Before I took like a 3hr nap on the couch because my motivation sucks I had intended to post some more music today, including this great mixtape from Nas. Lol I wrote that in January. It’s always funny going back and reading old things I wrote…ahh 3hr lazy ass naps on the couch…the story of my life. Anyway, this is an older post that I really liked about some of my experiences with Nas and how he became one of my favorite rappers along the way. In addition, it tells the story of how I turned my little brother into a Nas fan and musically brainwashed him into not liking terrible music. With that said, it’s still always interesting how Nas remains so polarizing these days. To me the one thing I always respected about Nas is he always stated true to himself…even if it may have hurt him, but I know may others don’t feel the same. I was saddened that Lost Tapes 2 isn’t coming out any time soon and that I also missed seeing him perform at The Roots picnic, but it looks like an all new Nas album is on the way. Plus, at one of the very first concerts that started this whole journey and my love of shows I got to see Nas perform with my brother and one of my best friends no less. Often imitated…see Elzhi, Fashawn, H.O.P.E. and more…there is only one Nas. So yeah I guess it’s time to get on with the story, but first a couple of quick tangents that a couple months later still apply lol. If niggas don’t start tagging their music correctly in 2011 i’m going to start hitting people in the face with bottles. Second, does every mixtape on datpiff have to be fucked up, shit…I know it’s not their fault, but still that shit pisses me off. There needs to be some types of quality control or if nothing else, if you can’t put music on there correctly don’t or least put a warning. For instance, “i’m a dumbass I don’t know how to tag music and this mixtape is missing songs.” Luckily, I usually already have a lot of hard to find and/or great mixtapes and have other means to get them, but still.
One of those great mixtapes, that I think I even had the physical copy of, is this great mixtape with Nas and Lights Out Productions. Of course, the one on datpiff is fucked up. For those of you that just started following along I have branded my own links…Doc Links…and they are always correctly tagged and they contain all the songs. The other links usually for datpiff are download at your own risk type shit, but they do allow you to stream. I DON’T DO FUCKING STREAMING LINKS!!! Anyway, this mixtape is actually a favorite mixtape of both me and little brother Wyatt. He wasn’t always the biggest fan of Nas though, as he is almost 6 years younger than me and thus born in the era of music I sometimes like to refer to as The Golden Years of Fuckery…actually I just made that up. However, truer words have never been spoken. For years, he didn’t even listen to music, then it seemed like overnight a less pronounced addiction of music started happening with him. I say less pronounced in comparison to me, but he is one of the few people whose opinion I always respect on music. It wasn’t always like that though, it took a little bit of brainwashing. I think the reason a lot of younger niggas music taste flat out sucks is because no one showed them there is nothing better, never taught them about the history of music, or took the time to show them the great music that came before them. The complete lack of musical history in Hip Hop/Rap by the younger generation is always something that continually disappoints me. That was NOT the case with us…well maybe me in my younger years, but I was determined to not let my little brother repeat my same close-minded mistakes.
The brain washing process was not easy though, but I knew if I could expose him to same great music I grew up on while also exposing him to some of the great music I stubborn refused to listen to in my younger years there might be hope for him. I made sure to gently urge him the right direction when he began to drift, but I don’t think I was nearly aggressive as you might then when he started liked things I hated like Lil Wayne and shit. I can’t remember for sure, but it definitely wasn’t nearly as bad as when he had a ponytail when were kids and I made fun of him mercilessly everyday until he finally cut that shit off. I’m still trying to track down pictures of that shit lol. When the day finally came and he was like you know what, Lil Wayne isn’t even that hot compared to some of the other shit we listen to. I couldn’t have been happier. A single tear drop came down from my face. After we listened to this very mixtape almost non-stop during the blizzard a couple of years back when this mixtape dropped I remember him talking to some of our cousins about his favorite rappers and Nas came up…I could have been happier.
Then, I think it was last year or two years back my brother was home from school and my other brother from another mother White Mike (Team Cheating) was in town and the three of us went to the Nas show at the Electric Factory. GREAT SHOW!!! That was one of my first really great shows aside from Junior M.A.F.I.A. I saw in Middle School…but I mean I was in Middle School. I definitely attribute that Nas show as one of the first shows that really gave me the concert bug and love of seeing shows at smaller venues. It’s just a more intimate experience…no homo…but in all seriousness you feel like you’re more on touch with the artists and I just also tend to like the artists that perform at those venues more. Plus they don’t cost an arm and leg, so of the 50-60 shows, if not more, that I have seen in this 2-3 year span many of which have been this year that one always remains one of my favorites. The Jay-Z show I saw a couple years back…not so much…the Junior M.A.F.I.A. show I saw in Middle School…FUCK YEAH!!!
Which is also another reason I rank Nas slightly higher than Jay-Z, I always feel like I know Nas or i’m getting the real Nas. He may be fucked up like me and you, but at least I feel like he’s human. I can’t help but feeling like Jay-Z is such a robot sometimes, it sometimes feels like he really doesn’t even enjoy what he’s doing or he’s so scared to make a mistake and seem human. No real surprise there, I know a bunch of people and artists like that. Jay-Z has shown you can make a great living like that, but I guess never get the feeling like I have any connection with Jay-Z or I can related to him at times unlike Nas. I had actually started writing about this a while back and never finished, but I just feel like he’s been on auto-pilot or sleep walking for the past couple of years. I even told White Mike this and he was like dude I completely agree, that’s definitely how I would describe it. Of which I arrogantly retorted, “Well I am supposed to be the writer” lol. So I always have a soft spot…no homo…for this mixtape and that concert as evidence of all my brainwashing efforts, the concert I got to spend with my two brothers, and the one concert that probably started my whole love of concerts.
Without a doubt one of the greatest feelings is being able to share my love of music with my brother, I wish I could take him to more of the great concerts I go to. I’m really hoping I can take him to the Prince concert next month in Madison Square Garden. He’s also a big Prince fan and even though he once thought Prince was gay like me, he eventually realized he just downright awesome…a lot sooner than I did though. In closing, it is still important to remember that i’m the cooler, smarter, better looking, older, and far more awesome brother. However, he is with a doubt the better person and far less crazier one…the Wyatt Earp to my Doc Holliday as we share a very unique little brother/big brother dynamic. The fact remains his musical prowess come from me and as a result I couldn’t be happier. Niggas you got brainwash these little niggas. Enjoy one of our favorite mixtapes if you haven’t already…judging by the number downloads we’re not the only ones that love it, but you can be sure the other people aren’t nearly as awesome as us. Tracklisting and link below.
1. Carry The Cross Intro
2. Purple 2004
3. Fuck You (Remix)
4. On The Real
5. Got Ur Self A Gun (Remix)
6. Watch Out
7. Wake Up Show Anthem
8. Thugs Mansion (Every Corner Remix)
9. One Love (94-04 Mix)
10. Too Hot
11. Heaven (Blend)
12. Doo Rags (Remix)
13. K.I.S.S.I.N.G. (Blend)
14. Turn Off The Mics
15. The World Is Yours (Remix)
16. The Rise & Fall
17. New York State Of Mind (Lights-Out Remix)
18. Threats Is Like (Blend Remix)
19. Silent Murder (Blend Mix)
20. Blaze Another Fifty (L.O.P. Remix)
21. In Your Area
22. Carry The Cross (Live)
23. Closing Words
Download: Carry The Cross (Mixtape) [Datpiff] | Doc Link
Yo you could re up the Doc link???
updated the link homie