Nas: It Was Written

I’ve been spending a lot of time relistening to It Was Written. When the album came out in 1996, the commercial success of “If I Rule The World” dominated the masterpiece. With my limited English at the time, I only appreciated tracks with banging beats like “The Message,” “Street Dreams,” and “Affirmative Action.” Coming back to it 27 years later, I have a deeper appreciation for Nas as a lyricist. Every track is solid storytelling. “Live Nigga Rap” with Mobb Deep is just so raw. It took me almost 3 decades to realize this sophomore effort is just as good as his debut.