Life is Good Def Jam***

There are good reasons why Nas looks so glum on the cover of his 10th album, such as those outstanding tax bills, So most of the proceeds here are going directly to the US taxman. The green wedding dress on his lap is also significant – it's the only thing ex-wife Kelis left behind when she dumped him. It's not surprising, therefore, that matters of life and love weigh heavily on Nas's mind throughout Life Is Good. Always an articulate observer and chronicler from way back in his Illmatic days, Nas now has the experience and insight to make the sort of lyrical connections that add heft to his tracks. When, for instance, he talks about how his "little princess" has become an 18-year-old with boy issues on Daughters, he's musing on his own metamorphosis from Nas-the-lad to concerned parent. Vintage Nas and then some. twitter.com/nas

Download tracks:Daughters, Cherry Wine