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Nas (a.k.a. Nasir Jones) kicks off his musical eulogy to hip-hop with the nostalgic "Carry On Tradition," on which the Queensbridge MC details how members of the younger generation have abandoned the values instilled by rap pioneers like {|Big Daddy Kane|}. From there, on the James Brown-sampled "Where Are They Now," the 13-year rap veteran gives a roll call of all the forgotten rappers who have inspired him, including {|Special Ed|}, Redhead Kingpin, and Father MC. Nas continues his trip down memory lane on a beautiful marriage of {|Nat King Cole|}'s "Unforgettable" and DJ scratches on "Can't Forget About You," but takes a break from reminiscing to adopt the role of a Mickey Spillane-era detective on the hunt for hip-hop's murderer on the classic rhyme-laced "Who Killed It." At the end of that track, set to the booming beat of Eric B & Rakim's "Microphone Fiend," hip-hop declares (in the character of a grande dame, as on {|Common|}'s classic "I Used to Love H.E.R."), "If you really love me, I'll come back alive." Always a vivid lyricist, Nas reaffirms his rhyming supremacy on the title track, boasting, "Any ghetto will tell ya / Nas helped grow us up." The disc's fan favorite, however, will undoubtedly be the long-overdue Jay-Z collaboration, "Black Republican," where the former rivals turned business partners trade nimble bars over regal horns and sleepy piano keys. By the end of this funeral procession, Nas has both honored hip-hop's glorious past and helped to resurrect its creative potential. Anslem Samuel