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This is the third discography set I've ordered based on my personal preference. The last one I did was Snoop Dogg's which was at times an excruciating experience. More often than not it was at least rather unpleasant where I had to fill up space with unauthorized releases. Like 2Pac though, Nas provides the listener with a rather good discography, where even on his most whack albums he delivers stellar world class rhyming.
11. Nastradamus (1999)
Nas' fourth album still stands as his all-time low. The rhyming is fairly good as always, although some of the lyrical themes border on being cringe-worthy. This album was very rushed, as Columbia was planning on releasing leftover (previously bootlegged) material from the I Am... sessions. Nas instead went ahead and recorded all new material. If he'd had more time he may have had a better chance of putting together something more listen-worthy.
Top cuts: Shoot 'em Up
10. Stillmatic (2001)
Stillmatic is Nas' comeback album after the poor critical reception of both I Am... and Nastradamus. While it gave him a chance to get even with Jay-Z ("Ether" is a brilliant response to "Takeover") it has its share of misses. That being said it is a decent offering that put Nas back on track, even if he does sound a bit outdated in places.
Top cuts: Ether, 2nd Childhood
9. I Am... (1999)
I Am... is not nearly as interesting as it could have been. If bootleggers had not made it their work to tear it apart and it was released as a double disc, it could have been very interesting. As it stands, there are some good moments, but many are mediocre. It's still appreciated that Nas attempted to find some middle ground between Illmatic and It Was Written.
Top cuts: Small World, We Will Survive
8. Hip Hop is Dead (2006)
Hip Hop is Dead is a fairly interesting album. It is first of three (so far) albums by Nas to attempt to stick to a particular theme. By no stretch of the imagination is it in any way a concept album, and it's fairly inconsistent (is hip hop actually dead? Make up your mind Nas!). It's also a bit of a silly and overly dramatic. That being said, there was a huge void in hip hop post-Biggie and 'Pac, which is a nice way of saying that virtually everything that came out in the last decade sucked something fierce (notable exceptions excluded).
Top cuts: Money over Bullshit, Can't Forget About You
7. Nigger (2008)
I'm gonna start with the title on this one. The album is called Nigger. I can already hear the gasps of horror. Well fuck you all! That's what Nas wanted to call this shit, and it's what he went on record saying that all of his true fans would call it, and know it as. I've heard people call it Nas or Untitled but Nigger is the best title for the album. That should give you a sense of the themes discussed on the album. It's a bit pretentious, like Hip Hop is Dead, but it marks an upward trend in Nas' music. There is some political shit at the end that is a bit misguided, but otherwise it's a very solid album. Fuck Chris Brown though, everyone should be boycotting his stupid ass.
Top cuts: Queens Get the Money, Hero, America
6. God's Son (2002)
Why this album gets more love than Street's Disciple always confuses me. This is Nas' real comeback album to be sure, but still it has it's fair share of ups and downs. He's still too focused on talking himself up, instead of just projecting his artistic vision. That being said you can find some terrific cuts here.
Top cuts: Last Real Nigga Alive, Thugz Mansion, Book of Rhymes
5. Distant Relatives (2010)
Nas' collaboration and crossover album with Damian Marley is one of his better offerings. While there are some preachy moments (especially considering neither of them are actually from Africa) it's some of the most inspiring rapping Nas has done. Damian Marley being in top form doesn't hurt either.
Top cuts: As We Enter, Count Your Blessings
4. Life is Good (2012)
All of Nas' post-Stillmatic work has been quite focused, with each album tackling a different theme or themes. The last several albums have had an increase in quality with this one being the closest at heart for Nas. While Hip Hop is Dead was contradictory and confused, and Nigger had some seriously misguided moments, Life is Dead is consistent and emotional. Production is tight and lyrics are heartfelt.
Top cuts: Daughters, Bye Baby
3. It Was Written (1996)
It Was Written is a bit difficult for me. When I first heard it I was fairly impressed, but as time went on I cooled off to it a bit. I think that part of the problem was that it feels that Nas is selling out. The skit with Dr. Dre is a huge turn-off for me. I get that everyone needs to get paid and is hungry and all that, but coming out and talking about how it's all about the money, who gives a fuck about anything else is kinda sad. It's a put-down to the whole East-West shit, which is cool. It would have been nice if more people (Dre included) spent more time talking about that. It's also far less lyrically impressive than Illmatic. All this being said, it's still a great album to check out and is worth your time, especially if you're into that Mafioso shit.
Top cuts: If I Ruled the World, The Setup, Street Dreams
2. Street's Disciple (2004)
I always felt this album didn't get the praise it deserved from most people. I actually think that it's Nas' most slept on work, and this is for two big reasons. 1) It is not a pop album, and doesn't have any radio tracks to appeal to the It Was Written audience. 2) It's not Illmatic, which is so acclaimed that even the It Was Written audience has to pretend that it's their favourite Nas album. Not being Illmatic, Street's Disciple is at a big disadvantage. This is probably Nas' most artistically ambitious work in its scope and vision.
Top cuts: Thief's Theme, American Way, Bridging the Gap
1. Illmatic (1994)
Ain't got shit to say that ain't been said. I'll say this though. It's not quite as good as a lot of people want it to be, but it's pretty damn good (same goes for 36 Chambers).
Top cuts: N.Y. State of Mind, Represent, all
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