‎King’s Illness III by Nas on Apple Music

“Father Time is undefeated,” goes the outdated sports activities adage, however on King’s Illness III, legendary Queens-hailing MC Nas is out to show that age ain’t nothin’ however a quantity. The mission marks the third album-long pairing of the 49-year-old and Hit-Boy, the Fontana, California-originating producer 14 years his junior. The 2 have clearly stumbled onto one thing particular, Nas sounding as comfy in his personal pores and skin as ever when telling the tales of his developmental years (“Legit,” “Recession Proof,” “Reminisce”), celebrating his profession’s longevity (“Thun,” “30,” “I’m on Hearth”), and even staring down his personal mortality (“As soon as a Man, Twice a Little one”).

With Hit-Boy manufacturing—and likewise perhaps far from the pressures of his days as contender for New York rap’s throne—Nas relishes the liberty to indulge a few of his extra experimental whims, like imagining, on “First Time,” what it was like for various followers to listen to his music for the primary time, or on “Beef,” the place he raps from the attitude of road static itself. There are not any credited visitor MCs on King’s Illness III, a refined acknowledgment that as prolific as Nas has been, the person as soon as often called The Pharaoh nonetheless has loads to say. And that’s to not point out, as he does on “Ghetto Reporter,” the many individuals he has to say it to: “After I’m 50 years outdated,” he says. “I wanna have 50-year-old followers, 60-year-old followers, and 16-year-old followers.”