Two new albums that are absolutely fire!!!

[Othello repping the Nauts]

Hip hop saved my life again!!!

Aiight, that's an overstatement (this time) but I did find two new releases to work into rotation with Quest's Journey to the Sun and Phenetiks Non-Pollutionary Wonder.

First, you need to check out the new album by Nas. I can already hear the grouchy hip hop purists in my crew groaning as I type this saying things like "hmmpff, Nas hasn't had a good album since Illmatic" or "'Live at the Barbeque' was my shit, but then homey fell off". Don't let the haters talk you out of the fact that this is a brilliant album.

Nas has created the most political album in mainstream hip hop since... I don't know... maybe Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy (when they were mainstream hip hop) and it plays like a manifesto for the hip hop generation. And the beats- it's like Nas was picking beats based on what WOULDN'T get on the radio. Nothing sounds rehashed or copycat on this album. From the concepts to the beats Nas comes original. The album opens with the track "Queens Get the Money" where Nas rips over a piano loop- no drums, bass, synths- just a piano loop and it's DOPE. He takes on FOX news, fake revolutionaries, politically correct preachers and talking heads and embraces hip hop culture while holding it responsible for the impact that it has on our culture (both positive and negative). Although he dropped the controversial title of the album, and released it as an untitled album, the content of the album and even the cover art (depicting a large "N" made of whip marks on Nas' back) is uncompromising. Check it out, it will keep you listening.

Next is an album by an artist that the Nauts have been fans of for a long time. Poach Stevens
is an emcee out of Richmond, VA who is now repping the Bay area in California and he has created a masterpiece album entitled "Werk".

Like Nas, Poach doesn't shy away from any topics, but his subject matter tends to deal more with personal experience and while he has plenty of serious things to say, "Werk" is a seriously fun album. This is a bright, vivid sounding album from the beats to the variety of different styles that Poach uses when he flows on the mic. Poach is an incredible writer, but he is an even better MC. Although it's 16 tracks long, this album breezes by. Especially check out "Werk", "Butterflyshy", "You One", and the absolutely hilarious "Same Song". You can cop it on I-Tunes and definitely stop by Poach's myspace page and tell him Othello sent you!


Disclaimer:
All links are linked at the discretion of Othello and do not necessarily represent the views of the d_Cyphernauts, the Ant Farm Affiliates or even Dave Wooley. If these links are offensive in any way, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! Love ya'll.

[d_Cyphernauts]

Ha HA!!! I was waiting for you to see that!

You have some insane beats up on your myspace page that I haven't heard before, so I recommend everybody checks out the "grouchy hip hop purist", he's also a dope producer!

[deto-22 of phenetiks]

hey ya jerk!
i didn't know i was link worthy as "grouchy hip hop purist!"
all the other joints he did with primo after illmatic were dope. :)
see, i would of said what that d-cyphernauts guy said above me..

[d_Cyphernauts]

Nas can never top Illmatic, because that album was so relevant to the foundation of hip hop, it's part of the blueprint. It feels like he stopped trying to make a better illmatic on this joint and just focused on making the best album and most important statement that he could right now. But, yeah, I was kinda surprised too.

[Mo Niklz]

yeah man that Nas album was pretty dope from what I heard of it anyways. Definitely not Illmatic but still some pretty noteworthy. I was surprised