Nas - King’s Disease (Discussion Thread)

[Peak]

Yeah, I can't get with this drumless wave that's taken over. The fact that Roc Marc can get away with it is more of a testament to how crazy dope he is, not that those beats are mind blowing. Roc Marc music from his U.N. and Flip Mode days is light years beyond the post 2010 version. And I still fukk with his newer shyt.

It Never Ends to me is just dull. I don't think it's wack, it just doesn't do anything for me. Alchemist is in my top 5 or 6 of all time. I expect way more from him in general, let alone a Nas collabo. He did "Tick, Tock" for Khrist sakes.

100% Roc Marc run from UN or U Not to Reloaded was goat tier. Fell off a cliff since. Dont even check for his shyt no more.

 

[prophecypro]

Because the production (aka the songs theme itself) is different than what you'd hear from Nas I can see it being off putting to some. Its him doing a modern album in some ways.

But again like when I always hear him I dont hear bad beats but we'll see how things age here. His past 3 studio albums, good or bad have all been complimented for the production and still people find a way to bring this up so Im trying to see what it really is.

 

[Jamaro85]

Am I bugging or is Car #85 a nod to Life's a bytch?

Both are track three.
The three note piano sequence in Car #85 sounds like the sequence in the sample for Life's a bytch.

Everytime I listened to Car #85 I kept getting Life's a bytch vibes, but after looking at it further I don't think it's a coincidence.

The piano on Car #85 reminds me of Life's a bytch

Glad it wasn't just me

 

[Ziggiy]

Glad it wasn't just me

Also you’ve got the Charlie Wilson connection

 

[Black Lightning]

4.5

Spicy is the only track I didn't like.

 

[Mastamimd]

4.5

Spicy is the only track I didn't like.

Doesn't really count because it's a bonus track anyway

 

[Ziggiy]

46 year old Nas outdid himself on this shyt


fukking incredible

 

[Soymuscle Mike]

Oh new Nas album is slammin' gonna say 8/10! He's going for it @ 46 going on 47! This has some big records, like stuff I can hear playing on the radio 20 times a day. I'm almost taken aback how little boom bap is on this. It's actually a welcome risk here, Hitboy did him justice. This reminds me of records Kanye or Dre Dre do that just dominate. I'm like surprised and shyt.
The Firm record took me back to 98'. A niqqa almost dropped a tear.

We been doing this coalition shyt since before the 2001 stan wars

 

[Fortunate Lee]

4.5

Spicy is the only track I didn't like.

It’s not a bad song, it just doesn’t fit with the strong cohesive feeling the rest of the songs have

which is why it’s a bonus joint

So fukk it

 

[Soymuscle Mike]

After 1 full day - which is WAY TOO SHORT to really rate an album but fukk it, giving this a 9/10.

Which, going according to my Nas rankings puts it with:

LIG
Untitled
Streets Disciple
LT2

(Think I'd fit it between Untitled and SD).

Nas albums I rank higher:

Illmatic
IWW
Stillmatic
Gods Son
Lost Tapes

 

[ledge]

Breh, how can you try and dismiss legit criticisms of ass production by saying cats are "stuck in the 90s"......WHILE LISTENING TO A NAS ALBUM?? He's a 90s artist his damn self.



I will never understand that type of rebuttal. It's the 2020 equivalent of calling people who call out wack shyt for being wack as "haters".

There's a possibility that my opinion of this album may be tainted since I didn't listen to the full album until earlier this afternoon. Wanted to drive around with some good grub to a waterview landscape and just chill and enjoy the vibe like I did the night LT2 dropped, but I was too lazy to cook, lol. So I just took it down last night after listening to just 2 tracks.

And my first impression off this album ain't a good one. Nas's pen game is superb as always. Never has been and never will be an issue. He's a once in a lifetime gem of an MC lyrically.

But the production on this album and some of the choruses are just .

It ain't my cup of tea. I'm gonna give it at least 2 more full spins to see if it grows on me, but I'm at a loss how people are saying this is a better album than LT2.

I'm still bumping the hell out of LT2, it has some of Nas's best work post-Stillmatic on it IMO. But King's Disease? Nah, I don't see it.

I think you misread what I wrote.

I wasn’t being dismiss of that post at all. I was actually expressing my understanding of the sentiment. Because I am also an old head who wants to hear Nas on boom bap beats.

but also understanding that Nas is always moving forward and we may never get that Nas of the 90’s again. So I’m appreciating that he can still embrace modern production while still staying lyrically sharp.

did you read my post at all???

For the record I also love LT2 and still bump it. And don’t get how it could get some bullsh*t a** ratings on f**k sites like Pitchfork. If you go back and look at my post history, I think you’ll find we’re actually of the same mind.

 

[dubsmith_nz]

Having a video out for Ultra Black would have helped build more hype/awareness. Covid prob shut down music videos tho so it’s understandable. What a weird time this is for artists.

When can tours start up again? Would US artists be able to do European tours, when Europe starts allowing travel from the US lol? Like for instance could Nas or any US artist start his tour in places in Europe that aren’t shut down, hit Australia, NZ etc.

If he wanted to come to NZ he'd have to quarantine for 2 weeks, so it wouldn't be worth it.

Hopefully once Covid is over (could be 12+ months) then artists start touring like crazy.

 

[dubsmith_nz]

This album is amazing, Nas really brings me back. I lowkey didn't realise this was Nas' third project in 3 years. He's really kept us fed.

He already had my money but damn this good. The way AZ slides in on "Full Circle" is amazing. I still can't believe we never got an album from them two.

Gonna digest this over the next few weeks

 

[Stick Up Kid]

Yes it should count.


Itunes will 100% count.


I brought 9 digital copies on his site and 1 fron itunes so them shyts BETTER count.

wait, you purchased the album 10 times?

 

[Ziggiy]

Honestly i’m doubting Premo could have done a better job than Hit Boy at this juncture.


Premo has a signature sound, and its a very DOPE sound. But Hit Boy went ALL out for this album. No song sonically sounds the same, there are so many layers to the production that it honestly doesn’t FEEL like one producer did this.


Producers like Hit Boy, early RZA, No ID, Salaam Remi, Pre-“crazy” Kanye, and Timbaland could make whole albums that sound cohesive but still had a variety of different sounds. I feel like not only did Nas make the right choice by going with Hit Boy, he made an INSPIRED choice.


You gotta give it up to Nas for having the foresight to seek out Hit Boy and Hit Boy for MORE than rising to the occasion. This is a beautiful set up for Nas’s future as an artist with Mass Appeal. I hope Nas continues to be bold and inspired in his musical endeavors for years to come. I’m glad he never bowed to any public pressure and forced out any old album with AZ or Premo just to appease backpackers who couldn’t let go of 1994. Doing it HIS way got us a fukking incredible Firm Reunion in 2020 that sounds like they never dismantled. It got us features and collabs that we never even considered could be dope. It got us modern production paired with a flow that sounds like it was steeped in the fountain of youth.


No one could have done this album better than Hit Boy and Nasir in 2020. NO ONE