted to make a statement with this album. After listening to it I'm inclined to think its the former (with a healthy ammount of publicity whoring going on).
From the start you can tell this is going to be a classic Nas album. It opens with the almost too short Queens gets the Money Where Mr.Jones raps over a soothing Jay Electronica beat.
The next song is "You Can't Stop Us Now" which has almost the same beat as the RZA song You Can't Stop Me Now Oddly enough the songs are from different producers. I actually like the RZA version better.
The first single off the album, Hero, is also the best. The Video is great and I'm glad that it is getting a decent amount of airplay. Over a great Polow da Don beat Nas raps with the the fire I felt has been missing in his last albums.
Other highlights on the album are Make The World Go Round with a great verse by the Game, Sly Fox where Nas rails against Fox News and other news outlets. ("I watch CBS and I see B.S.") Fried Chicken featuring Busta Rhymes, and Black President which uses a Tupac sample and makes me wonder if someone has played it for Obama yet.
A couple songs I was not feeling as much: Breathe and N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master) are both mediocre songs.
Verdict: 4.5/5 Overall a Great album. Classic Nas. Go Buy it.
Bonus: Sly Fox Video