Undying Love

Lore & Background

Undying Love appears on I Am..., an album that was originally to have been a double album titled I Am...The Autobiography. However, most of the original sessions were bootlegged forcing Nas to discard many songs and adjust the release to one disc. I Am... became one of the first major label releases to be widely leaked using MP3 technology. The album features guest appearances from Puff Daddy, Scarface, DMX, and Aaliyah. The two singles from I Am... were 'Hate Me Now' and 'Nas Is Like.' The album also contained the song 'We Will Survive,' a tribute to Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. that criticized his peers, most notably Jay-Z, who 'claimed to be New York's king' following B.I.G.'s death.

In Their Own Story

The album I Am... debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, selling over 470,000 copies in its first week of sales. I Am... would later be certified double platinum in the United States, making it Nas' second best-selling release behind It Was Written. Upon its release, I Am... received generally mixed reviews from critics. Kris Ex of Rolling Stone gave it three-and-a-half out of five stars and stated, 'Nas is still a diamond in the rough — perhaps the rawest lyrical talent of his day but lacking the guidance and vision to create a complete album.' Steve Jones of USA Today gave it four out of four stars and complimented Nas' 'dense and deft rhymes' and 'nimble, cinematic descriptions.'

Reader's Guide

The album incorporates a mix of hardcore hip-hop and storytelling, with themes predominantly based on Nas' reflections on fame, the rap industry, urban life in America and his childhood in Queensbridge. I Am... addresses a variety of social issues and personal experiences. The song 'We Will Survive' served as a tribute to Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. and criticized his peers, most notably Jay-Z, who 'claimed to be New York's king' following B.I.G.'s death, the record has been cited as potentially encouraging the Nas vs. Jay-Z feud. The album's production was described by Yahoo! Music's Billy Johnson Jr. as 'somber' and its songs as 'thought-provoking, though average quality.'

Did You Know?

• I Am... was originally planned as a double album titled I Am...The Autobiography, but most of the original sessions were bootlegged, forcing Nas to discard many songs.
• I Am... became one of the first major label releases to be widely leaked using MP3 technology.
• The album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, selling over 470,000 copies in its first week.
• I Am... was certified double platinum in the United States, making it Nas' second best-selling release behind It Was Written.
• The album's cover art shoot almost ended in disaster when Nas nearly suffocated after clay got lodged in his nose while making the mask.