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

[MicIsGod]

if Jay Z made this exact album, they would've held a parade for him

It would literally be on the news right now.

 

[Artfull Dodger]

I went back and skimmed through the hit boy albums and they all had one or two standout tracks and a bunch of filler. Not that the beats were bad but they didn’t suit Nas vocals. The premier album is disappointing but as a body of work it’s better than all the hit boy joints.

 

[Cladyclad]

if Jay Z made this exact album, they would've held a parade for him

 

[OGBobbyJohnson]

 

[Piff Perkins]

I appreciate the insider notes. I used to walk to school in 1998 listening to Nas, but I am pretty checked out of modern rap music. Been posting on here for like 25 years, and these exchanges make me remember the old times, where it was a lot of discussion, and less bullshyt. We were younger, but mostly it seemed like we were MORE mature back then. I'd have these detailed discussions about the intricacies of Beanie Sigel or Nas, and now it's just a lot of weirdo Stan shyt. Like Taylor Swiftification of the rap game.

But yeah, to me, all these newer Nas releases sound cheap. They sound flatter than Life is Good. I don't even mean that disrespectfully. They don't have the scale and elegance of the old stuff. The production seems mild, edgless. I ran NY State of Mind Part II last night, there's such a elegance to that track. His flow and bars are vivid and coherent, gritty street shyt, against a light piano backdrop. The talent has aged for sure, but it's like the are getting the B movie treatment. it feels less like the A level art.

His flow seems pretty mild too. Can you tell me an exact example of the punch in? The technical shyt was never my area. I still don't get the Mega criticism.

The punches as in when you can hear his tone change from bar to bar, like you're hearing an entirely different take. Because he's often doing a couple lines and then pausing to think about what to rap next, then starts again. The engineer then splices it all together so it sounds like one continuous verse.

 

[spliz]

"My man Dion (No ID) said Nas overthinks the songs he writing."

I think about that bar a lot and you can definitely hear it. On Writers there's a part where he shouts out the Made You Look crew and then says btw I named a song after them in 02. Ok? I think it may be the product of not writing, and heavily punching in while rapping. You can hear that all over this record due to the mix/engineering. Speaking of which I don't think Eddie Sancho is anywhere on this album. Parks did a track and there are some other engineers on there too. And guess who Parks' boss is: Premo's manager, Ian. Oh and who is getting the exclusive interview. Joe Budden.

Not to go off on a tangent (ironic lol) but it def feels like we just witnessed a manager heavily influence a project, keep costs down, and funnel as much business to his other clients as possible to get paid on the front and back end.

Damn bro. U saying it sounds like Nas was sabatoged?

 

[Chip Skylark]

if Jay Z made this exact album, they would've held a parade for him

Like the same way people some how overlook Life Is Good and Distant Relatives but call 4:44 thee mature rap album? Never thought about it lol

 

[spliz]

The punches as in when you can hear his tone change from bar to bar, like you're hearing an entirely different take. Because he's often doing a couple lines and then pausing to think about what to rap next, then starts again. The engineer then splices it all together so it sounds like one continuous verse.

Punching in is not thinking what to rap next especially in Nas case. It’s more a breath control thing and a lot of the time it’s the engineers choice in newer music because they don’t find it aesthetically pleasing to hear breaths in the verse. It’s almost what I hate about newer music. It’s over engineered.

 

[spliz]

Like the same way people some how overlook Life Is Good and Distant Relatives but call 4:44 thee mature rap album? Never thought about it lol

I’ve always said it. lol. It’s clear as day. Especially the fact that 4:44 is just a mix of Nas’ 3 albums that released before that. Untitled, DR, and LIG. Even down to the producers used.

 

[315]

Can't see myself coming back to this much if at all

 

[spliz]

That track is fukking disgusting I WISH he gave Nas some shyt like that. lol.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

If Nastradamous was the “sell-out” album then this is the total opposite of that.

I’m glad Nas does what he wants artistically instead of chasing what people on twitter/the internet might say.

Not really into ranking the albums cause they all exist in their own time and feeling.

This album fills a spot some of us have been waiting for, for decades.

Good job Goat

 

[re'up]

When you see a movie where the script isn't perfect, the acting is pretty good, but the visuals are just stunning, it edges out the rest. But, something like this doesn't for me have either of those things. A really sick production would elevate the lyrics, and the other way around.

There has to be some kind of financial aspect to this, because these albums are going to lose money, right? That's not even an insult, it's just there's no money in this shyt anymore, for cd sales. It's a loss leader for them.

What would an album like I Am/Nastradamus have cost Columbia back then? Has to be hundreds of thousands, even a few million. Probably more than 3 when you include videos and marketing. But they would have grossed millions from album sales. If it went plat at $12.99/cost of each unit, that's about 13 million. if you are all in at 5 million, that's a profit of 8 million. Not a crazy amount of money, but a profit. These albums must all lose money.

@Piff Perkins

 

[theflyest]

I hope cookin soul does a version of this album

 

[JoelB]

nikkas know what a dope beat sounds like....dont gotta sleep on it lol. dont gotta use certain speakers/headphones...just bump that shyt when its fire. too much juelzin in this thread