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

[((ReFleXioN)) EteRNaL]

I'm confused, are you saying good songwriting is inherently commercial? Is that the precedent within rap, that well written songs chart and crossover? Lol

Writing a great SONG is different than writing a great rap verse. And much more difficult. But when you can do both it's special. And not just in one style. But dozens. And that's exactly what Kendrick does. And he wasn't doing it the easy way. To Pimp a butterfly was a straight up raw underground hip-hop album with heavy jazz and funk influence. "alright" was a 100% conscious boom bap song that turned into a smash hit in a time when trap music was running the charts. Why?.... because of Kendricks songwriting ability. He just understands song writing on a level deeper than most rappers, including Nas. He understands Cadence. Pitch. Tempo. Key. Melodies.

He's obviously studied music and songwriting on a serious level because he always performs on every single beat perfectly. He's not just going in the booth and rapping a hot 16, he's literally using his voice as an instrument and performing his verses according to the music that's playing.

So nah. Great songwriting isn't inherently commercial or does it need to top the charts. Even though they can be. But to me great songwriting is the ability to take a song that ISN'T commercial and still making it top the charts. And that's exactly what Kendrick has done time and time again. Nobody else woulda been able to take them "alright" and "not like us" beats and turn them into hits. Or humble. Or love. Even Luther. Kendrick turns these songs into hits because of he's a genius song writer. And he can still go right back and write a classic boom bap song. A classic funk song. A classic rnb song. A classic trap song.

Like I said. Hip-hop has never seen a song writer on the level of Kendrick and we never will again.

 

[Ziggiy]

Can't blame you at all, it really is a great track, it resonated with me immediately just off the strength of the execution/tie in to Al's skillset. to Nas as a fellow Jarreau fan.

Absolutely.

I will say however it didn’t make for a great lead single. It would have been infinitely more appreciated had people first listened to it within the context of the album. Nas was rapping his ASS off on that joint. Its really an incredible display of his skill.

Once again, Jay-Z could NEVER rap over that beat.

 

[ItWasWritten]

i havent listened to the album cause i’m waiting on the hype to die down…

i’ll probably get to it in about a month or so, so i can’t say if its dope/wack etc… it wouldnt be fair to esco

but i’m going based off the hit boy run…

i did listen to the first 5 tracks tho and

How you gonna say you didn’t listen to the album, but then in the same post say you did listen to it

 

[LauderdaleBoss]

Nah, Missionary was some sterile bullshyt that didnt even resemble anything we loved from Dre. At worst this album was too stripped down, but at least the pieces of a GREAT album are here. This album, you just need to fix the execution while Mjssionary was rotten from the time they got in the studio, there's no fixing that

nikka how the fukk you gon tell me what I listened too?

Is your brain attached to my ears or something.

Gun to my head this album is slightly better than Missionary, but being just a lil better than something that was weak ain't nothing to hold your hat on.

There's no fixing this shyt either unless you just give Nas a whole new batch of better beats.

 

[2ATMsYouSteppinOrWhat]

How you gonna say you didn’t listen to the album, but then in the same post say you did listen to it

because i didnt listen to the WHOLE album

i turned it on cause was going ti listen to it and made it past track 5 then decided to turn it off

 

[spliz]

i havent listened to the album cause i’m waiting on the hype to die down…

i’ll probably get to it in about a month or so, so i can’t say if its dope/wack etc… it wouldnt be fair to esco

but i’m going based off the hit boy run…

i did listen to the first 5 tracks tho and

fukk beats I’m talking straight verses. And try not to agree with goofy nikkas unless u checked urself. Kendrick don’t got a Pause Tapes on GNX. Or Nasty Nasir Esco. a It’s Time. shyt or even a Sons. And I’m talking LYRICALLY.

 

[2ATMsYouSteppinOrWhat]

fukk beats I’m talking straight verses. And try not to agree with goofy nikkas unless u checked urself. Kendrick don’t got a Pause Tapes on GNX. Or Nasty Nasir Esco. shyt or even a Sons.

i wouldnt know cause i didnt listen to it


Edit: and i was agreeing with the dude i quoted because i was going based off the hitboy run

 

[ItWasWritten]

fukk beats I’m talking straight verses. And try not to agree with goofy nikkas unless u checked urself. Kendrick don’t got a Pause Tapes on GNX. Or Nasty Nasir Esco. a It’s Time. shyt or even a Sons. And I’m talking LYRICALLY.

He got a Gloria, reincarnated, and heart pt6 tho

All better records than anything on here

And no I don’t think Kendrick better than Nas

 

[spliz]

Well i’m not whoever that idiotic nikka is…

Nas is the greatest rapper of ALL TIME. Living or dead. He’s better than Rakim. He’s better than Kool G Rap. He’s better than 2Pac. He’s better than Biggie. He’s better than Ice Cube. He’s head and SHOULDERS above Jay-Z. He’s better to me than ANY rapper anyone could name.

But that doesn’t mean that newer generation artists like Lupe Fiasco and Kendrick Lamar aren’t incredible in their own rights. And Kendrick has proven he’s a GOAT of his generation, by any metric you could name, he’s that dude. Nas HIMSELF has said this, more than once. Kendrick is a special artist, a formidable writer and a King of this rap shyt. You can’t deny this. He may not be your cup of tea or you may not personally like him, but you have to acknowledge his impact. Just like people who don’t like or listen to Nas, they’re entitled to their opinion, but they’re in the minority and even they HAVE to acknowledge Nas’s impact.

Nah u basically tried to call me a hater. That shyt wild especially considering u had smoke for Premo before Nas announced an album with him. I’m not a hater but I don’t have blind love either. U don’t see me attacking nikkas who don’t like this album. I just correct ridiculous statements. And Kendrick and Lupe AINT the same either. So I don’t know why u mentioned Lupe cause I didn’t. Kendrick dropped his most lyrically basic album last year. By far. Yet who dikkride the rapping on this tryna come in here and shyt on Nas. Im calling that shyt out.

 

[spliz]

He got a Gloria, reincarnated, and heart pt6 tho

All better records than anything on here

And no I don’t think Kendrick better than Nas

I’m not talking about what’s the better records. I’m talking about actual verses and rapping. Point me to the rhymes kid. Heart Pt 6 closest shyt. Don’t change what this shyt is about.

 

[2ATMsYouSteppinOrWhat]

I’m not talking about what’s the better records. I’m talking about actual verses and rapping. Point me to the rhymes kid. Heart Pt 6 closest shyt. Don’t change what this shyt is about.

2nd verse wacced out murals… not super technical… but delivery and flow are fire

3rd verse on gloria… really the whole song… but that extended metaphor/wordplay is crazy

3rd verse on reincarnated… again really the whole song… but this verse specifically

gnx is just a genius album to me straight up

 

[ItWasWritten]

I’m not talking about what’s the better records. I’m talking about actual verses and rapping. Point me to the rhymes kid. Heart Pt 6 closest shyt.

Go listen to the songs, he’s rapping on all of em - I don’t know what to tell you lol

Kendrick is not the slick witty bar ny style type of nikka - ( he can do that if he need to)

But there is more to rapping than what you personally value - Kendrick has a different style than Nas

 

[BiggWebb79]

 

[Ziggiy]

Nah u basically tried to call me a hater. That shyt wild especially considering u had smoke for Premo before Nas announced an album with him. I’m not a hater but I don’t have blind love either. U don’t see me attacking nikkas who don’t like this album. I just correct ridiculous statements. And Kendrick and Lupe AINT the same either. So I don’t know why u mentioned Lupe cause I didn’t. Kendrick dropped his most lyrically basic album last year. By far. Yet who dikkride the rapping on this tryna come in here and shyt on Nas. Im calling that shyt out.

Bro you came at ME first!

 

[spliz]

Go listen to the songs, he’s rapping on all of em - I don’t know what to tell you lol

Kendrick is not the slick witty bar ny style type of nikka - ( he can do that if he need to)

But there is more to rapping than what you personally value - Kendrick has a different style than Nas

No no no. U not gonna use this on me cause I'm one of the first people to say the same shyt. A Kendrick stan tried to say Nas ain't top 5 lyricist no more when Kendrick ain't got LYRICS from his last 2 albums better than KD3, Magic or Light Years. Lyrically overall. Light Years is better than GNX. Kendrick his PERFORMING on GNX. Lyrically tho? Light in the ass.