|
|
|
|
| |
Nas - Untitled
| Popmatters | | This is not Nas’s eponymous album. This album is Untitled; its original title was Nigger. When Def Jam inevitably caved in to the backlash from media and retail outlets and prohibited Nas from naming his ninth official studio album after what is arguably the most taboo word in US English, he made a brilliant move by simply changing the name to Untitled—a title that ironically gives more power to the album’s intended message. If there is a central theme running throughout Untitled, it’s the continuous, almost subconscious negligence among certain factions of mainstream America to accept contributions of non-whites into their culture—most notably African-Americans and hip-hop. The accomplishment of the new title is that it provides a symbol for the relative anonymity of some of the greatest minds of our generation, particularly among those who don’t have any reservations about including the original title in their vocabulary....full text |
| | Rapreviews | | Friday, lunchtime. I am listening to the latest Nas LP on my music player for the 29th time. Walking to the local sandwich deli, I plan to pass a bus stop on my right, and cross the road. There are a couple of people at the bus stop - a young man, and an older woman. As I approach, the woman begins to scream racist expletives in my face. "Why don't you fuck off home, you stupid Paki? God damn terrorists everywhere, fuck off back to the desert, you sand nigger. I hate the bloody lot of you, bloody immigrants..." A million and one different thoughts race through my mind, all converging on the most important of all: what should my reaction be to this?...full text |
| | Billboard | | Unlike most MCs, Nas can put an entire genre on edge with one word, or lack thereof. His untitled album, formerly dubbed "N*gger," could have been just another big idea wrapped in unfocused songs and chalked up as a publicity stunt. Instead, the veteran MC seized the opportunity, lyrically and musically, to concretely convey his idea of the black man's experience in America. From "Project Roach," where Nas says that the NAACP's burial of "n*gger" was pointless, to "Untitled," which discusses Louis Farrakhan's role in America, the Queens MC impresses his listener while provoking social and political thought. DJ Toomp, Stargate, Salaam Remi, Polow Da Don and newcomer Jay Electronica contribute lush tracks with strings and airy melodies, giving Nas the freedom to dissect the North American black experience with more intelligence than hip-hop has displayed on a mainstream scale in years....full text |
|
Nas lyrics |
|