Album in this case. Nas's 3rd record, It Am…, which, in a genre prone to one-hit wonders and transient fame, that he put out not only an ill sophmore record but one fater that, proved that Nas was here to stay, the true king of N.Y. after Big.
The first track above has some personal salience for me. The second (the last on the album) is just ill as fuck. The whole thing is, really, start to finish. A masterpiece. Sophomore etc hip hop records have a tendency to suck. Not Nas.