Nas' "Memory Lane": Lyricism At Its Worst?

Kid Wave · Post by **Kid Wave** » Mon May 26, 2008 9:19 am

Nas' "Memory Lane": Lyricism At Its Worst?
Sep 01 '06 (Updated Dec 16 '06)

The Bottom Line Nas' "Memory Lane"...

Don't we all remember when Jay-Z and Nas had a beef? Nas' "Ether" defeated Jay-Z's "Takeover" and Nas was crowned King of New York. Anybody remember in "Blueprint 2" by Jay-Z where he basically surrendered to King Nas, but still managed to kind of win the battle? Amongst other great lines, Jay-Z spoke truth when he said:

"Cause you don't understand him, it don't mean that he nice/It just means you don't understand all the bullsh*t that he writes"

That quote always hits me while listening to Nas. He is the greatest rapper ever (with Common coming in a close second place), but he does get away with saying nothing a lot. A perfect example of Nas' pointless and poor lyricism is the classic song "Memory Lane" off of his classic album "Illmatic". Despite all of its acclaim for being a song of lyrical excellence, it is on the same lyrical level of most commercial crap put out today.

With all of that being said, I will take you through a journey known as a full lyrical analysis of the first verse of "Memory Lane".

-----------------------------------
"I rap for listeners: blunt heads, fly ladies and prisoners/
Henessey holders and old school n*gg*s, then I be dissing a/
unofficial that smoke woolie thai/
I dropped out of Cooley High, gassed up by coke-head cutie pie"
-----------------------------------

What a way to start off a song? He was making sense when he talked about the people that he rapped for, but then all hell broke loose. Thanks to speeddemon531 and aclaerbout, I know that woolie thai is a blunt laced with cocaine. But what the f*ck does "dissing a unofficial/an official that smoke woolie thai" mean? What is an unofficial? Apparently Nas is denouncing those who do hard drugs which is great, but he needs to make more sense.

Also, since "gassed up" means infatuated with a girl or self inflated, I am still stuck in an analysis quagmire. How does dropping out of high school relate to loving a girl? I am aware that Nas is taking me down his Memory Lane and is trying to show his gloomy upbringing, but he should link his rhymes together better. The only correlation between any of these lines is the drug references. Why would Nas rap for blunt heads, while dissing woolie thai smokers and being infatuated with coke-heads? Nas' hypocritical mind puzzles me. He is one of few rappers who can advocate and put down similar behaviors multiple times within 30 seconds. I certainly have an answer for why he dropped out of Cooley High.

-----------------------------------
"Jungle survivor, f*ck who's the liver"
-----------------------------------

Apparently, "liver" means better, but how does disregarding the better (person) relate to jungle survivor? Is Nas trying to say that he is superior to others because he survived the jungle (ghetto)? If he is then why doesn't he just say that? He is seemingly never straight forward with his lyrics. Nas cares to much about being verbally economical that he can't even say that he is a jungle survivor. Also, I have a feeling that I am forgetting a connotation that deals with being liver.

-----------------------------------
"My man put the battery in my back, a difference from Energizer/
Sentence begins indented, with formality/
My duration's infinite, money-wise or physiology"
-----------------------------------

The first line could be clever Nas used a clear metaphor. For a metaphor to be created, reality needs to be compared to something more surreal. Why would Nas' man put a battery in his back? That isn't a common reality. Is he trying to give the image of that stupid bunny who claps symbols and makes terrible music? OK, I'm sorry for being harsh, but Nas is bringing it upon himself. Also, how is it different from Energizer? Is he talking about battery assault to make this more incoherent?

The second line makes sense, but how does Nas' infinite duration relate to money or physiology. Is he going back two lines to his Energizer battery metaphor? If so, how does his battery-like infinite duration relate to money and physiology? Apparently, he is trying to say that he will constantly make money or physically endure through his harsh life. In that case, it is a genius quote that relates back to the "f*ck who's the liver" quote. Nas is trying to say that he doesn't need to be liver (better off, wealthy, etc.) because he is a warrior who will endure through anything. Holy sh*t, I think I just figured out the message of "Memory Lane" and "Illmatic": Nas is bringing the listener to his horrible past to show that he will always endure and seize the day. Either that is true or I give up!

Even though I just praised, the "duration" quote, it still has weaknesses. For example, if Nas says money-wise, then he should say physiologically to stay in the same declension. Nas and most rappers cheat grammatically much of the time which infuriates me. People should not sacrifice grammar or prose for style or flow which Nas does much in "Memory Lane".

-----------------------------------
"Poetry, that's a part of me, retardedly bop/
I drop the ancient manifested hip-hop, straight off the block"
-----------------------------------

Relating this quote to prior lines makes me think about this quote positively. I will assume that poetry is a part of Nas because he uses it to endure money-wise and physically. However, what is retardedly bop? I have a bad feeling in my stomach that "Memory Lane" inspired the Black Eyed Peas. Nas was telling people to get retarded to his poetry 10 years before Fergie, Will.I.Am and that other guy. The ancient manifested hip hop line makes sense and is more intelligent than saying something like "I spit for da streets muthaf*ckers".

-----------------------------------
"I reminisce on park jams, my man was shot for his sheep coat/
Childhood lesson make me see him drop in my weed smoke"
-----------------------------------

A genius line and one of the only major memories in this whole song. Nas should have called this song "Reminiscing" instead of "Memory Lane". Nas thinks about the past, but only comes up with a few memories.

-----------------------------------
"It's real, grew up in trife life, did times or white lines/
The hype vice, murderous night-times, and knife fights invite crimes/
Chill on the block with Cognac, hold strap/
With my peeps that's into drug money, market into rap"
-----------------------------------

First of all, trife isn't a word and it was created by rappers who wanted to rhyme something with life. However, I will let that slide because he was one of the first rappers to do so. The second line doesn't make sense though: how can murderous night-times and knife fights invite crimes? Aren't they already crimes? The Cognac line makes sense and doesn't add to much to the song other than foreshadow the Nas Escobar lifestyle. The "drug money, market into rap" line doesn't make sense, but I will assume that he is talking about glorifying drugs in rap music. In that case, Nas is hypocritical, but I will let it slide.

-----------------------------------
"No sign of the beast in the blue Chrysler, I guess that means peace/
For n*gg*s no sheisty vice to just snipe ya"
-----------------------------------

This quote is so unclear that my head hurts. I think that Nas was trying to talk about police brutality, but he comes off as an illiterate moron. Why can he sometimes formulate brilliance and other times be incoherent? Apparently, Nas meant to say "There aren't cops around so black people are safe from getting shot in a corrupt vice". Nas instead, not wanting to damage the songs flow, makes me think that there isn't a vice for black people to participate in because cops aren't around.

Nas should worry more about getting his points across clearly as opposed to keeping the songs flow if he is going to discuss complex topics. One of the biggest problems with "Memory Lane" is that Nas is so afraid of having a choppy flow like on "Last Real N*gga Alive" that he makes most of his points in an unclear way.

-----------------------------------
"Start off the dice-rolling mats for craps to cee-lo/
With side-bets, I roll a deuce, nothing below (Peace God!)/
Peace God -- now the sh*t is explained/
I'm taking n*gg*s on a trip straight through Memory Lane/
It's like that y'all .. it's like that y'all .. it's like that y'all"
-----------------------------------

This is coherent, but it certainly doesn't take me down Nas' "Memory Lane" unless his memories are clouded with angel dust and burnt phonics books. I will reiterate that "Memory Lane" should be called "Reminiscing" as there are so actual story like memories.

Overall, Nas could have crafted a much better song than "Memory Lane" lyric wise. Nas is not at all concise with his lyrics. The images that he creates are all blurred in my eyes. The only way to see them is with a microscope and a vast imagination. Maybe I'm just not equipped with either of those.

Peace God, now this sh*t is explained...

http://www.epinions.com/content_4833779844

Suburban-white-cough-medicines-eating-2pac-fan or ... ?

Moolah · Post by **Moolah** » Mon May 26, 2008 9:37 am

A few paragraphs in and that was seriously the worst article I've ever read. :didntread:

the rest.

GoodLook · Post by **GoodLook** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:07 pm

Nas was like 17 when he wrote that and its brilliant

Magneto · Post by **Magneto** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:15 pm

The best work of lyricism in Nas career, that article or break down was the dumbest, worthless piece of literature ever written or typed. Fuck outta here.

step one · Post by **step one** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:31 pm

'I hung around the older dudes while they sling to smack to dingbats
spoke of Fat Cat that niggas name made bell rings black
some fiend scream about Supreme Team a Jamaica Queens thing
Uptown was Alpo son, heard he was kingpin'

that is flawless and CLASSIC.

maybe you shoul just go and listen to your Def Jux back cat and leave the real Hip Hop alone

the brow · Post by **the brow** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:52 pm

What does it mean "to buck" someone?

thewool · Post by **thewool** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:00 pm

Top drawer Primo production that compliments the lyrics perfectly, love the cutting up over the chorus...

Positive A · Post by **Positive A** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:07 pm

Magneto wrote:The best work of lyricism in Nas career, that article or break down was the dumbest, worthless piece of literature ever written or typed. Fuck outta here.

kracker · Post by **kracker** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:14 pm

Quite possibly the worst article ever written.

Liger Woods · Post by **Liger Woods** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:02 pm

Kid Wave wrote:He is the greatest rapper ever (with Common coming in a close second place)

no need to read on anymore.

B. Ware tha Siniq · Post by **B. Ware tha Siniq** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:06 pm

Clearly this kid is an idiot. LOL at some of his "analysis" of perfectly logical lines as gibberish. Jesus, it's not like he's trying to dissect early Camp Lo or Aesop Rock here. Shit is a straightforward early Nas song.

Mark 563 · Post by **Mark 563** » Mon May 26, 2008 4:21 pm

Liger Woods wrote:
Kid Wave wrote:He is the greatest rapper ever (with Common coming in a close second place)
no need to read on anymore.

My thoughts exactly...

Deezal · Post by **Deezal** » Mon May 26, 2008 5:28 pm

some people got far too much time on their hands

the R · Post by **the R** » Mon May 26, 2008 5:41 pm

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Mon May 26, 2008 5:49 pm

Terrible

jazzmatazz23 · Post by **jazzmatazz23** » Mon May 26, 2008 5:50 pm

Mark 563 wrote:
Liger Woods wrote:
Kid Wave wrote:He is the greatest rapper ever (with Common coming in a close second place)
no need to read on anymore.
My thoughts exactly...

thebigk · Post by **thebigk** » Mon May 26, 2008 6:03 pm

What the hell, that was too boring to continue reading. I wouldn't be able to explain the lyricism behind Memory Lane, but still I like the song just THAT much

Thun · Post by **Thun** » Mon May 26, 2008 7:45 pm

LOL @ RANDOM NET WHIGGER HAVING TROUBLE DECIPHERING SURREALIST WORD TWISTING NEGRO AMERICAN POETRY

I BET THIS FAGGOT POSTS HERE ... FESS UP

kato · Post by **kato** » Mon May 26, 2008 9:36 pm

now that was some dumb shit...

LONDON · Post by **LONDON** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:27 am

Deezal wrote:some people got far too much time on their hands

co-sign this all day, everyday, 'memory lane' is nas at his classic best, truss me on that
________
UPSKIRT WHITE

HomeSkillet · Post by **HomeSkillet** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:18 pm

shit like this...

Req · Post by **Req** » Tue May 27, 2008 5:18 pm

jesus

someone find that review of Illmatic that slaughtered it, it was almost as good as this, maybe even better.

Kid Wave · Post by **Kid Wave** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:03 am

It's copy paste of course and the author shout be shoot just for the "Despite all of its acclaim for being a song of lyrical excellence, it is on the same lyrical level of most commercial crap put out today " sentence alone.

It's funny that almost all people that don't like Illmatic, love Reasonable Doubt.

GoodLook: I believe Nas talked just about NY State of Mind being written at 17.

PopsUK · Post by **PopsUK** » Thu May 29, 2008 1:20 pm

What a cuntish article.

Yohan · Post by **Yohan** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:36 am

Req wrote:jesus

someone find that review of Illmatic that slaughtered it, it was almost as good as this, maybe even better.

Interested to read.

B. Ware tha Siniq · Post by **B. Ware tha Siniq** » Fri May 30, 2008 12:03 pm

Here are the 9 reviews on Amazon.com that rate Illmatic a 1 out of 5 stars:

3 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
Dont Get.......East Coast Rap...., November 7, 2006
By C. Umanzor "RAP FAN" - See all my reviews

I bought this CD trying to get into the east coast sound. Big mistake, all the tracks sound a like is just a long bore. I miss Tupac Style song...California love, I anit mad at cha... those are great song.. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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Comments (6)

3 of 63 people found the following review helpful:
Nope, March 17, 2005
By Shamontiel L. Vaughn "the Contumacious Maroon... (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Either I'm getting old (23) or this cd is wack. Either way, I wasn't enjoying it. A bunch of dudes talking about their guns, their block, and poverty gets boring after awhile, especially if it's the same long story for the whole cd. It didn't even seem like Nas switched subjects. Just one very long song to fill a cd up. I don't know why this is supposed to be classic, but I was definitely not feeling it.

9 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
Good but fake, January 26, 2004
By "realmatic" (Queensbridge, ny United States) - See all my reviews

This album is good but it is not true. Nas just steals Cormega's life
stories. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

10 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
A non-biased view from a hiphop fan, December 30, 2001
By "evilfate" (Leeds, England) - See all my reviews

I'm always hearing how wonderful this album is, but i have no idea why.
I am a hiphop fan, i know what im talking about, but this album is not anything special at all.
The beats are terrible, old-school, with no depth.
Secondly, the lyrics, well, they may be fantastic, but his delivery is poor.
I'm probably going to get lynched for this, but this is just not that good an album, if you want the definitive nas, get stillmatic.
If you really want truly fantastic lyrics, not helium throated vocals, with unlistenable beats, check out Roots Manuva,
The Big L, AND KRS-1.

5 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
Most over rated, under rated cd ever!, December 24, 1998
By A Customer

What was the source thinking calling this the most under rated cd ever? Its under rated because of the trashy lyrics over the supreme beats of Gangstarr's Premier. This joint belongs nowhere in the same category as Mobb Deep's Infamous or Raekwons Built Strictly for Cuban Links. Buyer Beware! Nas' flow is choppy and raw. With It Was Written producing two decent cuts that were both radio, Nas on his first album talks about all that back to Africa fake hard core rap. This album is just about as bad as his acting in Belly.

12 of 71 people found the following review helpful:
Overated, September 13, 2002
By Joshua Lee (Seattle, Wa) - See all my reviews

Illmatic is probably one of the best lyrical hip hop cds out there. The beats are not as impressing as I thought that it would be. With people ranting and raving about the best hip hop album of all time with only 10 songs? The beats are not impressing, all that is good is rymes. If u want a good classic rap cd, I suggest Death Row's Greatest hit. THat is a good cd Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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Comment (1)

9 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
wake up amazon!, January 4, 1999
By A Customer

I find it very disheartening that you did not post my review of this album. I kept it clean and everything I said related to Nas. Just because I gave it a low mark you wish to only show the positive so that it does not effect your sales. Also please choose your top 10 Cds of the year honestly instead of horrible albums which you obviously must have a large back stock of that you want to sell. If you are not going to allow everyone to voice their opinions through reviews that just get rid of them altogether.

5 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
Pac Never Liked You, Get The Picture, July 10, 2004
By Kevin K. Krapf (Milwaukee, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This album lacked good beats which is a pattern for Nas along with beat-stealing. This guy, like Jay-Z make me sick. They both steal from 2pac even though Pac clearly never liked either one of them. Nas and Jay-Z sample far too many beats and lack creativity. Neither one are worth a damn and bring down the value of the east coast rap scene. That's why the westcoast is number 1, they can't hold a flame to Dre, Xzibit, Ice Cube, Too Short, or even Daz, Kurupt, Shaq, or Warren G. I'm sure if I guy that didn't like me spit on the mic about my cred or lack thereof, I wouldn't steal his beats in order to get the spotlight. Nas will never be as good as 2pac and more people need to realize that Nas is foul. His bad songs definitely outweigh the good which in undisputable. Ooooooooh, I'm a loser named Nas and I need to steal the beat from Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love" in order to release my first single for my album.

7 of 87 people found the following review helpful:
Over-Rated, July 21, 2002
By A Customer

Nas is a below average MC. Hova is the G.O.A.T--end of story. Dont waste your money on this--buy Blueprint, Unplugged, and Best of Both Worlds instead.

Thun · Post by **Thun** » Fri May 30, 2008 12:11 pm

^ That read like the conversations you'd overhear in the AIDS Unit triage of the hospital closest to Marcy Projects.

drizzle · Post by **drizzle** » Fri May 30, 2008 12:16 pm

Ooooooooh, I'm a loser named Nas and I need to steal the beat from Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love" in order to release my first single for my album

sigged

Funky Butler · Post by **Funky Butler** » Sat May 31, 2008 12:01 pm

Monotonous · Post by **Monotonous** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:28 am

Nas' "Memory Lane": Lyricism At Its Worst?

Nas' "Memory Lane": Lyricism At Its Worst?

Re: Nas' "Memory Lane": Lyricism At Its Worst?

Re: Nas' "Memory Lane": Lyricism At Its Worst?

Re: Nas' "Memory Lane": Lyricism At Its Worst?