4/5
Legends Have It
Saving the best for last, Mass Appeal's 'Legend Has It...' series concludes with a classic collaboration before the curtain of this calendar. Slick Rick ('Victory'), Raekwon ('The Emperor's New Clothes'), Ghostface Killah ('Supreme Clientele 2'), Mobb Deep ('Infinite'), Big L ('Harlem's Finest: Return Of The King'), De La Soul ('Cabin In The Sky'). And now, Nas, who appears on all the albums from the aforementioned artists with the respective, 'Documents', 'The Omerta', 'Love Me Anymore', 'Down For You' (with Jorja Smith), 'U Ain't Gotta Chance', and 'Run It Back!' But now, Nas is like back with the legendary DJ Premier, like some of their collective classics. And the name of the game is 'Light-Years', like how much ahead of the competition this old-school/out of this world album is.
Premier previously released 'The Reinvention' with Ransom, mere months back, but it's God's Son who has been on a tear lately. Since COVID, Nas has given us the 'King's Disease' and 'Magic' trilogies, the latter with producer Hit-Boy, showcasing his supreme skill set as one of the game and genre's most legendary lyricists. This half-decade of dominance, making fans and purists alike debate if this was one of the G.O.A.T.'s greatest eras (he's an icon who deserves his time to be called as such), like the inspired 'Illmatic' beginnings, or the 'Stillmatic' career comeback when he gave the 'Ether' to Jay-Z. Not to mention when he buried all sorts of hatchets on 'Hip-Hop Is Dead'. Or almost called an album the 'N' word. And we can settle that Nasir Jones versus S. Carter debate right now. Jigga hasn't had a solo set out since they read the wrong name for 'Best Picture' at The Oscars. But by this moonlight, Nas makes it to 21 savage albums, if you count his collaborative ones with Damian Marley ('Distant Relatives') and The Firm ('The Album'). AZ calling it twenty-something on the real reunion of 'My Story Your Story'.
Jones really is a superhero like the Marvel comic collaboration with Mass Appeal. The premier DJ, too, giving us one of the New York rapper's greatest hits since 'Nas Is Like'. Singles? This dynamic duo doesn't need singles, like J. Cole doesn't guest features. Although 'Define My Name' last year, to mark 'Illmatic's' 30th anniversary was incredible. Not when they have sequels to their cinematic canons of hip-hop history. The instant classic, trilogy closer of 'N.Y. State Of Mind Pt.3' brings a bold and beautiful Billy Joel sample for Madison Square Garden's finest. Whilst we're in our '3rd Childhood' in closing now. Who else could it be? N.A.S. NAS! And Preme on the wheels of steel. Primo when it comes to other top tracks that could serve as spiritual sequels. Most notably, 'Sons (Young Kings)' for 'Daughters'. And the tribute to the best women in rap, with the 'Bouquet (To The Ladies)', like the 'U.B.R.' of an 'Unauthorized Biography Of Rakim'. And as he shouts out all the greats, like he does his 'Legend Has It' icons on the opening 'My Life Is Real, or the NYC sports teams on 'State Of Mind', whilst you listen out for Nicki, I'm wondering, where's Jean Grae?
This schedule by Mass Appeal is as good as that great day in hip-hop, a landmark moment for the genre. This should have been done when rap celebrated its 50th birthday. As classic as this cover in black and gold, blinging like the same 'Star Wars' Nas rapped about on another 'Illmatic' anniversary. The seventh seal and divine number. 'Nasty Esco Nasir' rapping like a 'Madman' and calling himself the crypto king on 'GiT Ready'. Rhyming "Welcome to the underground, that basement life/Way underneath the earth, dig up dirt, termites and baby mice, scatterin’/Below the surface, we deep in the soil, we jackhammerin'/To the core of it all, avoidin' the laws" with Ralph McDaniels. All before giving it up for the graffiti 'Writers'. Big beats take you through these streets as DJ Premier is as powerful as he is profound. Laying the groundwork for Nas to say such things like, "Rhyme a few bars, kick a few flows/For every word I spit, I get phenomenal/And we might as well shine together" for a Notorious B.I.G. refrain. No need to 'Pause Tapes', this hip-hop 'Junkie' who has been free-bassing since 2020, has that vision once more. Ayo, Black, 'It's Time' again. The appeal is mass and will last for light years beyond this great year in hip-hop. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'N.Y. State Of Mind Pt.3', 'Writers', 'My Story Your Story (Feat AZ)'.
Spin This: Mobb Deep - 'Infinite'
