While I had originally planned to cover hip-hop in segments, some topics require immediate attention. So, I had to take a pause for the cause, of the hip hop side-bar that we need to have.
Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Illmatic, Nas drops a new single with DJ Premier, and we get to witness two iconic figures from New York collaborate again!
HIP HOP IS BACK!!!
I briefly mentioned Nas’ resurgence in my last journal entry, with plans to give it more attention within the series. But as I started to write, I realized that with the amount of music Nas has put out over the past four years, I wouldn’t be able to sum it up in one entry. So, let’s just say, I‘ve been writing this entry for some time now and I’ve written so much that it may have to become part of its own series, within the series. Akin to a central character within a storyline. Like the Bible. It’s all about Jesus, but you’re also going to get the stories of Peter, Matthew, Mark, Luke… you get my point.. Anyway, I also have 46 unfinished entries in my “musings” folder, so there’s also that.
First, and foremost, Illmatic, indisputably stands as ONE of THEE greatest hip-hop albums of all time. Not up for debate. Similarly, It Was Written deserves a spot among the top 5 greatest albums. Again, this is not up for debate. In discussing Illmatic today, Nas recently shared that back then, he dreamt that he could get his favorite producers to produce his debut album. Not only did it happen, but it instantly became, what will forever be known as, a classic album.
Although Nas received his first Grammy nomination in ’96, it took 25 years for him to officially claim the “award.” We hold the term award very loosely when it comes to the Grammys. However, true hip-hop aficionados recognized his talent and awarded him accolades following Illmatic’s release in ’94. And since we are discussing awards, let’s acknowledge that the only “awards” we are truly recognizing in hip-hop are from the legends and gatekeepers of hip-hop. Real hip-hop fans know what I’m talking about. Remember Stretch & Bobbito’s underground music dissemination or Miss Info’s legendary reviews, under the pen name “Shortie,” during her time at The Source? A 5 mic review at that time, meant that you made a classic album, and this could never be disputed.
Fun Fact: Only 15 albums ever received an original (30 others were later re-rated to receive 5) 5 mics from The Source. Nas’ Illmatic holds the #7 spot. Perhaps our modern day critics can only be people like Naima Cochrane (Music Sermon’s Senior Pastor) or perhaps Quest Love, or Ebro, people who not only have a love for the culture, but also an understanding of what good music actually is. So, until OUR award shows can actually get it together and stop pandering, these are the only “awards” we will recognize from henceforth.
Now back to the topic, As I’ve listened to every single track on Nas’ latest six albums (an impressive feat in just three years), I’m taken back to the golden era of hip-hop, but also to it’s original essence. I plan to dive deeper into hip-hops origins in part deux of my writing on the series, but when Nas proclaimed that “Hip-Hop is Dead” in 2009, we all felt it. It felt as though hip-hop had been hijacked by individuals who lacked an understanding of its artistry and the struggles of its creators. The result was a portrayal of our culture solely through the lens of guns, drugs, and violence, perpetuated by those who sought to exploit it. But we’ll get into that later. Today, we celebrate!
In the first part of this series, we explored hip-hop as the art of storytelling. Within this art form, there exist rappers and lyricists, the true storytellers of hip-hop—a distinction that few can claim. Nas belongs to an elite group of lyricists often mentioned alongside rap legends like Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Slick Rick, Scarface, and KRS-One. Despite entering the scene at the age of 17, Nas has earned the admiration of his predecessors, with KRS-One himself labeling Nas as one of the greatest emcees. I believe these legends could have easily pursued mainstream success but chose not to, recognizing the detrimental effects of commercialization on the art form. However, that discussion is best reserved for another day.
Nas’ return in 2020 with King’s Disease marked more than just his re-entry into hip-hop; it signified a revitalization that the hip-hop sorely needed. The term “King’s Disease” itself represents the afflictions plaguing hip-hop, hindrances that must be overcome for the genre to evolve authentically, which will then ultimately signal a new era of growth and innovation. I promise, we will dive deeper on another day. Witnessing Nas, the architect of hip-hop’s greatest diss track of all time, “Ether“, engage with a young “critic” like rapper 21 Savage, who questioned his relevance, was a testament to not only his growth, but a moment of profound growth in hip-hop. This showcased Nas’ maturity and willingness to foster dialogue rather than engage in confrontation. Rather than responding in kind, or resorting to verbal warfare, Nas chose collaboration, demonstrating hip-hop’s evolution, which we have also recently witnessed with the J. Cole/Kendrick “beef.” Furthermore, on the collocation song, “One Mic, One Gun,” Nas imparted invaluable wisdom on the next generation, and addressed not only the state of contemporary rap but also broader societal issues.
Fast forward to today, April 19, 2024, in perfect alignment with the 30th anniversary of Illmatic’s release. Nas has teamed up, with Preemo, again, to unveil the first chapter of his latest narrative, titled, “Define My Name”, creating the suspense and anticipation of what’s to come. The icing on the cake was the announcement that a Preemo album will FINALLY HAPPEN! Nas & Preemo together again, evokes nostalgia for past eras while paving the way for the new and future generations, and what will undoubtedly become a lesson in the art of storytelling. The anticipation reminds me of a thought that I shared from Part One of my hip-hop music series. “Producers become sonic architects… Artists, like skilled painters, take the vibrant hues of their environments and splash them onto the canvas of rhythm.” Just as producers craft sonic landscapes and artists paint vivid imagery with their lyrics, Nas and Preemo embark on an auditory journey, promising a captivating tale. Settle in boys and girls, it’s story time. This is an audio book, Nas is an author on track.
As the beat drops on “Define My Name,” I’m instantly transported back to my teenage years. It’s as if I’m 16 again, standing outside my high school, with Nas’ Illmatic blaring from every passing car, weaving through the number blocks and echoing up and down the warm streets of S. Orange Avenue. The sound so loud that it demands acknowledgment from everyone on the avenue. Beneath my feet, the vibrations of the train tracks from “The Genesis” create a symphony of familiar street sounds. Suddenly, a VW Corrado with a loud exhaust appears out of nowhere, adding to the sensory overload and injecting a surge of energy into the air, just as Preemo’s “N.Y. State of Mind,” begins, and my head instinctively starts to nod in rhythm.
In that moment, I would slip on my Walkman headphones and begin to stroll up the avenue, nodding along to the music as I make my way to Nico’s Pizzeria for my daily Italian cheeseburger (a quintessential Jersey experience). It’s moments like these that remind me of the profound power of hip-hop to evoke memories and emotions from the past.
As a sidebar, I can’t help but wonder: were Corrados only a popular vehicle in Newark, NJ? It’s a question that might linger in my mind long after the music fades tonight, igniting curiosity about the unique cultural influences that shape our surroundings. These moments of musical immersion serve as reminders of the profound impact hip-hop has had on our lives, transporting us back in time while simultaneously propelling us forward into the future.
In conclusion, let Nas’ resurgence inspire new greatness in all of us. As Rumi aptly writes, “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”
HIP-HOP’S BACK BABY!
And so, this marks the end of part one. But rest assured, we’ll revisit the gems Nas has bestowed upon us in his recent six albums in the near future.
XX, CB