Hafltime - Nas

           This song proved that Nas could destroy a track no matter how simple, and he could flow with any beat. Hafltime is the showcase of that to this day, except even thought the beat was simple, production was still tight. Some of my favorite lines actually came from this song. A lot of clever rhymes, and some of his famous ones are in this. With the classic opening, "Nasty Nas in your area, about to cause mass hysteria". Damn a clever line, that wasn't even part of the verse.
            He did start some mass hysteria with this track that is for sure. Every verse is just fluid, and sounds hot as hell. He also puts a little story in their, but for the most part he is just spitting rhymes that are Illmatic. Some of the best of those are:

King poetic, too much flavor, I'm major
Atlanta ain't Brave-r, I'll pull a number like a pager
Cause I'm am ace when I face the bass
40-side is the place that is giving me grace
Now wait, another dose and you might be dead
And I'm a Nike head, I wear chains that excite the feds
And ain't a damn thing gonna change
I'ma performer (?) show the mic warmer was born to gain

I'm max like cassettes, I flex like sex
in your stereo sets, Nas will catch wreck
I used to hustle, now all I do is relax and strive
When I was young, I was a fan of the Jackson 5
I drop jewels, wear jewels, hope to never run it
With more kicks than a baby in a mother's stomach

I got to have it, I miss Mr. Magic
Versatile, my style switches like a faggot
But not bisexual, I'm an intellectual

n my place wit the bass and format
Explore rap, and tell me Nas ain't all that
And next time I rhyme, I be foul
Whenever I freestyle I see trial niggaz say I'm wow

And in the darkness, I'm heartless like when the NARCs hit
Word to Marcus Garvey I hardly sparked it
Cause when I blast the herb, that's my word
I be slayin them fast, doing this that and the third
But chill, past to Andre, and let's slay
I bag bitches up at John Jay, and hit a matinee

I could've just quoted the whole song, but these were my favorite parts. Like my goodness he puts a lot of words into each rhymes and makes every rhymes clever. This is clearly a song focusing on the rhymes.

            That isn't to say the beat isn't great to. The drums are top, really cool bass line as well. A Large Professor beat, and the whole Illmatic production team really put it together. So Halftime doesn't feel out of place, has the old-school feel. No electronics, just a simple beat to bob your head with. 

Samples:

Dead End- by Japanese Hair Cast, really shows Large Professors talent in filtering the drums. Ridiculous.

Soul Travelin'- Gary Byrd- samples the horns that you will hear in the chorus of Halftime. 

School Boy Crush- Average White Band- sampled in a lot of other hip-hop songs too! The vocals near the end of the sample are in the chorus of Halftime!

Wasn't too much to say for this post, but there is a lot to appreciate in this song. Hey! Maybe I didn't analyze something that you noticed! The beauty of music right there, everyone gets their own experience from each song.