Track Listing

1. Fetus
2. Doo Rags
3. My Way
4. U Gotta Love It
5. No Idea's Original
6. Blaze a 50
7. Everybody's Crazy
8. Purple
9. Drunk By Myself
10. Black Zombie
11. Poppa Was a Playa

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #80237 in Music
• Released on: 2002-09-23
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics

Amazon.co.uk Review
Collecting bootlegs, rarities, and "underground jewels" of the last few years into one tight collection, Nas's The Lost Tapes is intended as a vault-clearing stop-gap between his last work Stillmatic, and his long-awaited sixth album, God's Son. It's also a good way of keeping the name on people's lips: as Nas's war of words with rival New York hip-hop mogul Jay-Z shifts up a gear into a truly tabloid-worthy rap feud, it's clear that the winner is not just going to be the one that drops the best rhyme--it's going to be the one that hogs the column inches.

Those eager for some razor-sharp dissing will have to wait for the next album, however, because much of The Lost Tapes finds Nas in philosophical, reflective mood. "Doo Rags" is a vibrant, romantic vision of street life in the early 80s, Nas rapping of "the drinkers still drinking, and puffing the herb" over nostalgic Stevie Wonder-style piano flourishes, while "My Way" is a proud treatise on empire-building that ignores fatuous boasting in favour of a chronological approach that picks through history in sharp detail. There are dark moments: "Blaze A 50" is a grisly crime thriller set down on disc, while "Everybody's Crazy" fidgets with paranoia. But The Lost Tapes is, most of all, a reminder of this Brooklyn street poet's continuing lyrical excellence. That's a wise move, however you look at it. --Louis Pattison

CD Description
With I AM and STILLMATIC, Nas assured himself a permanent place in the history of hip-hop. The release of THE LOST TAPES, a collection of previously unreleased cuts recorded at those legendary sessions, adds to this considerable legacy. With most of these songs already cropping up as bootlegs on select underground mix tapes, this is the first official release featuring these songs mastered as Nas intended. Working with a number of sympathetic producers including The Alchemist, L.E.S., and Rockwilder, this gifted rhyme merchant drops captivating rhymes reflecting everyday life growing up in the Queensbridge projects, over a an assortment of mellow soulgrooves. Using samples by Barry White ("No Ideas Original"), Mandrill ("U Gotta Love It"), and Eddie Kendricks ("Poppa Was A Playa"), Nas avoids any cameos or hype, presenting hip-hop in a stripped-down state that reaffirms the man's reputation as one of the genre's true legends.

Customer Reviews

A hip hop classic
The Lost Tapes is yet another classic from Queensbridge's finest. It displays a content full of thoughful and well written tracks on head nodding beats from the catchy piano keys of 'doo rags' to the base heavy 'no idea's original' blessed by the alchemist. This album is a must have to any nas fan and indeed anyone who enjoys hip hop at its finest.

Great album.
This album is really good beside what anyone else says. The album starts with a track called 'fetus' which is a banging track, its one of my favourites, and i would imagine others too....
Nas keeps his flow and style throught the piece and never misses a beat.
RECOMMENDED FOR NAS FANS.

typically under-rated
One of the best albums I have heard in a long time. This is a true classic for real hip hop heads. Although it will never recieve the acclaim it deserves, the lyrics, flow and overall production of this album just reminds me what I love about Nas.