OUT NOW Nas & DJ Premier - Light-Years

Added to Calendar: 12-12-25

Natural Born Sinners said:
I also hate the narrative that if you dont like this album, you are not a “purist” or whatever they wanna label people. Rap fans know music and like it or don’t like it.
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This shit is so lazy, tired and predictable.
Like nigga, I know a dope, ill hip-hop beat when I hear one, especially coming from somebody like Preemo. That’s the standard he set.

All I do is listen to music.....all genres, all day. I’m not an engineer, but you don’t need a degree to hear when vocals sound off, when the EQ is wrong, when the mix feels flat and lifeless, when the sample is chopped lazy and clumsily.

(SIDE NOTE: A perfect example of what I mean is Wale’s track he dropped a couple months ago, “Where To Start.” I actually like the song and the vibe he was going for, but the mix is horrible. It sounds like whoever engineered that track cranked the reverb to maximum and just walked away. Vocals swimming, no clarity, no control. And that’s not some “audiophile nitpick” — it’s obvious. I can’t even play that record at a gig without people looking at me like my settings are messed up.)

That’s my whole point.....Now I'm not accursing Preemo of anything THAT egregious but you don’t need to be an engineer to hear when something’s off. If you listen to enough music, your ears know....at least mines do. So when I say certain production sounds lazy, flat, or poorly mixed, it’s not hate ...... it’s honesty.
 
I’ve been playing this album all weekend. They’re my favorite MC and producer, so I gave them some grace. and I’ll admit, a few of the songs do sound better by the 40th listen, but the majority of the album still feels lifeless and flat to me ... too stiff and mechanical on the production side. That’s on Preemo and his team.

Because Nas was rapping his ass off on here.

I’m honestly waiting for the remixes to drop. I already heard one dude on YouTube remixing the album live, and sadly, it just further exposed where the real problem lies. Because hearing Nas spitting over more lively and soulful production? Whew.🔥🔥🔥
 
Listened to it last night; I'd actually forgotten about it until I saw an article about a review for it online...


It's decent but Premier looks washed...


NYSOM 3 was my favourite off the first listen, 'Nasty Esco Nasir' was NaS showing why he's eternally the GOAT of the rap game... Also loved the tribute to women in hip-hop


I listened on low volume cos my kids was asleep LOL ... I think I'll like it better with the volume raised and another listen


3/5
 
If NaS wants a veteran producer in Hip-hop to solely produce an album of his, he can chose from these in particular order:

1. The Alchemist
2. Q-Tip
3. MadLIB
4. Dr. Dre
5. Bink!
6. Mike Dean
Etc


Any of these cats would have made a sonically better album than Premier
 
rip.dilla said:
If NaS wants a veteran producer in Hip-hop to solely produce an album of his, he can chose from these in particular order:

1. The Alchemist (?)
2. Q-Tip 💯
3. MadLIB
4. Dr. Dre
5. Bink!
6. Mike Dea
Etc


Any of these cats would have made a sonically better album than Premier
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Dre is in the same exact predicament Preemo is in right now. That whole campaign and rollout for the Missionary album, the big “return” him and Snoop them working together, was a massive fumble. Everything about it was overhyped and the album underdelivered.

So much so that Snoop had to turn right around and drop another album 1-2 months later just to rebound. lol "Iz It a Crime?"was actually better than the Dre-produced album. But the damage was already done.

And on top of that, Snoop still has the Trump stain on him, so even that project mostly got ignored. The music might’ve been better, but perception already shifted and once that happens, it’s a wrap
And besides, even before the "Missionary" debacle, Dr. Dre has absolutely nothing to offer NaS musically. They tried a few times over the years, but it just never really worked IMO.

Now, can the ALC get back in his bag with DRUMS? I think he might be able to pull it off.


Q-Tip should be solid. His recent work for LL was interesting and dope, and I can see him bringing that same energy here.


Madlib could probably give NaS a few standout tracks, but an entire album? That might be pushing it. Madlib is a GOAT, but his style is so abstract that a full album for someone of NaS’s caliber might lose the grandeur you expect.


Bink! probably has a few bangers waiting in the cut, but can he carry a whole album? Has he ever? An album can’t be all bangers ..... you need those chill, introspective tracks to hold it together and prevent it from feeling like a glorified mixtape.


Mike Dean might be the most complete, traditional producer in the mix, but I wouldn’t want NaS sounding like a mainstream rap, R&B, or pop album. He needs the soulful authenticity, grit, and layered hip-hop sound a traditional producer can't give him. EX. Dr. Dre

Right now the only producer bring all of this and more to the table is......Hit-Boy
 
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BobOblah said:
I love this album. Different energy from the Hit Boy albums.

I’ve seen some hate for Premo online but I think they’re missing the point. Pretty minimalist beats but I have to think that was an intentional choice. I feel like they were going for like Eric B and Rakim or early Gang Starr sonically on a lot of these tracks. Nas usually avoids being too retro even when rapping about back in the day but this time they embraced it.

Some Premo criticism is valid I guess, we didn’t get a ton of classic Premo bangers here. That AZ song is a bit disappointing. Shine Together is maybe the closest to what I wanted from them. That one is special and I want more. 3rd Childhood is dope too, that has a classic feel. NY State of Mind 3 didn’t deserve that title mostly cuz of the beat.

Premier went harder on the posthumous Gang Starr album One of the Best Yet and I was hoping for that level of production, but now that I hear this, I really think it’s a style choice and that it works well. I already like it but think it’s going to get better on re-listen.

Nas killed it. Lyrically sharp as ever and delivery/flow was better than about half the Hit Boy albums. Idk how he does it.

I also think people went in with crazy expectations about the long awaited Premier Nas album, and it helps that I didn’t. Nas has unexpectedly given us so much great new music in recent years, I was just sort of like wow I can’t believe we get another one. This shit is all extra at this point.

5 minute tribute to graffiti by Nas in 2025 I did not see coming. I feel like I’ve rarely heard him mention graff ever before, didn’t think he knew it like that. Half my IG feed is that song rn because I write/wrote and follow graff and mad people got a shoutout on that.

Anyway, dope album.
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Boboblah?
 
a.mann said:
I’ve been playing this album all weekend. They’re my favorite MC and producer, so I gave them some grace. and I’ll admit, a few of the songs do sound better by the 40th listen, but the majority of the album still feels lifeless and flat to me ... too stiff and mechanical on the production side. That’s on Preemo and his team.

Because Nas was rapping his ass off on here.

I’m honestly waiting for the remixes to drop. I already heard one dude on YouTube remixing the album live, and sadly, it just further exposed where the real problem lies. Because hearing Nas spitting over more lively and soulful production? Whew.🔥🔥🔥
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40th listen….😳😳
 
This is
rip.dilla said:
Niggaz on here said HIT-BOY was more miss than hit for NaS regarding those six albums...


Nigga can't win musically 🤷‍♂️
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We set the bar to high we want every album be as good as illmatic or stillmatic but niggas need to understand that illmatic and stillmatic are both top 5 Albums of all time.

This is still a top 3 or 5 album of the year.

Mobb deep got the album of the year tho
 
rip.dilla said:
Niggaz on here said HIT-BOY was more miss than hit for NaS regarding those six albums...


Nigga can't win musically 🤷‍♂️
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To me, the problem with the hitboy series was that for me, it’s forgettable. It’s a bunch of music and its quality, yes. But eh.

It’s hard for me to remember what song is on what project. It just blends together for better or worse.
 
Eyerone said:
To me, the problem with the hitboy series was that for me, it’s forgettable. It’s a bunch of music and its quality, yes. But eh.

It’s hard for me to remember what song is on what project. It just blends together for better or worse.
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I get that... Probably it was because of how close to each other they were released also in the thick of COVID epidemic


But I think HIT laced NaS with solid production to fit his lyricism
 
rip.dilla said:
Niggaz on here said HIT-BOY was more miss than hit for NaS regarding those six albums...


Nigga can't win musically 🤷‍♂️
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I was one of them because that 1st KD came off as TOO forced and polished to me

But by the KD2 I was sold...mainly because of the stellar 2nd half of the album, thats when the synergy of these dudes truly matched up

Store Run
Moments
Nobody
No Phony Love
Brunch on Sundays
Count Me In
Composure
My Bible
Nas Is Good
Even "Big NaS" from the Masterclass series

All are some of my fav modern day Nas tracks.

So when Magic drop.....the debate was over for me. I wasn't entertaining any more slack talk by cats from my era about what Hit-Boy was producing for Nas
I attitude was let the young lion cook. And then they hit us with 4 more good to excellent albums .

Of course , heads.....including myself, thought Preemo had heat for Nas that'll blow ANYTHING Hit-Boy did out the water.

Well I can admit I was wrong here. I'm not blown away. Not even slightly
And believe me this damn near religious fervor we are seeing of people claiming that this Preemo produced album is a classic and a masterpiece is people mentally compensating with the fact they can't admit they were wrong.
Not saying they are not enjoying the music, but how can you criticize Hit-Boy for having weak drums, clumsy mixing, and then turn around and to praise Preemo for doing the same damn thing?

SMH
Shit is just so disingenuous
 
Don Dada said:
Lol Eminem decline Nas fuck his daughter. Kim bitch
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