Stuckinthe90s
Pro
How was there no fukking RZA beat on this album?
Nas "The Set Up" Prod. Havoc
- Thread starter Asicz
- Start date
This definitely sounds like it could have been on Hell on Earth. And people said that It Was Written was too commercial.
Nas said there was a word on this song that he messed up, does anyone know what it was?
On the Genius site:
Nas' flub is most likely on the second verse when he points out that Rhamel is in a Range Rover, but then contradictorily says later that he jumps out of a Jeep.
+32 UPVOTES
Nas and Mobb always make Goat level shyt. I would love a Nas / Havoc album. Even at this point in their careers, it'd bring out the best in both of them.
Stuckinthe90s
Pro
This definitely sounds like it could have been on Hell on Earth. And people said that It Was Written was too commercial.
Nas said there was a word on this song that he messed up, does anyone know what it was?
"Nas' flub is most likely on the second verse when he points out that Rhamel is in a Range Rover, but then contradictorily says later that he jumps out of a Jeep"
Some schmo on Rap Genius.
Mike the Executioner
What went on up there? Poppers and weird sex!
I'm a young young head.
But a lot of my posts give off the idea that I'm older because most of what I listen to is older rap.I never agreed with the narrative that It Was Written was a commercial album. It obviously sounds more polished than Illmatic, but there's no song here where I think, "Nas is chasing trends." Some of his rawest songs are on this album. Even something like the "Street Dreams" remix, which sounds like a radio-friendly song at first, has some dense lyricism and concepts that you wouldn't hear on most songs that sound like that. I do hear the difference between "Represent" and "Live nikka Rap," though. Both street songs, but "Represent" has more of an overt boom bap sound (could have easily been recorded in '93). Things changed rapidly in those two years.
I'm a young young head.
I never agreed with the narrative that It Was Written was a commercial album. It obviously sounds more polished than Illmatic, but there's no song here where I think, "Nas is chasing trends." Some of his rawest songs are on this album. Even something like the "Street Dreams" remix, which sounds like a radio-friendly song at first, has some dense lyricism and concepts that you wouldn't hear on most songs that sound like that. I do hear the difference between "Represent" and "Live nikka Rap," though. Both street songs, but "Represent" has more of an overt boom bap sound (could have easily been recorded in '93). Things changed rapidly in those two years.
ok word got you my G. old soul with the goat d.o.c. avy but really was rockin out to miguel and drake at his prom
nah but again, there is a generational dissonance here with the perception. most flabby & sick heads my age are not perusing internet message boards in disproportionate numbers so the '80 joe budden and younger crowd represent the hip hop oligarchy who sets the benchmark for what 90's hip hop was and was not. which is fine, no hate. but literally nobody yeezy's age or older thinks of it was written as being a more polished project than illmatic. it was a totally different trajectory period
it dropped in '96, one of the single greatest years in hip hop history and the feel was more all eyez on me than it was camp lo uptown saturday night. neither is bad or wrong, but different. it was written, unlike illmatic, was a commercial rap album cooked up with steve and the trackmasters to reach the intended goal of multi-platinum status and becoming a household name & that wasn't gonna happen with new york-centric boom bap and rhyming about rhymes like it ain't hard to tell or one time 4 your mind. in 1996 that illmatic audience still existed heavy and they were on that heltah skeltah nocturnal, roots illadelph halflife, de la soul stakes is high, and oc jewelz (really '97 but fukk with me tho) which was the other side of the 90's hip hop civil war that had nothing to do with east or west
Mike the Executioner
What went on up there? Poppers and weird sex!
ok word got you my G. old soul with the goat d.o.c. avy but really was rockin out to miguel and drake at his prom
nah but again, there is a generational dissonance here with the perception. most flabby & sick heads my age are not perusing internet message boards in disproportionate numbers so the '80 joe budden and younger crowd represent the hip hop oligarchy who sets the benchmark for what 90's hip hop was and was not. which is fine, no hate. but literally nobody yeezy's age or older thinks of it was written as being a more polished project than illmatic. it was a totally different trajectory period
it dropped in '96, one of the single greatest years in hip hop history and the feel was more all eyez on me than it was camp lo uptown saturday night. neither is bad or wrong, but different. it was written, unlike illmatic, was a commercial rap album cooked up with steve and the trackmasters to reach the intended goal of multi-platinum status and becoming a household name & that wasn't gonna happen with new york-centric boom bap and rhyming about rhymes like it ain't hard to tell or one time 4 your mind. in 1996 that illmatic audience still existed heavy and they were on that heltah skeltah nocturnal, roots illadelph halflife, de la soul stakes is high, and oc jewelz (really '97 but fukk with me tho) which was the other side of the 90's hip hop civil war that had nothing to do with east or west
Nah. Never been a Drake fan. I only know Miguel from his features on "Power Trip" and "Summer on Smash."
But what you just said is really interesting, like you're breaking down how different generations looked at the album to a science.
Nas' team at the time (Steve Stoute, Trackmasters) were definitely trying to push him to stardom, even though Nas was like 
towards being in the spotlight. I think It Was Written was a genius album in retrospect because when I say polished, the songs definitely sound cleaner and shinier. But that's only on the surface. You listen to a song like "The Message" and you're like 
at first because of the Sting sample. Complete 180° from Illmatic in terms of production. But then Nas goes on a tear lyrically, calling himself "verbal AK spray" and being as poetic as he can about sex, drinking, materialism, and violence. And the hook is his old songs being scratched. They made sure Nas would get the commercial success, but they balanced it out with a street sensibility, and Nas was only getting better as an MC so you knew he wasn't switching up his style to appeal to more people. It was the perfect album for that era, and mainstream America was getting tricked the whole time. 
BlackDiBiase
Superstar
NaStalgia huh!? i like it.
Nas' team at the time (Steve Stoute, Trackmasters) were definitely trying to push him to stardom, even though Nas was like
actually nah, he looked at his fellow goodfella biggie and all of his tremendous success and said that's attainable for me. biggie was an elite lyricist respected by all rap nikkas yet bytches all knew his rhymes by heart and his music was running the clubs and hot 97 in new york plus a national superstar on top of that when he goes OT. so nas knew he too had to offer dance-able gender neutral rap with a few joints which of course was if i ruled the world & street dreams. then mix in harder joints with hav to hit that street wu tang, mobb deep market that thought redman dare iz a darkside was "that crazy space shyt that ain't make no sense." but overall, unlike the debut outing illmatic, a tribe called quest fans would be ignored & he was good with it
he was a more than willing participant with steve stoute, nas definitely wanted the fame and accolades & i'm not saying that's a bad thing. because at the end of the day it was written is an undisputed blassic that legends are made of. and yeah the message is amazing work b. i was just like 50 back then (old video he says that's his favorite rhyme all time) memorizing 20 g bets i'm winning them, threats i'm sendin them..... but yeah not everybody was on board. q tip heard it before everybody of course and begged nas not to release it because it would ruin his career. lmao tip was wildin but it'll give credence to what i'm telling yall about the perception of this particular work from a significant sect of 70's babies
iLLusoYuN_Da_Adidas_King
Psn illusoyun
Inn sorry but “the setup” is a much better track than “represent” to me & I love illmatic.
RennisDeynolds
I am untethered and my rage knows no bounds!
This might be Nas best album, he was on some other shyt at the time
fukk all the backpack critics who encouraged a negative reception to this classic.
“
While we was gleamin', nikkas was schemin'
Seen the ill Beamers beamin'
Triple-beam and doublin' cream had 'em fiendin'
To get they fingers on the dosa, I called Sosa
"Sosa, these nikkas hit the God, bring the toaster”
How could they front on lyrics like this?
RennisDeynolds
I am untethered and my rage knows no bounds!
every song sounds different but is immaculate
. And it came off so effortless like he stepped out the booth like 
everytime
every song sounds different but is immaculate
Immaculate and effortless is a perfect description. The hook, which I’m sure Nas wrote, sounds like a damn verse itself. Shoutout to Hav’s adlibs.
Probably "Somalian" instead of SomaliThis definitely sounds like it could have been on Hell on Earth. And people said that It Was Written was too commercial.
Nas said there was a word on this song that he messed up, does anyone know what it was?
I love Havoc's ad-libs on this joint too