What dropped today was not another album by a commercial rapper with generic lines and catchy ad libs (no diss to 2 Chainz), but a masterpiece by a master of the rap game: Nas. His influence over the music industry and other artists does not go unnoticed, and either do the tracks on his new album, “Life is Good.”
With features that don’t overshadow his own talent, Nas brings in the deep-voiced, slow-paced rappers such as Rick Ross and Large Professor to balance out his quick, lyrical style. He also grabs the soulful Mary J. Blige for the hit track, “Reach Out,” which is one of my personal favorites on the album. For the jazz fans and even those who are not, one cannot help but appreciate and groove to “Cherry Wine,” featuring the lovely Amy Winehouse.
Not all songs have features, which is very important when judging an artist and their work. Very often, music artists suffer to release a track that is independent and free from featured artists. Many cannot stand alone on a track and for this reason, among others, Nas is a musical genius. Not only can he work with others such as Mary J. Blige and Rick Ross, while still shining and creating a lyrically astounding hit, he can step to the mic and give a philosophical, mature and often times inspirational flow that requires nothing else but his talent.
Not only are the songs meaningful and lyrically established, the album cover with him holding Kelis’ green wedding dress is not done by mistake. This somber picture with him methodically gazing into the distance prepares the listener for what they are about to hear. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bitter divorce album but in retrospect, he is going to say what is on his mind, and if it is about his past relationship with Kelis, so be it.
I’m sure everyone is happy he decided to do another album and with his recent divorce and other personal troubles, there is no better time to put the pen to the pad and share with the world your reflection. In this album, you can see right through Nas and feel the person that he is; through all of his ups and downs, he can still say, “Life is Good.”
