Damn, fewer things are more disappointing than finding out Lost Tapes 2 probably won’t happen, or at least won’t be happening any time soon. Within the past week, NaS finally put to rest the rumors, admitting that his label, Def Jam, kind of killed the rhythm. So a new album is in the works, but Lost Tapes 2 is out the window.
With that, lets take a look back at the original Lost Tapes. Whether you consider it an album or not, the joints on there are nearly all perfect. The amazing thing about QB’s Finest is that he can take a topic and flip it in so many ways. You end up with a collection of songs that all have their specific meanings, and can all hold up on their own nearly nine years later.
So lets go through them, one-by-one, a trip down memory lane, and see which NBA players should be feeling which songs the most.
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1. Doo Rags
The doo rags are back, fitted hats, snorkels and furs
Riker’s Island buses still packed, what’s the word?
The drinkers stay drinkin, or puffin they herb
And I’m, still enjoyin life’s ride; right?
NaS kicks it off as only he can: reminiscing, the ultimate sit-back-watch-and-relay rapper. The poet. Times change and so do people, but sometimes circumstances don’t. NaS is chilling, looking at all that he’s affected, happy, checking out all these imitators, probably feeling like Kevin Garnett watching all these wannabe inside-and-out stretch fours of the new generation.
2. My Way
Respect all, fear none, my pride is everything
Initials in swimming pools floors, women lose draws
A true boss, never lose wars, got cheddar to floss
Diesel, is that you?
3. You Gotta Love It
Some girls get too emotional, fanatic extremist
Get pulsive with malice insentitives, the foulest of b@#$%^&
Hung up my riches, her childest wishes
Be suspicious of those sleeping with fishes, them hoes
Conspicuous and it shows, tricking this dough
For good or bad, NaS has been his own man for nearly 20 years in hip-hop. Sometimes we wish he didn’t act so funny (dumping terrible beats on albums, passing on others, never working again with Premier) but that’s just him. It’s who he is. Deep down, we still love him, just wish he could be more like others, just the same as LeBron. A seven-year love affair murdered by one summer swoon and now we don’t want anything to do with him. F$%^ it, you gotta love it.
4. Nothing Lasts Forever
Today is yesterday look at the hood now, I’m mad that it turned out that way
Gats spray these shorties is killers
The older G’s taught us well, what’s wild now is that they’re smaller
And they look at me like I’m on the outside lookin’ in
Like ‘who’s you’ when I cruise through
I call shorty took him in watch your friends, get ends
be clever, realize that today’s the first day that begins forever
Nothing lasts forever. Funny, as NaS has transitioned into a new generation, he’s still kept his place atop the game. Untitled, Distant Relatives…classic. That’s the beauty of life. You gotta savor your moments, savor your talent, use it to better yourself and when it starts to fade away, find ways to prolong it. Yeah, I’m talking to you, Kobe.
5. No Idea’s Original
Let’s witness, the horrific, the stench’ll make you nauseous
See what I seen every day I live with this torture
NaS lost a best friend before he ever made it big, and had to live with it for the rest of his life, his boy leaving before he could see the success. Nothing’s original because it’s never what you do, but how it’s done. Every basketball player has ghosts, ugly ghosts of the past nibbling at their ankles. It’s about learning to live with them. It’s about learning to push through years of disaster, learning to cope as Dirk has.
6. Blaze A 50
sit back in a droptop Bezour Bently.
of course wit me, this chick who’d make Bobby divorce Whitney.
top down, nightmare, blow her hair
sky black, stars glow, the face on the moon stare.
fast lane on the nine-five, honey laughs about the cash.
took a blast, out of her coke bag.
Everyone has their guilty pleasures. They start running sprints around your brain, never dissipating, never leaving. It’s right there, just out of reach. All you have to do is act on it. Then, the feeling becomes real. Then, you start ignoring your star player, eyes growing big at every open 15-footer, forgetting what makes it all tick, forgetting you’re Russell Westbrook for a reason, and that reason isn’t jumpers with 20 seconds left on the shot clock.
7. Everybody’s Crazy
I’m light year far your mouth get all white
when I’m near you I frighten your heart
I want you to watch me notice stare look closely
Feel I’m who you posed to be, real, I know it hurts you
Soldiers approach you, you want to squash it, you older than most dudes
Although Nas did you and your whole crew, but…
Does NaS ever sit around and envision he should be all of these rappers blowing? He’s always said no. But if he had the chance to blow while keeping his artistic soul, he would. Yeah everybody’s crazy. But no one’s stupid. I’m who you ‘posed to be. Grant Hill, going home to 15 years of NBA games, still probably looks over at LeBron and can’t help but think, “what if?”
8. Purple
Life is like a jungle black it’s like the habitat of Tarzan
Matter of fact, it’s harder than most can imagine
Yes it is. Ask Jermaine O’Neal, stuck at the end of the bench for years, only to finally get a shot and fall victim to a beer cup, only to finally get recognition and fall victim to injuries, only to finally find himself on a veteran championship team and fall victim to equal parts old age and the New Age.
9. Drunk By Myself
I’m a ride to the end of the road if I have to
Praying no car speeds by for me to crash to
Steering wheel in my hand
Trying to hold it steady
Anything in my way is dead
Cause that’s the way I feel, I am already
Ride it out. Ride it out until the wheels fall off. 10 years ago we would’ve never thought T-Mac would be falling apart. We couldn’t see it. In his prime, he was possible the hardest combination of size, length and athleticism to replicate. Now, he’s playing, but not really. He’s balling because there’s nothing else to do except suck out whatever’s left of his game, run until the wheels fall off.
10. Black Zombies
Walkin talkin dead, though we think we’re livin
We just copy-cat, followin the system
Shout out to the 2011 playoff Hawks finally waking up!
11. Poppa Was A Player
And it’s strange how, I do my thing now
I’m in the game now
Inherited his brain power
To pull strings and gain power
Condemning and then praising your off-and-on father in one four-minute track? Leave it to NaS to pull it off. In fact, the whole track is growth: from childhood to maturity to adulthood, from gullible to angry to understanding. Even though poppa loved the ladies and the round running ’round town, NaS learned and took what he could. So many kids never knew who pops was so that’s why I show pop love. In one year, how much could Chris Paul have taught Darren Collison? A child’s young years, the most important time to be there. The Pacers’ point showed it this year. DC better give CP some love.
12. Fetus
Twitching cause I’m nervous
Thought my intended purpose
Was to be born to reign, not in scorn or vain
But to take on a name, my pops chose for me
It’s your time, Kyrie. It’s time for you to step into the same shoes a legend once wore. It’s time for you to help save the Cavs. How high can you climb?
What do you think?
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