King’s Disease 2 is the 14th studio album by rapper Nas and his second collaborative project with producer Hit-Boy. On this album, the duo links up for magic. Is “KD2” a timeless record?
Being born in Brooklyn, New York City, sure does have its advantages. After all, it is the city of lights and cameras. But unbeknown to some, it also has the other side: Queens.
Upon its opening in 1939, the public houses in Queensbridge served to accommodate low-income families of all races. And that is where Nasis Jones grew up.
Afterward, the buildings divided the races, where on the predominantly black side crime and poverty started to cloud the scene. But along came hope in music form. On August 11, 1973, Hip-Hop was born in N.Y.C.
Surrounded by this new genre and living in the mecca of Hip-Hop, Nas became inspired and had street dreams. As a teenager, he began writing and spitting in the booth.
In 1994 and 1996, his debut album, “Illmatic,” and sophomore, “It Was Written,” were released, respectively. Both LPs held him as a top-tier lyricist.
Truth is, you don’t reach the top without making some enemies. After Tupac and Biggie’s deaths, the crown was for the taking. So, in the early 2000s, JAY-Z and Nas went after it. A four-year beef that ended peacefully in 2005.
Furthermore, in 2006, he declared “Hip-Hop Is Dead” by naming his 8th studio of the same name. He felt that the industry was plagued by the use of crunk music.
Entering the new decade, in 2010, rap and reggae intertwined. Namely, Nasir Jones and Damian Marley released “Distant Relatives.” Sonically, the outcome was rap, reggae, and African samples.
In 2018, Nas joined “The Wyoming Sessions” alongside Kanye West for his 12th studio album, “NASIR.” Unfortunately, the LP performed poorly because of the rushed production.
King’s Disease 2
Therefore, for the new decade, in August 2020, Nas redeemed himself by recruiting Hit-Boy’s production on “King’s Disease.”
Unlike his aforementioned project, “King’s Disease” performed great among fans. Not only that, but after 13 albums he finally won “Best Rap Album” at the 63rd Grammy Awards (2021).
Consequently, aware of their chemistry, the duo linked again for the sequel, “King’s Disease 2,” released on August 6, 2021. Throughout 15 songs, Hit-Boy beats are effortlessly murdered by Nas.
From addressing a ’90s non-existent beef with Tupac to paying homage to deceased Hip-Hop legends to reuniting with Ms. Lauryn Hill to giving hope to the kids still stuck in the hood. “KD2” is a classic.
“I sit and talk with the kids,
-Nas, My Bible/ 40 Side (2021)
stay down and work on your grades.
We all got the access to open doors like we share the same key.“
Undoubtedly, just as Quincy Jones linked up with Michael Jackson for the classic, “Thriller” (1982), Nas & Hit-Boy have also created a timeless piece of recording with “KD2.”
Indeed, it is safe to say that Nas is in rare form and has found his Quincy in Hit. Someone to push him to the limits to still be Illmatic. At this point, if Nas is 21 years past the ’27 club,’ it was written for him to thrive.
Watch “Brunch on Sundays” and stream Nas’ “King’s Disease 2” below.
- “EPMD” music video by Nas and Hit-Boy. Directed by Child (Mass Appeal, 2021). ↩︎
- “Ultra Black” music video by Nas and Hit-Boy. Directed by Spike Jordan (Mass Appeal, 2020). ↩︎
- “King’s Disease II” album by Nas. Cover artwork by Peter Bittenbender, Michael Lukowski, and Raven B Varona (Mass Appeal, 2021). ↩︎
