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It Was Written

Nas

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iTunes Review

Though the beats on It Was Written don’t match the eloquence or innovation of Illmatic, DJ Premier, The Trackmasters, and Dr. Dre all contribute to a musical backdrop that stays lean and sample-based, and largely avoids the pomposity that would mar Nas’ subsequent efforts. If Illmatic is a portrait of ghetto life told from the point-of-view of a preternaturally wise teenager, then It Was Written expands that portrait with mythological detail. Like his contemporaries Jay-Z, Raekwon, and Mobb Deep, Nas used crime films like Scarface as a blueprint to turn his portrait of project crime into something as stylish and forlorn as it is menacing.The lyrical precision and wordplay have become even more striking since Illmatic. In its description of a crooked cop and his trick, “Shootouts” chronicles a lifetime in a matter of lines: “A Irish man short slim with a tan, they say he laced her cheeba / She do be lookin weaker, now her teeth are foul / Speakin loud, peep her style, in and out of every reefer cloud.”

Customer Reviews

Undeniable Classic

I'm not gonna say that this is up on the level of Illmatic - nothing is - but that doesn't make this album a failure. When this came out, people criticized for being commercial, which is stupid. Yes, this is definitely a commericial effort - but that doesn't make it bad or worthy of criticism. This is what commercial rap SHOULD be - lyricism, creativity, sick beats, and classic hooks - not the Mims, Jibs, and Lil Boosie bullsh*t thats coming out today. I think u gotta get the whole album to really get a feel of what its about, but if you only want a few songs, here are some standouts: 1. If I Ruled the World - absolute classic - some of the best lyrics I've ever heard 2. Street Dreams - sick beat, sick hook, and some creative rhymes 3. Take It In Blood - favorite beat on the album - real cinematic 4. The Message - perfect way to start off the album - Nas lets you know that he's not f*cking around right from the beginning - real serious song - sets the tone for the whole album 5. I Gave You Power - THE most creative song I've ever heard - raps about being a gun 6. Suspect - probably the grittiest song on the album - a real street record 7. Black Girl Lost - good music, good message - can't go wrong with that This album didn't mark the beginning of Nas going soft. Nas comes as hard as ever on this album, even though its commercially driven. Nastramadus was when he went soft.

I forgot

I forgot to add on. If this album sounded just like Illmatic (production, lyrics, stories), then would Illmatic ever be considered great? If all of Nas' albums sounded the same as illmatic, which one would be the great one? We would not be respecting Illmatic if Nas' later albums sounded differently huh? Just like to Jay-Z, what if all the albums sounded just like Reasonable Doubt? So there we have it, music progresses and thats how legendary cd's come about. Technology improves music, that's why it sounds more commercialized but nonetheless, Nas is a great lyricsist.....put him on a 60's Elvis Presley beat or Lil' Jon beat, he'd still rock the mic.

Nasty Nas.

To me, this is Esco's best album. Though the lyrics and wordplay were supreme on Illmatic, It Was Written boasts his creative mind. Check out #11-Suspect and #6-Take It In Blood. "One of the most creative LP's ever to hit stores." ~ Nas

Biography

Born: September 14, 1973 in Long Island, NY

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

Years Active: '90s, '00s, '10s

Beginning with his classic debut, Illmatic (1994), Nas stood tall for years as one of New York City's leading rap voices, outspokenly expressing a righteous, self-empowered swagger that endeared him to critics and hip-hop purists. Whether proclaiming himself "Nasty Nas" or "Nas Escobar" or "Nastradamus" or "God's Son," the self-appointed King of New York battled numerous adversaries for his position atop the epicenter of East Coast rap, none more challenging than Jay-Z, who vied with Nas for the...
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