Soundbite

Nas “Street’s Disciple” Sony Urban
Music/Columbia

The double LP has traditionally marked the winding down of a
career for hip-hop artists. “Life After Death” and
“All Eyez On Me” were respectively the last albums the
Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac released while still alive. Jay-Z
“retired” a year after the release of the “The
Blueprint 2,” and last year’s “Speakerboxxx/The
Love Below” immediately set off talk about a possible OutKast
breakup. Nas’ latest “Street’s Disciple” is
a double album, and though some of his subject matter suggests he
may be wrapping up his run, it’s doubtful he’ll be
leaving the game or losing relevance anytime soon. That’s
because, as he once again proves, mainstream hip-hop needs Nas more
than anyone else right now; in an era of super producers, Nas is
possibly the only rapper left who means anything. This is partially
why “Street’s Disciple” is so frustrating to
listen to. Nas flows all over the album, covering topics both
personal and social ““ his scathing indictment of several
prominent African-American figures in “These Are Our
Heroes” is especially thought-provoking. But for an MC of his
enormous talent, the production Nas chooses is far too hit-or-miss.
When it works, it works brilliantly ““ tracks like
“Nazareth Savage” and the bonus “Thief’s
Theme” hit hard and compare well with previous career peaks.
Too often, however, the beats ““ soft drums and all ““
are tearfully boring. It doesn’t help that a number of the
hooks feature R&B singing so atrocious that several tracks are
rendered nearly unlistenable. Somewhere in there is one of the very
best hip-hop albums of the year. But the considerable amount of
filler tracks fans will have to wade through to hear it makes for a
listening experience that’s just as tiring as it is
satisfying. ““ Alfred Lee