Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park) - Nas

Always a welcome track for reminiscing.

           Probably the happiest beat on the album. Certainly very uplifting much like "The World Is Yours", and it has quite a bit of heart in it. Really the meaning is in the title, Nas reflecting on some of his friends since past. Typical formula: Amazing rhmes + Amazing Production. Besides the sentimental value, it really is a fun song. Just from the start of vocals, then nas jumps right into the song! The song also holds another quality to "The World Is Yours", that is scratching! Happy beat, strong lyrics, hot scratching for both tracks! There you go, very similar songs, now let's see what makes them different.
           A lot of important lines, with some really strong lines that really stand out as they flow right past you, before you know it you are on to the next one. A lot of meaningful ones that hold the same value as the ones that flow incredible. Of course, this is Nas after all, are any of the rhymes wack? No, that would be silly. Nas reflects and recognizes his deceased friends, and some of his older friends since they are no longer with him, for whatever reason. He explains how he kicks back to remember the times and take his mind through memory lane, which is easily relatable as we always like to kick back and reminisce:

I drop the ancient manifested hip-hop, straight off the block
I reminisce on park jams, my man was shot for his sheep coat
Chocolate blunts make me see him drop in my weed smoke
It's real, grew up in trife life, did times or white lines
The hype vice, murderous nighttimes, and knife fights invite crimes
Chill on the block with Cognac, hold strap
with my peeps that's into drug money, market into rap

Really emphasizes the times he chilled back, but there was also a lot of violence to where he lived, adding two dimensions to the song, yet maintaining that jumpy, positive vibe. That quality is similar to the philosophy I spilled onto the "Life's A Bitch" post. 

Peace God -- now the shit is explained
I'm taking niggas on a trip straight through memory lane

Really special line. Simple to comprehend, so I think the message is spread abroad. Everyone always looks in their life for what exactly they can do. Some people, like Nas and myself, refer to God for some help. Nas doesn't need his help anymore thus, "Peace God", and has found his true place in the world. That gives a sense of satisfaction, and boosts that happy feel to the song, adding accomplishment to the platter of positive emotions on "Memory Lane (Sittin' in Da Park)". As does the beat of course.

          

The beat really runs the mood in music, and the lyrics map out specific instructions. These instructions are given to the listener to make their experience true to what the artist wanted to express. However, some thoughts tend to run wild, and stray off course. A natural attention deficit in music, which can lead to something really meaningful. 


          With that said, the beat of course runs the song to be positive and fun. The 2nd track off Illmatic that is produced by DJ Premier. I shall list the samples first, to help explain each piece of the beat.


"We're in Love" by Reuben Wilson
"Pickin' Boogers" by Biz Markie
"Droppin' Science" by Craig G
"Get out of My Life, Woman" by Lee Dorsey


The organ and the soft vocals are the basic structure of the song. Both sampled from "We're in Love".  And the chorus is sampled from Biz Marke's "Pickin' Boogers". And "Comin' out of Queensbridge" is sampled from Craig G's "Droppin' Science". The drums are sampled from "Get out of My Life, Woman". All these great works, which I have become quite fond of each of these tracks, has lead to even greater love for this track. A lot of interesting samples, some just to add touches and fun stuff to the chorus and such. Took Premo a lot of work to get these all to blend, or so I imagine. And of course, to top the track off Premo adds his own scratching to the chorus, giving a really fun jumpy vibe to the song. It is overall a great track, with some insightful words, unique samples, and a fun beat.






           Hope this post has taken you down memory lane. Or perhaps the song takes you down memory lane, every time you are sitting in the park.

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. 

The World Is Yours - Nas

Not a real jumpy track on Illmatic yet.

Let's see what Pete Rock and Nas can do about that.

           A more upbeat track for Illmatic. Not as philosophical as Life's A Bitch of course, but still clever lyrics and an absolutely killer performance by Nas. A lot of clever lines, but there is no direct message. Other than the world is yours, and with those simple words it becomes a motivational song. Looking at the entire song it really does bump you up, with the uplifting beat, and the fun and slick rhymes from Nas.
          I will just put some of my favorite lines down:

I sip the Dom P, watchin Gandhi til I'm charged
Then writin in my book of rhymes, all the words pass the margin
To hold the mic I'm throbbin, mechanical movement

Understandable smooth shit that murderers move wit

Wipe the sweat off my dome, spit the phlegm on the streets
Suede Timb's on my feets, makes my cypher, complete(quoted a lot)

 I trip we box up crazy bitches aimin guns in all my baby pictures

Beef with housin police, release scriptures that's maybe Hitler's

How ya livin large, a broker charge, cards are mediocre

You flippin coke or playin spit spades in strip poker

I can actually say I like the 3rd verse the most. Believe me I love them all, it is just I couldn't think of one rhyme up from that verse, therefore I didn't wanna just post the entire verse. Yet, you could really say any line is my favorite. They are all so well blended I even had trouble selecting the lines. I tried putting in one rhyme and thought, "Oh! That line is laced with that one right before it!". Ha, very good job Nasir, kickin' ass on the track. Oh yeah and so is Pete Rock.

           The beat is really cool. Has that old school feel to it, drums are hot. And that piano chord is absolutely catchy and really puts the happiness in this song. And my next favorite quality of this track is the scratching. Pete Rock does an incredible job cutting and scratching after the 2nd verse, when he says, "Break it down!". He is also the one that says the chorus along with Nas. Really fun track, and the scratches are just great. He breaks it up throughout the track. So you are really focusing on a lot. Which makes the track a terrific one, making you jump from one thing to a next. And all those things; verses, beat, and scratches; are all in top quality. There you have it another great track from Illmatic.

BTW: Samples:

Piano: Ahmad Jamal- I love music(love the song title)

&

T La Rock's "It's Yours" for the drums.

Life's A Bitch - Nas

Maybe my favorite song. Truly Powerful

A track that makes you look out at the world.

          This might just be my favorite song from Nas, and most definitely my favorite song from Illmatic. In terms of my whole library it is right up there with Late by Kanye West. Just to give you an idea of how much I love this song. The song is certainly famous, with a now classic feel to the song, incredible, and I mean incredible verses, all the features are just great. And the message is just deep, a real track to just think about life. I mean this song is just incredibly touching, something that you can reflect your whole life on. Ah man, it is ridiculous, words can't describe this song.
           The song is very quotable. AZ and Nas spit some of the best verses ever. I really haven't heard better, but thanks to the beat that also puts them above other verses with potential. Still, you just have to listen to AZ and Nas multiple times, as you can't possibly tell what they are saying the first time. That is when you know a rap is good, you just get lost in the words. All that is rapped is clearly hot and philosophical, so I will post stuff with the best message, in my own opinion of course:

(AZ):Others such as myself are tryin to carry on tradition
Keepin the schwepervesence street ghetto essence inside us
Cause it provides us with the proper insight to guide us

I really saw this as AZ saying stick to your roots. If you don't take experience with you; specifically the "street ghetto essence" in this case(which could otherwise be the struggles in your life, in which case you learn a lot of life); you won't learn and be able to make good choices later on in life. Take everything you have experienced throughout life. That line really gives you nostalgia, making your past flash bye as each words takes you somewhere else.

(Nas): I switched my motto -- instead of sayin fuck tomorrow

That buck that bought a bottle could've struck the lotto

Small choices can lead to the biggest possibilities. That is what that line means simple and plain, really another crazy philosophy, makes you think about everything you do. 

           Nas and AZ really do a great job rapping. Even if you are a shallow thinker when it comes to music, you would have appreciate there lyricism. On the other hand, they really build a lot of thought in my head. Taking you through their past, some important decisions, and their life now. Really they do equally well to give their own spin off. It doesn't feel repetitive either, considering how well the verses are constructed.

           The beat was produced by L.E.S. Although it was more sampled actually. If you listen to "Yearning For Your Love" by the Gap Band and the smaller portion of the sample is from "Black Frost" by Grover Washington, Jr. The track really relaxes you and just blends with the verses to feel absolutely changed every time you listen. It has a nice jazzy feel to it, as the bass helps me vibe to the song. It has some mysterious aura to the whole sound, I can't quite break down the whole hum of it by instrument. Oh well, beautiful regardless. The beat keeps it fairly simple, nothing too complex or any transitions. Thank goodness, or I wouldn't be able to handle my thoughts transition as I heard the volley of words from Nas and AZ at the same time of a more elaborate beat, I suppose anyways. Then as if the song couldn't get better, I just get swept away by Olu Dara playing the cornet. Man the jazz feel just fits right in with the beat. Olu is actually Nas' father, which makes the track even more special. The cornet just carries me all the way to the end as I picture all these things in life. Then silently goes out...

             I imagine a lot of scenarios each time I hear the song. But if I look at it from the Queensbridge projects, a lot of stuff happens. As I mentioned before, Nas makes me fascinated in the project life. Yet, instead of the violence and grittiness of N.Y. State of Mind, Life's A Bitch holds a more peaceful feel to it. I imagine a beautiful sunny day in the streets of QB. Somehow it was a good day, and you are just standing on the roof looking at the sunset. I picture someone at ease, as if they have just succeeded, and have gotten a guarantee that life may just work out. Then as the cornet starts they just walk away, just like the song walks away, and perhaps everything I have ever experienced, I have just walked away from. I am moving on to something I just don't know what. It is really the prelude to We Major, it is the plan to reach that success. Oh it really paints a beautiful world in my head, not the projects, but just as if something beautiful is going to happen in life. Yet, maybe it already has, and you are just reflecting.

That is why Life's A Bitch is a legendary track, it takes you back, but moves you forward. That is why the track is so powerful, it moves you so quickly through a flash of your life, but makes you dream of what is ahead, and all that can happen. Giving the song the opportunity to shine anytime in your life(Which actually relates to Nas' quote up above, those small decisions can lead to something ultimate). That means during: success, times of peace and hope, or when you are depressed, and perhaps hopeful to one day reach your goals, whatever that may be.

No other way to say it, for now anyways.

Hope you enjoyed reading this, sorry if it doesn't all flow together very well, just wanted to spit some philosophy. 

N.Y. State of Mind - Nas

This song really takes me into the world of QB projects. 

While violent and dangerous, it is just cool how Nas takes 

you right into that world

           The first actual song on Illmatic. All about the whole experience living in the QB housing projects of New York. Of course it isn't the lightest song. A very gritty feel to the lyrics and story. Nas does an excellent job of painting a vivid image, really getting me to feel the song. And that is just one of the many great qualities of Nas. Kind of ironic to think he started the track saying, "man I don't know how to start this shit", right before spitting one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever.
           What makes the song so great? Nas of course. If you don't know, he has an incredible flow, clever lines, thought provoking lyrics, and an immense vocabulary which makes his rhymes so intelligent. Just listening to him when he describes shoot outs is pretty intense. He doesn't overdose you with too many words, so he can rap fast, and it gives everyone to imagine their own picture of the song. He also drops the famous line:

I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death

And my favorite rhyme: 

Life is parallel to hell but I must maintain

Very simple meaning. Yet I couldn't possibly list all the lines, as they are all clever and sound awesome.

          And of course don't forget the beat. Simple beat, like I described to you in the last post. Classic instrumental at this point. Starts with synths, simple beeping noise, and the piano and drums accompany you as Nas spits a legendary track. Produced by DJ Premier. And they really make a duo, with Nas holding the mic, and Premo producing, the song will always be classic. Just look at all the songs with Nas & Premier, all great. 

A great track, really gotta love it. I admit at first I didn't really feel for the beat when I first heard it, it has grown onto me and now I love the song. No surprise though, everything is Illmatic on this album, pun intended. 

Tomorrow we will here another classic, with arguably one of the best verses in Hip-Hop history.