Nas - Life Is Good

I'm going to try and review Nas' latest album without mentioning Illmatic, too late, but really though, Life Is Good needs to be reviewed from a standalone point of view. It isn't 1993 anymore and times, producers and the artist himself have moved on. That said Life Is Good is  certainly the most nostalgic of Nas' post-Stillmatic work and make no mistakes this is most welcome. As well nostalgic, the fact that life is now good post-divorce finds Nas at his most candid and revealing.

Without attempting to play psychologist too much,  it seems that Nas is content at the moment, maybe now that his divorce is finalised he can focus on what he does best and he does that well. That's not to say that he doesn't have Kelis on his mind. The ex-Mrs Jones gets more than a few bars on Bye Baby and No Introduction, mostly mature and warm recollections of their time together without any vitriol.

The aforementioned nostalgia comes in the form of the albums production as well as Nas' lyrics. No I.D. and Saleem Remi share the majority of the duties and cook up nineties and earlier sounding throwback tracks with a modern angle sampling the likes of MC Shan and New Edition. Nas himself gives nods the to old school on Back Then, Queens Story, Locomotive, The Don with tributes to New York and more specifically Queens.

I've never found Nas the easiest MC to listen to, his intelligent rhymes and deserve more than a casual listen whereas his occasionally weak beats don't. Here the balance is more favourable as his lyrics are more grounded, weak beats are few and far in-between, the terrible Summer on Smash being one and there are no concept tracks, Rewind. He flows practically acapella on World is an Addiction and Stay, this works more on the former than the latter, helped by Anthony Hamilton's soulful chorus.

The front end of the album is loaded with the NY and Queens nostalgia told alongside honest recollections of some of his more regrettable juvenile activities. this run changes with Daughters,  a mature testament to parenting tribulations and regrets. Following Daughters is a Mary J. Blige collaboration and it is a welcome surprise that in comparison with their Stillmatic effort Braveheart, this one stays in keeping with the albums retro feel and isn't just an R&B by numbers effort. The back end of Life is Good consists mainly of slower tracks with Nas being supported by female vocalists, including Amy Winehouse posthumously on Cherry Wine, a description of Nas' ideal next partner.

Best guest: Amy Winehouse

Stand-out track: Queens Story, Accident Murderers

Best bars: (Bye Baby)
Bye baby I guess you know why I walked away
When we walked to the altar that was an awesome day
Did counselin', couldn't force me to stay
Somethin happened when you say I do, we go a stray
Why did we mess it up we was friends we had it all
Reasons you don't trust men that was your daddy fault
He in the grave let it go he no longer livin'
Said you caught him cheatin' with mom f***in other women
F*** that gotta do with us here's the keys to the newest truck
Bergen bags, we burnin cash now baby do it up
Now matter who you f***ed, that was before me
Wanted you as my shorty since saw you screamin' "Hate you so much right now!!!"
Should have saw the meanin, angry black women, actions of a demon, I'm leavin'

Lyrics:

Beats:

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