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genesisoftradition · 11 years

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Brief Thoughts on Doris

I didn't like this album at ALL. Earl can rap really well, but I in all honesty do not care. What amazed me about Earl — when I was first introduced to his music back in 2010 was how well he rap at for age. But now that novelty has worn off. Rapping well doesn't excite, particularly when it wrapped in a guise of 'I don't know what the fuck he said but, a lot words rhymed with each other so this is awesome'...No I don't wanna read 10-16 pages of lyrics links to get the point of your album. Having a towering stack of cups to uncover the rock of candy from under tickles the fancies of many, I'm not of the ilk. If I misunderstood a lyric/verse or didn't notice the meaning/metaphor that's fine and that's cool to discover from time to time. As much as I like discovering gems I missed, music for me is not about cyphering the code. In short it's about gauging the listener, that's your basic responsibility as an artist. Whether it's done by rage, humor, self-deprecation, which ever the application that's up to you. Doris flutters between glossarial masturbation and emo songs that never feel all that emotional, because of it's deadpan fashion of delivery. An album trying to invoke pathos is fine, done so by a 19 year old I can only scoff at the sorrows of the life he's barely lived. Earl lyrically straying about from what his rabid fanbase would come to expect from him is commendable but the content itself I have to muff into the 12th row for how trite it is. The album is not by any means terrible, it's just OK. It's a thesaurus of ultra-dense rhyming and banal introspective songs. Frank Ocean having the most compelling verse on this album is a head-scratcher...Domo Genesis, Vince Staples has some nice verses. Tyler The Creator rapping his same forgettable shit, a rapper named SK La' Flare opens the album with an atrocious verse. Again. head-scratching. Production is alright. Nothing to praise or criticize. Doris is not a model of good or interesting songwriting from Earl, he's 19 so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise... he has time to grow. I probably won't be around to listen for it.

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genesisoftradition · 11 years

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No Idols: No Thrill

I can't recall when I first immersed myself in hip hop, born in the last 80s, it was already the fabric of inner-city culture. Music we now today refer to as "classics" was as frequent as snow in the winter, not every year was great like some revisionist historians would like you to believe but this thing of ours we call Hip-Hop always felt special, exciting. It scared parents, fascinated the youth — I'm not going to dull you with the same old laminations of "Let's bring back the 90s", "Today's rappers suck, why can't we go back to that time" ... blah blah blah, no.

Quite frankly there's a lot of talented rap artists & producers to be discovered. There's a lot of garbage to sift through but If you can invest into the time, you'll find many artists with various styles making good music. Someone like myself I can't seem to find the time, rather I can't seem to drum up the interest anymore. Again nothing against today's rappers because I think there are extremely gifted MC's, like Elzhi, Jay Electronica, Willie The Kid to name a few. However I simply can not be made to wait eons upon eons for rap albums, hoping rapper-x works with producer-y. Expensive sample clearances, cryptic rules that's phasing out sample based hip-hop has hurt the music IMO, the experience of going into a record store and buying music with your own money, the experience of someone telling you "Yo, check this out, this is really dope. I know you gonna love this shit" That interaction is dead. Rap has become too businesslike and has introduced too many variables for me to thoroughly enjoy it. You wouldn't think making a rap records was equivalent to making pharmaceutical medicine for FDA approval, but you'd be wrong. God Dammit! I said I wasn't going to complain about today's music.

I know and understand business is going to take precedence over the creative in not only today's rap but all genres, I'm not naive to think otherwise. Less money for albums, the death of music videos, zero artist development, 360 deals, shorter radio rotations etc etc. I completely understand the hyper-calculation, uber-business likeness of the record industry. It unavoidable ... so I've been wondering maybe my dispassion lately of rap music is permanently here to stay. It's here and has waltz it's way into my apartment, put it's feet on my coffee table, eats the food in my fridge, chastise me for leaving the toilet seat up while not paying any rent for the rest of eternity. Now, where was I? Oh yeah

Maybe the unavoidable has arrived, begrudgingly. This past year, 2012 in hip hop was pretty good, not great but good. In the past Hip Hop has had significantly more dour years, 2005-2007 — very little hope. I didn't see much of anything good to look forward to, the only thing in store for you during those times was derivative snap music accompanied by a dance or the zenith of pretentious underground rap music that bitched & moaned about the ills of the mainstream, song by song. Where ever you fell on that spectrum it was unbearably annoying either way.

All & all I was still able to maintain a passion for the music, fixating on the old music I loved, withdrawing from much of the noise that was 05-07. In this climate of diverse music from rapper who I can listen to, with more avenues for music consumption/discovery other than radio for are increasing like Spotify, Pandora, Bandcamp, Soundcloud etc. I'm having trouble keeping the flame inside the lantern from going out. Perhaps Hip-Hop music has run it's course for me, that unavoidable dispassion has arrived after it's 24 year flight. Soul, R&B, Jazz, Rock all lost it's nonconformist attitude at some point —or reached it's apex to where it couldn't evolve or transform into anything that it hasn't been before. What's to say Rap is exempt from that. Perhaps it's already happened years ago and I'm only now walking out that haze of denial. Perhaps I'm doing exactly what I said I wasn't doing at the beginning of this post and just bitching about today's rap b/c it's easy and people do it all the time on the internet.

I don't know If this is a multi-layered web of denial, a realization that Rap music has run it's course with me, or some disguised attack on present day Rap. I can never really tell with these thing. Like no other genre people forced this Hip-Hop thing into being more logical that it has to be.

[/end rant, self-examination, tower of babble]

#Hip-Hop #Blog

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genesisoftradition · 11 years

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Lists & Lists, Hip Hop in 2012

Top Nine Albums of 2012

Action Bronson, Blue Chips Kendrick Lamar, good kid, m.a.a.d city city Nas, Life Is Good Schoolboy Q, Habits & Contradictions Blu, Give me Flowers While I can Smell Them (mastered) Rick Ross, Rich Forever Roc Marciano - Reloaded The Alchemist - Russian Roulette Ab-Soul - Control Systems [Five Slept-on albums of 2012] Oddisee - People Hear What They See Lushlife - Plateau Visions JJ DOOM - Key to the Kuffs Gangrene (The Alchemist & Oh No) - Vodka & Ayahuasca

Planet Asia, Black Belt Theatre I think I'm one of the Fifteen people who knew Asia dropped an album this year. Why don't people listen to Planet Asia. He's really dope, I don't understand. Y'all did the same shit last year with Kool G Rap "Riches, Royally and Respect" [Six Disappointing albums of 2012] Apollo Brown & O.C - Trophies I love great production as much as the next person but sometimes I need to be engaged by the rapper, even though O.C. delivers slick metaphors/similes, he isn't very much engaging listen for me.

Domo Genesis x Alchemist - Copy & Paste the above statement and cross out the part that says "slick metaphors" and replace it with "redundant weed raps"

Large Professor - Large Professor (self-titled)

As I've said, dope beats aren't enough for me to like an album. Well… as sacrilegious as it may sound, this album doesn't even have that. My favorite cut from the album is "MARS" (Cormega, Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, Saigon) iTunes play count is quite high, which is strange seeing how I throughly dislike the album as a whole. The track itself isn't breaking any atoms (no pun intended) just a good ol' posse cut. Nottz - In My Mind When I think of it, there aren't any albums that had a considerable amount of Nottz rhyming that I liked. So why is it "disappointing"…. I suppose it's because I'm a fan of Nottz production so much I feel he's focusing his energy on the wrong place, the arm-chair A&R in me drives this sentiment. Not to say his rhymes are wack-wack but lack of innovation or lyrical progression doesn't make me eager to ever wanna listen to another solo LP from Nottz Raw. Unless of course it's a Soul Survivor-esque producer album where its a posse cuts of high caliber rappers cutting rugs left & right.

Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor II It's been fun to pick on Lupe Fiasco over the years — yet at the same time it isn't If many had the choice, because he is extremely talented that there is legit frustration. From the opening track (not counting the poetry intro) Strange Fruition had me thinking I was in for a return to form album from Wasalu but I would have been wrong, sure It's better than LASERS but for christ sake is that the bar…. Just be better than a turd pile? Food & Liquor II had it's moments (Lamborghini Angels, Form Follows Function) In the end it's like a croissant or eggplant roll in a pizzeria Not appealing, palatable but extremely dull piece of food that no matter how many years its plastered on the front window you'll walk past it 999,998 times out of a million. I don't know where this "Great American Rap Album" he's referring to.

Obie Trice - Bottoms Up

I really dig Obie first two studio albums Cheers & Second Rounds On Me, they were of course under the Shady/Aftermath umbrella. His third follow-up to this alcohol series if you will, was delayed due to his departure from Interscope. Considering how flimsy they're track record is over at Shady/Aftermath with artists (we know the names, the duds hyped over there) I didn't put much credence In there being much of a drop off in terms of music quality. Not sure what happened but "Bottoms Up" was very weak, not only in terms of production but songs & lyrics as well. Nothing was attention grabbing, all I could think of was 'this is a street album, you make it business not to promote?' Overall I didn't hate it, my expectations should have been curb somewhat ... still Trice could do better than this.

[Few Listens Before The Recycle Bin, 2012] Tyga - Careless World: Rise of the Last King Curren$y - Stoned Immaculate

J Dilla - Rebirth of Detroit As a Dilla fan, this a was pitiful album, I still don't know many those rappers on those Dilla beats were — neither do I know or rather am I sure If those beats had much or of any work done on them. A disgrace to Jay Dee's discography quite frankly. There have been some rumors of the Dilla estate being in considerable debt so I probably shouldn't have been as surprised as I was. Now that Frank of (Frank-n-Dank) is overseeing future J Dilla projects I hope that ROD was a speed bump of trash and no what's the come down the line. Death Grips - The Money Store

For the life of me I can't imagine the how anybody finds Death Grips manic-depressive suicidal noise soundtrack pleasing. If your having a mental breakdown or pondering suicide I'd rather you do it that than tell me how brilliant "Ex Military" & their latest philippic effort "The Money Store" is. I've stop judging what music people like some time ago, but fuck. This album bring out the music snob in me. I'm perplexed to as what people can possibly see in this shit.

[It was alright, I'll take your word for it that It's great]

Killer Mike - R.A.P Music

Never been a fan.

El-P - Cancer for Cure El producto can rap his ass off, but damn I can take something away from "Cancer For Cure" other than, he can rap his ass off. Maybe that's enough for some, lyrical acrobats — I like lyricism too but I love it when it's balanced with a visceral listening experience. I think that's what most rappity rap artists lose sight of. Make me feel the music instead of teaching it to me. Stop bludgeoning me to death with metaphors inside of metaphors inside double entendres. We get it, you can rap your ass off.

Freddie Gibbs - Baby Face Killa I don't like trap beats, bass-synth-percussion heavy beats. Anything that you can say is influenced by Southern Hip Hop. It's clear as day, as much as I've try to get with the program. I can not, Gibbs "Thuggin", "Shame" ... verses on Curren$y "Scottie Pippen" and Domo Genesis "Till The Angels Come" I really enjoy with copious listens. The projects that feature Southern rap production "Cold Day In Hell", "Str8 Killa No Filla" and "Baby Face Killa" (a good chunk of of his discography basically) I can't get with.

95.4% dig it, so who am I to say you're wrong. [Par for the course] I got exactly what I expected/ The wheel isn't being reinvented Action Bronson & The Alchemist - Rare Chandeliers

Sean Price - Mic Tyson

Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson - Dice Game

House Shoes - Let It Go

50 Cent - FIVE (Murder by Numbers) [Had low expectations] which it exceeded Ghostface Killah x Sheek Louch, Wu Block Lil Fame x Termanology - Fizzyolgy Meek Mill - Dreams & Nightmares Meyhem Lauren - Respect the Fly Shit Joey BadA$$ - 1999 Wiz Khalifia - Tayler Allderdice

I don't like Wiz Khalifia, or rather didn't after the much hyped "Kush & Orange Juice" … I was not pleased with what I heard. I was aware beforehand that Wiz wasn't a great rhymer in the least, with that in mind It was still surprised as to the ineptitude of his bars were. Don't recall how I stumbled upon Taylor Allderdice (would have had to been Youtube) and I was glad to hear he's gotten better rhyme wise… he not going to go bar for bar with anybody but still the improvement was enough and the production fit perfectly with his style. I've listen to this album quite a bit actually...

[For Archival purposes] External Hard Drive Purgatory

Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Lost In Translation Rick Ross, God Forgives, I Don't The Alchemist, Rappers Best Friend (Instrumental release) GOOD Music, Cruel Summer

Big K.R.I.T. 4Eva N A Day Good production, Good rapping, sincerity in introspective lyrics. Sounds great on paper, but like J Cole — Big KRIT music has never moved me, I respect his music and understand why people really like his music. Simply put with the occasional miscellaneous tune his music overall doesn't affect me like a portion of the populous. Note: The J Cole comparison maybe be a stretch, only in that KRIT doesn't irk me in some intangible way Cole does and that listening to KRIT music doesn't cause a zZzzzZz inducing effect. Maybach Music Group - Self Made Vol 2 Statik Selektah & Termanology - 2012

I don't like Statik Selektah, not sure what's the genesis of my animosity toward his music is. I think Termanoloy got bars, however something about his album(s) structure irk me, perhaps it the hodgepodge nature of them. It usually feels like general calculation goes into Term's album instead of rigorous calibration. Not saying that how it is, only how the music comes across to me.

Pac Div - GMB Styles P - Hardest MC Project Rapsody - The Idea of Beautiful Logic - Young Sinatra: Undeniable Logic's third mixtape confirm my suspicion that he doesn't have a lane or rap identity if you will. I was able to let it go seeing that he a new artist and finding that comfort zone of who you are as an artist will take time. Some songs Logic sounds like J. Cole, other Mac Miller and Drake. Two of the three I flat out don't like, the other Aubrey Graham who I simply tolerate. On Undeniable Logic continues to accent those three rappers but more so the rapper I tolerate to an almost annoying level. Hope he finds his niche soon, lucky for him he so under the radar of not only mainstream but underground rap that doesn't have the stigma of bite the style of beige overlord Drake.

Rapsody - The Idea of Beautiful DJ Premier & Bumpy Knuckles - The Kolexxxion Roscoe P Coldchain - Almost Famous [I don't get it y'all, 2012] Future, Pluto Big Sean, Detroit I don't remember who was it that said Big Sean raps like he's never been a fight. Had to noz or Jeff Weiss (I confuse the two for some reason) [I didn't even bother in wasting neither the $$$ or bandwidth] Nick Minaj - Roman Reloaded Dom Kennedy - Yellow Album Chief Keef - Finally Famous [Rap Songs of the Year]

Kendrick Lamar feat Jay Rock - Money Trees Roc Marciano - Emeralds Earl Sweatshirt - Chum Kendrick Lamar - Sing About Me/Dying of Thirst Scarface feat Nas - Hip-Hop Roc Marciano - 76 Planet Asia feat Talib Kweli - Grown Folks Talkin Schoolboy Q - Raymond 1969 Young Giftz - Nino Apollo Brown & O.C. - Nautica Pusha T & Kanye West - New God Flow Ab-Soul - Book of Soul Nas - No Introduction Rick Ross feat Nas - Triple Beam Dreams Lushlife - Magnolia Willie the Kid feat Jon Connor - Marina Action Bronson - Hookers at the Point Rick Ross - Amsterdam 50 Cent feat Schoolboy Q - Can I Speak To You

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#The Alchemist #Obie Trice #Kendrick Lamar #Action Bronson #SchoolBoy Q #Best of Lists #Planet Asia

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genesisoftradition · 12 years

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Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.a.a.d city review

The sophomore effort to the critically acclaimed LP Section80, GKMC is Kendrick Lamar's major label debut. As you can expect with the involvement of Dr. Dre, there's a considerable amount of attention on this record. Kendrick even landed on Lady GaGa's radar.

good kid, m.a.a.d city is collection of motifs held together by intricate yet visceral storytelling and skits that at first seem like trivial minutia that's only purpose is of charm or rather to lighten the mood after the sober narratives but in actuality its the most scrupulous element of good kid, m.a.a.d city. Kendrick previous album Section80 was very conceptual in a similar way stories interweaving with each other but the stark difference between the two are the songs on Section80 can stand on their own just fine without skits to account for their purpose on the album. "Backseat Freestyle" on the surface an ear numbingly derivative braggadocio rap tune laced with a vapid Hit-Boy beat or just a Hit-Boy beat — as a solo song it obnoxious and juvenile but the brief skit ending "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" clearly explains him and his boys driving around listening to beat tapes freestyling. That's what kids are going to rap about with their friends, I won't go as far as calling it genius or for me enjoyable but it is certainly necessary in sustaining the story by reminiscing about the past. "Swimming Pools" a strange choice for a single but in the pocket of the album it makes sense, as its sedation for the fury that it follows the frenetic track "M.A.A.D City". Skits trail at the end of each of the remaining songs on the album bridging the narrative efficiently.

good kid, m.a.a.d city is not a conventional rap album, You can't throw this into the iPod shuffle ... listen to it and fully appreciate, It's not meant to be consumed in that way. For the first several play throughs it wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing thing, I'd say mid way through the fourth play Is perhaps when the lyrics and its unique vibe totally sunk in — I believe its best not to trouble yourself with consuming it all on the first couple servings. GKMC isn't pizza that you can quickly enjoy & understand, its rich clear soup that you have to sip with painstaking patience to fully grasp its intricacies. The subject matter, the themes on this record fascinate me ... gang violence, alcoholism, emotional damage from childhood, peer pressure, teenage love. All done with masterful craftsmanship and honestly.

On Twitter, the epicenter of embellishment has compared GKMC to a movie. Two of which include Menace II Society and Boyz n the Hood. Inner city LA, peer pressure, gang violence are subjects of conversation on Kendrick's album so the comparison isn't totally off base. I'll say this about that. How about we just stop comparing shit.

As great as some artists can be with poetic imagery, it can never surpassed or even equal magic of motion pictures. I'd rather watch a movie than listen to it. Maybe that's just me.

I'm getting sidetracked.

Back to GKMC

Some may complain that the beat switch ups are jarring or the production itself is inconsistent. Which I can't say isn't true, only that the album is following an arc so it's necessary in my mind. Could the transitions between songs been a bit better, sure. I just don't see that as a major hiccup that will kill the enjoyment you can get from this album. Those not fans of skits/interludes may prefer verses as bridges than the skits. For me I thought the skits were funny and sufficed in keeping the momentum of the stories.

good kid, m.a.a.d city is definitely one of the best albums of the year along with Nas "Life Is Good". This is a great album, I have no idea If its a "classic". Only time will tell, a lot more time than the five days its been available to the general public.

Lyrics: A+

Originally: A

Production: B

Rating 90%

#Kendrick Lamar

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genesisoftradition · 12 years

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DEHH crew 30 minute review of Food & Liquor II ...

Too lazy to write my own review of F&L II, the album didn't move me in any particulary way to write about it—love or hate, besides Myke C-Town summed up my sentiments on Food & Liquor II exactly. check it out.

#Lupe Fiasco #Dead End Hip Hop #Hip Hop #Review

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genesisoftradition · 12 years

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Implausible Scheming, Sloppy Conspirators

Conspiracies theories that involve mysterious men in black and white suits that lay down their entire plans aren't worth a damn. I'm referring to that anonymous letter claiming that in 1991, a secret meeting took place where it was decided that the promotion of gangster rap would be to the mutual benefit of music industry and prison industrial complex. This letter is from a few months back apparently had the internet buzzing, silly me I never got around to reading it until a few days ago. The thing is...

The same figure heads who allegedly conspired to promote "gangster rap" to drive up private prison population would have to do as much conspiring as they would to get the general public to like Westerns, Crime flicks, B-Level Action Movies. This so called meeting took place in '91, I could have sworn Straight outta Compton was 1988. What need would there be to have a meeting about how profitable gangster rap could be. If there's anything you can count on the music industry with, is seeing an financial aberration as possibly a new trend to capitalize on. The music business maybe full of snakes and parasites, but incompetent in terms of money -- nah. In what conspiracy how-to book, does one lay their entire plans to complete strangers? to workers, not even bosses.

In this letter the anonymous person claimed that the companies they work for (major record labels) are silent inventors in these private prison they want occupied, well If that's the case why in the fuck would their workers need to told shit If a simple phone call from headquarters could be made with gangster rap becoming prioritize with no explanation other than "This is sell, keep pushing". I think this letter is bullshit, simply because of the lack of logic in having a meeting.

Unknown men with guns plan this conspiracy but require confidentiality agreement?

The consequences of disclosing that this meeting ever took place is the lost your job.

You wrote this anonymous letter because your afraid of your safety but give details about where your from and when you quit.

Do I believe that corporate conglomerates make unconventional alliance to further their financial interests

Yes, absolutely

Do I believe that corporate conglomerates have in the past and/or currently partake in these alliances.

Most definitely.

Do I believe that the music business has contributed to the alarming rise of the prison population?

on a micro scale, a bit

but do I think it is macrocosm for the increased incarceration rate?

No.

"War on Drugs", unjust sentence guideline can be the most logical culprit for the boom in population of prison over the last 25+ year, than the 5 million NWA CD sold.

70% of which, mostly like were bought by white people.

In many case cases we are products of our environment, but I would like to believe that we're not Manchurian Candidates who are liable to be brainwashed, doomed to fail, forced to sell drugs and shoot innocent bystanders without our own free will, lust for greed and power. How about we stop being gaping assholes by blaming drug sales to pregnant women and stray bullets that kill young men, women & children on the Illuminated Boogeymen.

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genesisoftradition · 12 years

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Nas - Life Is Good Review

For nearly a decade, my view of Nas albums has been tepid to say the least. From the scatterbrained double CD Street's Disciple to the dispiritedly nostalgic exercise that was Hip Hop Is Dead and the solid but very downbeat effort that was "Untitled". Each of which I felt were embroiled in sulking about the past and not focused on the present. As a fan frustration was building quite frankly, especially when the miscellaneous records were more interesting & satisfying, then the majority of album cuts that were meh-ville.

I was starting to wonder, do I simply miss hearing the ruthless folktales from Señor Nas Escobar, Are esoteric projects like Untitled ... Distant Relatives that feel like procedure and lack a certain vibrance are what new Nas albums will be going further, Am I ever again going to enjoy a new Nas album from start to finish. Perhaps I'm just the spoiled, unrealistic fan?

One thing I do know — Esco 10th studio LP Life Is Good quelled my fear of not liking another album emphatically. The triumphant intro track "No Introduction" prod. by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League a track that sounds so grand even though drums, synth and piano seem to be the only things heavily prevalent — more is less I suppose, "Loco-motive" a grimy winter, ski-mask on the train kinda of tune. "A Queens Story" street scriptures of the Q-borough and salute to fallen soldiers, death-taxes and a great storytelling song on a Nas album. Rick Ross babbles off topic on "Accidental Murder" still dig the song. "Daughters" the gawd expresses his own inadequacies as a father and disapproves of his daughter behavior on Twitter. You'd think it would be demonstrative or embarrassing but it not, grown man shit. "Reach out" w/ BK spokeswoman Mary J Blige ... wasn't feeling it. I could be one of the few people who's heard enough Ike's Mood sample use for the (this is that classic shit) song. I don't hate it, simply don't care for it. "World's An Addiction" an assortment of violins and other strings. Vivid imagery about the traps of the streets, women, substance abuse. A never ending cycle of addiction. "Summer on Smash" a more than decent club record, its only crime is where it sequenced in this album otherwise I fucks with it. "You Wouldn't Understand" fly nigga shit, celebrating the good life.

"Back When"

"Nas, my real name, stage name, same thing How could you let these lames claim king I'm so ashamed, man I light a L for Vernon For niggas who would burn in Hell For Vernon; 10th Street, 12th Street, Nightmare on Elm Street Pimps creep, delve deep inside the editorials Of the ghetto queens, kings, stories true Who possesses the testicular fortitude To blow away myths that's a hindrance to all of you"

Nuff said

"The Don" still not liking this record much. "Stay" Nas delves into the turmoil of his marriage, family issues. No I.D. laced this track w/ a gloomy soul sample w/ a piano, trumpet and probably some additional vocals. "Cherry Wine" features Amy Winehouse Nas speaks on the public perception of him, his ideal woman. The song OK, don't have much to say about it. Same goes w/ "Bye Baby" other than I'm not a fan of new jack swing R&B, it is better than the rubbish that out today but I get no sense of immense glee of the good old days of new jack swing from the Guy sample. The hedonistic vibe of "The Black Bond" was some marvelous shit, props to Salaam for that. Speaking of, I can In no way, shape or form complain about sub par Salaam Remi instrumentals on Life Is Good, it's been since the '04 God Son album that I can say that.

For the considerable amount of reminiscing that is done on Life Is Good, absent is the brooding [don't you miss the old days] atmosphere of recent albums. Even through the turbulence two years of his family life, hope isn't lost. Nas can still see the beauty of life.

Favorite Songs: "Back When" -- "The Black Bond" -- "Stay"

Rating 89%

#Nas

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