Eleven high-quality Nas demos?! Happy Friday, hip hop.
"A majority of the tracks previously were collected on Nasty Nas (The Original 1991 Demo Tape)", says OkayPlayer, as this is essentially some unreleased Nas from before his iconic debut album. We get to hear his talent on display from such a young age on this one. Press play below and take note of the tracks (and collabs) and when they appear in the stream!
1. Understanding 0:00
Featuring AZ & Biz Markie
2. Life Is Like A Dice Game 3:12
3. Just Another Day In The Projects 5:51
4. Déjà Vu 9:04
Produced by Chris Winston
5. Back To The Grill 12:51
Featuring MC Serch feat. Chubb Rock & Red Hot Lover Tone
Produced by T-Ray
6. Everything Is Real 17:53
Featuring Shapelle
7. I’m A Villain 20:09
Produced by Large Professor
8. Number One With A Bullet 24:31
Featuring Kool G. Rap & Whiteboy
9. Nas Will Prevail (It Ain’t Hard To Tell Original) 28:47
Let's begin with a disclaimer: Nas doesn't endorse the following sentence.
But he's the greatest lyricist of all time.
Those words were carefully chosen: "lyricist" over "rapper" or "hip-hop artist;" "greatest" instead of "most successful;" "all time" rather than "today."
Those distinctions are important. Still, Nas isn't buying it.
"It's wayyyyyy, way, way too early in our lives," he said when asked where he fits among history's best MCs. "It's great to put a list together, but don't take it too seriously because your list won't matter 10 years from now or 15 years from now. It'll be a different list."
In an interesting read over at CNN this weekend, writer Eliott C. McLaughlin makes his compelling case for Nas as the greatest lyricist of all-time. He notes from the very beginning, as you can see above, that those words were carefully chosen.
This debate is certainly a fun conversation, but at the end of the day, how you measure "greatest lyricist of all-time" is subjective. As is who you choose, and altogether, your view on music itself. I like pieces like this because they're good conversation starters about the hip hop culture, but if you're taking subjective and immeasurable crowns like these so seriously, and looking for an end-all, be-all answer... well, that's just where I stop at least. No reason to get carried away.
All that said, weigh in with your thoughts on who yourfavorite lyricist is and why!
It's Grammy time everybody! Artists in the urban hip hop/R&B spectrum that are leading the nominations include some usual names like Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nas — and some newcomers, most notably Frank Ocean & Miguel. Scroll down for many of the categories relevant to Gowhere, and then beyond that for the full list, and my predictions.
Album Of The Year:
“El Camino” — The Black Keys
“Some Nights” — FUN.
“Babel” — Mumford & Sons
“Channel Orange” — Frank Ocean
“Blunderbuss” — Jack White
Record Of The Year:
“Lonely Boy” — The Black Keys
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
“Thinkin Bout You” — Frank Ocean
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” — Taylor Swift
Best New Artist:
Alabama Shakes
FUN.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean
Song Of The Year:
“The A Team” — Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)
“Adorn” — Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
“Call Me Maybe” — Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
“We Are Young” — Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (FUN. Featuring
Janelle Monáe)
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
“Wild Ones” — Flo Rida Featuring Sia
“No Church In The Wild” — Jay–Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean & The–Dream
“Tonight (Best You Ever Had)” — John Legend Featuring Ludacris
“Cherry Wine” — Nas Featuring Amy Winehouse
“Talk That Talk” — Rihanna Feautring Jay–Z
Best Rap Performance:
“HYFR (Hell Ya F***ing Right)” — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
“N****s In Paris” — Jay–Z & Kanye West
“Daughters” — Nas
“Mercy” — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
“I Do” — Young Jeezy Featuring Jay–Z & André 3000
Best Rap Album:
“Take Care” — Drake
“Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1″ — Lupe Fiasco
“Life Is Good” — Nas
“Undun” — The Roots
“God Forgives, I Don’t” — Rick Ross
“Based On A T.R.U. Story” — 2 Chainz
Best Rap Song:
“Daughers” — Nas
“Lotus Flower Bomb” — Wale featuring Miguel
“Mercy” — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
“The Motto” — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
“N****s in Paris” — Jay-Z & Kanye West
“Young, Wild & Free” — Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Featuring Bruno Mars
Best R&B Performance:
“Thank You” — Estelle
“Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)” — Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Ledisi
“I Want You” — Luke James
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Climax” — Usher
Best Urban Contemporary Album:
“Fortune” — Chris Brown
“Kaleidoscope Dream” — Miguel
“Channel Orange” — Frank Ocean
Best R&B Album:
“Black Radio” — Robert Glasper Experiment
“Back To Love” — Anthony Hamilton
“Write Me Back” — R. Kelly
“Beautiful Surprise” — Tamia
“Open Invitation” — Tyrese
Best R&B Song:
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Beautiful Surprise” — Tamia
“Heart Attack” — Trey Songz
“Pray for Me” — Anthony Hamilton
“Refill” — Elle Varner
Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Set Fire To The Rain (Live)” — Adele
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“Call Me Maybe” — Carly Rae Jepsen
“Wide Awake” — Katy Perry
“Where Have You Been” — Rihanna
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Shake It Out” — Florence & The Machine
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
- Frank Ocean wins one of the 3 coveted awards of the evening: Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, or Best New Artist. I wouldn't bat an eyebrow if he won all 3 - he's got the music and the compelling story behind him, but I also don't really listen to his competition so I can't sit here and compare it all. Ocean is well-deserving though and he'll take home one of those big awards.
- This lyrical hip hop head scoffs at the sight of Rick Ross & 2 Chainz in the Rap Album of the Year category, but I can't deny the big years they've had. That said, Take Care has gotta take this one right?
- Hard to pick one from the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category. I see it going to either "No Church In The Wild" or "Cherry Wine" and NOT "Wild Ones".
- Miguel's "Adorn" probably won't take Song Of The Year (isn't it funny to see that preceding "Call Me Maybe"?), but it will take best R&B Song and/or Best R&B Performance. It's funny to me because I don't vibe with "Adorn" like I do with much of the rest of Kaleidoscope Dream. But needless to say, I'm glad a nice song like that is getting recognized. Overall, my two best (and favorite) R&B albums that dropped this year, in KD and Channel Orange, are getting that premiere Grammy shine!
What do you think of the nominees? And what are your predictions??
A little belated: Happy Veterans Day for those serving our country. Couldn't be who I am doing the things I do with out those protecting us!
On to the next order of business, last night was the performance of two hip hop veterans. Nas and Lauryn Hill tore it up in Chicago.
What is a music veteran?
A veteran is someone who has mad iconic hit that are STILL relevant today and manage to continue with success, evolving their craft, and consistently setting the bar higher with out letting the game change them selves. Their talents are timeless and their songs are classics.
In a crowd of older fans, the first half of Nas’ set was everything I had imagined a hip hop concert from the 90s would be. (My older brothers would be so proud of me.) An 80s baby, I dream of what concert shows were like as a kid and I got to experience Nas back in college at UIUC, but this time it was different. He kept his backdrop simple, played all the favorite, super high energy.. ya de ya daaa… he forgot some of his older lyrics here and there… The stage filled the room with blinding, I kid you not, red and blue lights worse than four cop cars chasing after you. Then shit got real. After playing his typical repertoire, songs that he’s been singing for 15 years, he slowed it down for a very intimate song about his ex. You could see the emotion coming out of him as he poured every emotion out on stage. Bringing us to the current hits, Nas payed tribute to his lost sister, Amy Winehouse with a cheesy toast over actual cherry wine. It was endearing.
The hip-hop institution left off with “Hip Hop is Dead.” Is it? Shoot, then we’re um… somewhere else.
Then, the longest set change in my life occurred. After Nas finished, supposedly, the set was facing some difficulties, but it hardly seemed believable. Just then as the crowd started to boo, a raw and ethereal voice just started coming for the mic. As if she had heard the booing from her dressing room and decided she would just start singing from there. Her booming voice was just so perfect… some… including me… thought it was a pre-recorded track that the DJ had put on to soothe the crowd after the booing. Then we heard a little break in the song, “Chicago are you starting beef with me? You think this is a recording?” from the incredible Ms Lauryn Hill.
She took a crowd of 3500+ booing fans to a place that seemed like the back of a blues club with only 10 people around. She touched each and everyone one of us. She won us over within one verse! Starting out with an extra reggaeton version “Killing Me Softly” to full out rapping all the parts in iconic Fugee verses, there is no one in comparison to her. There seemed to be no set list, no previous rehearsal, but only a team of very eager back musicians. She conducted her own music. Cuing the exact amount of drums to directing guitar solos, we watched her creative juices flow. She performed a new song, “Black Rage” to the tune of “My Favorite Things” and then broke down the lyrics like we were watching slam poetry. She had a sudden urge to play a song and called for a stagehand to bring her guitar.
Lauryn Hill practiced on stage right before our eyes on her guitar and teaching her backup singers the chorus. Ms Lauryn, mother of SIX, busted out the mommy fingers on her back up singers! Everything was unscripted and just bared all of her talents. Coming back to Killing Me Softly, cause one time just isn't enough, she took the classic route and finished off with a song that helped me proclaimed my independence as a teen, "Do Wop."
She is not a performer that just goes home after a well-rehearsed show and scripted show, but instead she continues to live music on and off the stage. You must be extremely patient and just let her creativity flow. We just got to watch it for 2.5 hours… very long... but very worth it.
