Nas anyone?

[Patrick]

anyone check out the new album?  its another quality product from Nas.  not his best but its got some good stuff on it.  It has a very focused feel to it that is simmilar to his early albums, rather then some of those rambling albums that he put out in the late 90's.  Anyway, if you are into HipHop or into older nas, i would say check it out.

what a banner year for hip hop....  killer albums from the Roots, Nas, Gza, Rza and this fall hopefully a new Mos Def album.

i wonder if trembling eagle hates it?

[Chris L]

what a banner year for hip hop....  killer albums from the Roots, Nas, Gza, Rza and this fall hopefully a new Mos Def album.

I was just wondering if there was any new hip hop worth listening to lately.  What about rappers that didn't debut in the early 90's?  Anything good?

[Dan B]

what a banner year for hip hop....  killer albums from the Roots, Nas, Gza, Rza and this fall hopefully a new Mos Def album.

I was just wondering if there was any new hip hop worth listening to lately.  What about rappers that didn't debut in the early 90's?  Anything good?

Wale.

[Chris L]

Wale.

I'll assume you're not talking about the group that did "Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe." 

[Stupornaut]

Elzhi's released/ing a couple good records this year (the tour-only Europass and The Preface).

[Patrick]

chris

i have been digging the Cool Kids, i heard them on Billy Jams show a few weeks ago, also Truth Universal is worth checking out.

i always like what Billy Jam and Noah are playing during their shows...  good stuff.

[erechoveraker]

If Trembling Eagle hates it, it'll be the first time he and I agree on something then.

I was looking forward to the album, but it's kind of a stinker. I listened to it twice through when I first got it, haven't looked back since. Not enough energy, which is funny considering how much energy he put into all the shenanigans leading up to the release of it.

"That's a one hot album every fifteen year average..."

[ericluxury]

what a banner year for hip hop....  killer albums from the Roots, Nas, Gza, Rza and this fall hopefully a new Mos Def album.

Are you crazy? Decent albums by a few people who've done better is not a banner year. Wale and the Cool Kids are good, but where is the great hip hop single of the year? You can never judge a year in music from August, but I'd say no.

[Trembling Eagle]

I didn't even bother listening to it. I'm sure I'll get around to it in a year or 2. Nas is a talented guy but suffers from the rest of the arrested  development most of mainstream (and a lot of underground) rap does. Lazy writing/thinking on limited subject matter. I know he's trying to tackle bigger issues but since his 2nd album he always trails off after a verse or two into same 'ole same 'ole.

I'd encourage anybody interested in Nas to go back and listen to 1994's Illmatic. What a great record front to back, the whole thing just FEELS like a New York winter. Illmatic, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Dah Shinin', Hell on Earth, now THAT was banner season for rap.

I had a feeling OB4CL was a special moment complete work that would stand alone and unique in genre, I honestly never expected anymore standout stuff from Raekwon, Ghostface and I feel that's how their careers played out. But Nas I expected to grow into a more complete artist he's got the pedigree and everything, him and Eminem are two of the biggest let downs of that generation of rappers in my opinion.

[Andy]

wale
coolkids
rhymefest

how different is the new nas album from the green lantern mixtapr.

I aint saying that i'm Nasir
3zm just saying raps dead when I'm not here.

Wale is my favorite now.

[jbissell]

I saw him doing Sly Fox on Colbert last month and it certainly didn't make me interested in checking out the album.

[Gilly]

Roots album is ok. There hasn't been much for new hip-hop this year but I do I need to hear the Wale album. I agree with Chris L,  I'm getting tired of hearing the same voices. There aren't any great new voices though. Lil' Wayne had a few songs I liked I guess.

[Andy]

wales seinfeld inspired mixtape is free on his website

I also really like The Grouch's new album. it was a little sparse at first, but its amazing.

[TacoSmith]

I was slightly disappointed by the Nas album but there was enough good stuff on there I suppose. I just wish he could make another mind-blower like "Illmatic". But a newish album I can't recommend enough is "I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II" by Killer Mike. So fucking good.

[masterofsparks]

It's from last year but Brother Ali's The Undisputed Truth is worth a listen if you haven't heard it.