A recent release reviewed

  NAS
Street's Disciple
Columbia ***

When his God's Son album from two winters ago got him back in the game after some dodgy releases, Nasir Jones had every right to be chuffed. The boy who had first entered the ring back in 1994 with the knockout classic Illmatic had survived all manner of ridiculous concept albums and heavyweight beefs with the likes of Jay-Z to come out the other side. Judging by this hefty double album, the New York rhymer had much to chew over in the last few years. Barbed political attacks dominate American Way, there are plaintive emotional pleas all over Live Now and a cocky Run-DMC homage is the centrepiece of You Know My Style. Best of all, though, is Bridging the Gap, with Nas's dad, jazz musician Olu Dara, on board for a jazzy hip-hop excursion.

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