The Making of Nas' "It Was Written"

[theheavens]

http://www.complex.com/music/2012/05...t-was-written/

[the silencer]

funny there's not a single mention of Cormega when they detail how "Affirmative Action" came together...

[THUGNIFICENT]

requisite comparison post:

i prefer it was written to illmatic.

[JASPER BEARDLY]

never understood that rationale, has some truly great songs but straight thru isn't as strong

opinions can't be argued tho

[theheavens]

I can't believe this was considered a "pop mainstream commercial" effort in 1996. compare it to today's rap, and it's the most gutter thing you've heard.

too many people turned their back on Mafioso Rap, thinking it was too dumbed down or stereotypical, when in fact some of the all-time greatest hip-hop records are Mafioso Rap records: Reasonable Doubt, Cuban Linx, Doe or Die, Life After Death, etc...

Common had to fuck shit up smh

I don't care how "stereotypical" it sounded, Mafioso Rap was the best thing to happen to '90s hip-hop. there, I said it

[oDoUoSoKo]

it was written is a real fuckin album

[UNCLE RUCKUS]

what line do you think hes referring to on the Set Up?\when he says "bend me over" or when he calls himself "loca" instead of loc-o?

[diggy]

I enjoyed this.

[Thworldisyours]

Back in a time when there was actual THOUGHT behind an album, an artist, and its promotion.

[Apocalypse]

one of my favorite hip-hop LP´s ever, so obviously I enjoyed this.

[Jin10304]

Cant imagine what IWW would of sounded like if Marley did the whole thing, cant even believe 50 Cent at one point was part of The Firm!

[Ghost In The 'Lac]

I agree with Trackmasters, I Gave You Power would have been so much better had he just not said what he was going to do before he started the verse. Can't believe he thought people "wouldn't get it"??? Sometimes Nas is really really stupid, this is one of those moments.

The album was and still is middle of the road for me. Them excluding Q Tip from the whole thing was a power move imo by Poke and Tone. Of course it's not a bad album, but would it get into a top 10 of 1996? Doubtful.

[theheavens]

"yo, I feel like...a gun. sometimes I feel like I'm a gun, you know? like...a gun"

metaphor dead.

[ShaDynasty]

interesting. i didn't realize poke and tone oversaw the whole album, i knew they produced most of it. you can see the benefit of them keeping the sound on the same page which every nas album since lacks except 'lost tapes'.

look at the producers on his last few albums, polow the don, dead prez, mark ronson, scott storch, prick-i-am, somebody needs to step in and pick his beats. too late for this new album though.

[Jin10304]

are you kidding me? No I.D. & Salaam Remi are having a pretty large influence on LIG. It seems that they both possibly produced a good number of tracks or even executive produced it. Very capable producers that have a GREAT work history with Nas. Look at the confirmed tracks....

"Nasty" (prod by Salaam Remi)
"The Don" (prod by Salaam Remi, Da Internz & Heavy D)
"Black James Bond" (prod by Salaam Remi)
"Daughters" (prod by No I.D.)
"The Train" (prod by No I.D.)