King's Disease

Nas - King's Disease
Critic Score
Based on 10 reviews
2020 Ratings: #538 / 871
User Score
2020 Rank: #444
Liked by 129 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

90
Albumism

An anthemic set for our current times and another creative conquest for its iconic author and highly skilled composer, King’s Disease is well-rounded and succinctly delivered, with great replay value and packed with memorable moments.

83
Consequence of Sound

Primarily produced by Hit-Boy, King’s Disease delivers a feel appropriate for the times and hits the mark as being one of the better rap albums of the year.

82
HipHopDX

King’s Disease is Nas living up to the hype more so than his last few releases.

80
NME
A stately and royal return to form for rap’s original scholar.
80
Clash
‘The King’s Disease’ finds Nas grappling with a raft of contradictions, contrasting the opulence of his lifestyle with the need for vitality in his message. It’s not perfect, but it’s less an end product, and more the search for creative process – by the end, you become convinced the Queens rapper has found his throne.
70
AllMusic

Going strictly by the conviction and feeling in each line, King's Disease is the MC's best work since 2008.

70
Exclaim!

When King's Disease falters, it's primarily due to a lack of self-awareness and misplaced romanticism ... That's not to say that things can't be enjoyable on King's Disease.

70
The Needle Drop

King's Disease comes close to being a third-act gem for Nas.

63
Pitchfork
The new album marks a retreat into a nostalgia-act comfort zone—one which suits Nas, even as it yields diminishing returns.
50
Rolling Stone

At its worst, it is a misguided attempt to paper over abuse allegations and a stark showcase of his increasingly questionable politics when it comes to women. 26 years after Illmatic, Nas still has room to grow.

Doublez
66

Supported by a handful of featurings and of course by the Hit-Boy producer, the legendary Nas has gone to the essential on King Disease, without a burr or scratch, offering a new seductive album.

If you know him well, you know that after his second one, Nas' albums are very often marked by irregularities and especially by bad choices. That is to say that even if Nas remains one of the best rapper and lyricist, the majority of his own choices have led to a quantity of albums that I think are ... read more

TomBejoy
75

Yeah, Mr.Nasir since you're putting everyone on your album how about Nas x Kero Kero Bonito on the deluxe?

Damn seeing these features makes me excited for the leaked 100 gecs x Nas song. Would love to see Nas x Doja Cat as well because he shouted her out and gave her some respect on Ultra Black.

Edit: I've been misinformed, Sarah Bonito wrote 80 percent of Illmatic, Nas clowning big time.

Rollo_P
85

If you listen to a lot of Nas like I do, you know the thing that will make or break a Nas album will be the beats. It's horrifying to try each new Nas record, only to hear sterile, uninspired production with only the occasional exception.

But these beats? With an MC as good as Nas? It's good enough to make some of the funkier features work (Big Sean, Don Tolliver, Lil Durk). Bless your heart, Hit-Boy. And it helps that Nas' bars and flows are as rugged + sharp as ever. Good shit!

purplerain70
84

Deserved the grammy, but fuck the grammy awards tho

90sHipHop
70

Funny how the worst King's Disease record is the only one to win a Grammy. Nas releases his breakout record here and its a great start to the Trilogy, it will only get better from here.

76

Kings Disease: 7.7

Blue Benz: 8

Car #85: 7.8

Ultra Black: 7.8

27 Summers: 7.8

Replace Me: 7.6

Til The War Is Won: 7.6

All Bad: 6.7

The Definition: 8.3

Full Circle: 7.8

10 Points: 7.8

The Cure: 7.9

Spicy: 7

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Track List

1King's Disease
1:51
78
2Blue Benz
2:21
79
3Car #85
3:28
78
4Ultra Black
3:18
feat. Hit-Boy
79
527 Summers
1:42
75
6Replace Me
2:50
73
7Til The War Is Won
3:21
feat. Lil Durk
61
8All Bad
3:48
78
9The Definition
2:01
feat. Brucie B
72
10Full Circle
3:51
75
1110 Points
3:04
83
12The Cure
3:52
83
13Spicy
2:46
75
Total Length: 38 minutes

Year End Lists

#24/Double J
#44/Complex
#68/Albumism
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Added on: August 13, 2020