It also could have benefited from being slightly trimmed. While the beats are solid, The Nacirema Dream isn’t an album that you’ll be listening to because you want to hear great production. Coming out seven years behind schedule, the production is noticeably a little dated. However, the album isn’t without its faults. Papoose confirms that the hype around his lyrical prowess was real. The Nacirema Dream is a prime example of how hip-hop can serve as a platform for storytelling. Papoose succeeds at painting a picture of the hardships of the world, particularly the ones he personally faced growing up. On “Pimpin Won’t Die” Papoose follows in the footsteps of 2Pac and Slick Rick, adding on to the stories of “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and “Children’s Story”. “Cure” is the standout track, but Papoose isn’t afraid to exercise his storytelling abilities on other songs as well. The song is elevated by an emotional hook delivered by none other than Erykah Badu.
Papoose raps from the first person perspective of these things, similar to what Nas did on “I Gave You Power” when he rapped from the viewpoint of a gun.
These topics aren’t anything brand new in hip-hop, but it’s always nice to hear a fresh take on real world problems. Papoose takes this opportunity to tackle the issues of cancer, AIDS/HIV, and drugs. The highlight of the album comes on the concept track, “Cure”. Papoose also opens up the storybook, telling street tales with vivid imagery. The Nacirema Dream contains lyrical displays such as “Aim Shoot” and the closing “Alphabetical Slaughter Part II”, a sequel to the song that helped Papoose get a record deal. Papoose attacks the tracks with a vengeance, believing that this is his moment to showcase his talents to the world. There is a certain hunger coming from an emcee trying to do everything right the first time, and that energy is difficult to recapture. A rapper’s first album is often easily discernible from the efforts that will follow. It’s clear that Papoose spent a good amount of time crafting these verses in order to make sure he said what he wanted to say on his debut album. The Nacirema Dream is structured around that strength, with the focus being on the vocal performance. His reputation is that he is a lyricist first and foremost. Papoose didn’t make his name in hip-hop by being a rapper with a gimmick or someone who was carried along by production. The guests are nice on the hooks, but Papoose is the main attraction as far as rapping goes. For the most part, these guest appearances really don’t add anything to the listening experience.
Unless, that is, you expect me to believe Papoose went and dug them up from obscurity because he really thought they could bring something to his debut album. With names like Remy Ma, Jim Jones, and Jadakiss highlighting the collaborations, you have to wonder how long ago these guys recorded their verses for this album. It does however make it harder to digest The Nacirema Dream when everything else in hip-hop coming out right now is in the transitional period of growing past this sound.Ī glance at the guests featured on The Nacirema Dream will once again have you wondering what year it is. If you’re a fan of New York rap from that time period and want to hear some production reminiscent of Dipset or G-Unit, this will take you back to those days. The album is noticeably behind the trends of the hip-hop coming out today, with beats that sound like they were crafted in the mid-2000s. After over seven years of waiting we’re finally getting a chance to listen to the debut album of Papoose. It’s mind-boggling to say this, but it’s true. His fans are anticipating his debut album, but due to the label wanting a more commercial sound, the album is faced with delay after delay until virtually everyone has forgotten about it. Papoose is making waves on the mixtape scene and has netted himself a deal with Jive rumored to be worth one and a half million dollars. In the meantime, Papoose is the latest to resurrect an album thought to be long dead with 2013’s release of The Nacirema Dream. Maybe it’s not so impossible to think that Dr. Saigon released The Greatest Story Never Told, Duke Nuke Forever saw the light of day, and the world kept spinning after December 21, 2012. If the past couple of years have taught us anything, it’s that patience really does pay off.