Nas – Untitled (N.I.G.G.E.R) Review

Nas – Untitled (N.I.G.G.E.R) Review
Def Jam, 2008

3/5

Queens Get the Money

The album starts off with Nas spitting with no adlibs or double ups over the sounds of a piano. Tracks alright, but he throws some subliminal shots at 50 cent on this joint.

“Since he said retirement
Hiding behind +8 Mile+
And The Chronic
Get’s Rich But Dies Rhymin’
This is high science”

You Can’t Stop Us Now

This got a blues feel to it. Nas kinda runs down the history of some influential black people and simply sends a message to all haters of black people that you can’t stop us!

Breathe

The track has a mid 90’s feel to it but it doesn’t feel like something that was fit to start the album off. It’s definitely lyrical poetry where Nas’ talks about the cons of the streets and the pros of success and being able to Breathe.

Make the World Go Round

Nas gets some help surprisingly from Chris Breezy and The Game. The Game does hjs usual name dropping and kinda steals Nas’s flow on his verse. Chris Brown has only one line on this song, but I wouldn’t be surprised if his only reason on the album is to get the 106 and Parkers to buy the album. 

“But lately
I burned so much trees
I keep environmentalists angry”

Hero

This is the first single off the album featuring the beautiful Keri Hilson. Definitely not a track to put out if you intend on selling some heavy units but it seems like Nas wasn’t focused on selling units this time around. The track basically has Nas claiming himself as the Hero of hiphop.

America

This is a very mellow track but Nas spits some serious knowledge and real talk on this joint you can’t even hate on. On this track he discusses the problems with Blacks and Women in America and brings up a great line…

“Too many rappers, athletes, and actorsBut not enough niggas in NASA”

Sly Fox

Nas goes at Fox the broadcasting channel over some guitars and drums on this joint. The song isn’t directed to just Fox, but he includes all media such as myspace, and PBS calling them visual cancer. He accuses the media of misleading the world and even talks about when the media accused him of being violent when he perfomed  Shoot Em Up at the Virginia Tech show. The production aint to hot but the message is definitely strong.

“Tryin’ to track us down with GPS
Make a nigga wanna invest in PBS”

Testify

This is another mellow joint by Nas as he talks about Nazis and burning down the American Flag, but on the second verse he talks about the fact that he knows his music is being downloaded and questions the people doing it and females shwoing up at his shows. It sounds like a track of Nas thinking to himself outloud. The piano melody is ok, and sounds like something that has to grow on you.

N.I.G.G.E.R

 Definitely a dope joint produced by the homeboy Dj Toomp. On this joint Nas clasifies a nigger as not only the slave, but the master. Production is definitely heavy.

“Thought patterns consist of boss matters,
Spit Moses’ “Lost Commandments”
Like a gross sandwich out my mouth.”

UNTITLED 

Produced by Stic Man. Nas talks about the power of revolution and the consequences of telling the people the truth and not listening and falling in to the trap of the powers that be.

Fried Chicken

 Very creative joint and got Nas and the Busta Bust addressing a shorty like some fried chicken. Some ladies might get offended but definitely a nice creative track.

“Mmm, Fried chicken
Fly vixen
Give me
Heart Disease
But need
You in my kitchen”

Project Roach

Loving the soulful feel on this joint and it features The Last Poet. On this joint Nas’ is classifying himself as a Roach and The Last Poet brings up a huge point….

“Niggas is like roaches we ain’t going nowhere”

Y’all My Niggas

Nas goes in on the authenticity of a “Nigger” and what are things we as black people do that classify us as Niggers and Nas even looks at himself and verifies whether what he’s doing is “Nigger-ish”

Were Not Alone

 On this joint Nas talks about black people exploring to find the truth and that due to conspiracies it’s difficult to get truth for the mass to see such as UFO’s, which Nas claims he saw in 1999 (the spacecraft that is).

Black President

This should be Obama’s theme song, but definitely Nas spits some lyrics that make you say “trueeee or wooord”. It questions if were ready for a black president, and Nas sees it  as a sign of hope but also explores the negatives of what could happen if Obama is elected, such as the KKK plotting to assassinate him.

Bonus joints 

Be A Nigger Too 

Dope track. This makes you wanna throw your fist up for real because Nas basically says no matter what race you are you got a bit of “Nigger” in you. He also say he ain’t mad at Eminem for using the word Nigger ‘cause he’s his nigger,wigger,cracker, friend.

Nigger Hatred 

This is similar to Queens Get the Money with Nas spitting over the sounds of a piano with no kicks or snares. Nas talks about negativity of the system towards black people from the Vick situation to T.I’s situation. Nas also talks about the corrupt system where even black people get planted with drugs and set up to be arrested and actions like that are considered Nigger Hatred.

War is Necessary

 Dope joint.Aint really a concept track and kind of like a freestyle, but it’s still hot.

Middle Finger

This joint features David Banner and samples Jay-Z (“Middle finger to the law…”). It’s another joint of Nas going at hating cops who like playing games with black people.Album is definitely something you gotta listen to twice, and the songs will start growing on you. Definitely better than Hip Hop is Dead.