NAS Vinilo y CD

Review: A whole bunch of Nas singles are being reissued on 7" courtesy of Mass Appeal at the moment, and each one is as essential now as it was when it first arrived. This one is slightly different as 'Life is like a Dice Game' was a demo and one of the firm fan favourites from the legendary New York mic man, taken from his undeniably best period - the Illmatic era. Now 30 years old, it gets revisited and completed properly with Freddie Gibbs and Cordae, who were 11 years old and not born when the track was initially recorded in 1993. The unfinished original version leaked in 1995 so to finally have it officially completed is epic.

Review: US rap royalty Nas's 'Ultra Black' features producer Hit-Boy and was released in mid-summer 2020 as the lead single from his thirteenth album, King's Disease. Lyrically, Nas pays homage to all things Black as he draws on his black heritage and African-American culture while the beats remain deeply laidback with jazzy chords up top. In an interview at the time with NME, the rapper said the song "represents love" although some interpreted the lyrics as a diss towards singer and rapper Doja Cat. This 7" features the vocal version and an instrumental.

Review: First featured on Nas' peerless 1994 album "Illmatic" - a classic that really should be in your collection - "The World Is Yours" is a classic Pete Rock production that has never appeared on a seven-inch single before. Mr Bongo has decided to set the record straight, pairing the album version, which includes some of Nas' most potent lyrics, delivered in fine style as you'd expect, with an instrumental take that showcases Pete Rock's brilliant beat and tight, on-point scratches. It's a deliciously baggy beat all told, with sampled pianos and subtle jazz lifts combining cannily to create a suitably laidback, golden-era groove.