Album Review: King’s Disease by Nas

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, better known by his stage name Nas, is an American rapper and songwriter. Nas has established himself as one of the greatest rappers of all time and King’s Disease is a testimony of Nas’ relevance even in 2020. Nas tackles a variety of problems on the project ranging from capitalism to the struggles of black people and as a veteran of the rap world his opinion matters. Nas presents smooth flows and his ability to ride a beat conferres a smoothness to his hyper-literate bars. With Hit-Boy at the helm for album No. 13, Nas and his beats seem entirely in tune with sparse instrumentation and subdued drum loops, giving plenty of runway for the lyrics to be center stage. The creative process seems more organized and thought out, allowing Nas to do all the things he’s good at, without embellishing any of them. The highs are packed with the lyrical cinematic experience fans come to expect from a legend of his caliber.

Let’s take a look at my favourites from the album: • King’s Disease: the titular track starts off the album with a soulful sample, giving us an insight into what the album would be. Nas raps about his legacy and his position in the current rap game. Acts as a perfect opener for this project. • Blue Benz: Nas draws parallels between his life when he was starting out and where he stands now. The higher pitched voice is Nasty Nas and the lower pitched is his current self. The smooth flow makes him glide perfectly on this Hit-Boy beat. • Car #85: Charlie Wilson provides backing vocals and they along with Nas’s bars and a piano beat make this song gorgeous. On this joint he talks about his version of New York and dwells into nostalgia for the city he grew up in. • Ultra Black: Nas on a bar describes this song for you “This shit ‘posed to slap”. Nas pays tribute to the black culture and the hip hop community he grew up in. Dissing Doja Cat and throwing a few other shades, this is one of the most enjoyable tracks on this project. A shoutout to that lovely outro. • 27 Summers: The production takes a darker side on this cut with hard 808’s, bells and rattling hi-hats. It’s been 27 summers since Nas’s debut album Illmatic in 1994. This track from his 2020 album has Nas reflecting on the wealth and success he’s accumulated over his career. • Replace Me: “Replace Me” is a lovelorn posse cut from this inter-generational trio of G.O.O.D. music affiliates. On the chorus, Don Toliver croons about a lover who will miss him when he’s gone; he’ll enjoy his life of luxury to the fullest until they meet again. Nas and Big Sean deliver verses about a partner who did not appreciate everything they gave to the relationship; replacing their love will not be easy. • All Bad: this song has Anderson .Paak written all over it with the way the percussions play along and he delivers a solid feature on this cut. The song is addressing to a lost love, someone who was a great fit with Nas but ultimately their relationship did not work out. Nas talks about an old school lover managing a relationship in the new age. • The Definition: Nas and Brucie B talk about the state of the black community in the chaotic political situation in the United States. Nas speaks like a true veteran, giving out his valuable insight into the problems. • Full Circle: “Full Circle” is a reunion of The Firm, a hip-hop group that consisted of Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown and Cormega. Also boasting a secret feature from Dr Dre, it’s a pleasure to see them going bar to bar on a dark and gritty Hit-Boy beat. • The Cure: The final song in the album ‘ King’s disease’ , Nas opens up and talks about his career. The song’s title, likely coincides with the album’s title, possibly being a cure for the “Kings Disease”.

Everything in this album falls perfectly into place be it the features or Nas’s smooth, laid back delivery. Nas talks like a veteran of the hip-hop world and speaks from his experience that is widely regarded in his community. Sonically, King’s Disease takes a step forward in dissolving Nas’ reputation for choosing less-than-stellar production on many of his projects. From start to finish, this album ceases to stray from its main concept, and Nas doesn’t have to sacrifice the quality of his music to do so. Primarily produced by Hit-Boy, King’s Disease delivers a feel good project, appropriate for the times and hits the mark as being one of the better rap albums of the year. I give this album a 8/10. Here’s a link to the album.