Essential [Clean]

by Nas

Overview

The Essential Nas, released in August 2013, followed the rather flawed Greatest Hits (November 2007) and slightly less problematic Playlist: The Very Best of Nas (January 2013) as the third U.S. Nas anthology. A 30-track, two-disc set, The Essential Nas goes significantly deeper and lacks one major cut: It Was Written highlight "If I Ruled the World." The other 13 songs included on Playlist are here, along with deeper cuts from all but one of Nas' albums. (2008's Nas is shut out.) 1994's Illmatic, represented with four selections, is essential for anyone with the slightest amount of interest, and this complements that classic rather well since there are no other five-star releases in Nas' catalog. Columbia/Legacy would have been smart to include Main Source's "Live at the Barbeque" and MC Serch's "Back to the Grill," '91/'92 posse cuts on which a then-teenaged Nas is featured; perhaps licensing obstacles prevented their presence. Ego Trip's Gabe Alvarez contributes an excellent essay filled with knowledge, context, and insightful analysis about this brilliant and occasionally baffling MC. [A clean version was also released.] ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	08/20/2013
Label:	Columbia / Legacy
UPC:	0888837546720
Rank:	48958

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Nasty
2. The Message
3. Get Down
4. I Gave You Power
5. I Can
6. Find Ya Wealth
7. Black Zombie
8. The Set Up
9. Street Dreams
10. You Owe Me
11. Drunk by Myself
12. Nas Is Like
13. One Mic
14. Loco-Motive
15. Halftime

Disc 2

16. Bridging the Gap
17. Warrior Song
18. Doo Rags
19. Nastradamus
20. Just a Moment
21. Oochie Wally
22. One Love
23. Hate Me Now
24. Blaze a 50
25. Got Ur Self a...
26. Thief's Theme
27. The World is Yours
28. Made You Look
29. No Idea's Original
30. It Ain't Hard to Tell

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nas   Primary Artist
Bravehearts   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
QB Finest   Primary Artist
Q-Tip   Featured Artist
Ginuwine   Featured Artist
Puff Daddy   Featured Artist
Olu Dara   Featured Artist
Quan   Featured Artist
DJ Kid Capri   Scratching
Alicia Keys   Featured Artist
Large Professor   Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Samuel Barnes   Composer
Jerry Lordan   Composer
Roy Hammond   Composer
Poke   Producer
Nas   Producer
Danny Clinch   Photography
Q-Tip   Producer
Michelle Bell   Composer
Nile Rodgers   Composer
Tone   Producer
Al West   Composer,Producer
Annie Lennox   Composer
Timothy Mosley   Composer
Timbaland   Producer
Brian Bennett   Composer
David A. Stewart   Composer
D. Moet   Producer
Megahertz   Composer
Havoc   Producer
William Paul Mitchell   Composer
Kejuan Muchita   Composer
Eugene Grey   Composer
John Bettis   Composer
Jean-Claude Olivier   Composer
Olu Dara   Composer
Roy Handy   Composer
The Alchemist   Producer
DJ Premier   Producer
Cleveland Horne   Composer
Mark Larson   Art Direction
Anthony Cutajar   Cover Photo
Precision   Producer
Jonathan Davis   Composer
Noah Uman   Compilation Producer
Gary Byrd   Composer
LeShan Lewis   Composer
Gavin Marchand   Composer
Sacha Waldman   Photography
Jake Black   Composer
Rob Spragg   Composer
Gabriel Alvarez   Liner Notes
Pretty Boy   Producer
Jabari Jones   Composer
Mike Cimicata   Project Director
Nasir Jones   Composer
Salaam Gibbs   Composer
Joe Palmaccio   Mastering
Anthony Saleh   Management
No I.D.   Producer
Michael Epps   Composer
Larry Gates   Composer
Hill, Inc.   Producer
Tommie Spearman   Composer
Alan Maman   Composer
Alicia Keys   Composer,Producer
Steve Porcaro   Composer
Lamont Porter   Composer
Chester Burnett   Composer
L.E.S.   Composer,Producer
Jimmy Heath   Composer
Large Professor   Producer
Chucky Thompson   Composer,Producer
James Brown   Composer
Sean Garrett   Composer
Barry White   Composer
Ez Elpee   Producer
Doug Ingle   Composer
Salaam Remi   Composer,Producer
Pete Rock   Producer
Robert "Spike" Mickens   Composer
Rich Nice   Composer