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Album Review
by MC Ud Sear
15-12-2002
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| Nas and the secret of God-like humanity |
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Nas: 'God’s Son'
(Columbia)
Nas on a relationship with the Landlord
Discussing with a Romanian colleague – they are all the rage after the success of the Cheeky Girls twins – the state of Hip-Hop the other day, my usual complaints were of all numerous guests, too much flirting with R&B and getting disquietingly mainstream. He pointed out, knowing the oppression after growing up behind the dismantled Iron Curtain, that no rapper should be judged harshly because Hip-Hop is a ticket out of ghetto, the same way football used to be here, or Reality TV pop-contests are now.
Point well made but it negates the Hip-Hop’s Prime Directive to strive to open sonic envelope, not only to re-address it? Too-much safe music fails to ‘talk-the-walk’ which Nas reacts to by aiming to re-balance the meekness and politeness of recent releases by Jay-Z, Ja Rule, Missy Elliott and the likes; to maximize it he’s gotten the meanest rappin’-mutha, The King of Rhyme, Eminem – to produce a track on this opus and play piano. Extra-marks for not cashing in with the most popular and important rapper de jour.
Looking at the album’s title, it looks like Nasir Jones is claiming to be Jesus now which should secure him a Gold medal for the longest triple-jump boast! Well, glad to report that it’s not self-aggrandisement gone beyond the Solar system but only meant in the sense that some of you are God’s children. It also refers to that tattoo he’s worn across his belly – and goes some way to affirm that Nas can be, in his own words, “...half man, half amazing” (which he borrowed from an American announcer who was describing basketball maestro Vince Carter of Toronto Raptors).
The ‘God’s Son’ angle is from the ghetto and upward: he deals with pertinent and serious issues that the majority of big Hip-Hop names manage to navigate around these days. Whether it’s realisation of a dream or fulfilment of an ambition through hard work, the death of his mother or the cause and effects of teenage pregnancy on America’s young and poor, Nas is absolutely on the game. ‘I Can’ is genuinely moving with its fusion of children’s singing and a classical piano sample without sounding maudlin.
The inescapable presence of Eminem continues with his guest-spot, this time exhibiting no verbal skills but piano-playing on a track ‘The Cross’. Despite the title’s (another) religious connotation, it is a tune about rappster’s attack on those who brought R&B aspects into rap-hood. (We second that emotion!) Other guests on the album include Kelis and Alicia Keys; the latter one appears on a track ‘Warriors’ that samples Fela Kuti. The album slates again Jay-Z who recently admitted that his feud with Nas was “just playing”. (The alleged Em fan who attacked Moby should have listened!)
For some time now Nas has admitted he owes the streets a reality check album - if only to prove that he’s still ill - and ‘God’s Son’ delivers on the ‘threat’. The ‘Last Real Nigga Alive’ drops quality!
8.6/10
MC Ud Sear
15-12-2002
Nasir ‘Nas’ Jones’s album ‘God’s Son’ is released 16 December 2002 on Columbia
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