Nas - It Was Written

 Let's get Illmatic out of our heads for the time being...
I remember the first time I saw the video for "If I Ruled The World". The beginning of that video has a scene where Nas and Cormega are sitting in a sick S-Class Benz in front of the projects in Queens. In the background I noticed a beautiful "spanish" guitar arrangement that I just knew would be on the album.

At that very moment I thought, "Illmatic 2". I just knew it would be the second coming, but it turned out to be something different. Not in a bad way, just different.

The album starts out in classic Nas fashion, respecting the past, specifically, the trials of his ancestors, but it doesn't come off the way he intended it to. All in all, it was awkward, but hey, it's all good. Next up is " The Message". I think the beat is absolutely bananas and the lyrics are solid, but what disturbed is the way Nas begins to delve into this shootout scenario towards the end of the song. That was never really his M.O., but it was standard fare for the times, so I could dig it.

Nas then plays into the mafioso lifestyle in full with "Street Dreams". He did it just as well as Raekwon would have, but this song has never been one of my favorites. " I Gave You Power" reunites Nas and DJ Premier. This song is still dope to this day as Nas describes another day in the life of a gun. As a metaphor driven composition, this is probably the best song I have ever heard. "Watch Dem" is pretty good and the message is simple. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer...

The next few songs are decent, but none of them are home runs. Nas caught a lot of flack for "Nas Is Coming", but he went out on a limb rhyming over a West Coast beat provided by Dr. Dre in the middle of the East/West turf war, when in reality, he should have been commended. " Affirmative Action " was a very good posse cut until Foxy failed miserably in her attempts to explain drug mathematics to the world.

"Black Girl Lost" was an excellent track in which Nas points out the traps set for women who try to live the fast life. JoJo from Jodeci adds some dimension to the song with good effect. "Suspect" and "Shootouts" were good, but I have feeling that the production let him down a little. Also, it was reported that Method Man was supposed to be on the latter, which I am sure would have been a winning combination. " Live N Rap" was just Nas and Mobb Deep getting busy on a track.

The album ends with" If I Ruled The World" featuring Lauryn Hill. Nas really caught some criticism from the purists for this one, but Nas still delivers some strong messages, something that you would NEVER hear on the radio today unless it was Common, and only Common.

All in all, this is a 4 star album because Nas spreads himself a little thin in terms of the image he attempts to portray and because the production sometimes did not match his incredible rhyme cadence. Still a good album to cop though.



April 18, 2008

 nasty nas
now im a fan of NaS and i love him (ask my boyfriend) this is one of my favorite albums by him. his lastest has to be my all time favorite i could listen to that album front to back. he's a true emcee. he has pure talent. i've been a fan for years and i think he fell of with nastradamus but everyone has at least one album that aint their best September 30, 2007

 Nas at his finest!
This was Nas' sophmore album and still one of his best albums to date. After this album he took more of a "commercial or materialistic approach" which lasted until he released Stillmatic. Stilmatic was when he went back to his more political style of music. This album is packed with classic tracks. If you're a rap fan you will love this album. September 27, 2007

 Nas's Sophomore Masterpiece
After Illmatic was released Nas became the new it rapper. Everyone loved the CD. Yes, it is one of the ten greatest rap CD's of all time, but some of those people sleep on his second release. The classic It Was Written. The CD is equally as impressive as his debut but just short of th masterpiece status. It's not as concise, and some songs seem to not fit, but otherwise definitely one of the best.

My favorites include The Message (must hear), I Gave You Power, Take It In Blood, Nas Is Coming, Black Girl Lost, Suspect, Live Nigga Rep, and IF I Ruled the World.

Definitely Highly recommended. Must Have even. September 27, 2007

 Just Short of a Classic
4.5/5

Although some fans were dismayed with Nas's transformation into the "Escobar" alter ego on his sophomore album, it is hard to argue with the quality of It Was Written. The assertions that Nas fell off after Illmatic could not be further from the truth. In fact, many people will say that Nas stepped up his game a notch for It Was Written. The first song "The Message" contains all the aspects of the album: the Mafioso theme, creative storytelling, and rhyme clout. That track is followed by one of Nas's best flows on "Street Dreams." "I Gave You Power" has Nas spitting a ghetto narrative from the viewpoint of a gun. He takes listeners on a self-termed "lyrical mission" on "Take It In Blood," a 600-word rhyming exhibition over a mystical sample and a thumping drum sequence. Nas drops an amazing verse to finish "Live Nigga Rap," a song featuring Mobb Deep. Live Nigga Rap is followed by "If I Ruled The World," a song in which Lauryn Hill sings the chorus to compliment Nas's verses. Overall, It Was Written was a very strong effort, falling just short of a classic. Nas bolstered his reputation as one of hip hop's best lyricists in adding the second chapter of his storied career.
September 1, 2007

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