Nas’ new album King’s Disease was a hot topic of discussion on a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast. After apologizing for his initial negative comments about the lead single “Ultra Black,” co-host Joe Budden walked back his statements and commended Nas for the stellar project.
“Salute to Nas, salute to Queens — ‘Ultra Black’ sounds amazing in the scheme of the album,” Budden said. “It’s perfect. And, the content kind of does a good job of covering what you’re talking about in the whole album. And when that happened, boy did I feel stupid. I said, ‘Man, that’s what the song is supposed to do.’ So I cannot like the song and understand where he was coming from. In the scheme of the album, that song is a pleasure to fucking hear.”
Budden then went on to apologize to several guests on the Nas album, including Fivio Foreign, Brucie B, A$AP Ferg, Big Sean, Charlie Wilson and Don Toliver.
Budden explained Nas’ 2018 studio album, the Kanye West-produced NASIR, fed into his initial skepticism.
“I’m just saying I didn’t see where some of the features were about to take me because I have been thrown off from that Kanye project,” he continued. “I’m gonna be honest here. A lot of people out there had been asking and inquiring, ‘Hey, is there Nas hate up there?’ No, there’s not Nas hate, but he’s such a great that when it’s not great, you try to just avoid it, not discuss it, not speak about him in his proper place.
“Not only did Nas deliver, but Hit-Boy did an amazing job. Every one of these features killed. Oh my god! Lil Durkio. Why wasn’t it 40 more bars from Durk!? What I was clearly way off about is, I like hearing Nas with the new guys when it’s done right … I love all the features. I like the album a lot. It makes me proud to come in here and say, ‘Boy you were way off base in this.’ And, I like lovely dovey Nas.”
Nas Dashed His Classic Album Feel When He Released 'Ultra Black' As A Lead Single
NASIR arrived in June 2018 after several delays. As HipHopDX Editor-In-Chief Trent Clark noted in his review, the Kanye West “rush job” shortchanged the album’s potential.
Clark added, “As for Kanye West (who’s been finding his life’s inspiration digging for and chopping up soul samples akin to his Polo sweaters and fully healthy jawbone days), his production is noticeably lacking the sublime addictive melodic qualities that have been a constant throughout his career.”
I fucked with him as an artist, but do people see what’s wrong with what’s going on right now when Joe Budden is commenting on Nas? Like seriously doing so like a reporter or some shit, and this goes for the rest of the hip hop commentary. Like a bunch of weirdos are pushing what’s hot or not in this culture. Complex and shit telling people this is what’s up, and it’s disturbing. Maybe that Patty dude that just got fired will be telling us what’s up next. SMH.
What’s going on is he’s bandwagoning Kanye hate. Budden used to be an innovator and spoke his truth now he’s just another media shill. As a day one listener of the podcast, fuck him and everyone there. Parks and Rory hating on their own race every episode. It’s a jokez
Nobody is bandwagoning hate on Kanye. Dude is fucking crazy and hasn’t had a hot album in over 10 years. Calling out a weirdo when they do weirdo shit is part of the culture and always will be.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – November 2010
Glad you liked that shit. That was a terrible album to me after that terrible technopop shit he did before that, and it’s been getting worse and worse since.
Yeezus came after MBDTF lol. Your hate is showing
Parks wants to be black so bad
I was a huge Budden fan from back in the day and a day one listener of the pod. A few weeks ago unsubscribed from the pod. Him and his friends have no idea what the fuck is really going on in this country. I tried to fast forward through their bullshit in the pod and it was just inescapable. Not to mention, Budden just does what every is popular in the industry now. So he had to talk some shit about Kanye again to cement his stance. Shane what happened to Budden, the pod, and this country in general. So Hip Hop is gonna give it up for Biden, the same guy who’s only interview before the DNC was Cardi B. Y’all make me fucking sick. TRUMP 2020
Fuck u bitch
F#*k outta here you troll. No one is voting for that confederate statue supporting dumbass Trumpy the bunker boy. LOL. Trump is finished. It’s over. Your Trump God and your blasphemy ways are done. F#*k outta here.
Power, you sound angry and uneducated. Don’t be fooled and one of the white sheep falling for the medias agenda. Use your two holes above your nose to see the truth for yourself. Not preaching or judging, just hate to see people become white sheep because the media and masses are being bullies.
It’s commendable that Joe has been to able find context for King’s Disease in light of his initial criticism of Ultra Black. I also think that those that have critically spoken of Nasir the album, have deliberately shied away from the fact that it could not have been given due consideration because of sabotage by Jay-Z and his camp. If people recall, the same day Nas, Kanye, Wale and handful of other rappers had their listening session and album release party, Jay decided to release Everything is love. I never listened, streamed or purchased it out of principle, nor will I ever do any of the above for Entrepreneur for the same reasons. Hip-hop needs to call out hypocrisy when it happens and Jay is being spared one too many times.
I wish I could agree. I think the album is kinda weak. And I been listening to Nas since 94. I want to like it, but there’s just not a lot of dope songs on there. You can’t let it run for more than 10 minutes anywhere in the album without something wack happening. And the middle of the album is dreadful. Nas flow is off. He’s just not sounding lyrically fit. He sounds rusty and he’s struggling to shake it because he doesn’t write enough.
Listen again bro, his lyrics are sharper than ever. Nas will take a couple of listens because it’s about bars and substance. We gotta evolve and stop looking for a 19 year old illmatic Nas and respect the growth. King’s Disease is a classic!
“There’s a misperception that movement in any direction is progression”. Just because someone gets older doesn’t mean they always evolve skill-wise with their craft. Just like anything else, if you don’t train at your craft, if you don’t keep adding things to your game, and staying fit so to speak, you lose it. I just think Nas doesn’t love rapping anymore, and he’s losing his skills. Now, that doesn’t mean he has no skill. He was a A++ MC for a long time. Now he’s a B MC in my opinion. It’s not an indictment against him as a Man, but I can’t deny that he’s fallin off. It’s all good though, y’all take rap too personal. As for the otter dude. I’m not a kid listening to mumble rap. I’m a 38 year old man with kids that don’t even listen to mumble rap. I’m not a jay-z ‘Stan’ or a Stan of anyone. I think Jay-Z is dope, and I’ve liked him AND Nas, if you can wrap your simple mind around that concept. It’s easy to just accuse anyone who disagrees with you of being a troll, but that’s just because the thought of anyone having a different opinion than you scares you. You’re not truly sure about your opinions, so you get mad when other people actual have thoughtful ones. You should just relax and try to enjoy rap as a music, not tie it to your identity as a man and have these childish allegiances to these rappers that don’t know you B. Peace.
He’ll never be nas again his flow been horrible voice has changed just hasn’t been able to adapt life is good showed some life but still not 90′ s flow Escobar time to give it up see the reason jay never fell off because his flow stayed sharp and his voice still the same
Stormcloak obviously one of 3 people. Either a Jay Z stan, a young kid who likes the mumble rap and lying about listening to Nas in 94, or just a below average mood with a weak mind who can’t understand what is being said. You sound stupid as fuck saying the album is weak and any point on the album is dreadful. Maybe I fell for the bait on his weak comment. Or most likely he just isn’t on the level to understand the word play and poetry being spit out by Nas.
Either way this is a instant classic and a top 5-6 Nas album and 100% better than any Album released the past 5 years.
Nah, disagreed. Most commenters waste space here or just troll. At least Stormcloak gives a well thought out, honest opin.ion. Nothing wrong with disagreeing…I’m still digesting this album. It’s much better than I expected after the Kanye fiasco. Lyrics “sharper than ever”? Not a chance, sorry…
I felt the same way. Didn’t like Ultra Black, but it fits the album. Was skeptical of the features, but they did a good job. Salute to Nas for a great album. Car 85 is so dope.
I thought Life is Good was pretty average when it came out, but hearing it now a lot of those songs are personal classics.
Yeah you definitely slept cuzzo
Because you’re dumb
You’re right bro. Decided to fire up life is good last week to prep for King’s Disease.
Forgot how strong the album it was, bumps hard.
NASIR was an Absoloute blemish in both ye and nas careers – ask me 6 years ago if I would have wanted that, but between ye’s musical ability being mostly non existent at this point, and nas’ terrible ear for beats, that album never had a chance
That arguments tired and been disproven. Nas is not a a club or pop rapper. If Jay had been rappin over the Don, Made U Look or Bye Bye Baby, y’all would be dick riding
Ultra Black was clearly made for a reaction and had a certain sound I wouldn’t expect from a Nas single. If that was a preview of sorts to what we should expect from an LP in a few months time….I wouldn’t be excited…Nas is Like…Halftime…Nasty….Got yourself a gun….If I Ruled the World….Made you Look…Thiefs Theme….Hip Hop is Dead….those are the singles we need…not Nastradamus….Hero….Firm Biz….Ultra Black
That Nasir album is Nas’ worse album but it’s still better than Joe Buddens whole career.
No Nastradamus and street disciple are way worse
Foh. Both them joints got plenty of great tracks on them.
ma streets disciple was straight if took off like 10 songs and made it a single album, it would have been classic
If Kanye did the album he would have trashed this. Someone must have made a phone call or they have another relationship to protect
Used to be a Joe Budden fan. Now dude seems out of touch and he goes with what’s popular instead of what he believes in.
NAS IS a PART OF THE BROTHERHOOD NOW SO DON’T EVER EXPECT AN OFFICIAL ALBUM FROM HIM ANYMORE, LIKE JAY Z HE IS A PART OF THE MACHINE AND NO LONGER FOR THE TRUE HEADS OF HIP HOP… YUP WE LOST ANOTHER GREAT ONE ON ACCOUNT OF SELFISHNESS, GREED AND FAME.. SMH? This album was pure dumpster juice?compared to the Nas that we all know n love…?
Oh, come on man. It’s so easy to speak like that. Nas is keeping it thorough. Of course he has changed. We all change. But if had changed that lot he wouldn’t have The Firm on the album. It is called – going back. Listen to the content man. At the end of the day, he is street dude and will always be from the street. But who want to go back to the streets and experience what you are trying to avoid.
I am just saying man… Stop hating that much. Be more constructive in your arguments.
Budden hating on anything Kanye related? what a shock….
I bet Ebro is going to come out praising this album next..
Nas is just trying new things dude is older and richer can’t stay stuck in 1 place Quit lookin for Illmatic and enjoy a different vibe.
word…the funny thing is songs like Car #85 gave me that old school vibe but it sounds new & fresh. im feelin this album
What a disappointment … Nothing new though, he hasn’t had a worthy effort since It Was Written … His beat selection is horrible … This album is no different … And these features ????????? C’mon man … No real Nas fan wants to hear him on a track with any of these clowns … Give me a Nas/DJ Premier album … NO ONE would be able to hate on that fire … But nope, instead we get a F’n Hit Boy produced album full of skippable songs … I repeat; WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT
you just a hater and you will always be a hater…you dont speak for all Nas fans…this project he delivered…dj premier sounds dated now, i dont want to hear Nas over outdated 90’s production just to appease you old head backpacker in the face azz…the 90’s was the 90’s…if you want that go listen to his old shii like Nas said…this is 2020 now…as a fan of Nas music i like hearing him wit some of the new blood, it makes things fresh…my mans been spittin now for over 30 years…still killin shii…legend in the game #KINGSDISEASE