An ode to jazz veteran Al Jarreau, who passed away in 2017 (so this must be a recent track), it’s an odd, almost self-indulgent decision on a record that’s inherently designed to be for the fans. Unlike 2 Live Crew, Nas is nasty when he wants to be. Lifelong fans still convinced he’s capable of another “Illmatic”, or even an “It Was Written” yearn for that lyrical, insightful yet knowingly gifted emcee from humble beginnings. The mixed reception to “Al Jarreau of Rap” is classic Nas. All the sequel does is confirm what we already knew – Nas sounds his best, and most natural, over the type of production we’ve been crying out for. The cold, hard truth is that the first “The Lost Tapes” gave us false hope during a period where “Stillmatic” and “God’s Son” had put him back in fans’ good books.

The optimists among us expected to be blessed with leftovers that were better than the supposed main courses we’d been dished up. 2012’s “Life Is Good” was a genuine return to form, showcasing Nas at his wisest and while 2018’s “NASIR” wasn’t without flaws, we at least had the excuses of a quick turnaround and Kanye’s unpredictability to fall back on. “The Lost Tapes 2” is more disheartening to Nas fans because the first “The Lost Tapes” was so damn good – expectations were rightfully high for the sequel. This isn’t a one-off problem, it’s part of the Nas package – you’ll get that incomparable voice, occasional mastery of his craft, but more often than not, the music will be bang average.

It’s a shame to see Nas continue to suffer from an issue going back two decades.

Nas the lost tapes 2 review