Nas' Untitled Album Review
Amidst the Controversy and the Hype, Nas Delivers Once Again
When it comes to the dramatic change that the title of Nas' latest album underwent (from N****r to Untitled), there are two kinds of people: those who curse him for buckling under the intense scrutiny it received and those letting out a sigh of relief because they no longer have to feel uncomfortable when asking for it. Both sides, however, will be glad to know that an album is much more than its title.
Untitled vs. Hip Hop Is Dead
While Hip-Hop Is Dead (the 2006 album preceding Untitled) is a great album, many listeners weren't too convinced about the concept behind it. As a normal album, it is very solid but was lacking in terms of how much attention its theme was given. Untitled surpasses it's predecessor for the simple fact that it is more focused- forcing Nas to squeeze out incredibly inventive concepts and relentless lyricism in the process.
An Overview
This is definitely one of Nas' most expansive and motley projects to date. Whether referring to the lyrical content or the beat selection, there is a great deal of variety. Just a few of the topics found on Untitled include living the good life, governmental corruption, the ponderance of alien life and common struggles of blacks in America.There's even a song from the perspective of a cockroach! Nas dug deep.
Sometimes, though, the album seems to have some sort of subconscious division. There are a few tracks within the first five that obviously aim for more of a commercial appeal- perhaps most evident on the Chris Brown and Game featuring "Make The World Go Round." After a listen or two though, it's easy to see that these tracks are necessary. It would be hard, for example, to imagine the tracklisting without the epic "Hero."
Highlights
Each song that Nas has presented on this project is so solid and so thorough for what it is trying to convey that it really is a challenge to pick out those that stand out. While the "highlights" will probably differ from person to person, there are a couple of no brainer "Wow!" moments nonetheless. The string-intensive (The Slave and The Master) will give you goosebumps with its beat alone.
Fried Chicken is another poignant song. Nas and Busta Rhymes weave pseudo-tributes to fried chicken and pork (respectively) while simultaneously criticizing actions that blatantly propagate negative stereotypes. The fact that it features spot-on production by Mark Ronson (perhaps best known for his work on Amy Winehouse's Back To Black) doesn't hurt one bit either.
What This Album Has To Offer
Any Nas fans out there should automatically go out and grab Untitled because it is simply Nas at his best. He was able to create a great concept album, which is extremely rare of any genre in today's music scene. Furthermore, Nas gives insight into many issues that weigh heavy on the minds of society. He asks questions of his listeners that are daring while telling his own story and the story of those who have no voice. This is a virtually flawless album.
