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It Was Written
07/02/1996 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
J.R. Reynolds
Unlike rappers who regurgitate real and imagined street experiences and spout gutteral ghetto-speak for its shock value, Nas takes a (somewhat) higher road--spinning admittedly-horrific yarns but with an eye on covert moral rehabilitation. Musically, It Was Written serves satisfying flavor-of-the-day G-funk rhythms, sampled and original loops, resulting in neck-swerving approval from down in the hood and out in the burbs. Proof, as they say, is on the charts. The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's pop album chart, where it reigned over the musical landscape for three consecutive weeks. Easily the most socially significant track is the disturbing "I Gave You Power," on which Nas has incarnated himself as a "gat" with a conscience. The subdued musical track takes a backseat role to rapid-fire rhymes, which punctuate a penetrating, anti-gun message. Of political significance, from a hip-hop nation perspective, is the deep, reefer-spawned soliloquy "Nas Is Coming," which was produced by Dr. Dre. On it, New York's hottest rapper and L.A's most creative producer lay down a sure-fire hit, thus squashing the destructive East Coast/West Coast rap rivalry. On a more whimsical tip, "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" features Nas rapping his way to anarchy in an imagined world where he kicks discipline to the curb and good times rule. But ever-present on the 14-track macho ditty are camouflaged pleas for relief for drug-infested, crime-ridden inner communities.
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