Do not judge a book by its cover. When Nas dropped Hip-Hop is Dead in late December, he knew it would spark controversy. But beyond the title is a 16-track collection well worth the listen. Jay-Z may be hip-hop’s biggest entertainer, but Nas, the other living legend of rap, ignores the glory and lets his guts do the talking. For his eighth solo LP, Nas gets personal by dealing with the issues of young rappers in the music industry (“Carry On Tradition”), living a new life while sticking true to the past (“Black Republican,” “Not Going Back”), and getting caught up in the wrong lifestyle (“Still Dreaming”). On each track, Nas demands respect and deserves it. So can hip-hop actually be dead on an album so full of life? According to Nas, hip-hop will survive if the industry’s consumers and artists start using better judgment. Hip Hop is Dead is the first step in the right direction. Grade A-
– Andy Beatman, Muse Staff
Did you Know: Hip-Hop is Dead scores Nas his third No. 1 spot on The Billboard 200