While I had been following along other blogs for some time and trading mp3's back and forth online as well, starting this site was more of an impulse than anything. You also have to remember that earlier this year Nas seemed to be in the news every single day, so I wanted some way to catalog those stories but also cover his music, new and old, with the history and analysis I thought it deserved. Ten months and a hundred-plus posts later, I'd like to think I accomplished that much. And, as I have been saying since summer, with Nas' new album just released, now seems like a fitting time to close up shop.
Let me just give quick thanks to a couple general groups of people:
1.Guest writers: From John Book, who contributed the first guest piece, to Ill E, who was the brains behind two contributions, having guest writers made up for what I didn't know and took pressure off pending updates. Moreover, Nabs, in particular, was largely responsible for many of the breaking links I may have posted.
2.Other sites / blogs: Since RTA's inception, with gracious referrals from other blogs and message boards, the number of visitors here has been on a steady increase. I didn't start this with industry connections or anything, but it was able to grow thanks to word spreading as it so generously did.
3.Y'all people: I don't have the greatest track record when it comes to staying faithful to long-term projects. Often times, I lose interest real fast, especially online, where, with a couple simple keystrokes, virtually a whole world can be forgotten. Anyway, knowing I had an audience that kept coming back motivated me to keep this whole experiment afloat for as long as I have.
So, thanks.
I would just like to thank you for all the hard work you put in this blog, I have read it for a long time now and have always enjoyed the effort put in analysing the career and songs of one of my favorite MCs.
ReplyDeleteI hope to read some of your posts on other hip-hop blogs in the future.
Thank you for a good read fletch, I will miss checking out RTA at work, its usually the first thing i do when i get to work. Good Luck with future endevours--Esco
ReplyDeletethanks. i'll miss you
ReplyDeleteno!! this is the without a DOUBT the most in-depth nas site/blog i've stumbled upon. rare music files, unreleased tracks, and deep analysis of every song and verse kept me going back here. i'm sure you'll be back whenever nas starts to make some noise again ;)
ReplyDeletewell i think ive been here since tha beginning....i guess all good things come to an end....i'll miss peeping this blog....its tha only blog ive ever read....well all we can say is props and maybe we'll see u again....OnE
ReplyDeleteit was one of my favorite blogs ever since i stumbled across this place looking for some songs. im gonna miss it
ReplyDeleteexcellent sustained work. congrats on completing your goal and thanks for what you've created here.
ReplyDeleteare you planning to keep this blog up and running for a while ?
are you planning to start a new blog or blog elsewhere? if not, what are you doing with your new free time?
gonna miss checkin this
ReplyDeletethanks for all the work you put in
peace
Rafi, when I say "closing up shop", I essentially mean no more updates. I'll also probably shut down the new comments function soon, but, otherwise, I'd like to keep this online for as long as blogger allows.
ReplyDeleteI've already got some very faint ideas of future blog work. The cool thing about how I was able to set this up is that I could focus mostly on Nas, which is where my "expertise" lies, but then also connect his work to bigger ideas throughout rap music. There is maybe one other rapper who has a similar catalog (in terms of unreleased material especially), content that can be analyzed for days, and a career that could be connected to many larger issues in Hip-Hop. However, my "expertise" when it comes to Ghostface's music isn't on a level where I would feel quite as confident as I have been posting here. So if I do do any other blog work, it'll probably be back on the subject of Nas once more--maybe when Lost Tapes II comes out or a new album. Whatever it is though, it won't cover near the same scale as this one. . . . . most sequels suck anyway.
And, of course, all the thanks is much appreciated.
Aaawww damn ... closin' up shop? Say it ain't so FLETCH. Come on dawg. There is bound 2 be newsworthy NAS info comin' forth 4 the 07' which would make an informative blog such as yours very much needed and [from what others such as myself are saying] IN DEMAND. I understand this may be a lot of hard work and that u have other life responsibilities but I sincerely hope u'll reconsider. This is not 2 say that u haven't put a lot of thought in2 the decision that u've already made.
ReplyDeleteIn any event should u not change your mind. Your efforts were greatly appreciated and u will be missed. WORD ...
damn fletch it's a sad day This was the only site that i could get news about nas and breakdowns of the dudes great songs and catalog without bias. In the words of puff daddy "What i'm gon do now, it's all fd up now" LOL
ReplyDelete....damn :-(
ReplyDeleteit was cool though
hope you change your mind
peace
Damn hoped this day would never come lol, well thanks Fletch, this has been a damn good blog for a damn long time. You have a talent for writing and should pursue that if you can. Anyway, thanks again for creating this blog, good luck in the future and remember Jordan retired three times...hope you change your mind.
ReplyDeleteGuyberg
right on man. This was by far the best nas site on the net ever. I don't want to re-hash everyone, but a few personal observations. Just look at any fan page ever created about nas. Most of them were devoted to pics, at best some of them had a thoro discog--but those sites never had links. Also, i've never seen a site that broke his stuff down like i'd been doing for years. You solidified all sorts of nas fans and their ideas which means that the Nas fanbase will probably keep coming up with ideas for years to come. Hopefully you will come back too. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYO!
ReplyDeleteI'm devastated, this blog is my favourite website, but I guess it was to good to be true.
'Nothing Lasts Forever'.
It was incredible to stumble across someone who has such a LITERATE approach to rap criticism. I think the genre needs people like this to give it its rightful place as a historically respected art-form.
I sincerely hope that calling time on this blog means you will be directing your talent and expertise to bigger and better things.
You have the bare bones here of what could be a ground-breaking book. If hip hop does die one day, or even if it doesn't, we'll need books like that.
Anyway, thanks and good luck.
How will we be be able to keep ourselves informed about your future work if there is any?
Thanks for all, hope you'll change your mind!
ReplyDeleteFletch dont go man. We need this blog. The only one I can find that was so in depth and that followed one of the greates MC's ever. Shit hurts for real son.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you go. Thanks for all the entries/classic gems.
ReplyDeleteI read every entry from day one.
~Faithful anonymous reader.
peace fletch. this blog was some ill shit, you put me on to alotta unreleased tracks and analyzed NaS' rhymes in ways i would never think of. i hope you do more of this type of stuff in the future. stay up, 1.
ReplyDeleteToo bad, this was some pretty good shit here, always counted myself fortunate to stumble onto this in the early goings. Was very well written and most importantly put the hard to get tracks out there while keeping analysis prevalent in the posts. Good shit Fletch
ReplyDelete1
Damn u closing up shop.
ReplyDeleteWell let me atleat congrat u on having one of the best blogs on the internet.
Just so u know this is Thugspoet and u still own me a e-dollar for tat "Wild Germlins" question.lol
BTW u never did the T.j. black / Sometimes I Wonder post(may not have notice so sorry if u did). Sinematic on KILLA's forum may of been able to help u (I think he might be 730stix from the old Sony board 'not sure').
Any 'Hold Down the BLog'..........lol
NO!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAwww man I hope you really come back tho. This blog was the ish, loved the writings, the breakdowns, just everything man. Talented dude you are....anyways Peace brotha and have a blessed holiday.
ReplyDeletePeace and Blessings
damn, it's a sad day for all the nas fans around the world.
ReplyDeletei would like to thank you for all the news, the songs and your work on analyzing them. it was a great blog.
of course i respect your decision. though i hope that you will change your mind and keep updating it from time to time cause i think music of intellectual rappers like nas needs people like you or stu to approach their work scientifically, tell their thoughts to other people and make them think about that stuff.
anyways, thanx again and best wishes for your future from germany...
I found this blog like 1month ago, and I was a huge nas fan. But this site made me look like I knew little about nas. Hope you come back, this was the best blogs ever.
ReplyDeleteThanks for responding to my e-mail. Do some constructive stuff with your time off and we'll be expecting back on the "internets" soon. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing all these impossible to find Nas songs and giving some of the best analysis in the blogs. I can only hope that after a couple of weeks or months off you come back to blogging.
ReplyDeletePeace
Peace Fletch although I always knew you as Dallas. Your reader-base was alot more extensive that I thought, you should be proud of all the work you put into this thing, I like how you created this from scratch and committed to this blog consistently, keep yo ass on the forums, and Write a Book.
ReplyDeleteDamn, its a sad day for a Nas fan. I only started reading this blog 3 months ago and I've actually spent the time to read through all the archives. The links,breakdown info etc were all appreciated. In fact its your Thief's theme is dead than replaced the "wreck the DJ" album version in my mp3 player. A big thank you for all the work you put in. I thoroughly enjoyed your blog. All the best with whatever you do.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a site that breaks down a lot of Nas's work. Were other just scrap the surface this site hits the core. You need to not close this site or stop posting your blogs. But oh well if you gotta go you gotta go.(you suck fletch lol) Have you got myspace?
ReplyDeletecheck this site every few days, really sad to you go.
ReplyDeletepeace
is there a hiphop fansite as good as this for ANY rapper?
ReplyDeletei can't believe i cousin-of-deathed on this for 9 months and when i finally catch on it's wrapping up time
and to think you invited me to write guest updates in the beginning and i forgot... it would have been an honour
- Damaja
Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have always prided myself on keeping up with the lastest of Nas, even so you were able to put me on to so much more. Your analysis were always on point [give or take a few lyrics, haha] and the amount of work put in was beyond expectations. If I could do it as good, I would, but I doubt I can... I'll keep the blog in my favorites and hopefully stumble across an update in the future.
* If you start another blog, shoot me the link. You writing is better than most of the other stuff I read on the daily.
Peace
its a shame, i only found out about this blog 2 weeks ago. i backtracked for sure but your site was great in depth lok into my favorite rapper's music. r.i.p. Rebel to America
ReplyDeletedamn thats some sad shit homie,
ReplyDeleteive been reading here for quite a while now,
and it was always interresting and
ill the way you gave synopsis,
Rebel to Amerika i hope this blog will stay online,
even tho you are not gonna post here, so i can dig the crates
and see what things i didnt read before,
anyway take care, bless you son, happy new year
thanks for all the great reads
ReplyDeleteProps Fletch on one of the best blogs I've ever come across. Thanks homie.
ReplyDeleteOne more question though, does anyone know if 'White Mans Paper' has leaked?
As a music lover and hip hop listener,I just want to thank you for making me discover those "hidden" tracks of Nas, one of the greatest MCs ever.You did an excellent job, I hope you continue sharing your passion with us through another project soon.
ReplyDeleteDamn FLETCH! I cant believe this. I've been a reader since day one. I remember seeing the link somewhere around cormegasite.com/forum. You were the GOD writer at analyzing Nas' lyrics. In fact I bet if you chatted with Mega himself on his forums webpage - he would more than gladly show Nas' all the work you put into this blog.
ReplyDeleteThis site really is special in its own way. Who knows maybe you can score a job at a major corporate job with the God MC himself. You never know these days.
Anyway, I hope everything works out for the best. Keep us informed if you open up a new page or whatever. Peace and God Bless! This was the best blog on the net. Fuck the haters.
Hit me Up with anything you need at nyknick87@yahoo.com
Favor for a Favor - Right? lol. Be at ease....
Fletch---I knew this day was coming, but I still hate to see you go. Drop me a line @ Souled On if you get any new projects going. Peace...
ReplyDeleteOne of the best blogs I've seen, period. You did a good job of breaking down Escobar's music, and analyzing themes in the songs that aren't easy to understand when you first listen to it. And it's also great how you provided collections of samples that were used for Esco's songs... good luck with your future plans
ReplyDeleteJust a quick thanks, Fletch. I stumbled upon your blog a few months ago and I checked it religiously. Your knowledge and grasp of Nas history is uncanny and unrivaled. Thanks for everything!
ReplyDeleteThanks for creating one of the best blogs going...outstanding writing & analysis combined with tons of hard-to-find rarities...probably the best combination of those elements I've come across. Mad props and good luck in the future.
ReplyDeleteits a sad day lol good luck too you man,,, I hope later own down the line u set this site up again its been a pleasure reading here thanks again PEaceOut
ReplyDeleteI guess it had to come to an end some day... Here's to you, fletch. Without a doub the greatest blog I've ever read, we'll miss you.
ReplyDeletePS: You better come back (if just for one post) when Nas drops another LP!
you'll be missed. great blog.
ReplyDeletemaybe next Nas album...
ReplyDeletepeace and thanks from Romania
always a well-informed fresh, insightful and thoughtful read. i can now, without regret, consider myself the world's number 2 nas fan, without a hint of sour grapes. please consider maybe infrequent future updates if the mood strikes...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I was so happy when I found this blog. Nas is a great poet and I always loved the ways you broke down his rhymes. I hope you keep this site running, just for the amount of knowledge in the archives. I also hope you try to do the same thing for Ghostface, wow. I cant believe it my 2 favourite MC's having a dedicated fan put this much effort in.
ReplyDeletepeace from the land down under...
RTA is DEAD! ;)
ReplyDeletewell done.
SO THIS IS OVER> DONE???? WHO KILLED IT??? Man it gives me a reason to get on the internet... is it really over..??
ReplyDelete