Nas - I Am...
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Free Music Notes for I Am...
Free Music Review: Do Not Sleep On This One
Hit: 5 Stars
Nasir Jones has made it hard for himself ever since he released "Illmatic". Many were disappointed with "It Was Written" because it wasn't Illmatic part 2. So Nas comes with his third album to try to appease critics and fans together and brings a solid album that deserved the 4.5 mics "The Source" gave it. "I Am..." starts off with a great intro comprised of all Nas' classic songs. It puts your mind in a good feeling and sets up the album well. "N.Y. State of Mind II" was a good song to begin the album as it remakes his classic and Nas shows his lyrical skills have not gone anywhere. "Hate Me Now" was the commercial hit of the album and inexplicably features Puff Daddy. Puffy doesn't rap or produce the song, he just does his background noises, as usual. Lyrically this is a skillful song as Nas opens up and gives an insightful look into haters, like Biggie did on "Playa Hater". "Small World" sees Nas again showing his storytelling skills and he winds his lyrics around an underrated beat. "Favor For A Favor" features Scarface, who probably is too "gangsta" on this song. Nas' verses are solid. "We Will Survive" is one of the albums highlights as Nas dedicates a verse to Biggie and 2pac each. This song shows Nas' heart as it is a lyrically conscious song. However if you listen to the lyrics this could be one of the reasons the Nas/Jay-Z beef started. "Ghetto Prisoners" and "I Want To Talk to You" show the side of Nas that really sets him apart from other emcees. He creates knowledgeable political songs with intelligence and vivid lyrics. "You Won't See Me Tonight" is a solid song over a Timbaland beat. This song is much more meaningful now since the tragic death of Aaliyah. "Dr. Knockboot" isn't Nas at his best, but this is a funny song and shows Nas' vast comprehension of what's going on. "Big Things" is an experimental song as Nas raps over a midwestern beat and speeds his flow up. Like Biggie, Nas is willing to expand his style to show his diversity. But unlike Biggie (who worked with Bone and had pop hits with Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Hypnotize) people criticize him, rather than praise him for songs like this. This is one of the underrated songs on the album. "Nas is Like" is Nas and DJ Premier, enough said. One of the albums highlights. "Money Is My ____" is why fans really like Nas. He cleverly spits a metaphor filled song as he is able to reference both woman and money all with the same lyrics. "Undying Love" is the best song on the album and one of Nas' best. This is one of the most vivid and captivating storytelling songs ever made.
Nas comes through with a solid album that was one of 1999's best albums released. All Nas fans should have this and others should too as Nas continues to expand himself on this album.
Free Music Review: Worth the Money....Nice jeep beats...Nas is still .....
Hit: 5 Stars
Great beats and an excellent LP overall. The lyrics were watered down compared to the Illmatic LP...possibly to appeal to the white-stream crowd. (The jiggy Will Smith Crowd)Ok: The review of the Tracks
1)Albulm Intro: Starts off with an eerie haunting chant of a little girl....it then fades to past tracks from Illmatic/It was written....
2)NY State of Mind II: Possibly weakest beat on the LP...good storytelling though.
3) Hate Me Now (Puff): A destined radio hit....Puff starts it off: "Escobar season has returned". Nas...freestyles: "I was destined to come, Predicted....Blame God, he blew breath through my lungs"
4)Small World: The violin loop in the background makes the beat phat. Good storytelling by Nas... raps about Beef, Tricks, and.....
5)Favour for a Favour (Scarface): One of the best tracks. Awesome beat...."Either you feel these NY bullets or the Texas Chainsaws'....
6)We Will Survive: I liked it. The beat was laid back, and introspective....Nas pays tribute to BIG, "You can't kill nothin that's Ready to Die, You was like God to us in the form of Allah".
2nd Verse: a tribute to PAC: "Dear Pac everything sheds a teardrop And use teeth to bite off beer tops and pour out a little liquor"....Good song.
7) Ghetto Prisoners: The ghetto anthem...compared to the track: One Love on Illmatic...storytelling of the Ghetto's....chilling and haunting
8)You Won't See Me Tonight: Track produced by Timberland...a destined Radio hit. Featuring Aaliyah singing in the background. Awesome jeep beats, for the Club too.
9)I want to Talk to You: Awesome beat once again. This is the track where Nas's lyrics and flow throughout the song is incredibly smooth...pacing himself perfectly. Good chorus....addictive.
10)Dr.Knockboot: Funky beat, funny song. Nas as the Sex advice Dr....
11) Life is what you Make It (feat.DMX) good beat with the Dog DMX: DMX's lyrics are good, not barking or anything...but smooth and crisp.
12)Big Things: Lyrically: a bit weak on this track...very one sided.
13) Nas is Like: Nas's 1st single....DJ Premier laced...good jeep beat....and lyrics "Freedome or Jail, clips inserted, A baby is being born the same time a man is being murdered".
14)K-I-SS-I-N-G: Song was Ok. Kissing and fu***** Nas's idea of a love song for the ladies.....
15)Money is my Bitch: Nas's tale of him and his money.."Don't ever leave me"
16)Undying Love: I forget..pretty good. uh huh
Overall, at least 4 mics, if not 4.5. Definitly a keeper. Nastradamsu should be good with the Track "Looking out my project window'....On Oct 26/99
Love is Love .....
Peace.
Free Music Review: Maby...The Most Balanced Album Ever!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
This album right here..is what captures the essence of Nas as a m.c. He's torn between the streets and the mainstream for acceptance and credibility.Nas during the period of I Am, came when he'd taken a long
two year vacation. Many doubters started to come into effect, saying maby
he'd slipped a bit, with his previous release of It Was Written. However, he takes it
to another level. A level of balance he reaches on this album which surprisingly
even surpasses that of the great "Illmatic".
Here are some of his most quoteble lines from all the album's classic songs:
N.Y. State of Mind Part 2:
"Cause I aint playin niggas will run up in here and shoot up this shit..
stick yo' ass up niggas'll find the loot in ya kicks
Bunch of triple-cross niggas..just New York niggas
lift you off your fee when they was just talkin with you"
Hate Me Now:
"It's a thin line between paper and hate
friends and snakes..nine millies and thirty-eights, hell or the pearly gates
I was destined to come, predicted blame God he blew breath in my lungs
2nd to none..wicked turn wives to widows, shoot through satin pillows..the decilant one"
Small World:
"Carolyn, from Maryland, she Lady Heroin
She elegant-her apparel in the M-Class caravan
ki's of dope..loving cats to ski in her throat"
Ghetto Prisoners:
Yo we all gotta be God's children..habitants in tall buildings
rats crawl in filfthy hall ways..incinerators
Sinners who faithless, still there's hope, prayers answered
Dreams turned real..what's a wicked nation?
One with blind men, not taking charge of the situration..
Empty arguements a real conversations needed..the world will hear it..
Evil tries to weaken my spirit"
I Wanna Talk To You:
"What ya'll waitin for the world to blowup before you hear this..
rewind this..4 minutes before we timeless...let ya'll niggas bang my shit before Sadaam hits..
let Nastradamous show us what time it is"
Nas is Like:
"Freedom or Jail, clips inserted a baby's being born
the sametime my man is murdered the beginning and end
As far as rap goes it's only natural I explain
my plateau and also what defines my name.."
Undying Love:
"Gamblers, puffin cigars, couples and stars
flashing cameras, dealers, shuffling cards
Spent the weekend, already miss New York and it's odd
cause I'm the first who say it got too many hustlers that rob"
This album consists of atleast 7 classic songs..this guys vivid paintings of hood life , and
his imagery of his surroundings are impeccible. A Hip-Hop classic!!
Free Music Review: Stop critizing Nas. Nas keep it up!
Hit: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this album. Every single track is awesome. The best track is probably "Nas Is Like", but there are other great joints on this one. I like the intro, because flashbacks are a good way to start the album. There are excellent songs on it like "Favor For A Favor", which features Scarface, and the two mesh very well together. They kind of remind me of Tupac Shakur and Big Syke rapping together. There are other hot songs, like the awesome "Money". The beat on that song for some reason reminds me of seals. Don't ask why, but the beat is awesome. "Hate Me Now", is just amazing. It features Puff Daddy, and even though I don't like Bad Boy, except for Notorious B.I.G., Puff isn't really doing much on the song, and Nas is the one who steals the show. One line in the song, "People feel what they don't understand/hate what they can't conquer/Guess it's just inferior man." Another real good one is "We Will Survive". It is a tribute to Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., and one of the more moving tributes. It is really relaxed, and the background of it can be heard on that Willie-Esco Sportswear commercial, in which Nas appears on. Another good one was "NY State Of Mind Part II". All of the people who said it was the poorest track on the album had better wake up. DJ Premier produced it, and the production is great, followed by Nas's spitting is tight. Also, there is the funny "Dr. Knockboot", in which Nas atempts to give "Sex Education" to all the virgins with the do's and don't's that should happen in the bed. It's pretty funny, especially when he talks about popping the champagne. This album is real good, so I don't want to hear this "It ain't Illmatic" stuff. People say Nas sold out because he isn't putting out Illmatic after Illmatic. Well, if he was, that would be selling out. It's not as if he went commercial or anything. I mean, how could It Was Written be commercialized if it had Method Man and Dr. Dre on it, how could it be commercial? None of these songs are going to be MTV overplays (which is good, because every time MTV overplays a song, they'll drive you crazy). You've got to give it up to Nas. Nas I've noticed that you've posted a couple messages on here. I hope you see that there's a happy fan who likes your new album here.Free Music Review: Simply Great
Hit: 5 Stars
I Am happens to be not only my favorite Hip Hop album.. but its my favorite album period. In my opinion its better than every other Nas album.. even though Illmatic and It Was Written had no bad songs at all. Nas didn't "change" or "sellout" or go "jiggy" on ANY album. He just did a few colloborations.And Nas has good songs that ARENT on Illmatic, I just wish this album and It Was Written would get more credit by Hip Hop fans, because Nas was more mature on this cut and had deeper lyrics. People just don't understand Escobar like they do Nasty. I also don't care if Puff Daddy was on the album, because he only sang the hook and 'Hate Me Now' was RAW. 'We Will Survive' showed he has respect even for people who didn't respect him (Like 2Pac). 'Ny State Of Mind Pt. II' and 'Small World' were plain ILL, with piano beats. 'Nas Is Like' was very ill as well (with DJ Premier producing). 'Ghetto Prisoners' showed Nas' poetic side.. 'I Want To Talk To You' (a pretty good cut) addressed important issues in society and 'Undying Love' was a great story/cinematic tale of Nas and his "wife" in a murder scene. Similar to Eminem's 'Kim' only not as sick, and in Nas' version he killed his wife by "accident". (Keep in mind this CD came out a year before Em's)
Anyway, there are flaws on this CD. 'Big Things' and 'Dr. Knockboot' are horrid. The Scarface and DMX colloborations are decent at the least, and 'KISSING' is rather boring. Its not really for male audiences. 'Money Is My *****' is decent-to-pretty good, with Nas displaying experiences with money.
I still find this to be the best album I ever heard, even though not all the songs are good. The 'Intro' happens to be better than everything on Nastradamus (in my opinion). Believe me when I say this, Illmatic It Was Written and I Am are ALL worth the money. Nastradamus is questionable, but until "Death Of Escobar" drops next month, all of these albums with be in my CD player.