Nas

After mastering stark street corner realism on Illmatic, Nas delivered a loose concept album that was, at the time, groundbreaking in its scope, approach and execution. The album, along with Raekwon's Only Built for Cuban Linx, helped usher in the era of the hip-hop Mafioso. And though that conceit would run out of steam quickly, this release is a gem. The bloody narrative "The Message" remains one of the most visually evocative songs of Nas' career, while the sonically luxurious "If I Ruled the World" imagines a place where the emcee would "open every cell in Attica/ send them to Africa."

Literary skill is not the prime attribute of most hardcore rappers; these days the main
attraction in hip-hop seems to be authenticity, not articulation. So the second album from
Nas is frustrating. It Was Written proves that this New York native from the borough of
Queens possesses a phenomenal way with words and some savvy musical sense. It's a pity
that he doesn't put his verbal dexterity and powers of observation to better use.... More >