When "Doo Rags" jumped off, I knew it was golden. right up there with Illmatic and Stillmatic as a part of the definitive Nas collection!
Highly recommded Nas album for all hip hop fans. This album makes me wonder if most artists really record 40-75 songs for every album before whittling it down to 15-20, why oh why can't they include their hottest 15-20 on each LP like they used to do back in tha day? Of all the Nas albums, this is probably the one to bump in ya ride (check out the basslines in 90 percent of these tracks). Personal favorites include "Poppa Was a Playa," "U Gotta Love It," "Doo Rags," "Everybody's Crazy," and "Purple." So many reviewers talk of Nas being at his lyrical low point or being just uninspired in the late 1990s - which couldn't be further from the truth. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect to The Lost Tapes is that it contains several tracks that should've and were originally planned to be put on his "Nastradamus" album in autumn 1999. I can't think of a track on this LP that's below perfection. Using samples by Barry White ("No Ideas Original"), Mandrill ("U Gotta Love It"), and Eddie Kendricks ("Poppa Was A Playa"), Nas avoids any cameos or hype, presenting hip-hop in a stripped-down state that reaffirms the man's reputation as one of the genre's true legends. Working with a number of sympathetic producers including The Alchemist, L.E.S., and Rockwilder, this gifted rhyme merchant drops captivating rhymes reflecting everyday life growing up in the Queensbridge projects, over a an assortment of mellow soul grooves. With most of these songs already cropping up as bootlegs on select underground mix tapes, this is the first official release featuring these songs mastered as Nas intended. The release of THE LOST TAPES, a collection of previously unreleased cuts recorded at those legendary sessions, adds to this considerable legacy. by NO I.D.Description : Contains an untitled hidden track after "Poppa Was A Playa."Producers include: Deric Angelettie, Precision, The Alchemist, L.E.S., Rockwilder.With I AM and STILLMATIC, Nas assured himself a permanent place in the history of hip-hop. Peep the track listing below, then visit NAS online to order The Lost Tapes 2, dropping July 19.ΔΆ. The Lost Tapes 2 is available only at the Nasir Jones official site, and features some awesome album art from Daniel Arsham. These tracks are dope enough but with 16 unheard tracks, The Lost Tapes 2 can stand by itself as a firsthand release. Tracks like No Bad Energy, Vernon Family, Highly Favored, and You Mean the World to Me can stand out to us with production from Swizz Beatz, Pharrell, Statik Selectah, RZA, Kanye West, and No I.D. Not on one track, but on an entire album entitled The Lost Tapes 2, finds NAS blessing us with street smarts and hidden knowledge on unreleased tracks that did not make the cut on previous releases. Though his empire is spreading beyond music, he always comes to call with some dope tunes that keep our speakers bumping, and our ears open for that truth. NAS was one of the first conscious rappers our generation heard of.