I Am… (Nas album)

Infobox Album
Name = I Am…
Type = studio
Artist = Nas


Released = April 6 1999
Recorded = 1998-1999
Genre = East Coast hip hop, Hardcore hip hop
Length = 64:37
Label = Columbia
CK-68773
Producer = L.E.S., DJ Premier, Trackmasters, Timbaland, Alvin West, Dame Grease, Nashiem Myrick, Carlos "Six July" Broady, D-Moet, Pretty Boy
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wifexq9kldde link]
*"Entertainment Weekly" (B) [http://www.buy.com/prod/I_Am/q/loc/18250/200700452.html link]
*Rap Reviews (8.5/10) [http://rapreviews.com/archive/1999_04_iamnas.html link]
*Review-Christgau|neither|name=Nas
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/9684865/review/5945209?utm_source=Rhapsody&utm_medium=CDreview link]
*"Stylus Magazine" (favorable) [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/nas-it-was-written.htm link]
*"The Source" Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.buy.com/prod/I_Am/q/loc/18250/200700452.html link]
Last album = ""
(1997)
This album = "I Am…"
(1999)
Next album = "Nastradamus"
(1999)
Misc = Singles
Name = I Am...
Type = studio
single 1 = Nas Is Like
single 1 date = March 2 1999
single 2 = Hate Me Now
single 2 date = April 6 1999

"I Am…" is the 1999 multi-platinum third studio album by rapper Nas for the Columbia Records label. Considered a comeback album after a three-year gap between releases, the album features the singles "Nas Is Like" and "Hate Me Now". It debuted #1 on the charts, selling over 470,000 copies in its first week. "I Am…" would later be certified 2x platinum. Despite being criticized for its commercial appeal, the album was generally well-received by fans.

Original album concept

This album was originally to have been a double album titled "I Am...The Autobiography", however most of the original sessions were bootlegged forcing Nas to discard many songs and adjust the release to one disc. "I Am..."became one of the first major label releases to be widely leaked using MP3 technology. Some of the leaked songs were later released on the compilation LP "The Lost Tapes" in 2002. The concept of this album as can be seen by tracks such as "Fetus" from "The Lost Tapes" was to be an autobiography of sorts for Nas. Nas allegedly recorded over 110 tracks for the project.

ongs

The two singles from "I Am..." were "Hate Me Now" and "Nas Is Like". "Hate Me Now" features Puff Daddy and is produced by D-Moet and Pretty Boy and The Trackmasters. It was a Billboard Hot 100 hit, and had a controversial music video directed by Hype Williams. The song sampled Orff's "Carmina Burana." "Nas Is Like" is one of two tracks produced by DJ Premier who scratches vocal samples from Nas' "It Ain't Hard To Tell" into the chorus. The "Nas Is Like" music video was directed by Nick Quested and is still very popular in underground circles and continued a long list of popular Nas/DJ Premier collaborations.

The album also contained the song "We Will Survive", a tribute to Tupac Shakur and the late Notorious B.I.G. The song criticized his peers, most notably Jay-Z, who "claimed to be New York's king" following B.I.G.'s death, the record has been cited as potentially encouraging the Nas vs. Jay-Z feud.

Puff Daddy controversy

Puff Daddy, a featured artist on "Hate Me Now", shot a scene for its music video in which he was crucified, and subsequently felt uncomfortable with it and asked it to be edited out of the final cut. A cut containing the crucifixion scene was mistakenly delivered to MTV, and aired on "TRL" on April 15 1999. A furious Puff Daddy allegedly barged into the offices of Nas' manager Steve Stoute later that afternoon and attacked him, at one point hitting him over the head with a champagne bottle. Stoute filed a lawsuit against Puff Daddy, which was later settled out of court.Fact|date=May 2008

Track listing

Unreleased/Unused/Discarded Songs

Due to bootlegging, Nas discarded many songs that some suggest would have made the album a classic. Some of these songs were put on numerous mixtapes:

*"Afterlife"³
**The sequel to the staged suicide "Undying Love" where Nas pleads with God for a second chance in the Afterlife skit
*Amongst Kings³
**Nas tells a story of being in the afterlife after begging for his life back in the "Afterlife (Skit)" and gets judged by God, who decides to give him another chance and sends him back as Natradamus

*"Blaze a 50"⁴
**A twisted tale where Nas is at his best

*"Daydreamin, Stay Schemin"⁸
**Comediac song where Nas taunts people who want to rob him

*"Drunk by Myself"⁴
**Describes Nas rhyming as an alcoholic

*"Fetus (Belly Button Window)"⁴
**A song that describes Nas' birth through his mother's womb

*"Find Ya Wealth"⁵
**A motivational song that tells people to find their wealth

*"Hardest Thing to Do Is Stay Alive"⁷
**Twisted tale that depicts the drug game

*"My Own Worst Enemy"⁷
**A song where Nas talks about his life and decisions he made on the street but looks back and realizes his worst enemy was himself

*"Poppa Was a Playa"⁴
**Describes growing up with his father Olu Dara (mainly his extramarital affairs)

*"Pray"¹
**Track featuring the Bravehearts that tries convinces people to pray even those who participate in crime

*"Project Windows"²
**Describes childhood in the projects.
***It should be noted that the instrumental of the "Nastradamus" version is slightly altered (i.e. a descending piano scale)

*"The Rise and Fall"⁷
**Nas explains all the hardships in his career. It contains samples from "Take It In Blood" and "Escobar '97"

*"Sometimes I Wonder"⁷
**A street song that pays respect to the street's and old homies featuring fellow member Nature

*"U Gotta Love It"⁴
**Nas breaks down the complexity of street life

*"Wanna Play Rough"⁶
**A gangster song which depicts a failed ambush on Nas' Escobar persona, which was produced by Dame Grease and contains a sample from "The Message"

*¹: Cassette bonus track
*²: Later appears on "Nastradamus"
*³: Later appears on international version of "Nastradamus"
*⁴: Later appears on "The Lost Tapes"
*⁵: Later appears on "QB's Finest"
*⁶: Later appears on Dame Grease's "Live on Lenox Ave."
*⁷: Indicates song has leaked
*⁸: Indicates song has not leaked