Shut the fukk up fakkit
How does Nas have a reputation of a bad ear for beats, but also got Illmatic under his belt?
- Thread starter Paper Boi
- Start date
Shut the fukk up fakkit
I think it was the moving on to work with different people and looking for new inspiration/challenges. Yeah, we weren’t always happy with everything, but it worked out in his favor. His legacy will always be as the greatest and he’s happy. He just seems like a really restless artist, always interested in something new.
That's a major part. IWW has excellent production that fits the content and perspective. Sound is glossy and expensive but also dark. And it hold up incredibly well. But a lot of his early fans was mad he didn't shoot for Illmatic 2 and been bitter ever since.
Mike the Executioner
What went on up there? Poppers and weird sex!
As someone who doesn't believe in the "Nas picks bad beats" narrative, let me play devil's advocate.
Illmatic was Nas' first album and he was working with an all-star team of producers, all of them in their prime. It was a combination that was unheard of at the time, but it also meant that unless something horrible went down during recording, the album would have amazing beats. Premier, Q-Tip, Pete Rock, Large Professor, and L.E.S. all working on the same album in 1994 with the greatest MC of all-time? There's no way it could fail. That kind of album had been done before (Down with the King by Run-D.M.C.) but Nas was different. There was no way he would get average production from any of these guys. Premier also sequenced the album along with working on it.
As time went on, Nas had more control over his music and the beat wasn't a concern as much as the overall song. It wasn't about the hottest beat, it was about which beat would fit the narrative he was going for. He would also work with a lot more producers, and depending on how much time he spent with them, he wouldn't have a chance to get more than decent work from them.
Illmatic was Nas' first album and he was working with an all-star team of producers, all of them in their prime. It was a combination that was unheard of at the time, but it also meant that unless something horrible went down during recording, the album would have amazing beats. Premier, Q-Tip, Pete Rock, Large Professor, and L.E.S. all working on the same album in 1994 with the greatest MC of all-time? There's no way it could fail. That kind of album had been done before (Down with the King by Run-D.M.C.) but Nas was different. There was no way he would get average production from any of these guys. Premier also sequenced the album along with working on it.
As time went on, Nas had more control over his music and the beat wasn't a concern as much as the overall song. It wasn't about the hottest beat, it was about which beat would fit the narrative he was going for. He would also work with a lot more producers, and depending on how much time he spent with them, he wouldn't have a chance to get more than decent work from them.
Nas picked all of the beats for Illmatic. He sat with Premo, Pete Rock and Q-Tip for hours picking beats. He already knew what he wanted LES to sample for Life's A bytch (Originally Mtume's Juicy Fruit but LES didn't have the record so brought Nas Yearning For Your Love) and It Ain't Hard To Tell was already in use from Nas's demo (back when it was called Nas Will Prevail)
MC Serch made sure all the samples were cleared and the producers got paid. He also made sure Nas publishing was straight. But the Executive Producing for Illmatic was a group effort between Serch, Nas and you could say Premo who helped sequence the album. Nas originally asked Large Pro to EP the album but Large was dealing with label issues and the breakup of Main Source so he told Nas he would have to do it himself.
So Nas was the executive producer. He gets credit for how good the album sounded. But still everything you said Nas did is what I said an EP does.
InstantKlassik
...
Facts. These losers talk about this same shyt
it’s WILD. This thread is probably gonna reach 7-8 pages 
. His stans deserve ALL the criticism.
I'd say Nas and MC Serch. Nas on the music/creative side and MC Serch on the business side.
Elim Garak
Veteran
Nas has already made a very clear statement on why he picks the beats he picks. I'm not sure why this is still a discussion.
i had no idea
i really think we speaking past each other brehExplains a lot.
Hands. Get these.
god shamgod
Veteran
Beat garbage
get these nets
Veteran
Fewer producers at the time. Executive producer put together a great lineup and they brought their A game.
one of the legendary criticisms of Nas has been that he picks bad beats, but who the fukk picked the beats for Illmatic then? was everything just an undeniable classic that he could do no wrong at that point or it the legend that Nas has a bad ear incorrect?
does MC Serch get all the credit as the executive producer?
No pressure, no expectations for sales or chart position, just straight heat.