Nas/Wu: Return to form?

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The debut albums of Nas and Wu are mostly hailed as hip hop classics while the follow-up albums have divided the crowd. With new albums on the horizon, some are now saying "ohhhhh 'Stillmatic' is gonna take it back to the 'Illmatic' tip" and "ohhhhh 'Iron Flag' is gonna take it back to the '36 Chambers' tip".

After hearing 'Stillmatic' and 'Iron Flag' (which you all will for the sake of your 2001 best of lists), how do you think of them in relation to the respective past discographies? Return to some form? Did these guys ever depart in the first place? Here's where you can express your thoughts on these albums while demonstrating your extensive knowledge of hip hop chronology.

― Honda, Monday, 10 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

oh.. and for obvious reasons, Jay-Z related commentary should be kept to a minimum.

― Honda, Monday, 10 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i like forever and the w as much as 36 chambers but nas is a different fucking story entirely. stealing the loop from that goddamned coldcut paid in full remix for his single isn't helping at all.

― ethan, Monday, 10 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

im with ethan. the wu never fell off cept with the white rock critics.

― chaki, Monday, 10 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the wu never fell off? bullshit. they slid down a short slope and then _plummeted_ off; jesus christ, the only good thing they've done (excepting about 1/3rd of the tracks from _wu tang forever_) since 1995 or so was the second ODB cd...

as for nas - was he ever really ON? he's always sounded pretty generic to me, and his penchant for weak, thoughtless rhymes and his sluggish, muffled voice never impressed me. best song i've heard with him was "you owe me," which he ruined by opening his gob.

― your null fame, Tuesday, 11 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

there was always good shit comin out the rza. ghost dog sdtrk, method man, ghostface, bobby d.

― chaki, Tuesday, 11 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well, whether Wu/Nas fell off or are still dope is one thing, but why the undeniable consensus break happened after the sophmore albums is another. Thats what I'm more curious about: why did people (fans, white rock crits, whoever) begin to lose faith? And after that... do you think these new releases might restore that faith, and if so, is it by "bringing it back"?

― Honda, Tuesday, 11 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I listened to more hip-hop over the last year than any other time in my life and 'The W' still ended up my most-played album. Forever I've heard maybe 4 or 5 times, the solo records are variable. But 'The W' is terrific, no doubt about that. "Iron Flag" has a great cover and I only heard it was even coming out last week.

― Tom, Tuesday, 11 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Based on early listens, I'd say no, they are not a return to form.

Nas has some good lyrics, but the production is just.... blah. Annoying pseudo gothic glockenspiels abound. He samples the Sopranos theme song. What's lamer than that? OK, sampling the Cold Cut mix of Paid in Full for your big comeback diss track is lamer than that.

Iron Flag sounds similarly flat. Nothing jumps out. But it might grow. The production is kind of interesting, in a way their smoothest yet. It's like adult Wu Tang. Kind of a scary prospect.

― Ben Williams, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Of the Wu, I've only heard "Uzi (Pinky Rink)" and "Rules" and both of those are slamming. I never expected to be excited by a Wu album, but I'm excited about Iron Flag now.

― Tim, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

As with most punters, find the verbal battles (especially the Westwood/Marley Marl shows, currently the most compelling radio to be heard anywhere) far more interesting than the music.

― Marcello Carlin, Monday, 17 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ok.. I started this thread too early. These albums have actually been released now so please forgive the thread-revival.

― Honda, Saturday, 29 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sorry, Honda. You have to go flagellate yourself now or something.

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 29 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Aww what? I thought you were the nicest poster.

― Honda, Saturday, 29 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Iron Flag is really good.

― chaki, Saturday, 29 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But I am nice! If I were mean, I'd actually be holding the whip, see. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 29 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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