Great, Not Flawless: Digging Into Nas’ Latest Release

Released: December 12th 2025

Man, what a whirlwind of a release. Even before this dropped, I could tell people were starting to get a little too hyped up. Not because I thought this would be bad, but keeping level expectations is always good in my opinion. On top of that, I already knew the era of DJ Premier we were in and never forgot it. So, I had an idea of what to expect but still hoped to be blown away. While some people are super disappointed and others are loving this album, I’ma provide you with a level-headed and thorough review from my point of view.

My Life Is Real is a decent start. I don’t think it’s overly impressive, but it isn’t terrible. It has a simple beat—which DJ Premier did a few times here—but this one was on the weaker side. A theme you might find here is that some of the beats just don’t do the song justice, even while Nas pours all his thoughts and spirit into the album. This starts with “My Life Is Real.” GiT Ready comes with a beat I think is much more entertaining and has more character. This might be one of the weaker songs that I still consider “good”—enjoyable, but not a standout track. The “Mr. Crypto Currency Scarface” part of the hook is the worst part of the song to me.

NY State Of Mind Pt. 3 was the first song that I saw people really hating. I’m on the opposite end of most; I think the actual beat is good, but I don’t think the sample and the beat fit together well, and the transition between the two is kinda rough. I didn’t like the sample usage until the end when it blends into the original NY State Of Mind beat. Generally, I never was a huge fan of “NYSOM Pt 2,” so I was surprised people were so excited for Pt 3 in the first place. That said, I love the bars Nas kicks here, talking about old venues that are gone and tons of other NY references. Personally, I think the next song, Welcome To The Underground, is much weaker than “NYSOM3″—maybe the weakest song on the album. I like the sound and vibe, but the beat itself doesn’t do it for me. It’s a fine Nas song, but not overly impressive outside of a couple of cool bars and references.

Madman is where people seem to start clicking with the album more, and I wouldn’t argue with that. It’s a great track, has a good beat, and Nas goes off. However, if I focus too much on that background sound, it can take me out of the song a bit. Maybe that could’ve come down a notch or two in volume. Pause Tapes is another super simple beat, but it’s one I like a lot and think fits the direction of the track perfectly. I’d understand someone not liking that beat, though. I also think it’s a song that, if it came out at a different time with different expectations, people would be calling amazing right now—especially with the hook being chopped from the clip.

It started a few tracks back, but things really start to level up here and the album begins to blossom. This is an ode to Hip-Hop from the GOAT of the genre. Welcome To The Underground is reminiscing on “back in the day” and showing love to the underground. Pause Tapes is an ode to a previous time in Hip-Hop when creating was much different than today. Writers shows love not only to lyric writers but to graffiti and graffiti artists. Nas really wants to celebrate Hip-Hop and all its elements here. Even if you somehow don’t love Nas, there is no questioning his love and dedication to the culture. Proven by this album, this year’s Mass Appeal releases, and really ever since Hip-Hop 50, there shouldn’t be a doubt. I love to see the genre’s GOAT lead the charge on showing love.

The way Sons (Young Kings) flips “Daughters” and comes with such a dope sister (or brother) song is impressive and easier said than done. I know I love It’s Time because of the sample, but I don’t care lol. It’s a song and beat I just love. Nasty Esco Nasir is a great track; Nas speaking between his alter egos as they go back and forth is really enjoyable. Speaking of going back and forth, My Story Your Story with AZ is next. It’s a song I like alright but don’t love. I was underwhelmed by it considering the trio on the track.

Bouquet is a song where people seem focused on the wrong aspects. It’s a song dedicated to women in Hip-Hop across niches and contributions. Do I love every artist listed? No, of course not. But I think there’s too much talk about the names Nas listed instead of focusing on the dope people, the way he worked the track together with his actual VERSES, and the concept. If this was a track made by a Wale or something, everyone would love it with no issues. But because it’s Nas, “how dare he shoutout Ice Spice”… c’mon man, I get it, but c’mon.

Junkie is one of my favorite songs here for sure. I think that beat is really good, I love the scratches, and most importantly the content and direction of the song. Nas is a Hip-Hop junkie, which is how I feel. This song feels like the backbone of this whole album. I think Shine Together and 3rd Childhood are good close-out songs; they don’t blow me away but end the album well. I think one or the other would have been fine, and I’d rather that have been “3rd Childhood.” That is a song that feels held back by its title for many people—just like “NYSOM3” and even the earlier Mass Appeal release from Ghostface Killah, Supreme Clientele 2. I think if these songs and the album had different titles, people would feel differently.

This is a great but not flawless album, and that’s ok! This year there’ve been a few albums where hype and expectations left fans deflated with what they got. But people need to have self-control as well. For those of us that went into this with even expectations, I think this is hitting a lot better than for those who thought we were getting a top 2 or 3 album in Nas’ discography. DJ Premier’s beats could have been better, but there’s still a chunk of great tracks with great beats. Many songs Nas penned here are top tier, and as someone who loves Hip-Hop, this album hits for me. Yet I know people with a ton of love for the genre that don’t enjoy this, and even though I don’t fully understand, I can respect it. For me, this is a highlight in Nas’ discography. But I do wonder: if it had been more like 10 tracks, would people be enjoying it much more?

Standout Tracks: Madman, Pause Tapes, Writers, It’s Time, Nasty Esco Nasir & Junkie

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑 (8/10)