Nastradamus

Personnel: Nas, Ron Isley, Ginuwine, Neshawn, Jessica Care Moore (vocals); Dame Grease (keyboards, programming); DJ Premier (keyboards, scratches); Rich Nice (keyboards, background vocals); Squiddly (vibraphone); Delroy "Chris" Cooper (bass); Rudy Bird (percussion); L.E.S. (programming). Mobb Deep: Havoc (vocals, programming); Prodigy (vocals). Bravehearts: Wiz, Horse, Jungle (vocals). Producers include: L.E.S., Dame Grease, Nashiem Myrick, Track Masters, Timbaland. With his fourth release, NASTRADAMUS, this lyrically inclined street poet further stands his ground in hip-hop. Though his previous two albums surpassed the commercial success of his first album, neither was as critically acclaimed. But on NASTRADAMUS, Nas comes close to the feel of his classic debut, ILLMATIC. Though there are hype party cuts like "Nastradamus" and "You Owe Me," it's the underground tracks where Nas kicks street-inspired rhymes that make NASTRADAMUS a hip-hop necessity. On tracks like "Life We Choose" and "Project Windows," Nas stays true to his original audience with picture-painted rhymes and theme-inspired production. He is joined by Mobb Deep, Ginuwine, and Ron Isley for a handful of memorable collaborations. An extremely talented lyricist, Nas manages to never run out of rhymes. His music transcends every last category of hip-hop and, thus, balances the scales of hip-hop.