Hip Hop Is Dead - Dark Publications

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Product Description
NAS: Hip Hop Is Dead

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Given its provocative title, it's no surprise that parts of Hip Hop Is Dead feel like an elegy of sorts. Nas practically came into the game looking backwards (see "Memory Lane" off Illmatic) but he seems more nostalgic than ever with tracks like "Where Are They Now?," "Carry on Tradition," "Can't Forget About You," and the title song which all focus on rap's past. This reminiscing can only fan the dim candle fans keep lit for Nas, hopeful that he'll make a full return to his former glory. But, once again, the rapper teases and falls short. As has become habit, Nas does manage to knock out a handful of excellent songs ("Can't Forget" and "Play on Playa" for example), along with a handful of awful fare (none worse than "Who Killed It," Nas's disastrous attempt to channel the spirit of '30s gangster actor Edward G. Robinson), and a few forgettable filler songs. The production is similarly uneven though Kanye West's and Will.I.Am's contributions are reliably listenable. The biggest shortcoming is that given it's title Hip Hop Is Dead aspires to be an event album but it never delivers on that promise despite the heady symbolism of former rival Jay-Z joining him on "Black Republicans." In the end, this is another good, not great album. Hip-hop isn't dead and neither is Nas but both could use a shot of life. --Oliver Wang

Customer Reviews: Read 144 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Nasir Jones may think that "Hip Hop Is Dead" but he does his best to keep it alive with this CD. January 23, 2007
22 out of 28 found this review helpful

I have been a fan of Nas' since the first two tracks that I heard him on. The first track was "Live From The BBQ" which was featured on Main Source's "Breaking Atoms" CD, and also included Akinyele before the "Put It In Your Mouth" days and "Back From The Grill" which was on MC Serch's solo CD and featured Chubb Rock and Red Hot Lover Tone among others. Nas had a swagger from the very beginning. When I first heard the track "Halftime", which was featured on the "Zebrahead" soundtrack, (Yes I said "Zebrahead"...lol) I knew that Nas had great things to come in the future. The next track that I heard him on was "It Ain't Hard To Tell" which was produced by The Large Professor, who had also produced "Halftime". I later found out that the track would be the first single from his debut album, "Illmatic". To be honest with you, I can't remember exactly when I purchased the cassette tape. I just remember that the cassette didn't come out of my stereo for a very long time. Nas had songs produced by The Large Professor, DJ Premier, Q Tip and L.E.S. After the intro, which featured an excerpt from his verse on Main Source's "Live From The BBQ", I was introduced to "New York State Of Mind". I understood that this was Nas' 1st CD and that I still had 6 more songs to go since I had already heard "Halftime" and "It Ain't Hard To Tell", but I knew that after I heard "NY State Of Mind" that I would be a Nas fan for many years. That song 'til this day is my favorite Nas track. I had other favorites on the CD as well like "Life's A B...." w/AZ, "The World Is Yours", "One Love" and "Memory Lane" but nothing hit me like "NY State Of Mind". Nas had 1 critically acclaimed CD on his hands, but due to bootleggers and other factors he had nothing to show for it. So for CD # 2, Nas gave the infamous Trackmasters a call and "It Was Written" was officially born. The 1st single was the Lauryn Hill featured "If I Rule The World". Nas got more radio play for that one song than he did for his whole "Illmatic" CD. Before you know it, "It Was Written" was double platinum and at that time, "Illmatic" had yet to go gold. The only problem Nas had from some of his fans was that he didn't stick to the formula that made "Illmatic" a classic. He still had the lyrics but the watered down Trackmasters' beats were a bit too much for some of his fans. Plus, there were no Large Professor beats on "It Was Written". I still liked the CD however, especially with songs like "I Gave You Power", "Take It In Blood", "The Set Up", "Black Girl Lost" w/ Jo-Jo and "Affirmative Action" w/AZ, Foxy Brown and Cormega.

The next time around Nas came out with "I Am". The first single, "Nas Is Like" was produced by DJ Premier and you could tell that Nas was making somewhat of a concerted effort to release another street anthem with the 1st single. The coincidence ended up being that the biggest track from "I Am" was "Hate Me Now", which the Trackmasters co-produced and the track also featured Puff Daddy. My favorite songs from this CD were "We Will Survive", "Favor For A Favor" w/Scarface, and a track that I couldn't believe was never released as a single, "You Won't See Me Tonight", w/the late Aaliyah, that was produced by Timbaland. After "I Am", Nas would release what I would definitely call his worst CD, "Nastradamus". Originally I heard that Nas was going to release a double CD but when the tracks were getting bootlegged, Nas decided to release 2 CDs in the same year instead of releasing those original tracks. The only tracks that I liked on "Nastradamus" were "Project Windows" w/Ron Isley, "Last Words" w/Nashawn, "Shoot 'Em Up" and "Family" w/Mobb Deep. After "Nastradamus", I knew that Nas would go back to the drawing board and rebound and that he did with "Stillmatic". He got some needed inspiration from Jay-Z who called out Nas and Mobb Deep on "Takeover", which was a track that was featured on Jay-Z's "Blueprint" CD. Jay-Z made several points about how Nas made one nice CD and how when he used the sample from "The World Is Yours" that he paid Searchlight Publishing and not Nas directly. Then out of nowhere "Ether" was released and Jay-Z was put to shame quickly. Nas came back making valid points as well and the streets were talking and definitely crowning Nas the winner of the battle. Jay-Z tried to rebound with the "Super Ugly" freestyle but the track didn't cut it compared to "Ether". This track gave Nas some needed momentum on "Stillmatic". My favorite tracks ended up being "You're Da Man", "One Mic", and "The Flyest" w/AZ. In 2002, Nas released "The Lost Tapes" which ended up being some of the bootlegged songs that Nas never released on the "I Am" and "Nastradamus" CDs and songs that were left off of "Stillmatic" as well. This CD is clearly my 2nd favorite Nas CD of all time with tracks like "Doo Rags", "Drunk By Myself", "U Gotta Love It", "Blaze A 50" and "Poppa Was A Playa".

Since then Nas has released "God's Son" which featured tracks that I enjoyed such as "Made U Look", "Last Real N.... Alive", and "Get Down" and the double CD "Street's Disciple", which I can't believe alot of people sleeped on with tracks like "Thief's Theme", "Nazareth Savage", "Disciple", "Rest Of My Life" w/Amerie, "Just A Moment" w/Quan, "You Know My Style", and "U.B.R."

One of my good friends that is a Nas fan told me that Nas was now a free agent and looking for places to sign a deal at. Never in a million years did I think that Nas would sign with Def Jam ,where Jay-Z is basically 2nd in command and rumors were rapidly spreading taht he was going to make a comeback CD and maybe not be focused on the artists that were on his label. The 1st track that I heard from Nas' Def Jam debut ended up being "Where Y'all At", which didn't even make the final cut of "Hip Hop Is Dead". The track had a nice beat and Nas was flowing as usual. I thought that if this was a sign of things to come that Nas would have a nice CD on his hands. The 1st official single of "Hip Hop Is Dead" is the title track that Will I Am produced. Will I Am used the same sample that Nas used for "The Thief's Theme", except that he speeded up the pace of the track. Will I Am created a format for Nas to use to state his case for why he think's hip hop is no longer alive. Nas does an excellent job stating his case and the track was definitely a good pick for the 1st single. The hands down 2nd single is clearly "Can't Forget About You" which features Chrisette Michele. Chrisette was also featured on Jay-Z's "Lost Ones" from "Kingdom Come". Will I Am produces a certified banger with "Can't Forget About You", which I will have no problem still listening to 10 years from now. Nas even plays around the fact that his CD releases never come out on schedule with his "Never on schedule, but always on time" reference in the song. Chrisette Michele's voice is absolutely stunning on the chorus as she sings about her and Nas' lifetime anthem. Nas has choice words for rappers who he thinks killed hip hop on tracks such as "Money Over BS" and "Carry On Tradition", where you can tell Jim Jones gets subliminally mentioned during the songs. On the Scott Storch produced "Carry On Tradition", Nas discusses the fact that artists are satisfied with going platinum on various labels and not taking the power for themselves to start labels and to help other up and coming rappers in the game. He basically is saying that rappers have a me first mentality and as long as they think they are making money that they are satisfied with that. On "Where Are They Now", Nas uses a James Brown (RIP) sample to perfection to discuss and mention various rappers from the past who we may have thought of as one hit wonders who didn't get their just due such as Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, JJ Fad, K-Solo, Super Lover C and Casanova Rud, etc. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks from "Hip Hop Is Dead". Although, they left us in suspense until the last minute, you knew that there would be a Nas/Jay-Z collaboration somewhere on this CD and we got what we were waiting for with "Black Republican". Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know about you but this is definitely one of the reasons why I would say that hip hop isn't dead because of moments like these. L.E.S. and Wyldfyer make a nice track and Jay-Z and Nas keep us waiting for a minute into the song before they start saying the hook or rapping a verse. Many people think this track is overrrated but trust me I am not one of those people. Another clear reason why hip hop isn't dead is "Let There Be Light". The track features Tre Williams, who was also featured on the Kanye West and Nas track "We Major", from Kanye West's "Late Registration" CD and is produced by Kanye West. When you can take a tight track and make powerful, positive messages into the song, hip hop can't possibly be dead. Other standout tracks include "Still Dreaming" which features Kanye West and Chrisette Michelle and is also produced by Kanye, "Hustlers" which features The Game and Marsha from Floetry and is produced by Dr. Dre, "Play On Playa" which features Snoop Dogg and is produced by Scott Storch, "Not Going Back" w/Kelis, and "Hold Down The Block".

"Blunt Ashes" goes through stories of various events that happened in music throughout the 70s and 80s and is produced by Chris Webber of all people. Yes the same Chris Webber who just started playing with the Detroit Pistons and the same Chris Webber who called the infamous timeout when he was playing with the Michigan Wolverines as a member of the Fab 5. The track is actually pretty good as Nas talks about events that may have occurred betweeen Alexander O'Neal and The Time, Donny Hathaway, Diana Ross & The Supremes and others. Nas ends things with what's basically a freestyle with "Hope". Maybe he ended the CD with this track because hope may be what he is going to try to have with the future of hip hop. Nas has already mentioned that he is going to try to release another CD in 2007 and if that CD is anything like "Hip Hop Is Dead", Nas will be a pioneer in keeping hip hop alive and not actually killing it.

As reviewer, "Chandler" stated, If you have to ask yourself that question, meaning rappers in general, maybe you are one of the ones that are killing it. If you are a Nas fan then you can not afford to pass up on this classic.

James' Top 6

1) Black Republican w/Jay-Z
2) Hustlers w/The Game and Marsha
3) Where Are They Now
4) Can't Forget About You w/Chrisette Michele
5) Let There Be Light w/Tre Williams
6) Still Dreaming w/Kanye West & Chrisette Michele

Honorable Mention:

Not Going Back w/Kelis
Hip Hop Is Dead
Hold Down The Block
Play On Playa w/Snoop Dogg
Carry On Tradition
Hope
Money Over BS
Blunt Ashes

P.S. If you haven't heard "Why You Hate The Game" w/The Game, Nas, and Marsha from Floetry or "Music For Life" w/DJ Hi-Tek, Nas, J-Dilla (RIP), Common, Busta Rhymes and Marsha from Floetry then you need to check out Game's "Doctor's Advocate" and DJ Hi-Tek's "Hi-Teknology 2". These are 2 other nice tracks that Nas is currently featured on.

Ranking Nas' Discography

1) Illmatic
2) The Lost Tapes
3) It Was Written
4) Hip Hop Is Dead
5) Stillmatic
6) Street's Disciple (2 CD)
7) God's Son
8) I Am
9) Nastradamus

5 out of 5 stars

Why will this record will attain "classic" status? December 21, 2006
17 out of 20 found this review helpful

Rather than launch into a string of hyperbolic pronouncements declaring Nas' latest LP to be the greatest record ever, let me start off with three of the most likely criticisms that "Hiphop is Dead" will encounter:

1)Weak production -
Many will argue that the production on "Hiphop is Dead" is all over the place and inconsistent. Some will say that they expected more from Dre, Stargate, Kanye, and Will I Am. Others will say Will I Am sucks and he should not be on the record. Others will say who is Mark Batson and why the hell is Cris Weber producing a track? Still others will cry out, "why didn't Kanye bring his A game to the boards?" In my opinion all of these questions miss the point. Listen to the Kanye track, have you ever heard him rhyme better? Why do you think Kanye choose a down tempo melancholic track for his collaboration? Kanye knows what all dedicated Nas fans know - when you listen to Nas you're listening to the lyrics. It's the lyrics that propel and sustain a great Nas song. So Kanye brought his A game to the lyrics and created a song that, in its subdued pulse, would provide the appropriate background to let him and Nas steal the show. As for the production being all over the place? The production is all over the place! Nas is experimenting - songs like "Where are they now?" are just as experimental as "Who Killed It?" In my opinion the production is very strong (I think the Chris Weber track is one of the best on the record) but, if you disagree with me, remember that it's a Nas record. Also remember that Nas, like all great artists, requires that the listener/reader/watcher readjust his ears/brain/and eyes to a new vision.

2)The message -
Many will criticize Nas for living in the past and coming out with a "traditionalist" approach which does not "do" anything to change or improve Hiphop today. However, each song has a point, a focus, and, in the context of the life or death of Hiphop, a message. Taken together, in total, "Hiphop is Dead" is unprecedented - the range, scope and delivery of the project has never been attempted before. Why does Nas start with "Money over B###" and "You Can't Kill Me?" Think about it. Before Nas launches into the concept of the record, he reminds us of who he is and what his contribution has been. "Money over B###" is Nas at his apex - dense rhymes and a minimal vintage Nas beat (the album's best in my opinion) bring us back to Illmatic. "You Can't Kill Me" brings us back to "I Am" and Nas' Slick Rick influenced story telling abilities. Both tracks claim Nas' spot in the "tradition" that he will define on the third track. The next several tracks establish the air of nostalgia that, far from bounding the potential of hiphop, provide the lifeblood that sustains it! Nas' history lesson in "Blunt Ashes" is really a kind of "anxiety of influence" analysis of how art shapes itself. Think about what comes before it and what comes after. Relate the placement of "Let There Be Light" to the artistic theme of Blunt Ashes. Did you do that? So how can anybody say Nas is trapped in the past? Even "Play on Playa" (the most unoriginal and derivative of all the songs and, despite the vintage Snoop, by far my least favorite track - perhaps it's because Snoops kills it! Naa there must be another reason...) takes us back to a style and form of hiphop that is embedded in the genre. In short, the entire record is masterfully designed and executed. I have not even really scratched the surface! Lots of thought went into every aspect of this record. Folks we have a masterpiece on our hands...

3)The Illmatic Factor -
"Illmatic" will always stand on its own and nothing Nas will ever release can have or should be expected to have the "where did that come from?" factor of "Illmatic." However, this is a more mature, more refined, and, I would argue, more listenable and reflective lyrical collage. All the ingredients of "Hiphop is Dead" can be found on "Illmatic." However, Nas' ambition is much greater on "Hiphop is Dead." In true KRS1 fashion Nas is bringing judgment. Some may think that Nas is pedantic but they are forgetting that Nas' brand of hiphop can be and should be (for it to remain true) pedantic! Ever listen to "Criminal Minded?" How bout "Fear of a Black Planet" or "Paid in Full"???? This record aims higher than "Illmatic" we are no longer listening to the objective ghetto reporter, we are now taking a lesson in artistry. This record forces us to grapple with elevated questions that before now, no hiphop artist has been able to ask with such clarity, precision, and feeling. "Hiphop is Dead" is a classic record and will be remembered as a classic as long as the genre exists.

I hope Nas takes his time with his next record because "Hiphop is Dead" is so good, so comphrensive, and so lyrically precise, concise, and definitive, this record could be the tombstone memorializing his career.

5 out of 5 stars

This is a Classic December 19, 2006
15 out of 18 found this review helpful

This album is a classic. Nas finally comes out with an album every fan of Nas has been hoping he would come out with. That is the Nas against the industry album. This album is like half old Nas ,quarter new Nas, and quarter KRS-ONE. Realating to KRS is his tracks that he has dedicated to in this album on how commercial the game is and how it is DEAD. Nas is right HIP HOP IS DEAD,, 50 Destroyed it.... There is maybe two tracks on the album that are semi weak like the one with Kanye, and the Acapella. There are no bad instrumentals on this cd.

1. Money over bull
Instrumental 10/10
Lyrics 10/10
2. You Can't Kill Me
Instrumental 9/10
Lyrics 9/10
3. Carry On Tradition
Instrumental 10/10
Lyrics 10/10
4. Where Are They Now
Instrumental 10/10
Lyrics 8.5/10
5. Hip Hop Is Dead
Instrumental 10/10 best instrumental on the cd
Lyrics 9.5/10
6. Who Killed It (voice is changed in different pitch still Nas)
Insrumental 10/10
Lyrics 9/10
7. Black Republican (first collaberation with Jay-Z)
Instrumental 10/10
Lyrics 8.5/10 (for both Jay and Nas)
8. Not Going Back (Kelis)
Instrumental 9/10
Lyrics 10/10
9. Still Dreaming (Kanye)
Instrumental 8.5/10
Lyrics 8.5/10
10. Hold Down The Block (one of personal favorites)
Instrumental 10/10
Lyrics 10/10
11. Blunt Ashes PRODUCED BY CHRIS WEBBER OF THE PHILI 6ers (one of personal favorites)
Instrumental 10/10
Lyrics 9.5/10
12. Let There Be Light (one of personal favorites)
Instrumental 9.5/10
Lyrics 9.5/10
13. Play On Playa (Snoop)
Instrumental 8.5/10
Lyrics 9/10
14. Can't Forget About You (one of favorites has some jingle bells in the background but no christmas lyrics so dont worry)
Instrumental 9.5/10
Lyrics 9/10
15. Hustlers (The Game) (personal favorite) (better collaboration than the Jay-Z track, Game holds it down)
Instrumental 10/10 produced by DRE
Lyrics 10/10
16. Hope (hopeing hip hop wont die)
Instrumental NONE
Lyrics 9/10

If you are a true Nas fan than this album is a must for you. If you where dissapointed in his Last cd than this one will not dissapoint. If you liked the last cd than this one is better and get this one.

IF YOU ARE A COMMERCIAL LISTENER THAN GET THIS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE GAME AND THAT HIP HOP IS DEAD.

overall I would like to thank Nas for making the album I always thought that deep down he wanted to make, and the album that I craved from him so despretly.

Thanks Nas

5 out of 5 stars

Oliver Wang Sucks December 27, 2006
15 out of 18 found this review helpful

This moron Oliver Wang who wrote that garbage review is probably a fat middle-aged noodle-sucking slob who wouldn't know good hip-hop if it walked up and bit him in his rotund backside. I'll bet you're a better food critic than you are a music critic. It escapes me why you stupid idiots insist on comparing every subsequent Nas album with Illmatic. Get it through your thick skulls that Illmatic was then, this is now. I don't hear these same fools compare every new Jay-Z release to Reasonable Doubt even though no subsequent album quite measured up, with the possible exception of Volume II. That's the only knock you half-witted retards can ever find against Nas is that(in your opinion)"this album isn't as good as Illmatic", because you definitely can't say that his lyrics are weak. You imbeciles sound like a broken record, come up with some new material. As far as I'm concerned there are no skip tracks or filler on this CD although "You Can't Kill Me" is not quite on par with the rest of the album but is still listenable. "Who Killed It" seems to be going completely over everyone's head, with Nas' strange rapping voice throwing many for a loop, though I personally fail to see why. He is rapping in a Humphrey Bogart-style voice and telling the story of how hip-hop died in classic murder mystery style like the old black-and-white whodunnits. I find the song very humorous and personally think it's one of his most clever concept songs in the same vein as "I Gave You Power", Money is My B**ch", "Rewind", etc. Oliver Wang get a clue.

5 out of 5 stars

5 Mics January 1, 2007
14 out of 17 found this review helpful

An instant classic. Nas is a living legend and this album proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nasty Nas still has what it takes to move a crowd. This is hands down the greatest Hip-Hop album of 2006 and possibly 2007. Nas shows his true love for Hip-Hop on this album and ironically proves regardless of his controversial title that Hip-Hop is not dead. As long as Nas has breath in his lungs Hip-Hop will remain alive and well. On this album Nas breaks it down for us and takes us threw the many years and levels of Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop is not dead but close to dying if rappers dont learn their history and show love for the genre making them all that money. How can you say your a Hustler or Gangsta before you say your an emcee? If you are not in it for the love of Hip-Hop then get out the game cause you are the reason Hip-Hop is dying. Greatest Nas album since Illmatic. Oliver Wang know's nothing about Hip-Hop he's speaking on a lifestyle that he is obviously not a part of and knows nothing about, he lacks any Hip-Hop knowledge, history or credibility. Step off Wang you phony.

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