Does AB Owe Nas An Apology?!?

I haven't been Nas' biggest fan since somewhere around that The Firm debacle. For a guy who was supposed to be the 90's version of Rakim, his descent into such nonsense as Nas Escobar, and that goshawful "Oochie" Wallie has been sad on many levels. So, when Nas jumped up a few months ago announcing plans to name his next album Nigger, I called it like I saw it. It was nothing more than a fancy publicity scheme to stand out in the midst of hip-hop circa 08', with it's Soulja Boys and Plieses and whatnot.

Besides, how seriously can you take Nasir Jones when he keeps saying dumb stuff everything he's interviewed? I heard someone on a hip-hop website suggest that maybe Nas is some odd idiot savant who is brilliant in the booth, but equally dumb outside it. Maybe there's something to that.

A month or so ago, I downloaded (it was free) The Nigger Mixtape, which was the album's promotional vehicle, and surprisingly, for a guy who sounds like a total idiot in interviews, it was pretty good. Borderline Public Enemy "Can't Truss It'" good.

So, I decided to take a flier and peep the album itself, and by golly, it's not just good, it's actually very good. Since Nas and Company finally realized that an album called Nigger wasn't gonna cut it at Walmart, the simply left it untitled. And while I'm not aficionado of recent-vintage Nas, I gotta say this is in my opinion, his most weighty album since I Am. Easily.

Peep this thorough ethering of Fox News, the scathing "Sly Fox".



The somewhat puzzling, but oddly brilliant "Be A Nigger Too".



And the better than it sounds on paper club banger "Hero".



I'm only about 2/3 of the way through the album so far, but I've heard enough to admit that I'm wrong. This album's very good. Props given.

Listen To The Nigger Mixtape [Hip Hop DX]

Buy Nas' Untitled Album [Amazon.com]