Albums Nas & DJ Premier - Light-Years (Discussion Thread)

[Clapsteel O'Neal]

three tracks in and this album proves ideas amd concepts have a shelf life

tf are these beats ???

 

[Nostalgic]

This album feels short.

 

[Piff Perkins]

I get the difference in production between those joints and these that you're referring to and I wonder if it's because this is a full project versus those, and the creative choices are less single driven or "Oh shyt this is my classic Premier joint" that still pops up on albums from time to time

You might agree that these are better than the Roc and Ran ones this year?

I'm not letting Premier off the hook either, I like those beats more than these but it seems like a decision was made to focus more on Nas being conceptual while those records you're referring to are the typical rapper over Premo flex type joints

I didn't expect an album of bangers. Premo has never really done that. He's always had contemplative tracks, concept tracks, emotional tracks, etc. Sons, Writers...all dope contemplative or concept records. Pause Tape too. Love letter to hip hop...I get it. But still man. This isn't it.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

You might agree that these are better than the Roc and Ran ones this year?

I like most of the Ran ones and the De La ones more than most of the songs Preemo's produced this year

 

[mathematik]

There's an interesting post on reddit - could be talking about the reason for Premo's lack of flavor on some of his recent beats - and the claim is he is in legal trouble because of the sampling. Don't know how true it is, but y'all remember the skit on Moment of Truth where he tells everyone to stop snitching etc. with respect to samples?

It’s more than just his lack of samples! His drums and arrangements are off. His lack of creativity and his ear to what sounds good! I think his environment too! Went from chilling with the hood dudes from BK & BX to Brady Watts The Bass Guy!

 

[dj-method-x]

fam you said fukking bonjour would be the best song on here sit in the corner

I love bonjour.



I’ve always thought Nasir got a bad rap (no pun). The album was solid, it was just that the beats were too slow for Nas.

I’m standing on bidness. Bonjour and Adam and Eve are better beats than anything on this album.

 

[that_boy_kilso]

I'm not that mad at the production, but as an engineer, i think mix wise it could be a little better, feels a bit cheap.

I did my own unofficial remixed version of "My Tapes" so i can bump in my ride, cause that was my favorite off the album and wasnt knocking enough, leaving the link here in case anyone feels like checking it out: Nas - Pause Tapes

 

[Wargames]

I want Nas to do an Album with Madlib and Alchemist. A lot of people keep saying Alchemist alone when Madlib is just as high musically.

Honestly if he just did an album and had some alchemist, Madlib, and Hitboy. Idk if anyone could complain.

 

[JYoung24]

Hit Boy single-handedly shut down all the nas bad picking beat allegations, made nas go out of his comfort zone in terms of pure rapping, put two albums in Nas top 5 to me (magic and kd3), got him his first grammy and enhanced nas discography to the point where to me he passed jay z's and kanye's which were considered the best so far for most people. So he's good in my book

I wonder how many people in the industry already had the chance to hear the album

Thats a fact hit boy cooked up multiple classics for nas the only thing I disagree with is nas discography been better than jayz even before the hit boy stuff the hit boy stuff just helped him lap him

 

[Chip Skylark]

People may take this the wrong way and say “everyone has their own idea of what a Nas/ Premo album should sound like and they shouldn’t” but an article like this framing what the album is conceptually prior to its release would have steered expectations to what this album was going to do: A tribute and love story about hip hop particularly hip hop of the late 80s and early 90s

Instead everyone has come in due to no promo of different visions for the album. Again no one should assume they’ll get what they expect but lot of negativity may have not been there if people knew “ok these guys going to do some real throwback stuff’ and if we’re being honest some of the stuff on Light Years is pre Illmatic in its influences and style

But once you listen to it that’s literally what the messaging is. I thought real hip hop fans don’t mind using their brains to find the themes of albums which is apparent with every verse Nas has on here.

Don’t tell me people actually want to be told what exactly what an album is about so they can like it?

 

[Spidey Man]

Digital wav flac download plus good headphones is the only civilized way to listen.

 

[Slim Charles]

But once you listen to it that’s literally what the messaging is. I thought real hip hop fans don’t mind using their brains to find the themes of albums which is apparent with every verse Nas has on here.

Don’t tell me people actually want to be told what exactly what an album is about so they can like it?

I’m not saying that. Of course you don’t need the article to work out what they’re doing. You just need to listen. But if Nas/ Premo built this album up prior to being a sort of 50th anniversary culmination/ end of Legend Has It album which will be a tribute to old school hip hop I think expectations would be different

Lot of people would have been pressing play expecting Thun/ The Truth off Magic type Nas with Premo boom bap because most of Nas/ Premo’s songs have been in that mould. And you can’t say oh but Nas doesn’t do that music now. I’m referencing new Nas songs with that content.

I’m personally happy with Light Years but I think they’d have been smart to promote the album for what it was going to be. People can say they don’t need to but I imagine Premo isn’t perhaps enjoying the shyt he’s getting on Twitter. And maybe wouldn’t have been so much if people understood the vision prior

 

[IllmaticDelta]

I gotta sit with this album more later on but as I did a quick run through, I don't see/hear anything wrong with these beats. I just think many people wanted an album full of "Nas Is Like" type joints OR their ears have simply veered away from that classic Boom Bap style of Preme.

 

[Sonic Boom of the South]

Finally finished it.

The production average but picks up with "My Story Your Story" and good till the end of the album.

"Junkie" probably my favorite song.

"Welcome to the Underground" beat is hot garbage.
"It's Time" is the most corny generic ass shyt and probably will be the most played in documentaries, movies and ESPN segments about an athlete.

The 2nd half of the album way better than the 1st.

I don't want to hear mafukkas gas up Premier after this.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

first half had too many of those minimalist type joints Premo likes to make with Brady Watt, just a simple bass lick with some simple drums. I've never really enjoyed that style of Preems production.

that's a good analogy