When you hear the record now nearly eight years after their Erstrelease again one can well understand the arguments put forward at that time still. Nas, who is considered one of the most refined and copywriter who has in his career also produced some very interesting song concepts disappointed largely.
Mediocre descriptions of life on the road make up the largest part of the album. Which, though written neatly crafted, but never unfold the "theater of the mind" as some of his legendary lyrics on "Illmatic" or even later albums. If he raps "Jewelry, cars and Jeeps is my motto / Four-fives with the hollows, silencers on the nozzles / Pop bottles with Those Who left here / The Best Years, wearin a bulletproof vest years" (Nastradamus) that is in the field from somewhere-before-okay but hardly memorable. Notable exception is "Project Windows," which shines with a Ron Isley feature and a Nas offers at its best: "At night the windows were speakers, pumpin 'life out / a fight, people screamin' cus somebody pulled a knife out / So I look at this poem, I'm hooked to this tune / everynight the same melody, bright sounded so heavenly. "
Another problem in addition to the most average texts are often uninspired, presented in half a singsong Hooks (Nastradamus, Shoot 'Em Up, God Love Us) that a light hanging out the neck after repeated listening. Overall, the album offers little highlights. In addition to the already mentioned "Project Windows," still stand "Last Words", "Family" (with a still really hungry Prodigy) and "Come Get Me" (produced by DJ Premier, though worlds of "Nas Is Like" removed) Highlighted ,
The productions not provide mood upward outliers. Mostly here is the same sound as in "I Am ..." dangers and few songs commanded you still need to hear necessarily. LES takes ausgelutschte samples and still tinkering a reasonably good number of it (Nastradamus) and in today's Timbaland hype can be here even listen what the man has already produced for banalities: "You Owe Me" does not sound like updated New Jack, more well ,
After all the criticism you have on the other hand also concede that few total failures can be found on the album. The already mentioned "You Owe Me" is not at all thanks Ginuwine and "New World" is perhaps the most trashy Millenium song the pop music has spawned a whole.
Overall, perhaps deserves more leniency than then "Nastradamus". The bad opinions about the album originated probably also out of fear that you saw already slipping into mediocrity Nas. He has impressively punished with the successor lies albums such fears. For a complete reassessment of the album (like KRS-One probably envision when he raps "Nastradamus, i seen that, what you ahead of your time") on the other hand also no reason. "Nastradamus" is not bad, but to recommend an extremely uninspired and boring album and only real Nas fans.
