" LIFE IS ALWAYS GOOD "
There’s nothing like a little trauma to bring out the best in a writer. Luckily for top scribe Nas, he’s had a truckload of late.Since his last album four years ago, the man some see as New York’s greatest rapper (in a dead heat with Jay-Z) got divorced from his wife of two years (the avant-R&B singer Kelis. To sweeten the deal, she was seven months pregnant with his child. He also got sued by the IRS (to the tune of over $2.5 million in unpaid back taxes) and watched his daughter (from an earlier relationship) grow into a boy-crazy, Twitter-loving teen capable of turning this 38-year-old’s hair 50 shades of grey.
The divorce gets play right on the CD’s cover. It shows a contemplative Nas draping the green wedding dress worn by Kelis over his knee. (As the story goes, that’s the only thing she left in their house after the split.) Yet this is far than the bitter divorce CD some had expected. While references to Kelis bookend the album — and though early tipsters have compared the CD to Marvin Gaye’s classic post-divorce/screw-you screed of the ’70s, “Here, My Dear” — it turns out Nas’ title (“Life Is Good”) isn’t nearly in that sarcastic league. The recent controversies in the icon’s life seem to have brought out in him a mix of the philosophical, the nostalgic and the inspired. Nas’ new lyrics feature some of the densest, smartest rhymes in a career full of them. It also entwines politics, personal experience and even flashes of humor (something he’s hardly known for) into the star’s most encompassing verbal flourish since his masterpiece, “Illmatic.” Better, it reflects his age now as cogently as his classic did then. When “Illmatic” came out, Nas was just 21.
Now pushing 40, he has delivered the kind of mature rap album that proves that’s hardly a contradiction in terms. It helps that the music couldn’t be beter tailored to Nas’ broad and gripping flow. It’s a richly orchestrated work whose grandeur never undercuts its stone-cold funk. On cuts like “A Queens Story” and “Accident Murderers,” longtime producer Salaam Remi help Nas capture the street genius of ’80s and ’90s New York hip hop, but updated with a modern sheen. Guest rappers Rick Ross and Large Professor, with their deep voices and methodical flows, make ideal counterpoints to Nas’ needling, skittish style. R&B stars broaden the music out. Mary J. Blige sings a killer melody on “Reach Out,” Anthony Hamilton brings his poignant Southern soul to “World’s an Addiction,” while Amy Winehouse’s posthumously-released vocal on “Cherry Wine” has more jazz elasticity than anything on her hastily assembled postmortem CD. As bangin’ as the music may be, it’s Nas’ honesty that draws us close. Refusing to hide behind a character or even a persona, the rapper lays himself bare, detailing his problems and perceptions with such confidence and grace, it’s guaranteed that “Life Is Good” will make fans feel great.
~~~ Great Review!
source: nydailynews/urbanmessmag
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