Whenever Nas announces a new album, the rap world pulls up its collective chair ready for the result. It’s been that way since 1993 when he dropped his classic debut single “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” ahead of his magnum opus Illmatic.
Nas has a long history, or at least in the first half of his career, of dropping several classic album lead singles. But the inaugural single “Ultra Black” from Nas’ new album King’s Disease, which was released on Friday (August 21), was a buzzing social media item that bled into the album rollout.
However, it wasn’t an account of the song’s quality. It was because he dissed one of 2020’s biggest pop-rappers Doja Cat.
“Sometimes I’m over-black, even my clothes are black,” Nas spit. “Cash Money with the white tee and the soldier rag/We goin’ ultra-Black, unapologetically Black/The opposite of Doja Cat, Michael Blackson black.”
If Nas didn’t refer to Doja Cat’s alleged racist online chats from years ago that surfaced earlier this year, or criticized her fair-skinned shade to juxtapose comedian Michael Blackson’s dark complexion, what would the replay value of “Ultra Black” be? (Author’s note: If Nas’ lyric was an allusion to skin color, wouldn’t his “Multiple colors, we come in all shades, mocha black” be a contradiction?)
This review of “Ultra Black” is neither a subversive way to defend of Doja Cat nor a knee-jerk reaction to the track. If it was actually the latter, then this column would’ve been published immediately after “Ultra Black” was released on August 14. So, there’s been enough time and room for the single to grow on us after playing it on repeat.
And this isn’t to say “I want the old Nasty Nas” persona again. Like he said on his song “The Cure” from King’s Disease, he’s not going back to that for nostalgia’s sake (“They say they want the old Nas back/Play the Clue tapes for old verses”). We have to respect his artistic growth but can be certain “Ultra Black” isn’t among his classic album lead singles.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter uprising this summer, “Ultra Black” has empowering lyrics. It pertains to Nas’ songwriting formula, which brings Black history nuggets into nearly everything he writes. He namechecks revered disco singer and actress Grace Jones, the 1970s TV show Sanford and Son and blaxploitation films, his American Express Black credit card and Colin Kaepernick’s NFL saga, to name a few. He also keeps it current in today’s COVID-19 pandemic (“Talk with a mask on, the freshest breath”).
However, it doesn’t have that absolutely-must-have-this-in-my-playlist feel to it compared to the aforementioned from Illmatic, “If I Ruled The World” from It Was Written, “Nas Is Like” for I Am…, “Got Yourself A Gun” from Stillmattic, “Made You Look” on God’s Son, or “Thief’s Theme” on Street’s Disciple.
Regardless of those album’s great, mid-level or boring overall assessments, those tracks were dope enough to make you check for his new album.
“Ultra Black” also moves Nas in the right direction, away from the underwhelming taste his Kanye West-produced album Nasir left in many of his fans’ mouths in 2018. Plus, Nas linked with revered producer Hit-Boy to create “Ultra Black,” which could mean Nas is listening to the longstanding fan chatter about his underwhelming predilections for beats.
His semi-syncopated lyrical cadence over the mid-tempo beats with its resounding five-note piano and keyboard, punchy bass drum are in pocket with many of Nas’ fan favorites and his biggest hits. Nas always delivers his best over piano or organ loops such as “NY State Of Mind,” “Memory Lane,” “The World Is Yours,” “Affirmative Action,” “I Can” and “Purple.”
To defy today’s cancel culture, this isn’t binary in which “Ultra Black” should make you dismiss if it’s isn’t categorized as either a classic or sub-classic. There are two arguments to what makes a classic record. One is the timing, the context of how it was created and when it was released and time will tell. Even though it could be at the right pace since the pandemic has people in quarantine and not partying this summer.
Doja Cat Is Dropping A Song Called 'N.A.S' Following 'Ultra Black' Diss
The other argument is that a classic song can’t grow on you. It has to be such a surefire track that you feel the moment you hear it and want to turn it up the second time and every time thereafter. If you don’t recall it as some touchpoint in your life, then the single’s just not at that level.
Bottom line is if you don’t get hyped when you turn it on in the coming months or years, then it doesn’t represent classic material.
Now, allow us to dig into the full entree.
One of the weakest opinion based editorials I’ve ever read.
This writer is garbage, they really don’t wtf they talking about.
gtfoh with this trash article. whoever wrote this is a sucka straight up. how are you “certain” this won’t be a classic single?? who tf made you the judge?? the single bangs to me and to many others, that negates this whole garbage article *ultra black*
They want some in the club banging bullshit that no one will listen to a year from now. These people have ruined hip hop because all they see it as is a money making entity, and so they promote the bullshit.
That’s wut the article said? Nas should drop banging music? lmaoooooooo
Nobody can tell Nas what to do and all his music are banging and he makes money from it the funny part is you people complain and make scattering little bitches noise and yet u don’t even have a single or go to the studio to release a song it is simple ,Nas will always be better than is haters hahaha
Stupid article
What a shitty article! Dana Scott STFU!
100 % agree with you
This site has turned into NAS HATERS
Bottom line is that if you don’t get hyped when you turn it on in the coming months or years, then it doesn’t represent classic material. DANA SCOTT !!!!!!!!!! Wait until then
They trying to influence your train of thought
Setting it up for the Bad Review they about to put out on the king ?
We really need to stop supporting this website
Could’ve kept this article bruh…if the man wanted that for a lead single then let it be…oh vlad ass niggas come up with anything…I got the fuckin album(havent listened yet) and if the whole shit is good, who gives a fuck about a lead single?? Corny as hell…
They’re talking like it’s 1993. Nobody gives a fuck about a single unless you’re an artist trying to break through in the microwave era. Nas is not that. Next thing they’re going to tell us is that this doesn’t feel right because it didn’t drop on a Tuesday.
Lol ? to funny
This website is so garbage…
While many comments below take issue with the content of this article, I have issues with the writing itself. There are a number of mechanical errors and some of the syntax doesn’t flow well; it clunks-out halfway through a phrase multiple times. To the writers on this site, please demonstrate more craftsmanship in your work – especially when it is being critical of very talented wordsmiths – or you lose all credibility.
The album is ok. Could’ve been a 7 track EP and been better than Nasir, but this single is one of the best tracks on the album and had me hype when it dropped. Article sucks
The article is poorly written with multiple syntax errors. In addition to that the article doesn’t make much sense. A strong lead single isn’t indicative of anything. If your lead single was stronger than the rest of your album then your nothing more than Vanilla Ice. If you’re an artist driven by singles, you’re a failure. The critique is simply nonsensical.
It’s not a classic JUST cause of that Doja Cat line? Have people forgot about Dr. Dre’s Chronic album where he and Snoop Dogg dissed Eazy-E, 50’s Get Rich or Die Trying album where he dissed Ja Rule, or even Jay’s Blueprint and Nas’s Stillmatic albums where they dissed one another as well many other classic albums/singles? Less hypocrisy, more logic.
This is the worst written article in history. This album is fire! Nas Goat
So Nas is suppose to be a wanna love mafia member forever??? He can’t evolve??? The songs he dropped today i vibed all day too and this is shaping up to be a great great album. His only whack albums TO ME are streets disciple and life is good…they are hard not to skip around but this new shit is pretty damn dope y’all won’t get another view from me with this dumb shit
Streets Disciple & life is good are to cold ass albums
Nas sound like he rapping just for the sake of rapping these days
Dana…go to bed with your foolishness
LMAO, all these broke Nas stans are pressed as fuck about the article. Face the truth, Ultra Trash and King’s Garbage are the worst pieces of shit to drop this year. King HOV has a new song with Pharrell that goes hard and packs more knowledge than Nas’ entire career and is stealing the spotlight from your hero right now. Nas has overrated Illmatic and a landfill of a discography while King HOV has masterpieces and works of art. It’s the ROC in here!
Jay such like your grandma and he can never be compared to Nas and I am glad u listen to Nas song to tell the difference and u love him so fuckin much that is why you need and guess what little muchacho. U can never be Nas he is better than you in everyway hahaha suka
Wack hit piece. He also said “we all are black” in the song. Did that contradict that the song was about blackness?
People are still hating on the GOAT, I see? I can definitely tell this site will be giving this album a mid review. KD is dope and definitely better than Nasir.
Pointless
We are all black, I am Michael Jackson black (post 1988).
The album has a lot of knowledge, but and it’s a great album, but definitely forgettable. I will be bumping it for a minute. It’s just like a griselda album. Fast, furious, then indexed after the next fast and furious album comes out.
The track is a celebratory feel good single. It’s not depressing at all, it’s enlightening.
To each his own. I been a nas fan for a minute. He’s had his share of misgivings but Ultra black is a dope song. The album is dope. Instead of automatically trying to categorize an album that just dropped why not give people time to listen and make their own judgement. Nas gonna reach who he supposed to reach much like Kendrick, Cole, Jay and drake will.
Lol fuck you and this weak ass article ?
Albums dope! I don’t know what the hell y’all people or article talking about. Classic album for the culture.
This album is nothing special. I was forgotting it meanwhile I was listening to it.
The song sounds like classic Nas to me along with the rest of the album. This article feels deliberately contentious in order to drum up easy clicks. Embarrassing. And not all the lead singles mentioned were memorable or classics.
About the only super hot radio spin type singles Nas had were for his first two albums. Got Yourself a Gun was hot to me, but not everybody felt that way about it and radio definitely didn’t feel that way about it considering the era we were in then.
This Article made the song even hotter 2 me.
When did the media just decide to shit on Nas? Joe budden podcast, they slandered it just by looking at the track listing. Complex, they write a whole article on Jay’s wack-ass Entreprneur FEATURE and nothing about Nas’s whole album. And now we got some Pseudo-intellectual hack saying Ultra Black isn’t Thief’s Theme? All you writers deserve to get bitch slapped
Never said the song was bad or that the album would be as well lol.
Just curious, how is “opposite of Doja Cat, Michael Blackson Black” a contradiction to the, Black comes in all shades line? He didn’t say Doja Cat isn’t Black because she’s too light. He’s saying he’s ultra, or extremely Black like Michael Blackson’s skin color. He was contrasting Doja Cats skin with Michael Blackson’s
Just wait.. the official review. The whole thing gonna be about Kelis like the last three releases. Ten plus years and that’s the obsession. They gonna say he’s misogynistic, etc. Disgraceful. The Nas hate is delusional, their whole writing staff believes he has one classic and ether has no facts lol. The agenda has been clear for a while and dummies lap it up. Sheeple!
This is Knee jerk reaction BS journalism…song slaps. 1 line don’t make or break the song…
Nas, Huey P. Newton and I all had the same wicker chair.
What a dumb ass review..
Just wait.. the official review. The whole thing gonna be about Kelis like the last three releases. Ten plus years and that’s the obsession. They gonna say he’s misogynistic, etc. Disgraceful. The Nas hate is delusional, their whole writing staff believes he has one classic and ether has no facts lol. The agenda has been clear for a while and dummies lap it up. Sheeple!