ILLMATIC: 96%

IT WAS WRITTEN: 89%

I AM…: 72%

NASTRADAMUS: 55%

STILLMATIC: 83%

THE LOST TAPES: 88%

GOD’S SON: 84%

STREET’S DISCIPLE: 69%

HIP HOP IS DEAD: 67%

UNTITLED: 88%

LIFE IS GOOD: 88%

NASIR: 72%

THE LOST TAPES II: 81%

King’s Disease: 80%

KING’S DISEASE II: 83%

Magic: 82%

KING’S DISEASE III: 91%

Note: This was written before the release of NASIR.

This was definitely one of the most fun marathons I’ve done. There were a few projects that kinda felt like a chore to get through, but he’s thankfully proven that he still has the ability to murder any beat he touches. There are some people who don’t really give anything after Illmatic a chance, but I think these people are pretty closed-minded. Obviously Nas isn’t gonna be able to surpass one of the most important albums in music history and entertainment in general. That’s not saying much. There’s really not much to be said. As a rapper, I personally don’t think Nas has any consistent flaws. Not any that haven’t already been rectified at least. It was hard to see him jump on the whole Mafioso trend after Illmatic, but he came right back with Stillmatic, and I never really thought his production choices were really bad. I’m not saying his ear for beats is as good as that of JAY-Z, but I can’t really remember any of the instrumentals being bad enough to ruin an entire song. If Nas has a bad ear for production, Eminem must literally be deaf. I digress tho. Nas is my favorite rapper. I mean, Childish Gambino is my REAL favorite rapper, but Nas is definitely in my top 3. I don’t see him ever putting out another dud honestly. I think he’s found a solid formula. I like how he’s been giving each album a specific theme ever since Hip Hop Is Dead, even tho I didn’t personally care for that album in particular. As I said in my Life Is Good review, Nas’ ability to construct unique song concepts this far into his career is really impressive. It’s hard for me to comprehend how some people consider JAY-Z to be a superior MC, but I guess there are different strokes for different folks. Just like with Childish Gambino, Nas doesn’t have the most consistent discography. However, his best work is good enough to make him one of the most influential & important musicians of all time.

Favorite Song: It Ain’t Hard to Tell

Least Favorite Song: Summer on Smash

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