Prologue:
After vanquishing the camel, and re-establishing himself as an elite MC, Nas announces a double disc project. The timing couldnt be more perfect. Nas as an MC is peaking --- established and comfortable, having ditched corny mafioso gimmicks, and the insecurity of constantly jockeying for the KONY.
The environment in hip hop is perfect too. In 2004 hip hop is bubblin', everyone is going platinum, and the list of potential producers and guest MC's is endless. Visions of DJ Premier, heatmakerz, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, Alchemist, Neptunes, and Kanye backed tracks all dance in our heads. This is the album that will cement Nas as the GOAT, and put an exclamation point on his career to date. Fresh off his new union with Kelis, Nas is personally content and ready to drop a record that will make Illmatic sound like Riff Raff learning how to speak German.

What we got was a completely disjointed, schizophrenic, mess of a record that had the audacity to...
Sample atomic dog in 2004
Come up with conceptual messes like Dougie fresh beatboxing and luda spitting nonsense on the same track
Call Taye Diggs a co.on for no reason other than him dating a white chick
Avoid guest appearances from top notch MC's, save a glory hoggin' busta.
Dedicate a track to Rakim's life story w/o his blessing or permission
And who needs cats like Kanye or 9th wonder behind the boards when you can have Salam Remi, Nardo Williams, Nut, and Chucky Thompson, available to produce, right?
SD isnt a bad record --- mainly because Nas was rhyming his black ass off, but its hands down, to me, the most disappointing record of all time.
Diplomatic Immunity >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SD
After vanquishing the camel, and re-establishing himself as an elite MC, Nas announces a double disc project. The timing couldnt be more perfect. Nas as an MC is peaking --- established and comfortable, having ditched corny mafioso gimmicks, and the insecurity of constantly jockeying for the KONY.
The environment in hip hop is perfect too. In 2004 hip hop is bubblin', everyone is going platinum, and the list of potential producers and guest MC's is endless. Visions of DJ Premier, heatmakerz, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, Alchemist, Neptunes, and Kanye backed tracks all dance in our heads. This is the album that will cement Nas as the GOAT, and put an exclamation point on his career to date. Fresh off his new union with Kelis, Nas is personally content and ready to drop a record that will make Illmatic sound like Riff Raff learning how to speak German.

What we got was a completely disjointed, schizophrenic, mess of a record that had the audacity to...
Sample atomic dog in 2004
Come up with conceptual messes like Dougie fresh beatboxing and luda spitting nonsense on the same track
Call Taye Diggs a co.on for no reason other than him dating a white chick
Avoid guest appearances from top notch MC's, save a glory hoggin' busta.
Dedicate a track to Rakim's life story w/o his blessing or permission
And who needs cats like Kanye or 9th wonder behind the boards when you can have Salam Remi, Nardo Williams, Nut, and Chucky Thompson, available to produce, right?

SD isnt a bad record --- mainly because Nas was rhyming his black ass off, but its hands down, to me, the most disappointing record of all time.
Diplomatic Immunity >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SD



Lyrically it's on point as usual. But the production was underwhelming and he was all over the place subject wise. It was the first time I didn't feel the cohesiveness I've been accustomed to on NaS albums. Had it been a single disc,it would've been a near classic cause gems were all over the place
, Salam got some heat man. It only made sense for him to also be on SD.
