I have decided to start doing appreciation articles in addition to my 'Songs of the Week' feature. Certain artists and songs are deserving of full-out praise. And it is my pleasure to be the one to do it. So I am honored to choose Watch Dem Niggas by the GOAT, the god MC, the blueprint for your favorite rapper, the man who was Pablo (Escobar) before Kanye West -- Nas.
I like to consider Nas as my father. Although Illmatic and It Was Written were created before I was born, the rest of his discography existed while I was very young, so I grew up with Nas. Illmatic was the first vinyl I purchased. N.Y. State of Mind (and Wu-Tang Clan's Method Man, FYI) were the first songs I truly memorized word for word. Nas' music raised me. His music captured my interest in storytelling, then nurtured it. As a young black boy, hearing this unapologetically black man use his words to construct incredible stories that captured the struggle and overcoming spoke to me. His music showed me a new perspective to a world I knew existed, but he put me in the front seat. And that's right where Watch Dem Niggas comes in.
Watch Dem Niggas is what I would say is one of his most underrated songs off an equally as underrated album. Watch Dem Niggas is smooth. That Trackmasters beat has ice in the blueprint and the structure. Those chords are sly. I hear the ulterior motives in the music. The drum break treads so lightly within the song that it puts me in that 'watch your back' frame of mind. The way the beat is carefully paced plays to Nas' mindset so well, in my opinion. The music helped me get into his mindset before he spit a single word. I knew he'd be rapping on the defense when it comes to these fakes. And once he start spittin' that poetry, you stamp the track classic right there. That flow is king. God's son sounds so comforting, yet eerie. He impressively embodies the motives of the real, warning you about the fakes who could jump you, rob and possibly kill you when you find the right path that can get you out. Foxy Brown offered me a great assist into the throws of Nas' reality. And for that alone I admire the song. I admire Nas and Foxy. The song is rap at its finest. Watch Dem Niggas is what hip-hop was built on in the golden era of hip-hop. This song is a voice that gives insight into the realities existing in black communities with a mafioso edge. And I love every second of it.
So thank you, Nas. You are undoubtedly my greatest of all time. Seeing you live changed my life, and your music will continue to do so. I just hope when y'all check out Watch Dem Niggas below, you can find some of the same genius in it as well.
Lead Photo Cred: allmusic.com/genius.com
Video Cred: youtube.com
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