Review Summary: A very mixed album with some relevant tracks pertaining to the state of Hip Hop, but mostly irrelevant tracks that are still good but shouldn't have been used for this album.
Think back to "Ether", Nas' infamous Jay-Z diss. He accused Jay-Z of having a fake persona, being homosexual and being misogynic. Those are some serious accusations, but Nas backed them up with evidence. Now imagine if he said those things but provided no evidence. The song wouldn't be as good as it is. Now that pretty much sums up this album. It's not as good as it could've been. Why? Well, from the title you would expect a compilation of tracks dealing with the current state of Hip Hop, when it started to go downhill and why he thinks it is completely dead. Instead, we get a compilation of irrelevant tracks that aren't bad, but don't belong to an album titled "Hip Hop Is Dead".
Now this album was very controversial. Many southern rappers took offense to the title and felt it was directed at them. Ludacris, Big Boi and most notably Young Jeezy (who seemed to be really mad at Nas) all felt Nas was saying southern MCs were killing Hip Hop. While fellow New York rappers like Ghostface Killah, KRS-One and DMX felt Nas had a point and supported the album. Now from the first track, Money over Bull***, he just starts rambling on about random stuff. The only thing he says about Hip Hop being dead is a line in the background where he yells "It's dead bitch!". Alright, but why? The next track is the same. Carry on Tradition finally explains why he thinks Hip Hop is dead. He says it isn't because MCs don't have talent, they can't see themselves as the boss. Well, that doesn't make too much sense but alright Nas. He then explains that Hip Hop is watered down and that everybody wants to become a rapper for the money and that everybody just brags about their money and skills but few actually have skills. He also addresses how everybody gets awards for their weak music and how underground rappers start beef with popular ones to make it into the mainstream (Doesn't that remind you of the Eminem and Canibus beef?). Now this is the first track that belongs on this album however the next few tracks are much less relevant. Where are They Now just names rappers from the 80's and 90's that nobody hears about anymore. The title track is just god awful, how could Nas say Hip Hop is Dead over a Will.I.Am beat? Who Killed It is a strange song and it isn't entertaining at all.
So by now you probably lost all hope for this being a good album, but the second half of the album is a completely different story. Starting with the most memorable track on the album, Black Republican. It's not necessarily the best but it is memorable because it's first collaboration after the feud. Most of the tracks are about Nas looking back on his days in the ghetto, some of which turn out to be some of his best tracks. Blunt Ashes and Let there Be Light make you think back over Nas' 15 year long career.
In an interview Nas said that not only was Hip Hop dead, but America and music in general were dead. There is very little mention of why that is on this album, even less than there is on Hip Hop. It seems like he named this only for the controversy it would cause which would make more people buy the album, and it worked. This was his third album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. Overall this is a mixed album with mostly good tracks, but not enough pertaining to Hip Hop being dead. As a concept album, it falls flat but it could've been better (and a lot less controversial) if he had named it anything other than "Hip Hop Is Dead". He doesn't give any evidence to back up his argument.
