- For the album by Japanese singer Hamasaki Ayumi, see I am...
I Am... 1999 is the multi-platinum third studio album by rapper Nas for the Columbia Records label. Considered a comeback album after a three-year gap between releases, the album features the singles "Nas is Like" and "Hate Me Now". It debuted #1 on the charts, selling over 470,000 copies in its first week. I Am... would later be cetified 2x platinum. Despite being criticized by critics for its commercial appeal, the album was generally well-received by fans, and even received a near perfect 4.5 mic rating from The Source.
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This album was originally to have been a double album, but the release was shortened to a single disc after most of disc 2 was bootlegged, becoming one of the first major label releases to be widely leaked using MP3 technology. Some of the leaked songs were later released on the compilation LP The Lost Tapes in 2002.
Puff Daddy, a featured artist on "Hate Me Now", shot a scene for its music video in which he was crucified, and subsequently felt uncomfortable with it and asked it to be edited out of the final cut. A cut containing the crucifixion scene was mistakenly delivered to MTV, and aired on TRL on April 15 1999. A furious Puff Daddy allegedly barged into the offices of Nas' manager Steve Stoute later that afternoon and attacked him, at one point hitting him over the head with a champagne bottle. Stoute filed a lawsuit against Puff Daddy, which was later settled out of court.
The other single from I Am... is Nas Is Like which features production by DJ Premier and his signature scratches. He scratches vocal samples from Nas' It Ain't Hard To Tell into the chorus of "Nas Is Like". The "Nas Is Like" music video was directed by Nick Quested and not released on as high of a profile as the Hate Me Now video.
Track listing
| # | Title | Performer(s) | Songwriters | Producer(s) | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Album Intro" | Nas | Nasir Jones | ||
| 2 | "N.Y. State Of Mind, Pt. 2" | Nas | Nasir Jones Chris E. Martin |
DJ Premier | |
| 3 | "Hate Me Now" | Nas & Puff Daddy | Nasir Jones Gavin Marchand |
D-Moet, Pretty Boy & Trackmasters |
|
| 4 | "Small World" | Nas | Nasir Jones Carlos Broadly Nashiem Myrick |
Carlos "Six July" Broadly & Nashiem Myrick | |
| 5 | "Favor For A Favor" | Nas, Scarface & Kirk Lyons (bass guitar) | Nasir Jones Brad Jordan L. David Lewis |
L.E.S. | |
| 6 | "We Will Survive" | Nas | Nasir Jones Samuel Barnes Jamel Edgerten Jean-Claude Olivier |
Trackmasters |
|
| 7 | "Ghetto Prisoners" | Nas | Nasir Jones Damon Blackmon |
Grease | |
| 8 | "You Won't See Me Tonight" | Nas & Aaliyah | Nasir Jones Tim Mosley |
Timbaland | |
| 9 | "I Want To Talk To You" | Nas | Nasir Jones L. David Lewis Alvin West |
L.E.S. | |
| 10 | "Dr. Knockboot" | Nas | Nasir Jones | Trackmasters |
|
| 11 | "Life Is What You Make It" | Nas & DMX | Nasir Jones L. David Lewis Earl Simmons |
L.E.S. | |
| 12 | "Big Things" | Nas | Nasir Jones Michael Masser Gerald Goffin Alvin West |
Alvin West |
|
| 13 | "Nas Is Like" | Nas | Nasir Jones Chris E. Martin Paul Mitchell Robert Bell Ronald Bell George Brown R. Handy C. Horne Robert Mickens C. Redd Gene Redd Sr. Gene Redd Jr. Claydes Charles Smith Dennis Thomas John Bettis Steve Porcaro |
DJ Premier |
|
| 14 | "K-I-S-S-I-N-G" | Nas | Nasir Jones L. David Lewis Alvin West |
L.E.S. | |
| 15 | "Money Is My Bitch" | Nas | Nasir Jones Sam Barnes Jean-Claude Olivier |
Alvin West | |
| 16 | "Undying Love" | Nas | Nasir Jones L. David Lewis |
L.E.S. |
Singles
| Single cover | Single information |
|---|---|
 |
"Nas Is Like" |
 |
"Hate Me Now" |
Music videos
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"Nas Is Like"
Director: Nick Quested -
"Hate Me Now"
Director: Hype Williams
Chart positions
Album Chart Positions
| Year | Album | Chart positions | ||
| Billboard 200 | Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | |||
| 1999 | I Am | #1 | #1 | |
Single Chart Positions
| Year | Song | Chart positions | ||
| Billboard Hot 100 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | ||
| 1999 | You Won't See Me Tonight | - | #44 | - |
| 1999 | Nas Is Like | #86 | #30 | #3 |
| 1999 | K-I-SS-I-N-G | - | #50 | - |
| 1999 | Hate Me Now | #62 | #18 | #8 |
External links
Lyrics links
- The Original Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive - includes most other Nas lyrics, including remixes and cameos, as well as lyrics of many other rappers.