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Thursday, January 18, 2007
DOO RAGS
Nas
The Lost Tapes
Columbia : 1999
[Buy It]
Like many rappers, Nas has an infuriating habit of leaving the very best tracks off his records; "Doo Rags" was always a favorite of mine.
So, this is the second in Moistworks' ongoing series of Pre-Illmatic Nas posts. Alas, I'm on double-deadline, so today is more songs, and less with the commentary....
I'M A VILLAIN
NAS WILL PREVAIL
Nas
Pre-Illmatic Mixtape
IT AIN'T HARD TO TELL
Nas
Illmatic
Columbia : 1994
[Buy It]
"I'm a Villain" + "Just Another Day In The Projects" (see the first post, below) = "N.Y. State of Mind," whilst "Nas Will Prevail" is the dry-run for "It Ain't Hard to Tell"
I'll write a bit about Nas's dad, Olu Dara, next time (that's Nas, Olu, & Nas's brother Jungle, in the photo above). Right now, do people still listen to Kool G. Rap, who started out in the Juice Crew, alongside of Marley Marl, Biz Markie, Masta Ace, Intelligent Hoodlum, MC Shan, and Big Daddy Kane?
STREETS OF NY
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
Wanted: Dead or Alive"
Cold Chillin' : 1990
[Buy It]
Illmatic owes a lot to KGR's multi-syllabic style, and subject matter: "I was a baby G Rap," Nas told MTV. "A baby Rakim, a baby Intelligent Hoodlum. I was a wannabe MC Shan at one point, a wannabe LL Cool J. I was a fan. I always wanted to be a G Rap or one of them so I said, 'Let me just try to do that.'" On the other hand, Kool G. Rap's 1995 single, "Fast Life," which features Nas, owes a lot to Illmatic's "Life's a Bitch" (which features AZ - the only guest rapper you'll find on Illmatic - and Olu Dara's cornet).
Before leaving off (lots of tracks left; but I'll save them for weeks to come, when time isn't quite so tight):
FAST LIFE
Kool G Rap (Feat. Nas)
Fast Life/4,5,6 12"
Epic Street : 2005
Available on: Greatest Hits
Landspeed : 2002
[Buy It]
LIFE'S A BITCH
Nas
Illmatic
Columbia : 1994
[Buy It]Labels: alex, nas, rappers in their youth
posted by Alex
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