A remarkable statement from Nas: hip hop is dead. But wait, not quite happy yet. The title of Nas' eighth album should be seen as a provocation. Because hip-hop is not what it once was, says Nas. The 'CNN of the street' as hip-hop began has degenerated into a commercial phenomenon from which a lot of money is made, but its origin has been forgotten. A large part of the songs are also about this
… theme: the hip-hop of the past and what has become of it. In the song Where Are They Now, for example, in which Nas reminisces about artists of yesteryear. Or in Can't Forget About You, in which producer doesn't shy away from sampling 's Unforgettable., not only because of the bombastic orchestra from The Godfather III, but especially because two former arch-rivals work together here. It is unlikely that Nas will be reminded of this album if hip-hop were indeed to die. After all, he already made his best album in 1994, the classic . Hip Hop Is Dead is Nas' warning, Illmatic his legacy. (IV)more
