Sunday Music: New Releases From Nas, Black Thought, And Nameless Others

Nas dropped Nasirthis past Friday. Relative to the other EPs Kanye has just put out, I’d say it’s not quite Daytona, but it comfortably holds second place. There’s moments here where we get classic Nas, like when he goes full-Shakespeare / Bible / Godfather on “Adam and Eve.” More of that please.

Somewhere else in the background, to seemingly no fanfare, we also got a new release (back on June 1) from Black Thought of The Roots called Streams of Thought, Vol. 1.

If you are were born before 1993, and feel a touch let down by the SoundCloud rap scene, this one is just what the doctor ordered . Maybe one track on the whole album even bothers with a chorus (can we call it that?), and like the epic Flex freestyle that went viral, it’s got references and lyricism for days. Its got a lot of replay-ability because you’ll keep catching new things. The beats are almost irrelevant next to his journeyman flow. I didn’t know how much I needed this until I heard it.

Calling all other aging rappers… Whose got next?*

*meaning who is going to release something NOT on Tidal? You know, where the listeners already are? What, did they ask Jeeves to see if this was a good idea?