I agree. Not close to illmatic, because although cringeworthy, naS had improved in the basic tenets of writing. He was no longer just rapping about non-sense incoherently... the songs were just garbo.
Lets take a song like "Undying Love" fukkin great storytelling track...
Vivid story telling, flow was tight... production was crisp and clean... hook was kinda ass, but thats okay...
and compare it to "One Love" bland corny production... generic storytelling, not vivid or descriptive at all... hook is trash. Poor command of his voice (he was usin it wrong)
Really, compare these two examples of story telling. One is infinitely better than the other...
My man, u r bugging
I don't think nas ever matched the level he was on in one love
Sometimes I sit back with a Buddha sack
Mind's in another world thinking how can we exist through the facts
Written in school text books, bibles, et cetera
fukk a school lecture, the lies get me vexed-er
So I be ghost from my projects
I take my pen and pad for the weekend
Hitting L's while I'm sleeping
A two day stay, you may say I needed time alone
To relax my dome, no phone, left the 9 at home
You see the streets have me stressed somethin terrible
fukking with the corners have a nikka up in Belleville
Or h.d.m., hit with numbers from 8 to 10
A future in a maximum state pen is grim
So I comes back home, nobody's helping shorty doo-wop
Rollin two Phillies together in the Bridge we called 'em oowops
He said, "Nas, nikkas could be bustin' off the roof
So I wear a bullet proof and pack a black tres-deuce"
He inhaled so deep, shut his eyes like he was sleep
Started coughing, one eye peeked to watch me speak
I sat back like the mack, my army suit was black
We was chillin' on these benches where he pumped his loose cracks
I took an l when he passed it, this little b*stard
Keeps me blasted he starts talking mad shyt
I had to school him, told him don't let nikkas fool him
'cos when the pistol blows the one that's murdered will be the cool one
Tough luck when nikkas are struck, families fukked up
Could've caught your man, but didn't look when you bucked up
Mistakes happen, so take heed never bust up
At the crowd catch him solo, make the right man bleed
Shorty's laugh was cold blooded as he spoke so foul
Only twelve trying to tell me that he liked my style
Then I rose, wiping the blunts ash from my clothes
Then froze only to blow the herb smoke through my nose
And told my little man that I'm a go cyprose
Left some jewels in his skull that he can sell if he chose
Words of wisdom from Nas try to rise up above
Keep an eye out for Jake shorty wop
One love