Customer Reviews

God's Son

5 star:		(297)
4 star:		(132)
3 star:		(32)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(34)

 

 

With 3 CDs released in a little over a year, Nasir Jones has been very busy. Although, the critically acclaimed "Lost Tapes" were pretty much B Sides from "I Am" and "Stillmatic". After battling Jay Z and reaffirming his spot in the game with "Stillmatic", Nas seems like he is on a different mission this time around. After dealing with the death of his mom, Nas wants to take the mature approach this time around. This is understandable although many artists deal with personal loss in different ways. The CD starts out with "Get Down" and gets things off to a good start as Nas is basically freestyling over old James Brown beats. Eminem then shows up to produce "The Cross" and if you didn't hear Nas' voice, you would be waiting for Eminem or someone from D12 stepping up to rhyme. On Track 3 and 4, you have the best 2 songs on the CD in my opinion. The first single and video from "God's Son", "Made U Look", took a little while to grow on me because of the beat by Salaam Remi. While Nas is always on point with his lyrics, I was not used to hearing him rap to old school hip hop beats with the exception of some of his freestyles on mixed CDs. On "Last Real N**** Alive", Nas tells the truth about his dealings with The Notorious BIG, Raekwon, Steve Stoute and the Jiggaman himself. "Zone Out" includes a "sick" beat by Salaam Remmi and the Braveharts and Nas sound like they transformed back to "Beat Street" and "Krush Groove" for a minute as they spit 80s type rhymes. On "Hey Nas", Nas employs Claudette Ortiz from City High and his boo, Kelis, for Salaam Remi's Trackmasters' beat. I think they were in the studio somewhere when this song was produced. However, Nas does a good job in my opinion, of describing the type of female that he is looking for. On The Alchemist' produced "Book Of Rhymes", Nas combines old rhymes that we has written or employs that concept to have a combination of different rhymes that make sense. This just proves how innovative Nas is. From there with the Alicia Keys' produced "Warrior Song", "Thugz Mansion" (NY) with a verse from 2 Pac, "Dance" and "Heaven", Nas takes his personal feelings and how he dealt with his mother's death and takes you inside of his mind for a minute. While all 4 of these tracks may not be the strongest cuts on "God's Son", the more you listen to them the more that you will start to like these songs. There aren't too many things that are wrong with "God's Son". The next single, "I Can" borrows too much from Slick Rick in my opinion. It sounds like a 2003 "Hey Young World" and to make it worse Nas even sounds like MC Ricky D. "Revolutionary Warfare" serves a good purpose but the song could have done better without Lake rapping on the song. Missing from "God's Son" also are L.E.S., DJ Premier and AZ, which are usually essential parts of a Nas CD. Anyone who heard the AZ and Nas song "The Essence" will understand what I mean. Overall, "God's Son" is a very mature presentation from Nas. I admire Nas for not being afraid to try something different. There is nothing wrong with trying a new concept when you have accomplished what Nasir Jones has accomplished. This CD also includes a bonus disc with 3 songs, the best of them being track 3, "The God" and track 1, "Thugz Mirror (Freestyle). If you are a real Nas fan then you can't afford to pass this CD up. Although there will never be another "Illmatic", "The Lost Tapes", "Stillmatic" and "God's Son" are right up there as Nas' best CDs.

James' Top 5

1) Made U Look
2) Last Real N**** Alive
3) Get Down
4) Thugz Mansion (NY) w/2 Pac & J Phoenix
5) Warrior Song w/Alicia Keys

...Stop comparing all of Nas' other albums to Illmatic. When someone makes an album as great as Illmatic, its hard to live up to that again... Anyway, Nas has never made a wack album. NEVER!!! Even Nastradamus had it's high points (ignore the commercial songs "Nastradamus" and "You Owe Me"). God's Son is an exceptional album. It starts off very strong with "Get Down", which is a sample from an old James Brown song. The Eminem-produced "The Cross" doesn't have the nicest beat you will ever hear, but REAL hip-hop listeners look past the beat and actually listen to the lyrics (woulda been nice if Em had added a verse on there himself though). "Made You Look" was a good single to start out with. "Last Real N---- Alive" may be the best track on the album. At first I didn't like "Zone Out", but after listening to it a few times, it wasn't that bad (quit dissin G-wiz & Jungle, they aint that bad). "Hey Nas" was decent. I never thought I would hear Kelis sing on anything other than a Neptune track but theres a 1st time for everything.
"I Can" is good for the kids. Nas always manages to put one real creative song on each of his albums, and "Book of Rhymes" is the newest edition. I don't need to say anything about "Thugs Mansion" as it speaks for itself. "Mastermind"... good stuff. Alicia Keys... "Warrior Song"... Who knew? "Revolutionary Warfare"... amazing. I won't comment on "Dance". It's a dedication song. Everyone needs those. And finally... "Heaven"... didn't really like the singing in it. But the flow is nice. Overall. Very good album.

This is Nas' best after "Illmatic" and "Lost Tapes". I ranked all the tracks on the album, out of 5.

1. "Get Down" 5/5 (Amazing song, great sampling (James Brown), great hook, amazing concept, probably my favourite song on cd)
2. "The Cross"4.5/5 (Great beat from Eminem, even better rhymes)
3. "Made You Look" 5/5 (Amazing street burner, great old school sound, good choice for first single)
4. "Last Real N***a Alive" 3.5/5 (Admits beef with Big, a few disses to Jay, but a slightly weak hook, and average beat)
5. "Zone Out" feat. Bravehearts 2.5/5 (Worst song on cd, beat is wack and to cluttered, average rhymes by Nas and Jungle, below average by Wiz)
6. "Hey Nas" feat. Claudette Ortez & Kelis 4/5 (Nice, yet simple beat, good rhymes by Nasir, nice vocals by the ladies)
7. "I Can" 4.5/5 (Don't think this is a 'Hard Knock Life' rip off, It has a great positive message by Nas, and some of the sharpest lyrics on the cd)
8. "Book of Rhymes" 5/5 (My 2nd fav song, amazing beat courtesy of The Alchemist, great concept for the song, great lyrics)
9. "Thugz Mansion" feat 2Pac 4.5/5 (Some think this is a lil to 'pop' for Nas, but it has a great guitar in the backround, and Nas and 'Pac tear up the track lyrically)
10. "Mastermind" 4/5 (Amazing song, not great hook, but has great lyrics
11. "Warrior Song" feat. Alicia Keys 5/5 (Great production, great editing, amazing vocals by Alicia, amazing lyrics by Nas)
12. "Revloutionary Warfare" feat. Lake 4.5/5 (Nice children choral sounds in backround, has a bit of politcal content, great lyrics by Nas and his boy Lake (who just got outta prison)
13. "Dance" 4/5 (A dedication to his mom who passed, nice beat, very touching song)
14. "Heaven" 5/5(The final track, crazy lyrics by Nas, amazing vocals by Toronto-newcomer Jully Black, nice beat, and a more concious side of Nas on this one)

Best Tracks: "Get down", "The Cross", "Made You Look", "Book of Rhymes" and "Warrior Song" and 'Heaven".

Conclusion: If you love great hip hop, and want more of Nas' great lyrical skills similar to 'Illmatic', 'Stillmatic' and 'Lost Tapes', I guarantee this album will not dissapoint.

After blessing us with the Near-classics Stillmatic and Lost Tapes any Nas fan this year would've been satisfied if Nas came through with an album at least better than the I am... project. And with rumors of Irv Gotti being caught in the mix of this album Nas' fans were shaking in their boots hoping they wouldn't get another nastradamus. But Nas has given us yet another banger to add to his amazing catalogue of hiphop music with God's Son.

Nas recaptures the funk of the Mid 80's with tracks like the James Brown inspired storytelling track "Get Down" which features none other than a brilliant breakdown of the beat in the middle of the Song. "Mastermind" comes with that classic 80's feel along with the street banga "Made U Look." Nas also brings back his Slick Rick impersonation on his 2002 version of "Hey Young World" with "I Can" while not as good as it's predecessor thanks to an annoying chorus the lyrics are really inspiring to youngsters and would make a great single considering that youngsters shouldn't be listening to this album in the first place. The worst track on the album "Zone Out" gives us that public enemy feel but Bravehearts messy flows and a lackluster performance by Nas weigh this track down. Nas easily has enough 80s throwbacks on this album to have any hip-hop head over the age of 21 drooling.
But what makes this Nas album special in it's own right is the amount of heart and soul he put into this cd. This is clearly one of Nas' most personal albums to date. The death of his mom has put that emotion and spirit into his lyrics that non-Nas fans have always demanded of him. "Warrior Song" produced by Alicia keys gives inspiration to those going through tough times and Alicia's voice just seals the deal on the hook. And the touching "Thugz Mansion" with it's bare bones acoustic rift will take you to a place few hip-hop records have achieved. "Heaven" has Nas using the fastpaced flow (his best effort so far) over a great beat and does it impeccably. The lengthy soulful chorus adds to the power of the song as Nas questions what people would do if heaven was only a mile away. The heartfelt "Dance" has Nas pouring his heart out to his Mom who was a victim of cancer this year. If anyone has a close relationship with their mother or has lost their mother this one will definitely have your pupils a little watery.
Nas doesn't fail to hit us with his share of hip-hop bangers and creative tracks with the retrospective storytelling of "last real ni**a alive" which will have you hitting the rewind button a million times trying to dissect the renaissance period in the east coast in the early 90s. "The Cross" produced by Eminem has Nas spitting fiery battle rhymes over a bass heavy Eminem track, though not one of his greatest production jobs, a solid track none the less. "Book of Rhymes" will have any writer laughing and reminiscing as nas flips through his old rhyme books to recite some leftover material.
A great album indeed and a must have for any hip-hop fan. You'd be hardpressed to find an MC with a catalogue as great as Nas'. And even harder pressed to find an MC that after 12 years in the game can still put out an album as fresh and creative as God's Son.

Wow, this album is simply amazing. Hip Hop heads finally got what they deserve. Pure Hip Hop. No fillers, no [junk]...Straight up classic! The production on this album is tight. The beats are hot and suit Nas's style. Nas drops mad multies, metas, similies, and punches. He is an amazing lyricist! I don't hate Jay-Z, matter fact I got all of Jay-Z's albums but I would pick this one over "Blueprint 2". Nas did drop 3 classics in a row, "Stillmatic", "Tha Lost Tapes", and now "God's Son". The first song, "Get Down", is produced by Nas himself and is an AMAZING track with hot lyrics, hot beat, and intelectual concept. "The Cross" produced by Eminem, is a tight track with a very hardcore, Dre-Em type beat. Has a little west coast flavor to it also. Then is "Made You Look" which is a BRILLIANT track. Very catchy but very hardcore at the same time. Nas drops hot verses here. After that is "Last Real N___ Alive" which has an alright beat and tight lyrics. Then it's "Zone Out" which is a hardcore track. This track focuses on the lyrical content then the beat. I think the Bravehearts are OK, they are no Outlawz, but they are not whack. Next Nas kicks it with "Hey Nas" which is a nice track to chill too in the clubs or when with your girl. Then it's the inspirational anthem "I Can" which is a great joint, and it has nice multies. Nas is great storyteller, this track is a proof. After that is "Book Of Rhymes" which is Nas rhyming out of his old Rhyme books. After that is the well-known duet with Tupac Shakur "Thugz Mantion". This is not the version that appears on Better Dayz, but it's as hell. Nas drops 2 verses here, while Pac drops 1 verse. A very intelectual track which is "Mastermind" is next. This track is hot when it comes to the lyrical contnet. The beat is very oldschool and doesn't really fit Nas's verses too well. After that is the standout track, "Warrior Song" which is my favorite track on this album. One of my favorite Nas tracks. It's a wonderful duet with Alicia Keys. Nas drops some of his truest rhymes. Very smart verses, and hot beat to go with it. A definate stand-out. Then is "Revoulutionary Warfare" which features Lake. This track is very smart and has a good concept. Then is "Dance" which was in the Memory of Nas's Mother. The beat echo's in my head sometimes. It's a definate standout and it's one of my favorite Nas songs. He just drops such emotional lyrics, you want to cry with him. The last track "Heaven" has a good beat and amazing lyrics. Nas spits some of that emotional, powerful lyrics. On the bonus CD, Nas included 3 tracks. Those were "Thugz Mirror", "Pu**y Kills", and "The G.O.D." These are all hot tracks and if you didn't buy the limited edition CD, then download these tracks. The Bonus CD also unlocks exclusive content. Overall, this is a true classic. A must own for any music collector. A very powerful peice of art!!

God's Son is the best work done by Nas in his career. Tracks like "Made You Look" and "I Can" are the best songs recorded by the artist. The album is more street than hip hop, but is still good listening. Nas also focuses more on his music than his beef with Jay-Z and the Roc-A-Fella family. All tracks on the album live up to the name God's Son. Nas features artists on his album such as Alicia Keys, Kelis, and the late Tupac (2Pac) Shakur. The second bonus CD is also great even though it only contains three songs. This album is definitly worth buying and it's worth all 5 stars that have been given.

As the "bling bling" era of hip hop has produced nothing but materialstic and pointless rhymes, supplied with decent beats, Nas(ir) Jones has brought lyrics back in fashion in hip hop. "God's Son", his lates offering, is the perfect blend of rhymes and rhythms that keep both your head and your mind bumpin'.

The first four tracks alone almost make you forget there's eight more tracks left. You'd almost swear that you don't need anything else. And, word of warning: Don't skip to the hit single, "Made you look", or else you'll be missing the first two tracks, which are great ones in their own right.

Two of the songs in particular really stick out because of their originality and style. "Thugz Mansion" is a rap song without a dj. It's just an acoustic guitar, followed by Nas' rapping. And, if you think you hear 2pac throwin' in a verse in the middle, your mind isn't playing tricks on you because he is indeed featured on the track.

"Book of Rhymes" is also great, with Nas just tearing off lyrics that he once wrote in his notebook. Just listening to the song, you almost want to start a book of your own.

All in all, it's worth the drive out to your local record store.

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This is one of Nas' best albums ever made. Great beats, and great lyrics.

1)Get Down: 5/5 = The beginning song is one of the best songs. Nice beat
2) The Cross: 5/5 = Another great song. The lyrics are even better
3) Made You Look: 6/5 = This is my favorite song on the entire CD, so that's why I gave it 6 out of 5 stars. You should know how it goes. And the video's pretty cool too
4) Last Real N... Alive: 5/5 = Yet another song where Nas proves he's much better than Jay-Z.
5)Zone Out (feat. Bravehearts): 2/5 = I don't really like this song mainly because the Bravehearts can't rap. Or maybe that's just my opinion...
6) Hey Nas (feat. Kelis and Claudette Ortiz of City High: 4/5 = It's aight. Not the best on the album though
7) I Can: 5/5 = Great inspirational song. The second hit off of the CD (next to Made You Look). But, kids shouldn't be listening to this CD. Oh well, who cares.
8) Book of Rhymes: 5/5 = Lyrics are off the heezy
9) Thugz Mansion (feat. 2Pac and J. Phoenix): 6/5 = Third hit off of the CD. And the best on the album. Although the verses differ from the one on 2Pac's Better Dayz album, The beat stays the same.
10) Mastermind: 5/5 = Great song. 'nuff said
11) Warrior Song (feat. Alicia Keys): 5/5 = Nas and Alicia make a great duet in this. My second favorite on the album
12) Revolutionary Warfare (feat. Lake): 4/5 = Pretty cool song. It's worth listening to
13) Dance: 5/5 = dedicated to Nas' mother. Sometimes you just can't get the beat out of your head
14) Heaven: 5/5 = The final song on this album is beautiful.

So as you can see, every song (except track 5) is what make the album worth your money. So if you're a true hip-hop head like me, go ahead and add this to your collection

Nas has been busy over the past year or so. Dropping the classic "Stillmatic" and "The Lost Tapes" were breath taking but now "God's Son" Not since A Tribe Called Quest has an MC/Group released three classic albums in a row. This CD starts with the street banger "Get Down" and heads will love this joint. This track is followed by the Eminem produced "The Cross", "Made You Look" and the introspective "Last Real Nigga Alive". These are some nice tracks but it's the "Book of Rhymes" where Nas is reading his lyrics on paper and dissing himself. The concept is dope. Other standout tracks include "Warrior Song" produced by Alicia Keys, "I Can", "Dance" and "Mastermind" Man, there are so many dope songs on this album. I replayed the track "Heavan" several times the first day I heard the album. God's Son does have two mistakes. The always wack Bravehearts stop by on the weird song "Zone Out" and the bonus tracks could have been better. Regardless of those minor blows, "God's Son" is an album that is very personal and real to perhaps the greatest and most vivid MC of all time....Nasty Nas

What kind of a hater is the CDNOW reviewer who wrote the above review of Nas's GOD's Son?
FIRST OF ALL, YOU DO MAKE REFERENCE TO JAY-Z, which is stupid, because first of all Jay-z's blueprint is just an amalgomy of all the commercialized rap cliche's he's ever been able to think of this year. SECOND, Nas has finally come back to us with songs that are about something like "heaven" and dance" and you completely ignore those tracks in your review. TO ALL THE PEOPLE OUT THERE READING THIS, DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE REVIEW GIVEN BY THIS SITE, TRUST ME, I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO HIPHOP AND FOLLOWING NAS'S CAREER FOR A WHILE, AND THIS IS A CD WORTH BUYING. THIRD, THIS IS BETTER THAN STILLMATIC, AND CLOSER TO NAS'S TRUE ALBUM ILLMATIC, SO FOR EVERY RAP LOVER OUT THERE WHO KNOWS WHAT REAL HIPHOP IS, DON'T DEPRIVE YOURSELF OF THE LYRICAL NAS. THIS ALBUM IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONLY RAP ALBUMS OUT THERE THAT IS "about something"