Nas - Untitled

1.) Queens Get the Money - A largely accapella track save for a Piano loop. This is definitely daring to open an album with. I see it more as an interlude track or even a closing track. Having listend to the album a few times through though, it's definitely effective in setting the mood for the whole album and is probably one of my favorite songs on the album. "I'm over there heads like a bulimic on a seesaw." Yea, Nas has shown up on this one early.

2.) You Can't Stop Us Now - I wonder if there's any tension between Nas and the Rza considering they both used the same highly recognizable sample on there albums that released within a month of each other, the latter using the sample on his first single. I haven't seen anything published on the innanet so I'm guessing the answer is no. Nas wins as far as I'm concerned. The Rza song doesn't really go anywhere. This song has a cool pre chorus with horns and obviously, a better narrative (Rza vs. Nas in the lyricist dept. is a no brainer).

3.) Breathe - R&B style beat with a ghetto vs. the police theme. Next

4.) Make the World Go Round (feat. The Game and Chris Brown) - I love this beat with it's subtle female vocal sample hitting on the downbeat towards the end of the loop. Neither the Game with his verse about the things the Game always raps about (nice clothes, cars, LA) or Chris Brown who sings the chorus hook and a small bridge part can ruin this song.

5.) Hero (ft. Keri Hilson) - I don't care that this is the first single off the album, this is head and shoulders, the best track on the album. From the emotional ass beat, to the female vocals, to the hard hitting verses where Nas actually sounds like his standing up and spitting into a mic (a rarity on this album), rather than flowing in a reclining chair. The second verse "From 9 Berettas and moving raw..."....the beat switch under that part is my single most favorite sound on this album.

6.) America - Another soft sounding intricate track about American culture where Nas takes a hard look at his roots and how it conflicts with America's symbols of wealth and prosperity. Nas is really ingraining the political theme of this album effectively, as well as the theme of female vocals on almost every track, ehh.

7.) Sly Fox - Semi aggressive beat with a guitar sample (always a gamble in hip hop) but it's not too bad. Mentioning Myspace twice in the song and blogs once, however, is. Save that shit for Def Jux and Atmosphere.

8.) Testify - Slooow track about racism, white fans, and Nas's frustration with ignorant followers of his music

9.) N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master) - A slower, epic beat that actually work for me. The hook/chorus is really good too. Most of the lyrical content paints vivid pictures of oppressed dwellers of the ghetto. "Put rims on everything."

10.) Untitled - This is a narrative story track laced with samples mentioning the leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan. It's particularly short so I'll have to listen to it a few more times to see if I can figure out the connection between the samples and Nas, beyond obvious associations with the NOI.

11.) Fried Chicken (feat Busta Rhymes) - You would think the title was a metaphorical one. Well the song is actually about Fried Chicken and all the delicious sides that go with it. Sure the unspoken connection is the association with the Black Community, but it's entertaining nonetheless. The beat is a soul inspired eerie sounding track with live drums. Another short one, I like it.

12.) Project Roach (feat. The Last Poets) - More soul beats with a heavy bass line and samples of poetry readings. Super short, skippable

13.) Ya'll My Niggas - Stomping beat but not overly aggressive. Being almost finished with the album, I've noticed a lot of these songs would probably translate really well live with a live band. Beat is a little Kanye sounding for my taste (at least that pussy doesn't appear on this album). Verses are some of the better on the album.

14.) We're Not Alone feat. Mykel - This album has enough melancholy R&B inspired songs for my taste. At the second to last track, I'm skipping.

15.) Black President - This song was making sound waves when The Nigger Tape came out a few weeks ago because, obviously, it is Nas's artistic endorsement of Barack Obama. The beat is good and energetic, and the verses are a good mix of how shitty America's shitty is, slimy politicians, and a hint of optimism if we can flip the script with the election. Sample from Tupac's "I Wonder If Heaven got a Ghetto" is taken a little out of context, and I've had numerous people ask me who listened to it, "Why does it say we're not ready for a black president if he supports Obama?" I dunno, ask Nas.

Overall this album is sort've a let down for me compared to Hip Hop Is Head. There isn't enough energy on the album vocally that I need to stay interested. It's largely intricate, moody, and melancholy in terms of the production. The verses are there on a good number of songs, and it's commendable that Nas sticks to making a socially conscious and politically charged album amidst a storm of retardation in American pop culture. But I feel like I've already heard this album from Immortal Technique, and before him from Dead Prez, and before them from Public Enemy and N.W.A. Furthermore, Nas doesn't spit as aggressively as he should on such serious content. It's almost as if it's too sad and not enough pissed given the subject matter and the opinions blatantly implied on those subjects.

Standout Tracks: Make the World Go Round, Hero, N.I.G.G.E.R., Queens Get the Money

Definitely pick it up and judge for yourself, support one of the greatest emcee's of all time.