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

[NormanConnors]

This was my exact thought. Nas was micro managing Premo with the production. I’m convinced he wanted to rap on the minimalistic beats from Preem.

Facts


If cats remember Preem said he had tons of beats in the stash for Nas in case their project ever dropped. The beats on this release seem to be all new/relatively new

 

[Rasille]

I thought the album was good. I might need to run it back.

 

[QBN]

It's a solid album, definitely a few skips on there for me but damn...I think Nas had us spoiled with the quality of his run these past few years. Anything less than perfection is considered a disappointment to some.

As for the negative reaction to each their own. I think the criticism is a little exaggerated, but I also think it's an extremist view to say that you're "not a real/day one Nas fan" if you don't like Light Years.

To me, it all comes down to the replay factor. Do the songs stick with me and make me want to revisit?

I'd say about 9 out of 15 tracks I legit feel and want to revisit. The rest range from skippable (NYSM 3) to cool, but I don't need to go back (Welcome to the Underground).

Salute to Nas. He is on a legendary run as an artist, businessman, philanthropist and humanitarian.

 

[ArchStanton]

Here's the song that was sampled for Shine Together:

 

[Kuro]

I have listened to this multiple times without skipping anything. I dont know why the people who hate this opinion matters more than the people who love it but i dont care. Im running it back nonstop. My ears want to hear it.

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

Its not like we getting premiere in his prime. I never expected this to be some 5 mic classic..its 20 sumthin years late. Nas however shines and sounds inspired if anything Preemo needs to find that same inspiration and maybe he feels he has. But the beats in this and that ransom are average to below average. KD3>>>>

 

[Controversy]

I listened 4x yesterday

Again, the beats are not elite but I think they're overly critiqued

The Nasty Nas Esco beat should've been the beat for NYSOM3

I thought the Sons beat should've been used for Third Childhood (Sons actually sounds like a Hit beat from KD sessions)

I wanted to hear AŻ & Nas go back & forth over Shine Together

 

[LevelUp]

 

[Piff Perkins]

This was my exact thought. Nas was micro managing Premo with the production. I’m convinced he wanted to rap on the minimalistic beats from Preem.

Nas told Premo to make a bunch of beats with a band playing slow? Come on.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

Especially compared to the outpouring of love for the De La and Mobb albums? Come on, it's obvious. We've had multiple veterans release albums this year that had everyone (fans, producers, rappers, etc) talking, starting with the Clipse. And I'm seeing none of that type of reaction right now.

Even accounting for the fact they could never give people what they wanted (IE 1999-2003 era shyt)...nah. Hell no.

That’s cause nas gets the Lebron effect.

All his work gets the most scrutiny.

People were just happy to get music from Mobb. De La…, etc.


like nobody scrutinizing Joel Embid game like that, they just happy he’s on the court.

 

[NormanConnors]

You know what........Nas needs to get in the studio with Poke and Tone (Trackmasters) and work on It Was Written 2

Still cant do that without Preem, Hav and LES, all 3 had some of the best tracks on there

 

[Sir Brehsington]

On my 3rd listen. The album is fire.

That's what I am saying. Im old af at this point and enjoy the album for what it is, quality hip hop. nikkas mad af like Primo forced Nas to rhyme over his beats.

At this point, whoever thinks it's trash can go ahead and make YOUR perfect Primo/Nas album via Suna or some other AI derivative.

 

[NormanConnors]

Someone needs to convince me that NYSOM 3 is a better beat than The Cross. lol.

So yall ready to admit The Cross is a dope beat

 

[Apollo Kid]

 

[Po pimp]

I finally listened to this in full last night. I’m not saying it sucked by any means, but it really started to pick up for me with Madman until the end. The first four tracks or so were simply decent. I will say I expected more from NY State of Mind 3 when I saw the title. It doesn’t have the same sample as the first two, and I didn’t like the sample on this one, particularly with Billy Joel on the chorus.

As far as the rest of the album, you got some vintage Nas with some of his more creative tracks and storytelling. Not gonna list my favorite tracks since I only listened once. Also to be fair, it was late at night when I started listening.