Nas is in my top 3, if not top 1, but I was never anticipating this too highly. Maybe if this was released when it was hinted at any moons ago I would've been, but Premo hasn't been a consistently dope producer for a long, long time. Many people say since PRhyme or PRhyme 2 which was already 10 years ago, but I would say it goes further back than that. Apologists argue lots of things, like this is the sound they were going for. Or it has that 90s feel. Or what did you expect? Or it will be a grower. Most things are a grower if you listen to them on repeat... Flat beats, are flat beats. Nas has saved beats in the past, and does his thing here, but I think he was spitting better on a lot of his recent featuring verses and albums like KD3 than he is here. The rapping is still of high quality though, but the bars aren't that interesting at times. The hooks are again lacking, which is something I say a lot about modern hip hop and said on quite a few of Nas' albums with Hit-Boy. All in all, there are some original concepts but nothing goes beyond good here. There isn't one top tier Nas track and most of all that's down to the beats and lack of memorable hooks. A lot of blame has been put on Premo but there's no i in team. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★ Hooks: ★★☆ Best Tracks: My Life Is Real, NY State of Mind Pt. 3, Sons (Young Kings), Nasty Esco Nasir 1. My Life Is Real 2. GiT Ready 3. NY State of Mind Pt. 3 I don't understand the hate for this production. It feels dark like the originals and the change up (something producers forget to do these days) between the verses and hook is something a lot of songs on this album, and from hip hop as a whole, these days is missing. There are way too many lazy producers and artists who basically loop a few seconds worth of music for 3-4 minutes. At least there is variety. 4. Welcome to the Underground This one drags on. The beat doesn't change up enough and all the break we did is some scratches of Ice Cube saying the title 5. Madman Nas tells us about his come up. Kind of another dark theme to the production. Nas is rapping his ass off but the beat again doesn't do enough to make it memorable with short vocals scratches again for the hook. 6. Pause Tapes We get a history lesson about an early way of sampling. 7. Writers Prem and Nas both mentioned this as one of the favs from the album. Lots of shouting out of names like on 'Bouquet (To the Ladies)' that won't mean a lot to most people. 8. Sons (Young Kings) I predicted this one. I wrote in my review of 'Life Is Good' that, "He'll have to create a song about his son on his next album though. He can't show favouritism." Well, maybe not the "next album" part. I like the low-fi type of production here. One of the more likeable beats. 9. It's Time 10. Nasty Esco Nasir Nas brings his alter-egos. 11. My Story Your Story An average reunion with AZ. From the cringe intro, outro, topics, rapping, to the beat, I don't get this song. Again, nothing much if anything changes with the production during the hook. 12. Bouquet (To the Ladies) Nas spends the last 90 seconds just shouting out any female rapper here no matter how wack they are or with any engagement for the listener. If you're going to do this, rap it in bars something like Eminem did on 'Yah Yah'. Give it some replay value. Prior to that it's a decent ode to the ladies. 13. Junkie Another average hook. 14. Shine Together More just scratching vocals for the hook again... I like the production a little more than a number of songs. 15. 3rd Childhood

This kicks off with the usual high tempo No Limit song with Mia playing a bit part as four other No Limit soldiers take over and the same can be said on a few other tracks too. The next samples 'Yearning for Your Love' by The Gap Band that you'd have to do a lot wrong with to make a bad song from it. I don't know if it's poor mixing but Mia's vocals sound drowned out though. It's a decent pop rap song. Again, Mia plays a small role on 'Don't Start No Shit' with Master P taking over for the most part. 'I Think Somebody' has unique production. 'Ghetto Livin'' is one of the best with its well crooned hook. 'Daddy' is a heartfelt song dedicated to Mia's father. For a No Limit album there is a decent amount of topics away from the g-rap. There's nothing to write home about but it's worth a listen if you like The Tank's sound. Beats: ★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Bring It On, What's Ya Point, Ghetto Livin', Daddy 1 Bring It On 74 2 Whatcha Wanna Do 64 3 Don't Start No Shit 60 4 Mama Drama 54 5 Imma Shine 67 6 I Think Somebody 60 7 Mama's Tribute 50 8 What's Ya Point 72 9 Thugs Like Me 60 10 Ride or Run 66 11 TRU Bitches 67 12 Puttin' It Down 63 13 Ghetto Livin' 70 14 Play Wit Pussy 60 15 Don't Blame Me 64 16 Daddy 70 17 Like Dat 64 18 Sex Ed. 54 19 Flip 2 Rip 50 20 Fallen Angels (Dear Jill) 64

Apart from a couple of R&B/pop themed songs in the middle of the album ('I Think About' and 'For Tonight') this is just hard trap song after trap song. If you like the genre you'll find something to bop your head to, but it's far from essential. Best Tracks: Lets Go, Get Active, Mash Out, Lets Run It

There is nothing I'm popping into a best of hip hop playlist here, but it's a consistently solid project (minus 'Trill Man Dem'). Bun is such a smooth rapper and it's a shame we don't hear more from him on this feature filled album. Statik Selektah, must you place your tag on every song when you're on the album art? You're Mine (feat. Busta Rhymes) 74 Crooklyn 25 (feat. NEMS & Talib Kweli) 70 Junkyard Dogs (feat. Bone Crusher) 70 Trill Man Dem (feat. Yaadcore & Friyie) 30 Before the Storm (feat. Neek Da Skittz) 64 Still At It (feat. Talib Kweli) 70 Let Me Know (feat. Termanology & Tony Sunshine) 80 To the Ceiling (feat. Billie Essco, Premo Rice & Robb Bank$) 80 Evening Prayer (feat. Recoechi & Billie Essco) 74 Bringing Polo Back (feat. Propain, Oti$ & Gp 4/5) 74 1 Time 4 Da 5th (Outro) (feat. JFK) 60

The Game has almost always sounded stronger over harder, more aggressive production. Here, though, the sound leans more towards where he, and hip hop, has been leaning with his more recent music - softer beats built around soul sample loops and a noticeable drop in the energy that defined his best work. There isn’t much I rate highly on this mixtape which was put together quickly. When he has something to say, The Game can still be a sharp MC, but I’m hoping 'The Documentary 3' goes in a very different production direction. He used to have probably the best ear for beats in the game, and while these aren't bad, they sound more like the boring shit everyone else is doing. The two best I've listed below are harder, with more energy. Beats: ★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★ Hooks: ★★☆ DJ Drama: ☆ Best Tracks: Amerikkka's Nightmare, The Coast Guard