I wasn't really feeling "Thief's Theme" or that one where he's all "everybody talkin' bout the new Nas song" and I'm all "yeah and they're saying it's garbage", so I wasn't expecting much from this, and when it started in with the awkward DISCIPLE (streets!) DISCIPLE hook, I was prepared for the worst. But then there's that neat bit where the beat drops out every few measures and the first verse is pretty awesome, "this ain't 50, this ain't Jigga, this ain't Diddy, this ain't pretty, pain, power, pussy and pistols", popping his P's like he must be getting spittle all over the mic guard.

Talib Kweli - "Peace of Mind"

Like the Nas, I'd been underwhelmed by the early leaks from the new Kweli, but suddenly now some new songs I like from both of them. Just a nice generic soul beat by Fresno, but the kind of boring pretty thing that Kweli sounds great over. This would be good right at the beginning of the album, maybe track 2 or track 3.

Prince - "Call My Name"

I was always in full support of the idea of Prince making a major comeback, and such is my general goodwill toward him that it didn't really matter to me, in theory, if it was in a classy, nostalgic, for-grown-folks-who-remember way. Still, it was a little depressing to see him back on MTV for the first time in forever wearing suits and preaching about the true funk soldiers. But I accept the fact that he'll never be "edgy" again, and it would be insulting to presume that he needs the LinnDrum and the innuendo to be interesting. So I'm glad that even if I won't bother buying Musicology (I've still got way too many of the classics to catch up on), at least I like the 2nd single, which proves that he never lost his touch with the ballads. Even the fussy live band arrangement, with all the drum fills and bass flourishes stuffed into every measure, kind of works with the song and not against it. A song like this, combined with the earth-toney BET Midnight Love-ready video, finally puts him on a level playing field with all the nu-soul bores who always unconvincingly claim him as an influence, just so he can show them up on their own turf.