100%.. I always wished to do this type of stuff with my dad, lending eachothers ears to songs we never heard but I never got the chance to. He passed when I was 16. Im wishing we would have had the chance to sit down together, show him some songs he never heard and get his opinion and vice-versa
Facts !! Nas is a writer . If you have a open mind you will see the greatness like his Dad . Only rapper studied at Harvard . With a 9th grad education . #GOAT
This song is a masterpiece. The song itself is a loop which ends at the beginning and begins at the ending, with the word Damn stitching the two ends together. It symbolizes the vicious cycle of a gun; in this particular story it's picked up by someone else and we are back to square one. Furthermore, the gun matures as the song progresses. In the first verse, it thinks and acts like a fearless / reckless teen for example and by the end, it becomes more introspective and is more conscious and cautious about his actions similar to a person whose experience makes him / her wiser. The writing is impeccable with his use of personification, metaphors, similes, onomatopoeia and even a little alliteration and hyperbole sprinkled in throughout. Like Dad pointed out as well, he sometimes starts the next bar at the end of the previous one; I think this is one of the reasons why his flow sounds so smooth. I could go on and on about this song. It's genius and should be taught in any literature class.
This song is a masterpiece. I’m French and in the 90’s my English level was close to 0. There was the booklet with all the lyrics which come inside the CD box at the time. I translated all the lyrics of the album and this precise song change for ever my vision and my expectations for rap music. It could easily be to me the first song you have to listen when you discover rap music.
“I Gave You Power” is the “go to” song when we want to explain how lyrically genius Nas is!!! Salute to your pops for simply appreciating the art form!!! 🫡
"sick of the wrath of the next man's grudge" got me in tears. This is lyricism that doesnt stand out technically, you just have to understand from personal experiences
Nas has always been a brilliant poet using personifications, metaphors, and similes in his rhymes. Few rappers can even touch what he has been doing for 30+ years.
This song changed hip hop. I believe it elevated the genre. It taught other rappers that they are free to get creative with their song writing and storytelling. Several rappers have admitted that things took a leap forward after this. Nas showed people that words could be used in a multitude of ways to create unique music. Every time I hear rappers get creative in the way they structure a song or how they use their point of view I always feel Nas’ influence there. The true 🐐
I've been saying this about this song since 1996, and I'll say it again. This is hip-hop at its finest. It doesn't get much better than this right here.
Probably the greatest and realest story ever told in hiphop history.....He is the greatest mc we've ever heard in our lives.....I mean that...Nobody can see him lyrically and so many other ways....he's genius....
Agreed! Me and my friends used to have heated debates over who’s personification of a gun in a song was better, “I Gave you Power vs. 2Pac’s Me and my Girlfriend”. Of course imo Nas’ wins hands down but I’m biased I guess since he’s been my favorite rap artist almost my entire life. I was never really impressed with 2Pac honestly.
Nah I rock with his reactions. Pure! As a black man it’s dope to see 2 dudes outside our culture not only embrace our expression of not just our music but our way of life and WHY we’re even sayin what we’re sayin.
I think your dad was explaining internal rhyming. Nas around this era was very heavy into multis, slant and internal rhyming. Such a smooth buttery flow
@@Losthegr88 Internal rhymes are rhymes within the same line. Usually in music and poetry you have a rhyme scheme that rhymes the last word of a line with the last word of the next but nas uses multiple rhymes within the same line if you get what I mean. Slants are words that sound like they rhyme but technically don't, rappers do this all the time by manipulating the way they say words.
I have a feeling your Dad will love Rewind, Fetus, Beef, Project Roach, Fried Chicken, Last Words, Book of Rhymes, all brilliant ine of a kind songs by NaS.
NaS has some of the most creative Tracks & Albums in Hip-Hop history: One Love - POV of Letter I Gave You Power - POV of Gun Last Words - POV of Jail Cell Fetus - POV of Fetus Dance - Best Hip-Hop track Dedicated to a Mother! Book of Rhymes - POV of pages in book Rewind - Spits story backwards Money is my Bitch - POV of Money Beef - POV of Beef Sekou Story/Live Now - Most people don't know Scarlet is actually NaS lol Project Roach - POV of Roach Fried Chicken - Just genius vision Daughters - Every man with a daughter can relate Concept Albums: Hip Hop Is Dead - Sounds better Today! Untitled Album - Will always remain relevant due to its content! Distant Relatives - Beautiful Africa Vibe! Life Is Good - 1st Adult Hip-Hop Album's!
I’m a 57 year old Blackman/ father & grandfather. I’ve been a Hip Hop head since 1978. Music is universal, it’s good to see your dad is so open minded and can truly appreciate the poetry of Nas. Keep up the great work, most of the older people who didn’t grow up in Hip Hop probably wouldn’t appreciate Rap lyrics. Again continued success to you, your dad and your channel.
ILLMATIC is my favorite Nas album. I think it's the "NAStalgia" for me. For a teen-ager to have such perspective and pen that masterpiece still blows me away 30 years later. I was salivating for it to release, and when it finally did, I was entranced. It Was Written holds its own in a different way, but personally, It's ILLMATIC FOR ME EVERY TIME.
Nas is a national treasure and should always be celebrated. He was always deep from the beginning and that's what separated him from the Big's and Jay-Z's of the world. He is the 🐐 IMO
I love the fact dad gets into the lyrics & loves it! Nas Nailed it & Killed it lyrically especially if is a beat Produced by DJ Premier!!! Much love from NYC
Having watched your early videos, it's amazing to hear your dad immediately recognize Nas from just a couple lines in the intro before the rapping started. It's super cool to see his appreciation for the art of hip hop grow to that point. The rapping hasn't even started in the video yet and I'm stoked for this reaction!
Dad & Son bonding like this is beautiful man! My dad passed away when I was 12 years old and seeing this is something I dreamed of and can only imagine. Just awesome and to listen to my favorite MC, Nas, makes this so much more that just a RU-vid video. Peace 🇵🇷✊🏽
16 year old me was as excited as your dad but sadly no one ever saw the beauty in this one like I did. This album takes me back to cleaning my car in the mid 90's. Never stopped banging this one
A couple of Nas song suggestions: 1. Fetus - He raps from the perspective of a baby anticipating/wondering/fearing life after being born 2. Rewind - he tells a story backwards 3. Project Roach - you’ll just have to hear it 4. Count Your Blessings - it will bring out a tear in your dad 5. Daughters - Life as a father of a daughter
Dad,loves Nas,and he caught on quick to what Nas was in the song. I was wondering what he thought of the music as well, he couldn't have described the music any better. Rappers don't get enough credit. Today's Poet
This was a treat. I HIGHLY suggest you listen to "It was written" in its entirety. I was 17 when this album dropped. It's the soundtrack to my teenage years.
@@omerta2002 Yup! It was too much for them to digest too soon to see the great body of work it is. They weren't ready to give up 'illmatic' just yet. lol
@@Only1Science Absolutely, man absolutely! It was that transition from 'Golden Era' Boom Bap to that slicker more commercial sound beginning. Nas needed those sales in order to be be given that opportunity to grow further &, the end result is the artist that we have now with the discography he has behind him.
You happen to choose a Masterpiece of a song for your dad's reaction/analysis. This was so many levels of DOPENESS. I Gave You Power is one of the best songs of ALL TIME, REGARDLESS OF GENRE.
I love this old man's opinion because it's not clouded by being a fan of one artist basically a stan, he judges music only for its musicality how good or bad it is, he's review of Tupac's dear mama is the most honest critique I have ever heard
Dude, Listen to "Last Words" with your awesome Father, that's the song where he Raps about being a "Prison Cell" which is deep and poetic AF. Great channel keep up the great work.
FYI “shook” in 90s NYC/East coast Hip Hop slang means “terrified.” Even today, if a Hip Hop head or someone from the hood in NYC says shook, that’s what they mean.
For a Nas song from the album after "it was written" I would suggest "Undying Love" from the 'I am' album. In my opinion it's one of the best song stories ever told.
An Emcee used to be a level that rappers used to try and attain. It required an ultra high level of lyricism but also had to be understandable so that anyone could receive the message. Nas is definitely in the pantheon of one of the dopest emcees to ever hold a mic.
I remembered showing one of my lecturers in school Nas’s lyrics to the song hate me now and the Doctor saw the line when he said , People hate what they can’t conquer . 🔥🔥💯💐💐. The prof was stunned and wonder how a street boy with.no college degree could coin words in poetic manner like a trained professional. 🔥🔥❤️😵😵
Great reaction. Classic track. Nas has so many good ones. One of the greatest ever. You should definitely check out "One Mic" , "Youre da Man" or "Last Words" feat Nashawn & Millenium Thug.
I'm blown away by your dad's knowledge of hip hop. I can tell you guys have a beautiful relationship. I've seen other dope reaction to song videos but yours is special. Keep up the great work. Your viewers picked a classic! I can watch you guys all day!
Love it! Nas is my greatest of all timez I so enjoy the Nas vids you two do... your dad's reactions make me remember my first timez hearing Nas and him becoming my favorite MC "SHIT" 😄, word pops!
Illmatic and It Was Written are almost a coin flip to me, but my personal favorite might be God's Son. Maybe not as iconic as those two albums, but lyrically and musically it holds a special place in my heart. "Warrior's Song" feat Alicia Keys would make for a great reaction, imo. One of the most potent and underrated songs of his...I think your dad would be pretty moved by the substance of it.
