EAN 5099750936221

Collecting bootlegs, rarities, and "underground jewels" of the last few years into one tight collection, Nas's The Lost Tapes is intended as a vault-clearing stop-gap between his last work Stillmatic, and his long-awaited sixth album, God's Son. It's also a good way of keeping the name on people's lips: as Nas's war of words with rival New York hip-hop mogul Jay-Z shifts up a gear into a truly tabloid-worthy rap feud, it's clear that the winner is not just going to be the one that drops the best rhyme--it's going to be the one that hogs the column inches.

Those eager for some razor-sharp dissing will have to wait for the next album, however, because much of The Lost Tapes finds Nas in philosophical, reflective mood.