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Street's Disciple is a double album by rapper Nas that was released on November 30, 2004 by Columbia Records. The album title was taken from Nas' first lyric in the Main Source track "Live at the Barbeque". The album cover is a digitally created image which uses several photos of Nas to create an adaptation of The Last Supper.
Upon its release, Street's Disciple was met with mostly good reviews. Some fans and critics state that the album's unique concepts and tone is a flashback to Nas's most well-known and acclaimed work, 1994's Illmatic. As of November 18, 2005, Street's Disciple was certified platinum by the RIAA making it Nas' seventh consecutive platinum album.[1]
Music
Content
Street's Disciple features multiple socio-conscious and political songs, such as "A Message to the Feds, Sincerely, We the People", "American Way" and "These Are Our Heroes". The latter (originally titled "Coon's Picnic") contained attacks directed toward multiple black celebrites including: O.J. Simpson and NBA superstar Kobe Bryant.
Another topic addressed by Nas were important women in his life or females in general. "Getting Married" is dedicated to his then-newlywed wife Kelis Rogers-Jones, "Me & You (Dedicated to Destiny)" is, aptly titled, directed toward Nas' daughter and "Makings of a Perfect Bitch" describes most men's idea of the ideal woman.
Death and appreciating life are the subject to several songs as well such as "Live Now", "Rest of My Life" and "Just a Moment".
Guests
Aside from Ludacris ("Virgo") and Quan ("Just a Moment") no other MC's actually deliver a verse on Street's Disciple. Busta Rhymes plays hypeman to "Suicide Bounce" and Doug E. Fresh beatboxes on "Virgo". Kelis (Nas' wife) helps sing the chorus along with the bridge on "American Way". The album does feature many singers though, including: Amerie ("Rest of My Life"), Emily ("Reason"), Maxwell ("No One Else in the Room") and Keon Bryce ("War").
Street's Disciple also marks the first collaboration between Nas and his father Olu Dara on a Nas album since Dara's appearance on "Life's a Bitch" from 1994's Illmatic. Olu Dara is featured on the title track "Street's Disciple" and lead single "Bridging the Gap".
Production
The lion's share of the album's production was handled between Salaam Remi, L.E.S. and Chucky Thompson of Sean Combs' production team The Hitmen. Remi contributed production on eleven tracks, L.E.S. produced on eight and Chucky Thompson helped on six. Salaam Remi (who collaborated with Nas on his previous LPs Stillmatic and God's Son) led all with nine solo productions. L.E.S. only produced three solo outings, but one included the single "Just a Moment". Thompson, on the other hand, had one solo production credit ("Getting Married").
Other notable producers from the album include legendary A Tribe Called Quest member Q-Tip (who had last worked with Nas on Illmatic's "One Love") and D.I.T.C. producer Buckwild ("The Are Our Heroes"). Nas himself produced "Suicide Bounce" and "U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)", both from the second disc. L.E.S. also brought on baggage for his productions. T. Black and Nut assisted the legendary producer on "The Makings of a Perfect Bitch" and Herb Middleton helped with the beat on "Me &You (Dedicated to Destiny)". Chucky Thompson, too, brought in extra help for "Live Now" (Barnardo "Nardo" Williams).
Track listing
Disc one
| # |
Title |
Songwriter(s) |
Producer(s) |
Featured guest(s) |
Sample(s) & Instrumentation (s) |
Time |
| 1 |
"Intro" |
Jones, N. |
|
|
- "Good Ole Music" by Funkadelic
- "Battle Cry" by Rocker's Revenge
|
1:50 |
| 2 |
"A Message to the Feds, Sincerely, We the People" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S.
Thompson, C.
Lewis, L.
Hayes, I. |
Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen
Salaam Remi
L.E.S. |
|
- "Good Ole Music" by Funkadelic
- "Battle Cry" by Rocker's Revenge
- Bass: Chucky Thompson & Salaam Remi
- Piano: Chucky Thompson
- Guitar: Chucky Thompson & Salaam Remi
- Drums: Chucky Thompson & L.E.S.
- Organs: Salaam Remi
|
2:15 |
| 3 |
"Nazareth Savage" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S.
White, B. |
Salaam Remi |
|
- "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little Bit More, Babe" by Jimmy Smith
- Bass, Rhodes, Drums & Guitar: Salaam Remi
- Trumpet & Flugelhorn: Bruce Purse
- Tenor and Alto Saxophones, Clarinet & Flute: Vincent Henry
- Drums: Chucky Thompson & L.E.S.
- Organs: Salaam Remi
|
2:40 |
| 4 |
"American Way" |
Jones, N.
Fareed, K.
Rogers, K.
Clinton Jr., G.
Shider, G.
Spradley, D. |
Q-Tip |
Kelis |
|
4:09 |
| 5 |
"These Are Our Heroes" |
Jones, N.
Best, A. |
Buckwild |
|
|
4:21 |
| 6 |
"Disciple" |
Jones, N.
Lewis, L. |
L.E.S. |
|
|
3:00 |
| 7 |
"Sekou Story" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S.
Brown, J
Kool & The Gang
Lightnin' Rod |
Salaam Remi |
Scarlett (Nas using voice effects) |
- "Take Me Just As I Am" by Lyn Collins
- "Sport" by Lightnin' Rod
- Overseer: DJ Chuck Chillout!!
- All Instruments: Salaam Remi
- Scratches: DJ No Request
|
2:56 |
| 8 |
"Live Now" |
Jones, N.
Thompson, C.
White, M.
White, V.
Del Barrio, E. |
Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen
Barnardo "Nardo" Williams |
Scarlett (Nas using voice effects) |
|
4:29 |
| 9 |
"Rest of My Life" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S.
Thompson, C. |
Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen
L.E.S. |
Amerie |
- Vocal Production: Salaam Remi
- Drums & Programming: L.E.S.
- Bass & Hi-Hat: Chucky Thompson
|
3:50 |
| 10 |
"Just a Moment" |
Jones, N.
Peacock, C.
Lewis, L.
Edwards, B.
Rodgers, N. |
L.E.S. |
Quan |
- "Will You Cry" by Chic
- All Instruments: L.E.S.
- Keyboards: Nut
|
4:23 |
| 11 |
"Reason" |
Jones, N.
Thompson, C.
Lewis, L.
Cowing, E. |
Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen
L.E.S. |
Emily |
|
4:47 |
| 12 |
"You Know My Style" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S.
Simmons, J.
McDaniels, D.
Smith, L. |
Salaam Remi |
|
- "Jam Master Jay" by Run-D.M.C.
- All Instruments: Salaam Remi
|
2:52 |
Disc two
| # |
Title |
Songwriter(s) |
Producer(s) |
Featured guest(s) |
Sample(s) & Instrumentation (s) |
Time |
| 1 |
"Suicide Bounce" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S.
Peacock, C.
Fuller, V.
Hawkes, D.
Baker, A. |
Nas |
Busta Rhymes |
- "Dead President's Theme" by Danny Elfman
- All Instruments: Salaam Remi
- Opera Vocal: Katherine Bosic
- Outro background vocal: Quan
|
3:57 |
| 2 |
"Street's Disciple" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S. |
Salaam Remi |
Olu Dara |
|
3:57 |
| 3 |
"U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)" |
Jones, N. |
Nas |
|
|
3:38 |
| 4 |
"Virgo" |
Jones, N.
Bridges, C.
Gibbs, S.
Davis, D. |
Salaam Remi |
Ludacris
Doug E. Fresh |
|
3:26 |
| 5 |
"Remember the Times (Intro)" |
|
|
|
|
0:51 |
| 6 |
"Remember the Times" |
Jones, N.
Lewis, L.
Stone, R. |
L.E.S. |
|
|
3:23 |
| 7 |
"The Makings of a Perfect Bitch" |
Jones, N.
Lewis, L.
Black, T.
Howard, P. |
L.E.S.
T. Black
Nut |
|
|
3:15 |
| 8 |
"Getting Married" |
Jones, N.
Thompson, C.
Hayes, L. |
Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen |
|
- "Ike's Mood 1" by Isaac Hayes
- All Instruments: Chucky Thompson
|
3:46 |
| 9 |
"No One Else in the Room" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S.
Thompson, C. |
Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen
Salaam Remi |
Maxwell |
- Bass, Rhodes, Strings, Synths: Salaam Remi
- Drums, Guitar & Percussion: Chucky Thompson
- Trumpet & Flugelhorn: Bruce Purse
- Tenor and Alto Saxophones, Clarinet & Flute: Vincent Henry
|
5:07 |
| 10 |
"Bridging the Gap" |
Jones, N.
Peacock, C.
Lewis, L.
Edwards, B.
Rodgers, N. |
Salaam Remi |
Olu Dara |
- "Mannish Boy" by Muddy Waters
- Bass & Drums: Salaam Remi
- Trumpet & Mouth Harmonica: Olu Dara
- Strings & Baritone Saxophone: Vincent Henry
- Guitar: Salaam Remi, Olu Dara & Vincent Henry
- Harmonica: Olu Dara & Vincent Henry
|
3:56 |
| 11 |
"War" |
Jones, N.
Gibbs, S.
Bryce, K. |
Salaam Remi |
Keon Bryce |
|
4:17 |
| 12 |
"Me & You (Dedicated to Destiny)" |
Jones, N.
Lewis, L.
Gaye, M.
Middleton, H. |
L.E.S.
Herb "Staff" Middleton |
|
- "If This World Were Mine" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
- Bass & Keyboards: Herb Middleton
- Shakers: Chucky Thompson
- Background Vocals: Makeeba Riddick
|
3:26 |
| 13 |
"Thief's Theme" |
|
|
|
|
2:59 |
| 14 |
"Thief's Theme (Remix)" |
|
|
Rising Son |
|
4:16 |
Credits
A promotional pamphlet for Street's Disciple. Note that it expected a summer release date, but was released in November.
- Executive Producers: Nasir Jones, Salaam Remi, L.E.S.
- Associate Producers: Nasir Jones, Chucky Thompson, Mike Brinkley
- Mastering: Chris Gehringer
- A&R Direction: Mike Brinkley, Timothy "Gov" Ballard
- Album Coordination for Sony Urban Music: Nikki Martin
- Marketing: David Belgrave
- Management: Sara Newkirk
- Legal Representation: Peter Paterno ESQ, Michelle Jubelirer
- Art Direction & Design: Chris Feldmann
- Photography: Danny Clinch
- Imaging: Justin Cohen
- Graphic Artist: Patrick Cahalan
- Prop Stylist: Debora Francis
- Stylist: Tiffany Hassbourne
Unreleased/unused/discarded songs
- "Good Morning" (Contains sample of The Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You Pts. 1 & 2")1
- "Serious" (featuring AZ)1
- "Anybody Test"1
- "I Am Somebody" (featuring Diddy)2
- "Get Up"
- 1: Indicates song has leaked
- 2: Indicates song has not leaked
References
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Nas |
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| Studio albums |
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| Compilations |
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| Collaborations |
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| Singles |
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| Other Songs |
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| Related articles |
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