Hip Hop Is Dead

Nasir Jones has a message: Something is terribly wrong with the state of hip-hop today. Throughout his storied career – which began with 1994's classic 'Illmatic' - Nas has been more than just the genre's foremost lyricist and thinker. He has become a statesman, some would argue hip-hop's “conscience”. Now, with the release of his long-awaited Def Jam debut – the aptly-titled 'Hip-Hop Is Dead', Nas returns to his role as mentor and teacher, his legendary mic skills as sharp as ever, and takes today’s young rappers back to school. The lesson? Hip-Hop – As Nas sees it – is very much alive.

Nas keeps it vital from jump. On 'Q.B. True G', featuring Compton's The Game, the two MCs trade verses over a vicious Dr. Dre beat. On the Nas-produced 'Where Are They Now', Nas runs through a litany of classic, bygone MCs over a monster James Brown sample. The theme continues on the Scott Storch-produced 'Carry On Tradition', a warning to students of the game. 'Still Dreamin' features a soul-heavy beat and hook from Kanye West. Elsewhere, Snoop Dogg shows up on the west-coast tinged 'Play On Player'. Will.I.Am productions show up twice on the album: the title track, 'Hip Hop Is Dead' is set to a heavy rock beat interspersed with old-school breaks and showcases some of Nas' most dexterous mic work in years. 'Unforgettable', featuring Def Jam songstress Chrisette Michelle, riffs off a Sam Cooke sample, with Nas' looking forward to the golden years, while looking back on his past. Finally, Nas brings an uncompromising political stance on 'White Man's Paper (War)' featuring Damien Marley. Set to a throbbing Bob Marley sample, Nas flirts with controversy. The tones and themes throughout 'Hip-Hop Is Dead' should be familiar to Nas fans: defiance and wisdom, mourning and hope. However, his perspective, focus and intensity have changed. There is a new sense of urgency in Nas' pleas for change. 'Hip-Hop Is Dead', and the remarkable circumstance leading up to its creation, marks a new passage in Nas' story. While the past is certainly gone, and the present is constantly changing, with a new label and an incredible new album, Nas' future is an open page, waiting to be written.