Nas, King’s Disease II | Album Review 💿

Nas exceeds expectations on his 13^th studio album, King’s Disease II, the stellar follow-up to the Grammy-winning King’s Disease. 

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or some reason, it took 12 solo albums or iconic rapper 🎙 Nas to win his first 🏆 Grammy.  Hard to believe, right? Right.  💿 King’s Disease was quite deserving of the award – his best album in years, hands down.  The thing is, the rapper’s surprise sequel, 💿 King’s Disease II, exceeds the original!  There may be no guarantee the rapper walks out with another Grammy, but King’s Disease II – consistent from start to finish – has a good chance of earning him another statue.

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“The Pressure”

Nas kicks off King’s Disease II with a bang courtesy of ✅ 🎵 “The Pressure.”  He’s backed by excellent production courtesy of 🎛 Corbett and 🎛 Hit-Boy.  From the onset, the rapper is on autopilot, dropping numerous lyrical gems. Among the best lines reference his ‘fitness aspirations’: “The world on my shoulders, it’s been gettin’ too heavy / I been bench pressing the problems, ain’t even get sweaty” and “Miles on my Peloton, I been working on my core.”

Nas doesn’t miss a beat on ✅ 🎵 “Death Row East.” Once more, the backdrop is marvelous, including lush strings and colorful synths.  Of course, it’s the rapping, particularly the storytelling, that shines like a beacon here. On “Death Row East,” he discusses the formation of the East Coast version of West Coast label Death Row Records which never came to be, as well as references to numerous rappers, most notably 2Pac.  The record concludes with an outro referencing the death of Pac.

✅ 🎵 “40 Side” is a modern Nas record.  Known for years for more old-school East Coast beats, “40 Side” marks a superb change of pace.  He doesn’t change up his flow – he’s true to self – but he’s backed by more contemporary production.  Fueling the fire is a sample of the 🎙 Lil Baby and 🎙 Lil Durk track, 🎵 “Voice of the Heroes”, specifically the Lil Baby ad-lib, “For Real, for real”.  As always, the rhymes are epic, with one of the most memorable being, “They finally gave Nas a Grammy just front me the gold / That wasn’t the goal / First clip was a warning shot, nigga, we spinnin’ back up the road.” Woo!

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“EPMD 2” 

“The Pressure,” “Death Row East,” and “40 Side” are all standouts from King’s Disease II.  The same can be said of ✅ 🎵 “EPMD 2.” “EPMD, we back in business,” Nas raps on the chorus, continuing, “I visualize what it is, not what it isn’t.” “EPMD 2” features 🎙 EPMD as well as a ferocious guest verse from 🎙 Eminem (“Like Rudolph and his homies when they pullin’ the sleigh, yeah / That’s a lot of bucks flyin’ when I’m makin’ it rain, dear”).  It follows up 🎵 “EPMD” which was released earlier in 2021.  Naturally, Nas pays ode to the Brentwood, New York hip-hop duo, as well as allowing them to get on the mic.  There’s no shortage of oomph, fueled once again by the sensational production of Hit-Boy.

Nas keeps the momentum going strong on 🎵 “Rare.”  ‘Part I’ is anchored by a dusty hip-hop beat and rhythmic bass line.  With no shortage of electrifying bars, the pick of the litter is, “I rock it like Lenny, thinkin’ like Jimi the first time he seen a guitar.” Woo!  ‘Part II’ features contrasting production, matching the allure and energy of the first.  The constant variable? N-A-S, who is experiencing a career resurgence long after first leaving his mark on the game.  Part of that resurgence includes embracing more contemporary sounds, much like he does on banger 🎵 “YKTV.”  Delivering more hooks than ever, Nas sets up the banger with the simple but effective, “Every time I pop out, I pop off / YKTV, got the top off…” The most surprising guest on the track is 🎙 A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, who delivers the second verse (he’s true to self).  Also joining the veteran rapper is 🎙 YG on the third and final verse (“Bitch, play them cards with no limit, stars in the ceilin’”).

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“Store Run”

“So, I’m clean as a whistle, drinking premium liquor / In-between two Argentinian sisters.” ✅ 🎵 “Store Run” is classic Nas.  He’s backed by a sleek but old-school, soul sample-driven production (🎛 Enzo and Hit-Boy).  As far as the bars, we’ve got a little bit of everything.  He’s socially conscious, a fanboy of Argentinian women, and pays ode to late rap gods.  Other than his fantasy about Argentinian women, one lyric that stands out is about legendary status in hip-hop:

“Stood on stages most never can, pyrotechnics and leather pants
Shifting culture
Mention me with Mick Jagger and Bono like you’re ‘posed to
I’m standing next to rookies, somehow they looking older.”

Man, oh man – what killer lines! More consistency and magnificence succeed on ✅ 🎵 “Moments,” which makes up reminisce of those vintage, East Coast rap days.  The production is lush, soulful, and ear catching.  As for Nas, he continues to rap his ass off, period.  “My whole career, I steered away from features,” he asserts on the first verse, continuing, “But I figured it’s perfect timing to embrace new leaders.” Nice! He also spits real talk regarding politics (“Overrun the Senate, both parties got policies built for the wicked”) and remains socially conscious (“Where I’m from, one go in the grave, one go in the cage”).  

Two words: 🎙 Lauryn Hill.  That’s right, the hip-hop/neo-soul legend makes a rare appearance on King’s Disease II – ✅ 🎵 “Nobody.”  Honestly, her presence is enough to make “Nobody” a must-hear. Like the two songs that precede it, there’s no doubt that the East Coast is alive and well, or at least experience a resurgence along with Nas himself.  He handles most of this gem, but Hill arrives on the third verse, providing an awesome lift 🏋.

“They clearly didn’t understand when I said, ‘I Get Out’ apparently
My awareness like Keanu in The Matrix
I’m savin’ souls and y’all complainin’ ‘bout my lateness.”

Ooh wee (Hill does have a reputation for being late though)!

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“No Phony Love”

On 🎵 “No Phony Love,” Nas trades Lauryn Hill for the always spirited 🎙 Charlie Wilson.  Wilson ‘kills it’ on the intro, setting the tone of the record.  From there, Nas drops the obligatory ‘love song.’  It’s not the last we hear of Wilson, who graces us with his prodigious, signature ad-libs, as well as singing the chorus alongside the un-pitched, spoken word of the rapper.  Keeping the features rolling on King’s Disease II, 🎙 Blxst appears on the vibe-laden 🎵 “Brunch on Sundays.” Despite the title, “Brunch on Sundays” has nothing to do with eating on Sunday.  Furthermore, if you were hoping God played a role here, he doesn’t.  The ‘brunch’ is more about smoking and sex. 

“Turn it up, let the radio blast / This is a movie, can’t catch it on HBO Max.” Ooh wee! On 🎵 “Count Me In,” Nas is confident to the nth degree.  Is there any reason one of the best to ever do it shouldn’t be confident? No, of course not, but he also speaks about the dangers of being cocky: “Suffering from the symptoms of King’s Disease / Can’t let the bright lights go to your head.” Once more, this rap king shines, period.

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“Composure” 

On 🎵 “Composure,” the producer extraordinaire himself, 🎙 Hit-Boy appears as the featured artist – well deserved.  Hit-Boy drops the first verse on record he produces alongside 🎛 Rogét Chahayed.  He follows with a chorus, before Nas ‘does the damn thing’ on the second verse and following chorus. 🎙 Shaka Senghor performs the outro over the jazz rap backdrop. 

King’s Disease II gets a late gem with ✅ 🎵 “My Bible,” which features one of Hit-Boy’s most accomplished productions of the album.  The beat is electric, as is the thoughtful use of organ, which creates that spiritual tone poem of sorts.  As to be expected, Nas goes deep on “My Bible,” commentating on moral and spiritual matters, as well as recognizing the importance of women. The brief 🎵 “Nas is Good” concludes the album fittingly, focused on the rapper’s best attributes – his rapping.  Truthfully, Nas isn’t only ‘good’ here, he’s excellent.

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Final Thoughts 💭 

King’s Disease marked Nas’ best album in years.  King’s Disease II exceeds it – period.  Nasir Jones NEVER misses the mark, delivering one of the best albums of his illustrious career.  What makes King’s Disease II so impressive is that it arrives so late in his career, as he’s pushing 48 years of age.  King’s Disease II ranks among the very best albums of 2021.

✅ Gems 💎: “The Pressure,” “Death Row East,” “40 Side,” “EPMD 2,” “Store Run,” “Moments” & “My Bible” 

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🎙 Nas • 💿 King’s Disease 2 • 🏷 Mass Appeal • 🗓 8.6.21

[📷: Mass Appeal]

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