The Lost Tapes 2 Explained

The Lost Tapes 2
Type:compilation
Artist:Nas
Cover:The Lost Tapes II by Nas.jpg
Recorded:2007–2017
Genre:Hip hop
Length:59:37
Prev Title:Nasir
Prev Year:2018
Next Title:King's Disease
Next Year:2020

The Lost Tapes 2 is a compilation album by American rapper Nas, released on July 19, 2019 by Mass Appeal Records and Def Jam Recordings. It is the sequel to the compilation album The Lost Tapes, released in 2002. The Lost Tapes 2 features unreleased tracks from Nas’ last four studio albums: Hip Hop Is Dead (2006), Untitled (2008), Life Is Good (2012) and the album scrapped in favor of Nasir (2018).[1] It includes production from producers such as RZA, Swizz Beatz, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, No I.D., Pete Rock and The Alchemist, among others.

Background

In 2002, Nas released The Lost Tapes, compiling previously unreleased tracks that were discarded from recording sessions for Nas' studio albums, I Am... (1999) and Stillmatic (2001). A follow-up compilation, The Lost Tapes 2, was originally intended to be released on December 16, 2003, and include unreleased recordings, remixes, and freestyle tracks.[2] However, its release was delayed,[3] and in 2006, Nas signed to Def Jam Recordings.[4] In a June 2010 interview for Hot 97.5 KVEG, he said of following-up The Lost Tapes, "I do got a lot of songs that really didn't make no album, that's just sittin' around [or] got lost. So I've got enough actually, for a Lost Tapes 2 and 3 by now. So I've just got to set it up, put them together – 12 songs for one album, 12 songs for another album, and figure it out. That's all it takes."[5] In September, he announced plans to release The Lost Tapes 2 on December 14.[6] However, its release was further delayed by Def Jam, whom Nas accused of mishandling the project and its budget in a personal e-mail sent to label executives.[7] Reports of the project's delay incited fans to create an online petition in December asking for Def Jam to release the album.[8] After losing time to the project's delay, Nas began recording for a new studio album and put plans for The Lost Tapes 2 on hold.[9] [10]

In 2012, American singer Frank Ocean and producer Hit-Boy created a track entitled "No Such Thing As White Jesus" that went unreleased. The track was reworked as "Royalty" featuring RaVaughn. Ocean still received songwriting credit for the track.[11]

Promotion

On June 11, 2019, Nas shared a promotional video via his Instagram account, announcing the release of The Lost Tapes 2 in the near future.[12] On July 2, a trailer was released to announce the album's cover art and production credits, alongside its track listing and a release date of July 19, 2019.[1] The trailer included a preview of the album track "Lost Freestyle".[13]

Critical reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 58, based on 7 reviews.

Roisin O'Connor of The Independent concluded that The Lost Tapes 2 "sounds like an artist rediscovering his love for hip hop in the most joyous and satisfying way", naming the songs produced by Kanye West, Swizz Beatz and RZA as the standout tracks. Rolling Stones Christopher R. Weingarten praised Nas' performance, calling him "a rap legend at his most stylistically diverse", however, he described the album as "a messy display of the many sides of Nas" at both "his most essential and least essential".

Commercial performance

The Lost Tapes 2 debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 with 23,000 album-equivalent units, of which 12,000 were pure album sales. It is Nas's 13th US top 10 album.[14]

Track listing

Notes

Sample credits

Charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)[15] 22
French Albums (SNEP)[16] 177
UK R&B Albums[17] 4
US Billboard 20010
US Billboard Digital Albums[18] 1

Notes and References

  1. Nas Gathers Unreleased Tracks for Long-Awaited 'Lost Tapes 2'. Rolling Stone. July 2, 2019. July 2, 2019.
  2. Web site: MTV News. For the Record: Quick News On Nas, DMX And Eve, 'The Bachelor,' Foo Fighters, Phantom Planet & More. https://archive.today/20120912040722/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1479398/.jhtml. dead. September 12, 2012. MTV News. MTV Networks. September 29, 2003. November 20, 2012.
  3. Web site: Nas : ナズが10周年記念アルバムをリリース. BARKS. ITmedia. Japanese. Nas: Release / Nas's 10th anniversary album. February 19, 2004. November 20, 2012.
  4. News: Leeds. Jeff. Rapper Nas Is to Join Label Led by Former Rival Jay-Z. The New York Times. January 23, 2006. November 20, 2012.
  5. Web site: Jacobs. Allen. Nas Says "Lost Tapes" Volumes 2 & 3 Is Possible in September 2010. HipHopDX. June 2, 2010. November 20, 2012.
  6. Web site: Dombal. Ryan. Nas Preps The Lost Tapes: Vol. 2. Pitchfork Media. September 16, 2010. November 20, 2012.
  7. Web site: Roberts. Steven. Nas Accuses Def Jam of Skimping on Lost Tapes: Vol. 2 Budget. https://web.archive.org/web/20110124181637/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1649508/nas-accuses-def-jam-skimping-on-lost-tapes-vol-2-budget.jhtml. dead. January 24, 2011. MTV News. MTV Networks. October 7, 2010. November 20, 2012.
  8. Web site: Jacobs. Allen. Nas Fans Create Online Petition for Def Jam to Release "Lost Tapes 2". HipHopDX. December 21, 2010. November 20, 2012.
  9. Web site: Rodriguez. Jayson. Nas Talks Lost Tapes Vol. 2, Label Issues. https://web.archive.org/web/20110105013835/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1655194/nas-talks-lost-tapes-vol-2-label-issues.jhtml. dead. January 5, 2011. MTV News. MTV Networks. June 3, 2011. November 20, 2012.
  10. Web site: Koroma. Salima. Nas Shares Thoughts on Libya, Updates on 'Lost Tapes Vol. 2'. HipHopDX. March 15, 2011. November 20, 2012.
  11. Web site: Hear Nas' Previously Unreleased "Royalty" Which Credits Frank Ocean. 19 July 2019.
  12. Scott. Dana. June 11, 2019. Nas Reveals 'The Lost Tapes 2' Promo On Instagram. HipHopDX. June 12, 2019.
  13. Nas Reveals 'The Lost Tapes II' Tracklist, Release date. Rap-Up. July 2, 2019. July 2, 2019.
  14. Web site: Ed Sheeran's 'No. 6' Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart, Beyonce & Nas Bow in Top 10. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. July 28, 2019. July 29, 2019.
  15. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums. Australian Recording Industry Association. July 29, 2019. July 27, 2019.
  16. Web site: Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 30, 2019). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. French. July 30, 2019.
  17. Web site: Nas: The Lost Tapes 2. officialcharts.com.
  18. Web site: Nas: The Lost Tapes 2 (Digital Albums). https://web.archive.org/web/20191001233137/https://www.billboard.com/music/nas/chart-history/digital-albums/song/1154549. dead. October 1, 2019. Billboard. billboard.com.

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