Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Boston Phoenix
Entertainment Weekly	A−
HipHopDX	4.5/5
Pitchfork Media	6.9/10
Rolling Stone
The Source
Spin	8/10
Stylus Magazine	B
The Village Voice	B+

The Lost Tapes is a compilation album by American rapper Nas. It was released on September 23, 2002, by Ill Will Records and Columbia Records, who wanted to capitalize on what was seen in hip hop music as Nas' artistic comeback the year before. The album compiles previously unreleased tracks that were discarded from recording sessions for Nas' previous studio albums, I Am... (1999) and Stillmatic (2001). It features production by L.E.S., The Alchemist, Poke and Tone, and Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, among others. With low-key, sparse sounds and observational lyrics about urban life, the songs are autobiographical and nostalgic, departing from the thug persona of Nas' previous records.

Released with little promotion, The Lost Tapes debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200, selling over 70,000 copies in its first week. It was met with widespread acclaim from critics, some of whom viewed it as Nas' best record since his 1994 debut album Illmatic. A second volume of previously unreleased songs was planned before Nas had signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2006, but the project was delayed and eventually abandoned because of issues with his record label.

In 2001, Nas made an artistic comeback with his fifth album Stillmatic and his highly publicized feud with rapper Jay-Z. Both revitalized his image in hip hop music at the time, following a string of commercially successful but critically subpar albums. Nas' record label, Columbia Records, capitalized on his comeback with a promotional campaign that included the release of two archival albums, the extended play From Illmatic to Stillmatic: The Remixes and The Lost Tapes, while leading up to the release of his 2002 studio album God's Son.

...
Wikipedia