By Odeisel
Some things age like fine wine, but performance generally isn’t one of them. We see athletes and entertainers diminish over time as their bodies can no longer keep up with their mind. Some artists are able to keep that razor’s edge and continue to dazzle us with added layers of skill. Nas is one such artist, and the further out his career goes, the more challenging his work becomes. His latest, probably destined for Lost Tapes 2 (If it ever drops) is called “Foul Breeze” and is laden with lines, full of flow with a beat that’s familiar but still fresh.
Following the cold world wind of an intro, that familiar groove you hear is SSO’s “Faded Lady,” the sample first popularized by Diamond D’s “I Went For Mine” from the cult classic Stunts, Blunts And Hip-Hop and resurrected for Busta Rhymes’ “New York Shit.” Nas connects more with the original spirit of the record than the previous attempts. There isn’t much alteration to the sample but he carries it out to the flutes.
SSO-“Faded Lady”
The chorus finds Nas bewildered about things in his life that look right but feel wrong. In the body of the verses he lays down so many thoughts and ideas, and takes his words so many places that you have to keep going back because you’ve unearthed something new. If you’re a scavenger hunt listener, crack your knuckles and dig in. He starts off relating to an Asian fan, and carefully segues into wondering whether it’s a success that he’s gotten a few people to tune in to his conscious raps and made a few dollars for himself. He refers to the imagery from Mc Lyte’s “Paper Thin” video, where she hops out the car and leaves (video) boyfriend D-Nice to ride the train while noting physical similarities and a shared last name with Nice that fueled early rumors of familial relations. The Illuminati is addressed in a subtle matter as is the overall fear of a poisonous planet.
Nas floats over this track, packing in ideas that bleed directly into each other seamlessly and you marvel at where the song ends up when you consider where it started. This won’t make you throw your hands in the air, nor will it depress you or bore you. But if your mind is active and you like being challenged while you are entertained, songs like this make your day. Catch the “Foul Breeze.” Enjoy.
Nas-“Foul Breeze”
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