Country Grammar by Nelly probably wouldn't crack a top 100 list for most critics, but the album is excellent.

We know better than that.

 

Did you read the article? They made a great case. I still lean Illmatic as being better but if I am in a NaS mood I go right to It Was Written every single time.

 

What makes me lean Illmatic is that I can listen to that album all of the way through without skipping a song. I'll skip at least 2 songs on It Was Written. One of them? If I Ruled The World. I cannot stand Lauryn Hill so she ruins the lyricism in that song. Plus the radio played it eleventy billion times a day.

Did you read the article? They made a great case. I still lean Illmatic as being better but if I am in a NaS mood I go right to It Was Written every single time.

 

What makes me lean Illmatic is that I can listen to that album all of the way through without skipping a song. I'll skip at least 2 songs on It Was Written. One of them? If I Ruled The World. I cannot stand Lauryn Hill so she ruins the lyricism in that song. Plus the radio played it eleventy billion times a day.

 

I have the benefit of not having heard it played to death on the radio and I still not only lean Illmatic, but find it leaps and bounds better in almost every sense.

 

I kept Illmatic in the CD player all of last month for no reason other than wanting to listen to it one day. It, along with three or four other albums have that sort of replayability to me. Maybe it's Preemo, or maybe I just like where I was in life the first time I heard it. It is hard to tell anymore.

 

For what it's worth, "Represent" is the only track I even consider skipping, and that's only because of the chorus. He would have been better off just letting the beat ride for four bars before destroying the next verse. Literally the only negative thing I have to say about Illmatic.

 

Then again, the only negative thing I have to say about It Was Written is that it isn't a really memorable album to me. I'll give it a couple more spins and revisit the discussion.

I have the benefit of not having heard it played to death on the radio and I still not only lean Illmatic, but find it leaps and bounds better in almost every sense.

 

I kept Illmatic in the CD player all of last month for no reason other than wanting to listen to it one day. It, along with three or four other albums have that sort of replayability to me. Maybe it's Preemo, or maybe I just like where I was in life the first time I heard it. It is hard to tell anymore.

 

For what it's worth, "Represent" is the only track I even consider skipping, and that's only because of the chorus. He would have been better off just letting the beat ride for four bars before destroying the next verse. Literally the only negative thing I have to say about Illmatic.

 

Then again, the only negative thing I have to say about It Was Written is that it isn't a really memorable album to me. I'll give it a couple more spins and revisit the discussion.

 

The Message, I Gave You Power and Take It In Blood are three of

his best songs ever.

The Message, I Gave You Power and Take It In Blood are three of

his best songs ever.

 

I would have sworn this one was on Stillmatic.

 

Why don't we have a fire smiley?

I would have sworn this one was on Stillmatic.

 

Why don't we have a fire smiley?

 

Good question!

1. RUN DMC - King of Rock

2. Sugar Hill Gang - SHG Records Story

3. Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet

4. NWA - Straight Outta Compton

5. A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Trave

6. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication

7. LL Cool J - Bigger and Deffer

8. Wu-Tang - Enter the Wu-Tang

9. Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full

10. Dr. Dre - The Chronic

I've been negligent toward listening to "Liquid Swords" all the way through since I always seize on "Shadowboxin." But it's climbing my list in a big way. Probably a top 8 anyways.