Nas lost his way a bit in the nineties.
Out in 2001 Stillmatic was a triumphant attempt to regain the ground charted by his debut LP Illmatic, seven years earlier. Radio friendliness went out the window: the sound of the underground was back, with songs about politics and ghetto life.
Producers like Large Professor, DJ Premier, L.E.S., and Trackmasters stepped up; AZ, Mary J. Blige and Amerie put in strong shifts.
Premier re-organizes Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack to deadly effect on 2nd Childhood. Both Large Profs are killers. Ether disses Jay-Z in fine style.

What a great record. Soaring early-eighties soul from Bill Withers’ spar — original, loose-limbed and funky, full of emotional intelligence and good vibes. Includes Love’s Too Hot To Hide, two-step heaven.

‘One of the dozen albums that anyone interested in the outer limits should own, or be owned by. Because it cleaves closest of Miles’ masterworks to funk groove and rock impact (Davis was trying to reach out to a young black audience), it’s easy for the jazz novice to get into. But once you’re into it, it’ll take you as far out as anything Davis (or anybody else) ever recorded’ (Simon Reynolds).
‘The first hip-hop/house/drum’n'bass/breakbeat album I’d ever heard’ (Greg Tate).
LP from Music On Vinyl.