Two years after the exceptional "God's Son", Nas comes back with the highly anticipated double-disc eighth album "Street's Disciple". Many assume that an artist, ten years into their career wouldn't be able to release a high-quality album, let alone a two-disc album. But evidently, Nasir Jones defies any predetermined accusations. "Street's Disciple" finds Nas experimenting with new sounds as well as diving into a deeper, more poignant realm of lyricism, mixing old with some new. Highlights include the social conscious "American Way", the sentimental "Just a Moment", the introspective "Live Now", the instantly intriguing "Street's Disciple", the in-depth "Unauthorized Biography of Rakim", the Doug E. Fresh inspired "Virgo", the rapidly delivered "Suicide Bounce", the reminiscent "Getting Married", the first single "Bridging The Gap", the "In A Gadda Da Vida"-sampled "Thief's Theme", and the best track, the melancholy "A Message To The Feds, Sincerely, We The People". The only thing that really falters this album is the production; while most of the experimentation works well, some just seem out of place, sounding "awkward" rather than "innovative". But what double disc album doesn't have its flaws? Driven by substantial lyrics and charismatic flow, it easily overshadows any minor flaw. Ultimately, "Street's Disciple" might not be the perfect double-disc album, but it comes close.

Ever since "Illmatic", Nas has proved time and time again why he is considered one of the top rappers in the rap game. I have been a Nas fan ever since I heard "It Ain't Hard To Tell". Some of my all time favorite Nas songs are "NY State Of Mind", "One Love", "Life's A B", " We Will Survive", "Blaze A 50", "Made U Look", etc. Over his rap career, Nas has made a few missteps as well such as his "Nastradamus" CD.

The first song that I heard from "Street's Disciple" was "Thief's Theme". This song sounded like earlier Nas tracks and was definitely in heavy rotation for the summer and fall of 2004. I then heard "You Know My Style" on a mixtape and then I knew that "Street's Disciple" would be right up there with Nas' greatest CDs such as "Illmatic", "Stillmatic" and "The Lost Tapes".

Disc 1

This CD starts off with "A Message To The Feds, Sincerely, We The People". The majority of the time when Nas releases a song, he has a message tied behind what he is saying and that is clearly the case on this song and on the next track, "Nazareth Savage". Nas has always been known as a "rap prophet". Nas always uses moments in his CDs to let the listener know what is on his mind by telling you his opinions on what is going on in the world today. These 2 tracks are two of my favorite tracks on Disc 1. On "Amercian Way", Nas' wife Kelis joins in on the hook to let us know about how they feel about what is going on in America today. Q Tip, from A Tribe Called Quest, who produced "One Love" from Nas' Illmatic CD, samples George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" to use for the beat of this song and that actually hepls you to pay attention to the message that Nas & Kelis are saying in this song. On "These Are Our Heroes", Nas has a special message for the Blacks who he feels aren't doing what they can in the Black community. Kobe Bryant, Taye Diggs, Cuba Gooding Jr. and others feel Nas' wrath in this song. However, Nas makes sense in what he is saying. "Disciple" sounds as if it's a tribute to Kool G Rap as the track will definitely remind you of "Road To Riches". "Sekou Story" and "Live Now" is a 2 part song featuring Scarlett. Nas tells a story about a man who came up by hustlin' and found that the price of fame would cost him his life. Scarlett plays the roll as the woman in Sekou's life. The two songs blend well together, although you will notice alot of Lil Kim & Foxy Brown influences in Scarlett's rap style. Amerie, who joined Nas on Stillmatic's "Rule" and has a banger out right now with "One Thing" joins Nas on my favorite song of Disc 1, "Rest Of My Life". If you are a Nas fan, then this is the Nas that you want to hear 100% of the time as Nas takes the slow L.E.S. and Chucky Thompson beat and tears the track to shreds. "Just A Moment" features Quan on the rap and has him singing the hook as well. When Nas was in DC, I saw him at Dream, and this song was phenominal live. If Quan comes out with the right people nehind him, he can definitely be a force to reckon with in the future.

Disc 2

As with most double CDs, the second CD always fails in comparison with Disc 1. Although, Disc 2 does have its moments, Disc 1 is clearly better. Disc 2 starts out with "Suicide Bounce" featuring Busta Rhymes on the hook. Nas produces the track and while the song is actually pretty good, it won't hold weight to anything on Disc 1. "Street's Disciple" does better justice as Nas joins his father Olu Dara, just as he does on "Bridging The Gap", "Street's Disciple's" current single. On "Bridging The Gap" Nas breaks the trend of what a single should be as there are no club references and The Neptunes, Kanye West and Timbaland aren't producing the track. I am glad that Nas likes to go against what the current trend of what hip hop is during at the current time. On "U.B.R.", Nas creates an unauthorized biography of Rakim. If you do not know who Rakim is then I consider that you seek treatment immediately. "It's been a long time, I shouldn't left you, without a dope rhyme to step to". That's a famous quote from one of the greatest rappers of all time. On "U.B.R", Nas does justice to Rakim as he speaks about how Eric B & Rakim changed hip hop and Nas tells you about Rakim's upbringing as well. On "Virgo", Nas, Ludacris & Doug E Fresh tell the ladies about how the Virgo's do things. (Each rapper's sign is Virgo). Doug E Fresh is on the beat box as Nas & Ludacris have nice rhymes on the Salaam Remmi track. On "Remember The Times", Kelis allows Nas to reminisce on the times that he had with woman before the two of them got together. The track is actaully pretty good and will remind you about Nas' famous songs about women in general like "Oochie Wally", "Black Girl Lost", and "K.I.S.S.I.N.G.".

After "Remember The Times", you will not be to happy with Nas after hearing "The Makings Of A Perfect B", "Getting Married", and "No One Else In The Room" w/Maxwell. Although, "Getting Married" is decent, the other two songs don't sound like anything that you would hear from a "Street's Disciple".

This is pretty much the problem with a double CD. If you are dealing with over 20 songs, then you'll have 15 real tight songs, maybe 4 alright songs and 5 songs that should not have even seen the light of day. However, with Nas still having 21-22 songs that I can listen to out of 25, I still will give him a 5 star review.

"Street's Disciple" is right up there with Nas' best CDs. Salaam Remmi, L.E.S., and Chucky Thompson give Nas phenominal production and Nas does the rest with tight lyrics and limited rap guest appearances on the CD. However, the track "Serious" with AZ should have been on this double disc. That song is "crazy". Overall, Nas has already solidified his standing in the rap game. If you are a Nas fan then "Street's Disciple" has to be in your collection.

James' Top 8 (Disc 1 & Disc 2)

1) Rest Of My Life w/Amerie

2) Nazareth Savage

3) Just A Moment w/Quan

4) Thief's Theme

5) Sekou Story w/Scarlett

6) Live Now w/Scarlett

7) You Know My Style

8) U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography Of Rakim)

What could possibly live up to this crowning in these times? These times that we live in where commercialism has pushed once vaulted hardcore hip hop to appease far flung places as suburban Minneapolis? These times that have forced the underground alternate hip hop to create formulas and duos to attract sales? These times that has Atlanta/South as the major force driving mainstream hip hop in all it's crunkness? The answer in my current humble opinion is Nas' latest...Streets Disciple.

This was actually the album I was looking from Nas since Illmatic. Where Illmatic was raw and unbridled, Street's Disciple is raw yet refined and focused. This is a very mature album and Nas touches on many different subjects - political, introspective, generational, historical, familial, personal, and more. He uses his verbal mastery to spew content over dope tracks out of the typical beats you would hear today. I can't recognize a Timbaland or Neptunes or Jazze Pha beat anywhere. R. Kelly is not on this album; neither is Missy Elliot. He even flows over some old school beats as a change up. In fact, a major convention he breaks is that many of these songs don't have that standard radio format: 16 bars, 8 bar hook, repeat.

The only albums I can compare Streets Disciple to are Illmatic and The Black Album. Jay-Z's last album was a very mature and creative album as well. But what it lacked was synergy between the songs; they did not flow well together. Part of that may have been by design in having different heavy weight producers. But that took away from the full greatness the Black Album could have been to be an album full of ready made hit singles.

An album is more than that as Illmatic proved over 10 years ago. It was brash and gritty and to the point. What was said needed to be said and no more. Nas has had very notable recent albums in Stillmatic and God's Son but while they are stand outs, they are next generation Illmatic wannabees; nearly reaching the pinnacle he set in 94. Streets Disciple does exactly what Illmatic did in that it channels Nas' current insights with verbal cinematics.

The danger in being a street griot is that once you make millions and are no longer on the street, what are you going to talk about (this will be a forthcoming problem for 50 Cent). When you are a poet and can better use your talents to floss and make more millions, why bother with real topics (this in my opinion is a failing of Jay-Z). But what his other albums have not done, Streets Disciple actually surpasses Illmatic. It is better. It is simply better than what I always thought was one of the best 3 hip hop albums of all time (Illmatic enjoys status with 36 Chambers and Ready to Die on my list).

A drawback could be that it's a long album, but like a 3 hour movie that has focus it does not drag on at all. No tracks are retreads of earlier tracks. I have not mentioned the tracks or the specific subject matter, just like a movie, so as not to spoil it for those who have not yet heard it.

This is simply the most lyrical, creatively bold, musical, mature, ambitiously clever, well executive-produced hip hop album I have ever heard. So where does it rank for me right now? Does it displace my top 3? The answer is no...Nas created a new category with this album.

Nas is without a doubt the most talented rapper alive, and is definately up there with the greatest hiphop artists ever. That's why so much hype surrounded this album, and it's without a doubt worth the wait.

It's a double album, with each disc having it's own individual feel to it. CD One is quite political, and on tracks like the Kelis assisted 'American Way' he says exactly what he feels about the government. 'Nazareth Savage' contains some of the tightest lyrics ever spoken by Nas on record, and no Nas album would be complete without a dig at someone, and Kobe Bryant gets his treatment on 'These Are Our Heroes'. Nas also teams up with a brilliant female rapper Scarlett on tracks 'Sekhou Story' and 'Live Now'- two excellent tracks that link together.

CD Two has a more personal feel to it. It starts with a blast-'Suicide Bounce' featuring Busta Rhymes, and later he teams up with Ludacris for the brilliant 'Virgo'. Despite these high-profile guest rappers, none can match up to the flow that Nas shows on the album. This CD also contains the two singles 'Thieves Theme' and 'Bridging the Gap', and the highlight of the album 'War'- a very personal track with a strong chorus from Keon Brice.

CD One is Nas at his absolute lyrical best, and Nas fans will slightly prefer this CD to the second one for the lyrical skill shown. CD Two is still excellent and more emphasis is placed on the beats, even thought the lyrics are still amazing. The only two let-down tracks feature on CD2, which are 'No-one else in the room' and 'Me and You', but they're not awful and do not in any way damage an absolutely superb album.

Definately the greatest hiphop album brought out in recent years, and an absolute must-have for any hiphop fan!

Ambitious, progressive and experimental are a few words that come to my mind when describing Nas (AKA Nasir Jones) latest effort, the new double album "Street's Disciple" (2004). Running in at a total of twenty-five tracks, this has easily been one of the year's most anticipated Rap albums.

Disc 1:

Nas follows a strong intro up with "A Message to The Feds, Sincerely We The People", backed by a banging beat Nas rhymes with hunger addressing the Feds, while paying tribute to the streets, incarcerated and the oppressed. Nas reps himself with a fast flow on "Nazareth Savage", then hooks up with wife to be Kelis on the political "American Way" dropping some strong opinions. The beat to "These Are Our Heroes" is mellow, but the content is not, Nas rips up Kobe Bryant, fake rappers, snitches, bad role models while giving praise to people he thinks are good role models, the track ends on a humorous note. Nas rhymes with attitude on "Disciple". Nas then gives relatively unknown female MC Scarlett a chance to shine on "Sekou Story" and "Live Now". The first track of these is decent, while the later is outstanding, Nas pictures his last days, and reminds people to live for the moment. Nas then reflects on some of his life events with "Rest of My Life". Another excellent track and one of my favorites off this album is "Just A Moment", Nas & singer/rapper Quan deliver a very memorable collaboration. Emily provides a smooth chorus for "Reason" a track where Nas goes deep telling real life stories. Nas then closes off the first disc with "You Know My Style".

Disc 2:

The second disc opens up with the powerful "Suicide Bounce", Nas delivers some memorable lyrics while Busta Rhymes laces the track with an impressive chorus. This disc features a introspective maturing Nas, who is sharing more of himself then on past releases. In this sense its experimental to me, past fans may or may not like it, I enjoy the majority of it though. Nas collaborates with his father Olu Dara on two tracks on this disc the first of these is the title track "Streets Disciple". A whole generation of Rap listeners have grown up and missed one of the rap games greatest MCs- Rakim, Nas pays tribute to Rakim on "U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)". Ludacris and Doug E. Fresh drop in for the throwback like "Virgo". An intro with Kelis leads up to the explicit "Remember the Times" a track where Nas reflects on the past woman in his life, followed up "The Makings of A Perfect B****". Nas then talks about being happy about his upcoming marriage to Kelis on "Getting Married". "No One Else in The Room" is upbeat dance track, which features R & B singer Maxwell, a track for Kelis. The single "Bridging the Gap" follows, its sort of groundbreaking in that its the first time a rapper and his father have hooked up to deliver a commercial single, while Olu Dara has had presence since Illmatic, the two of them have never collaborated like this. This track has grown on me. On "War" Nas reflects on his growth and family while Keon Bryce sings a soulful chorus. "Me & You (Dedicated to Destiny)" is a real deep track, which Nas created for his daughter, the genuine love he has as a parent shines through. The bonus track and banging single "Thief's Theme" finishes the album on a good note.

Nas has lived up to this reviewer's expectations with "Street's Disciple" delivering an album to remember. Nas got innovative with this album, and more personal. Collectively the album flows well. The young man, who released the classic "

" ten+ years ago, is a grown man now progressing in life and music. Whether people will give him the credit he deserves remains to be seen. Highly recommend "Street's Disciple" for the collection.