Re-evaluating Nas' 'I Am...' After 25 Years
Re-evaluating Nas' 'I Am...' After 25 Years
Reflect on the evolution of Nas' album 'I Am...' as it reaches its 25-year milestone with our retrospective review.
Nas’ third studio album was initially planned to be a two-disc album, but because most of the recordings were stolen, it could only be adjusted to one record. This led to the widespread leakage of the album long before the prevalence of MP3 technology, and it became one of the many major records. Some of the songs in the album later appeared in the 2002 compilation album The Lost Tapes. When the album cover was shot, Nas was almost suffocated and became a legend behind the album. The songs in the album are also full of personal autobiography, especially in tracks such as “Fetus.”
Although there have been several pirated versions on the Internet over the years, the official version of the original two-disc album has yet to be leaked, and it is unclear whether this version is completed or exists. The incident marked a turning point in Nas’s musical career, not only because it changed the fate of a project but also because it revealed the power of the digital age on the music industry. Before the leak, I Am… was anticipated to be an innovative project that would profoundly combine Nas’s personal experiences and reflections on life and death into music.
While the final form deviated somewhat from the original vision that garnered a #1 album and mixed reviews, the album still showcases Nas’s versatility as a storyteller and the breadth of his musical reach. The experience also highlighted the challenges artists and record labels face in protecting unreleased works from illegal leaks in the digital age while also exploring how digitization is redefining the creation, distribution, and consumption of music.
“Nas Is Like” is a typical Nas work, which shows Nas’s talent for lyrics with its exquisite rhyme skills and rich metaphors. This song adopts the classic production style of DJ Premier. Its gripping rhythm and deep sample selection provide the perfect stage for Nas, allowing him to show his deep insight into life, art, and hip-hop culture. In this song, Nas not only self-states but also shows the audience the power of hip-hop music as a form of expression through wisdom and poetic language.
In contrast, “Hate Me Now” shows a more radical and provocative side of Nas. The song featuring Puff Daddy’s luxurious production and domineering chorus tells the story of Nas’s resistance to success and fame’s negative impact. In this song, Nas undisguisedly expresses his contempt for critics, insistence on his status, and determination to face challenges and disputes.
With delicate strokes and a unique musical style on “N.Y. State of Mind, Pt. II,” Nas vividly depicts the city’s dark corners, showing his feelings and understanding of the city of New York. In this song, Nas shows his unique literary talent and deep thinking about city life. His lyrics are full of descriptions of street culture, violent neighborhoods, and survival challenges, making people feel like they are on the streets of New York.
With “Small World,” he reflects on the multifaceted nature of society and the loneliness of individuals in the vast world. With his unique narrative skills, Nas depicts a world full of desire, power struggle, and betrayal. The complexity of this track reflects the depth and diversity of human nature. “Undying Love” is an emotional drama that shows Nas’s ability as a storyteller by telling a story about love, betrayal, and revenge. This song is a narrative of personal tragedy and a profound exploration of emotional limits and the dark side of human nature.
Nas and DMX had a long-standing friendship and mutual respect, which is evident in their natural chemistry on “Life Is What You Make It.” DMX’s gruff, high-energy style perfectly counters Nas’s smooth, precise flow. The two emcees trade verses seamlessly, their contrasting deliveries highlighting the track’s themes of struggle and perseverance. In “Favor for a Favor,” Nas and Scarface explore the complex web of relationships and loyalties in the streets. They emphasize the importance of reciprocity and having each other’s back while acknowledging the ever-present threat of betrayal. The track is a cautionary tale about the consequences of not honoring one’s word.
“You Won’t See Me Tonight” departs from the street narratives, focusing instead on a failing relationship. Produced by Timbaland, he grapples with feelings of heartbreak, mistrust, and regret as he and Aaliyah trade verses about a couple growing apart. Even though it’s one of the album’s weaker cuts, the song showcases Nas’ versatility as a storyteller, able to convey vulnerability and emotional depth.
The album’s best track, “Undying Love,” is a narrative track that tells a tragic story of betrayal and its aftermath. The song begins with the protagonist, presumably Nas himself, returning from a trip to Las Vegas, where the allure of the city’s gambling and nightlife is vividly depicted. Upon returning to New York, he discovers his keys are missing and senses something amiss at home. His suspicions lead him to find his wife in an intimate situation with another man. The discovery shatters his world, leading to an emotional chorus where he questions the love and trust he thought they shared.
The second verse escalates the drama as Nas meets with his friend Horse to confide in him about the betrayal. The intensity of his emotions is palpable as he reveals his plan for retribution. What follows is a violent confrontation that results in the deaths of the wife and her lover, an act driven by rage and heartbreak. As police surround the scene, Nas contemplates suicide while reflecting on religious themes and seeking solace in faith. The song concludes with a harrowing image: Nas taking his own life alongside his deceased wife, creating a dark and tragic ending to this story of undying love gone wrong.
In a hypothetical world, Nas managed to sidestep some of the major missteps of his early career by releasing his third LP as a two-disc concept album. This change prevented him from releasing the track “Hate Me Now,” one of his first attempts at a crossover hit. By not adding the song to the album, Nas avoided the involuntary mistake of making the “Hate Me Now” music video, which was considered both for its sensitivity to specific religious iconography and for going against the image Nas fans had come to expect.
Such a hypothesis not only shows the different possible trajectories of an artist but also provides thoughts on the “what if” of music history, allowing us to imagine a different possible musical field. Nas’s actions in this parallel universe have sparked discussion about how artists should balance their artistic vision with commercial success. Without the song “Hate Me Now,” and its accompanying music video, Nas’s artistic trajectory might have been more focused on his roots—pure rap skills and profound social observations.
When discussing artists like Nas and their work, we’re not just talking about the music. We’re talking about culture, social change, and the construction of personal identity and how these factors intersect in an artist’s work. Whether in reality or this fictional history, Nas’s music reflects and reflects social reality.