''Life Is Good'' is the eleventh studio album by American rapper

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ...

, released on July 13, 2012, by

Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...

. The album was recorded at various studios in New York and California, with guest appearances from rappers

Large Professor William Paul Mitchell (born March 21, 1972), better known by the stage name of Large Professor (also Extra P. and Large Pro), is an American rapper and record producer. Based in New York City, he is known as a founding member of the underground ...

and

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Diddy's Bad ...

, and singers Mary J. Blige, Miguel, and, posthumously,

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...

, among others. Producers

No I.D. Ernest Dion Wilson (born June 23, 1971), professionally known as No I.D. (formerly Immenslope), is an American hip hop and R&B producer from Chicago, Illinois. Wilson is also a disc jockey (DJ), music arranger and former rapper, having relea ...

and

Salaam Remi Salaam Remi Gibbs (born May 14, 1972) is a Grammy winning American record producer known for his association with Nas, Amy Winehouse, Robby, Fugees, Fergie, Estelle, Black Thought, and Miguel, and for his reggae-tinged (often referred to as ...

incorporated orchestral elements and musical references to both contemporary and

golden age hip hop Golden age hip hop is a name given to mainstream hip hop music created from the mid-1980s to early-mid 1990s, particularly by artists and musicians originating from the New York metropolitan area. An outgrowth of the new school hip hop movement ...

, including

boom bap Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style that was prominent in the East Coast during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The term "boom bap" is an onomatopoeia that represents the sounds used for the b ...

beats and old school samples. Nas wanted to draw on 1980s hip hop influences in order to complement the nostalgic tone of his lyrics, which he used to vent personal feelings and address moments in his life and rapping career, lending it themes of nostalgia and adulthood. ''Life Is Good'' was written after his divorce from singer

Kelis Kelis Rogers-Mora (; born August 21, 1979), known mononymously as Kelis, is an American singer, songwriter and a professionally trained chef. At age 14, she was admitted to New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Perform ...

, whose original green wedding dress was featured in the cover photo, and Nas has compared the album to

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

's 1978 divorce-inspired album '' Here, My Dear''. ''Life Is Good'' received widespread critical acclaim and debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200, reaching 354,000 copies sold by 2013. It also reached the top 10 of

record chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include ...

s in Canada, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Three

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

were released in its promotion – " Nasty", " The Don", and " Daughters" – along with five music videos, while Nas toured in further support of the album from June to December 2012. In 2020, the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...

awarded ''Life Is Good'' a

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

certification.

Background

In 2010, Nas released his studio album ''

Distant Relatives ''Distant Relatives'' is a collaborative studio album by American rapper Nas and Jamaican reggae vocalist Damian Marley. It was released on May 18, 2010, by Universal Republic and Def Jam Recordings. The album is Nas' tenth (third for Def Jam) a ...

'', a collaboration with

Damian Marley Damian Robert Nesta "Jr. Gong" Marley (born 21 July 1978) is a Jamaican DJ, singer, lyricist and rapper. He is the recipient of four Grammy Awards. Early life, education and family Damian Marley is the youngest son of reggae musician Bob Marle ...

that reinvigorated the rapper creatively. He soon became distracted by tax problems and an expensive, highly publicized divorce from his wife

months before their son's birth, events that influenced his direction for ''Life Is Good''. His songwriting on the album was also influenced by adjusting back to life as a single man. Nas also wanted to write more original subject matter rather than another album "about how you came up in the hood and how you had to make it out of the hood". Although he did not find his album "quite so much about the marriage or the divorce", Nas likened ''Life Is Good'' to

's 1978 album '' Here, My Dear'', which was written by Gaye in response to his own deteriorating marriage and released as a financial settlement. For ''Life Is Good''s album cover, a photo was taken of Nas in a polished white suit, sitting in a night club's VIP lounge, appearing forlorn, and holding over his knee Kelis' actual green wedding dress, which he said was the only item she left him. When writing the album, Nas also reflected on aging and maturation, fatherhood, and his 20-year experience in hip hop music. Nas discussed the album's personal subject matter in an interview for ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'':

Recording and production

Recording sessions for the album took place at the following recording studios—4220 Studios,

Conway Recording Studios Conway Recording Studios is a recording studio in Hollywood, California. People and awards Conway started in the early 1970s as a mastering studio. In 1976, the studio began recording albums, including projects by Elton John and Stevie Wond ...

, and EastWest Studios in Hollywood, Instrument Zoo Studios in Miami,

Jungle City Studios Jungle City Studios is a recording studio owned and operated by Ann Mincieli, Alicia Keys's longtime engineer and studio coordinator. Located in Chelsea, Manhattan, it was designed by John Storyk of Walters-Storyk Design Group. Recordings at J ...

and

Oven Studios Oven Studios is the personal recording studio of American singer-songwriter and record producer Alicia Keys, located in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, New York. Background Designed by the Walters-Storyk Design Group, the studio was ori ...

in New York City, Record One in Sherman Oaks, and Westlake Studios in Los Angeles. Nas worked with several musicians, including

, Mary J. Blige,

James Poyser James Jason Poyser is an American songwriter, record producer, musician and current member of the hip hop band The Roots. Poyser has written and produced songs for various legendary and award-winning artists such as Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, ...

, Anthony Hamilton, Miguel,

, and Hal Ritson, among others. For the album, Nas wanted the production to complement his lyrics' nostalgic themes with 1980s hip hop influences. He primarily worked with hip hop producers

and

, a frequent collaborator of Nas. Remi said that he wanted his production "to be something that a mumble-mouth rapper can't rap on. You better have something to say and be speaking up." Along with producer

Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...

, No I.D. and Nas related to the latter's lyrics concerning divorce during the recording sessions. During the sessions, Nas recorded the song "No Such Thing as White Jesus" with singer

Frank Ocean Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...

and producer

Hit-Boy Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...

, who misplaced the track while sorting through music he had produced for

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...

and

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

's album ''

Watch the Throne ''Watch the Throne'' is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, collectively known as The Throne. It was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to t ...

'' (2011). Although he later recovered it, the song was not included on ''Life Is Good''.

Music and lyrics

The album incorporates musical references to both older and contemporary hip hop. Its production features live instrumentation, orchestral music, R&B, and

elements. Music journalist Evan Rytlewski denotes "boom-bap drums, lush keyboards, smooth saxophones, and the occasional Run-D.M.C. and MC Shan sample" to be "tasteful accents" from

. Ryan Hamm of '' Under the Radar'' views that Remi and No I.D.'s production "lean toward opulent and epic", while ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

''s Jayson Greene writes that the latter's produced songs "exude the warm TV-fireplace crackle of ... throwback production." Anupa Mistry of ''

Now Now most commonly refers to the present time. Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to: Organizations * Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization * National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization * Now ...

'' writes that "boom bap classicists Salaam Remi and No I.D. weave a raw, funky, orchestral lattice customized for Nas's age-appropriate raps". ''Life Is Good'' features nostalgic and adult themes, including aging and maturity. Nas' rapping is characterized by

internal rhyme In poetry, internal rhyme, or middle rhyme, is rhyme that occurs within a single line of verse, or between internal phrases across multiple lines. By contrast, rhyme between line endings is known as end rhyme. Internal rhyme schemes can be denoted ...

s, a relaxed, plainspoken

flow Flow may refer to: Science and technology * Fluid flow, the motion of a gas or liquid * Flow (geomorphology), a type of mass wasting or slope movement in geomorphology * Flow (mathematics), a group action of the real numbers on a set * Flow (psyc ...

, and

transparent Transparency, transparence or transparent most often refer to: * Transparency (optics), the physical property of allowing the transmission of light through a material They may also refer to: Literal uses * Transparency (photography), a still, ...

lyrics addressing moments in his life, including his youth and the personal events leading up to the album. Erika Ramirez of ''Billboard'' observes "stories of internal and external battles, some of which he won and some he lost." David Dennis of ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

'' writes that his lyrics address hip hop's "golden era" and "the trials and tribulations of adult relationships". Brandon Soderberg from ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...

'' asserts that his lyrics "constantly remind nostalgics that the good ol' days were often chaotic and desperate". Nas' comparison of this album to Gaye's ''Here, My Dear'' is appropriate, according to ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...

''s Manan Desai: "Like Nas, Gaye was pushing 40 when he recorded his album", Desai wrote. "He'd cemented his position as one of R&B's greatest, and yet, he never sounded more anguished about where all that fame was leading him. There's something similar going on throughout ''Life Is Good''; the more we hear Nas repeat that titular refrain, the less convincing he sounds."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

's David Jeffries said the lyrics about his divorce were "unfiltered carpet bombing of love and marriage"; both Jeffries and Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic characterize the content as "venomous". Conversely, Jon Dolan of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' views that Nas "cuts his rhymes with midlife realism and daring empathy". Ken Capobianco of ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' writes that the songs "mix anger, nostalgia, and insight."

Songs

On the opening track "No Introduction", Nas reflects on his impoverished upbringing and maturation into a "graphic, classic song composer". The song's subject matter ranges from lifestyle boats to revolutionary ideals: "Hood forever, I just act like I’m civilized / Really what’s in my mind is organizing a billion Black muthafuckas / To take over JP and Morgan Goldman and Sachs / And teach the world facts and give Saudi they oil back". "Loco-Motive" has an underground vibe and keyboards similar to Nas' 1994 song " N.Y. State of Mind". "A Queens Story" has boom bap and classical elements in its production, including classical piano, orchestral strings and funky drums. Its lyrics pay homage to Nas' native Queens and his creative influences. "Accident Murderers" incorporates

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks' ...

in its production, and its lyrics addresses senseless violence with a

rags to riches Rags to riches refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth, and in some cases from absolute obscurity to heights of fame, fortune and celebrity—sometimes instantly. This is a common archetype in literature and popul ...

narrative by

. On " Daughters", Nas is bewildered at the responsibilities of fatherhood, as he addresses his daughter's social networking activity and worries about his past undermining his parental authority. Killian Fox of ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'' writes that Nas' observations on his ex-wife's "hefty childcare payments" and his 18-year-old daughter "dating unsuitable men" are resonated by his "recollections of his early years as a Queensbridge hustler – just the kind of unsuitable young man he's warning his daughter about these days". "Reach Out" features Mary J. Blige and incorporates the piano loop from

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songw ...

' 1970 song "Ike's Mood". Its lyrics address Nas' feeling displaced "when you're too hood to be in the Hollywood circles, you're too rich to be in the hood that birthed you". "You Wouldn't Understand" addresses life struggles and features a mellow production and

neo soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and con ...

influences. "Back When" has flickering production and mytholigizing lyrics by Nas: "check out the

oracle An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination. Description The word ...

bred by city housing". The up-tempo " The Don" samples

Super Cat William Anthony Maragh (born 25 June 1963),Huey, Steve " Super Cat Biography, Allmusic, retrieved 18 July 2010 also known as Super Cat, is a Jamaican deejay who achieved widespread popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s dancehall mo ...

's 1982 song "Dance inna New York" and has a 1990s hip hop sound. Its lyrics extol both Nas' rapping prowess and New York City. According to No Ripcord's James McKenna, "Stay" mixes

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

elements, "bringing to mind ''

Low End Theory Low End Theory was a weekly experimental hip hop and electronic music club night that took place every Wednesday from 2006 to 2018 at The Airliner in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California. History "The Low End Theory" is the second studio albu ...

'' era

A Tribe Called Quest A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985,Q-Tip

and

Tupac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

's ''

Me Against the World ''Me Against the World'' is the third studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on March 14, 1995, by Interscope and Jive Records. 2Pac draws lyrical inspiration from his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police, and pove ...

'', and lyrics "questioning the line between love and hate". " Cherry Wine" features vocals by Amy Winehouse and a narrative between ill-fated lovers. The song was titled after Winehouse's guitar, which she called "cherry". Jesal Padania of ''RapReviews'' cites it as "quite possibly the best 'ladies number' that Nas has ever delivered, though it is infinitely classier than that label." On " Bye Baby", Nas' lyrics address his ex-wife and recount their marriage in a narrative that follows the wedding, counseling sessions,

marriage counseling Couples therapy (also couples' counseling, marriage counseling, or marriage therapy) attempts to improve romantic relationships and resolve interpersonal conflicts. History Marriage counseling originated in Germany in the 1920s as part of the eu ...

, and the legal process of their divorce.

Marketing and sales

The album was promoted by Nas' concert performances and television appearances on ''

The Colbert Report ''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show fo ...

'', ''

Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production ...

'', ''

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's ...

'', and ''

106 & Park ''106 & Park'' is an American hip hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that was broadcast on weekdays at 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT on BET; it aired on a one-day delay on BET International. It was the network's highest- rate ...

''. He headlined the

Rock the Bells Rock the Bells was an annual hip-hop festival that originally took place in Southern California only, but has since toured throughout the world. The concert featured a line-up of high-profile alternative hip-hop artists, often headlined by a mor ...

music festival and embarked on a three-week European tour during June and July 2012. With singer

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...

, the rapper co-headlined the "Life Is Good/Black Rage" tour from October 29 to December 31. The tour finale was an exclusive show at

Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Nicknamed "The Showplac ...

in New York City with

Elle Varner Gabrielle Serene Varner (born February 12, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Born into a musical family in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Los Angeles, Varner studied at New York University's Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music. In ...

as the supporting act. Three

were also released in promotion of the album—" Nasty" on August 9, 2011, "The Don" on April 3, 2012, and "Daughters" on July 17. A music video for "Nasty" was filmed by director

Jason Goldwatch Jason Goldwatch (born September 1, 1976) is an American music video director and commercial director who is a Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director of Decon, a creative agency and record label based in New York. He is best known for his work ...

in Queensbridge, Nas' hometown in New York, and released virally on October 11, 2011. A video for "Daughters" was directed by Chris Robinson and premiered May 27 on

MTV Jams BET Jams is an American pay television network controlled by BET Networks and owned by Paramount Media Networks. The channel features hip-hop and urban contemporary music videos. The network, formerly known as MTV Jams, was rebranded under the ...

. Its storyline chronicles the relationship between Nas and his daughter through her

point of view Point of view or Points of View may refer to: Concept and technique * Point of view (philosophy), an attitude how one sees or thinks of something * Point of view (literature) or narrative mode, the perspective of the narrative voice; the prono ...

. On April 27, Nas released the Aristotle-directed video for "The Don", which featured lavish images of Nas' lifestyle. A video promoting "Bye Baby" was released on August 20, 2012, featuring scenes of Nas in an empty home, at his divorce proceedings, and in a setting that revisits the cover image of ''Life Is Good''. It also featured singer Aaron Hall of Guy, whose 1988 song "Goodbye Love" is sampled on "Bye Baby". A video for "Cherry Wine" was also released on October 2. The video was dedicated to guest vocalist Amy Winehouse, who is featured as a projection on a wall in the video's scenes. On September 19, "Cherry Wine" was sent to radio in the United Kingdom. ''Life Is Good'' was released by

, first on July 13, 2012, in Germany, where it reached number 24 on the

Media Control Charts Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...

. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number eight on the

Official Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...

, the album also debuted at number two in Canada and sold 5,000 copies in its first week there. In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and sold 149,000 copies in its first week. It was his sixth number-one album in the United States. In its second week on the ''Billboard'' 200, the album sold 45,000 copies. By February 10, 2013, the album had sold 354,000 copies, according to

Nielsen SoundScan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...

. The album charted for 15 weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200. On April 21, 2020, the album was certified

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

by the

(RIAA) for shipping at least 500,000 units to retailers in the US.

Critical reception

''Life is Good'' was met with widespread critical acclaim. At

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an

average In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7, ...

score of 81, based on 30 reviews. Aggregator

AnyDecentMusic? AnyDecentMusic? is a website that collates album reviews from magazines, websites, and newspapers. Primarily focused on popular music – covering rock, pop, electronic, dance, folk, country, roots, hip-hop, R&B, and rap – albums are adjudg ...

gave the album 7.8 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. Reviewing the album in ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'', Kevin EG Perry called it "a grimy, back-to-basics return to form", while ''Pitchfork''s Jayson Greene said Nas had "settled gracefully into strengths". Evan Rytlewski of ''The A.V. Club'' deemed Nas' lyrics "beautifully expressed" and the music just "as thoughtful", while ''Slant Magazine''s Manan Desai believed the rapper sounded "inspired" and praised the album's "narrative unity" as "a wide-angle look of the artist as a grown man." Ludovic Hunter-Tilney, arts critic for the ''Financial Times'', said Nas draws on his "emic and etic, insider-outsider perspective" as a successful rapper to create "a richly varied album that goes from old-fashioned East Coast bangers to boldly worked orchestral and jazz samples, all held together by Nas's fluent rap technique." In the opinion of Randall Roberts from the ''Los Angeles Times'', the "thoughtful, fierce, honest and – most important – heavy-duty work" showed "Nas has gotten better at rolling with the punches – and you can hear it in every verse". Carl Chery from ''XXL (magazine), XXL'' hailed it as "arguably Nas' best LP since ''Stillmatic''" and proof that "at this juncture—21 years and 10 solo albums in—no other MC has ever rhymed at such a high level this deep into their career." Some reviewers were less enthusiastic. Robert Christgau gave ''Life Is Good'' a three-star honorable mention () in his "Robert Christgau#Consumer Guide, Consumer Guide" column for ''MSN Music'', citing "Daughters" and "Accident Murderers" as highlights while deeming the record "reflections of a bigshot who, as he mentions several times, is damn big". AllMusic's David Jeffries regarded the album as an inevitably "puff-chested bitch session", "acting as a clearing house for all venom and bile, plus some gloss that doesn't fit but needed to go as well." According to ''The New York Times, New York Times'' critic Jon Caramanica, the narratives were "sometimes distractingly fanciful" and Nas' lyrics occasionally "overstuffed", even though the record possessed "a simulacrum of the sound that made him legendary". Matthew Fiander from ''PopMatters'' was more critical, finding the production "uneven" and calculated "as product", with "half-done ideas". At the end of 2012, ''Life Is Good'' appeared on several critics' top album lists. It was named the best album of 2012 by ''The Source'' and Okayplayer. The album was also ranked number 18 by ''Rolling Stone'', number 12 by ''Complex (magazine), Complex'', number 16 by James Montgomery of MTV, number six by Martin Caballero of ''The Boston Globe'', and number seven by Jon Caramanica of ''The New York Times''. ''Life Is Good'' received a Grammy Awards, Grammy Award nomination in the category of Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Album for the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, 2013 Grammy Awards. It was also nominated for Album of the Year at the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards, while "Daughters" won the Impact Track award at the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards.

Track listing

Information is taken from the album credits.

Sample credits

* "A Queens Story" contains samples of "Peter Piper" by Run-DMC and "Queen's Story" by

. * "Accident Murderers" contains samples of "They Said It Couldn't Be Done" by Norman Feels and "The Bridge Wars, The Bridge" by MC Shan. * "Daughters" contains samples of "Dust to Dust" by Cloud One and "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Wayne McGhie and the Sounds of Joy. * "Reach Out" contains samples of "Ike's Mood" by

and an Interpolation (popular music), interpolation of "Once in a Lifetime Groove" by New Edition. * "World's an Addiction" contains a sample of "The World" by Salaam Remi. * "You Wouldn't Understand" contains samples of "Let's Start Love Over Again" by Miles Jaye and "Eric B. Is President" by Eric B. & Rakim. * "Back When" contains samples of "Double Agent Jones" by Barry Moore Combo, "Live Routine" by MC Shan, and "The Bridge" by MC Shan. * "The Don" contains elements of "Dance inna New York" by

. * "Stay" contains samples of "Seven Steps to Nowhere" by L.A. Carnival. * "Bye Baby" contains samples of "Goodbye Love" by Guy. * "The Black Bond" contains samples of "Praguenosis" by Salaam Remi. * "Where's the Love" contains samples of "Brooklyn-Queens" by 3rd Bass.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. * John Adams – Rhodes piano, Fender Rhodes * Richard Adlam – drums * Angel Onhel Aponte – engineer * Mary J. Blige – featured artist * Del Bowers – mixing assistant * Buckwild (music producer), Buckwild – producer * Brandon N. Caddell – assistant engineer * Matt Champlin – engineer * Da Internz – arranger, producer * Tim Davies – string arrangements * Gleyder "Gee" Disla – engineer, mixing * DJ Hot Day – scratching * Chloe Flower – piano * Kaye Fox – vocals * Chris Galland – mixing assistant * Chris Gehringer – mastering * Alex Haldi – art direction, design * Anthony Hamilton – featured artist * Maestro Harrell – keyboards * Heavy D – arranger, producer * Vincent Henry – alto saxophone, clarinet, flute, tenor saxophone * Jaycen Joshua – mixing * J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League – producer * Rich Keller – mixing * Rob Kinelski – engineer, mixing *

– featured artist * Sam Lewis – assistant engineer * Tai Linzie – photo coordination * Omar Loya – assistant engineer * Kim Lumpkin – production coordination * Deborah Mannis-Gardner – sample clearance * Manny Marroquin – mixing * Miguel – featured artist * Victoria Monet – featured artist * Greg Morgan – sound design * Vernon Mungo – engineer *

– primary artist, executive producer *

– producer * Gary Noble – engineer, mixing * Keith Parry – assistant engineer *

– keyboards * Kevin Randolph – keyboards * Kool DJ Red Alert, Red Alert – vocals *

– arranger, bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, producer, scratching * Hal Ritson – drums *

– featured artist * Matthew Salacuse – photography * Anthony Saleh – executive producer * 40 (record producer), Noah "40" Shebib – arranger, drums, keyboards, mixing, producer * Hannah Sidibe – vocals * Brian Sumner – engineer *

– featured artist, producer * Meredith Truax – photo coordination * Anna Ugarte – assistant engineer, mixing assistant * Cara Walker – package production * Stuart White – engineer *

– featured artist, guitar * Steve Wyreman – bass, guitar * Tyler Yamashita – assistant engineer * Andrew Zaeh – photography * Gabriel Zardes – assistant engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 2012 albums Albums produced by Al Shux Albums produced by Boi-1da Albums produced by Buckwild Albums produced by Da Internz Albums produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League Albums produced by No I.D. Albums produced by Noah "40" Shebib Albums produced by Rodney Jerkins Albums produced by Salaam Remi Albums produced by Swizz Beatz Def Jam Recordings albums Nas albums