Nas

New York City rapper Nas had a snappier, more in-your-face title in mind for his latest effort. He wanted to call it N*****, obviously an inflammatory, cultural lightning rod statement, which emulates how the rapper has positioned himself throughout most of his prolific career. But by defiantly giving his best album in years such a non-descript title, he incites just as much interest in what he is doing and why.

Nas has endured on-record battles with Jay-Z and political pundit Bill O'Reilly, but through all the drama, he continues to deliver his rhymes with uncompromising swagger and a surprisingly endearing bravado, despite seeing a decline in album sales and his general popularity. And while Nas changed the album title, reportedly due to label and management pressure, he sure didn't edit the album's content for anyone else but himself.

Untitled is a tense thumper of a record, driven by the rapper's fiercely thought-provoking lyrical science. He's doing what he wants, saying what he wants and laying down tracks his way. He boasts a confidence that screams "I don't care what you think," and the album is erected on a "Me vs. the world" aura. On the surefire head boppin' anthem "Hero," Nas kicks it with a female vocal track riding sidecar and a key melody that'll carve out real estate in your cranium for days at a time. The song is arguably the album's best and most focused.

Nas also bucks the blazing hot hip-hop trend of littering an album with too many guest appearances. He wisely keeps the outside contributions to a trim minimum, engaging only in a tango with Chris Brown and The Game on "Make the World Go Round" while Busta Rhymes drops by on the lazy, head noddin' "Fried Chicken." The lack of guests ensures that Untitled remains the Nas show, with Nas the star that the album orbits around. He also tackles the possibility of Barack Obama running the nation on "Black President," including clips from the presidential hopeful's speeches. That alone makes Untitled a current, in-the-now album with Nas commenting on society as he knows it. It doesn’t hurt that the song pounds an infectious beat, either.

Consider Untitled the rap rebound of the '08.

— Amy Sciarretto
07.17.08