In ’94 Nas released one of the most quintessential Hip Hop albums of all time. Breaking barriers with his rhyme schemes, word play, flow and vivid stories from Queensbridge, Nas was the loudest voice of a new generation breaking through in the early to mid 90’s. After his debut, his second effort came out to a good amount of acclaim as well, but on his third release Nas ran into a pit of bootlegging disasters. What was meant to be a double album became a one disc effort, because of leaked and heavily bootlegged songs from the original sessions. Eight months later the forth record hit the stores, now fans started to question whether or not this once key figure in Hip Hop had what it took to enter the new decade as the same man that had entered the last. “The Lost Tapes” consists of the songs that never made the original third album “I Am” along with leftovers from his fifth and it will provide you with an answer to the above question.

Nas has been his own worst enemy ever since he made “Illmatic”. Never being able to top his debut has been the hardest stroke for his success. But he’s only a mere mortal and his first album was, I would dare to say, touched by something immortal and must have been created with all the planets aligned. Not a single person with a decent amount of sense would argue that Nasir Jones has a gift for rapping that’s only shared by a handful besides him. Carrying on the touch from Rakim, he has created a school with his street tales and with “The Lost Tapes” he proves once again that he’s much more than just your average rapper, he’s a poet.

What I wonder, is how tracks like “Doo Rag” and “Purple” got left off Stillmatic while “Braveheart Party” made the cut. Both tracks got Nas in his nirvana, laid back beats with playful piano keys where he can blast off metaphors, social commentary and self-reflection or just dope lines. Nas is truly a superb lyricist, every verse he lays down no matter what the subject is always sounds fresh. The wordplay and incredible storytelling ability we hear on the gritty stripped down “Blaze a 50” is unmatched. On “Pappa Was a Player” he reflects on what role his father played for his childhood and this is actually one of the first times we’re hearing the young and ambitious Kanye West’s true talent. “My Way” is a song focused on the materialistic life Nasir brags about, this is actually a rather rare thing, but no matter how much he tries to betray himself as a thug he still comes off intelligent and self aware when he rhymes; “Though I, still feel broke with millions in the bank/And deals on the table, I focus to stay afloat/And just to think some would die to get with I got”.

This might not be an official album release more than a compilation release, but nevertheless it’s one of my favorite Nas discs. His delivery is right on point on “The Lost Tapes” and the only thing I can question is why on earth some of these songs didn’t make the cut on either “Nastradamus” or “Stillmatic”. Whether it be political or personal points, Nas is delivering it with a passion, and in the second verse of “Nothing Lasts Forever” Nas kicks his knowledge to us, sharp and honest just as he does on the wake-up call “Black Zombie”. One of the most impressive tracks Nas has ever written is “Fetus”. Once called “Belly Button Window” is a journey into his mother’s womb where we follow the development of the young Nasir before he’s even landed on this earth. His sublime storytelling is in showcase once again on “Drunk by Myself”, accompanied by sorrowful violin play, he tells with a voice full of dejection, about alcohol abuse and several depressing state of minds.

Never really preachy and always self reflecting, Nasir has a unique ability to reach further into you with his words than any other MC. What “Nastradamus” and to some extent “I Am” missed, “The Lost Tapes” makes up for. This album can be summed up in exactly two words – sharp and honest.

by Oskar