Daughters (Nas song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Daughters

| cover = Daughters - Single.jpg

| alt = A rearview of a young girl in a pink tutu raised atop the shoulders of an older man; she points to a black-and-white cityscape in the background

| type = single

| artist = Nas

| album = Life Is Good

| released = July 17, 2012

| recorded =

| studio = *4220 (Hollywood)

Conway (Hollywood)
EastWest (Hollywood)
Record One (Los Angeles)

| venue =

| genre = Hip hop

| length = 3:20

| label = Def Jam

| writer = {{hlist|Nasir Jones|Ernest D. Wilson|Patrick Adams|Gary DeCarlo|Dale Frashuer|Paul Leka}}

| producer = No I.D.

| chronology = Nas

| prev_title = The Don

| prev_year = 2012

| next_title = Cherry Wine

| next_year = 2012

}}

"Daughters" is a song by American rapper Nas, released on July 17, 2012, by Def Jam Recordings as the third single from his tenth studio album Life Is Good (2012). He wrote it as a reflection on the growth of his daughter Destiny Jones. It was produced by No I.D. and was one of the first songs recorded for the album.

"Daughters" features lyrics about raising a daughter and vignettes about fatherhood. Nas' lyrics address his daughter's behavioral problems and are self-critical of his parenting skills. No I.D.'s soul-influenced production incorporates samples of Cloud One's 1979 song "Dust to Dust" and Wayne McGhie and the Sounds of Joy's 1970 song "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye".

"Daughters" was released to positive reviews from music critics while charting at number 78 on Billboard{{'}}s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It also earned Nas two Grammy Award nominations, one for Best Rap Performance and another for Best Rap Song.

Writing and recording

File:No I.D.jpg, the song's producer]]

With "Daughters", Nas wanted to write a song that expressed him observing the growth of his daughter Destiny Jones,{{cite journal|last=Reid |first=Shaheem |date=April 26, 2012 |url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2012/04/xxclusive-nas-discusses-his-new-single-%22daughters%22/ |title=XXcLusive: Nas Discusses His New Single "Daughters" |journal=XXL |publisher=Harris Publications |location=New York |access-date=September 9, 2012 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} who was 17 years old at the time. Nas said in an interview with XXL:

{{blockquote|"She's so important to me and she always has been. They grow so fast and time flies man. Before you know it, you're looking at a little lady. She's my first kid, my first time watching a child become a teen and a little adult before my eyes. That's one of the most important things in my life. She is. I can't get away from talking about it."}}

"Daughters" was one of the first tracks Nas recorded for his 2012 album Life Is Good. Recording sessions for the song took place at 4220 Studios, Conway Recording Studios, and EastWest Studios in Hollywood, and at Record One in Sherman Oaks, California. It was produced by No I.D., who incorporated live instrumentation, including guitar by Steve Wyreman and keyboards by James Poyser and Kevin Randolph. Kaye Fox sung additional vocals on the song.

Destiny Jones was in the studio when they were recording "Daughters". "We were in a big studio so Destiny was doing other things", Nas later told Vibe. "She walked into the room where I was recording it and heard a few words and said, 'What's going on?' The whole room just started laughing and she kind of smiled and walked backwards out of the room. She didn't know what it was about and she didn't want to listen to it, but later on she heard the song."{{cite journal|url=http://www.vibe.com/article/nas-talks-life-good-wanting-eminem-and-jay-z-daughters-remix|title=Nas Talks 'Life Is Good,' Wanting Eminem and Jay-Z for Daughters (Remix)|date=July 17, 2012|last=Murphy|first=Keith|journal=Vibe|publisher=Intermedia Vibe Holdings|access-date=September 9, 2012}}

Music and lyrics

{{Listen|pos=left

| filename = Nas Daughters sample.ogg

| title = "Daughters"

| description = A 20-second sample of the song

}}

"Daughters" uses samples of Wayne McGhie and the Sounds of Joy's 1970 song "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" and Cloud One's 1979 song "Dust to Dust".{{cite AV media notes|others=Nas|title=Life Is Good|publisher=Def Jam Recordings|id=B001705602|year=2012|type=CD liner}} According to Artistdirect critic Rick Florino, the song draws on "shimmering" soul music and personal vignettes about fatherhood by Nas, who dedicates the song to "my brothers with daughters."{{cite web|last=Florino|first=Rick|date=May 2, 2012|url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,10071634,00.html|title=Nas "Daughters" Song Review — 4.5 out of 5 stars|publisher=Artistdirect. Rogue Digital|access-date=September 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305090540/http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,10071634,00.html|archive-date=March 5, 2016|url-status=dead}}

File:A walk observed - Flickr - Lorie Shaull.jpg

According to Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe, "Daughters" is "an emotionally complex paean to raising a girl" by a father who "struggles to let her find her way".{{cite news|last=Capobianco |first=Ken |date=July 17, 2012 |url=http://articles.boston.com/2012-07-17/music/32699973_1_hip-hop-kelis-life |title=Nas, 'Life Is Good' |newspaper=The Boston Globe |publisher=The New York Times Company |location=Boston |access-date=July 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120929004949/http://articles.boston.com/2012-07-17/music/32699973_1_hip-hop-kelis-life |archive-date=September 29, 2012 }} Pitchfork Media{{'}}s Jayson Greene said the song "finds him examining the responsibilities of fatherhood with fond bewilderment." The New York Times critic Jon Caramanica remarked that Nas sounded conflicted "between forgiving his daughter her occasional transgressions and indicting himself for not being a stern enough parent".{{cite news|last=Caramanica|first=Jon|date=July 19, 2012|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/19/arts/music/new-nas-welcomes-the-nas-of-old.html|title=New Nas Welcomes The Nas Of Old|page=C1|newspaper=The New York Times|location=New York|access-date=July 22, 2012}} In the opinion of Billboard{{'}}s Erika Ramirez, he drew on an allegory of fatherhood that seemed universal.{{cite magazine |last1=Ramirez |first1=Erika |last2=McDermott |first2=Tyler |location=New York|date=July 17, 2012 |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/481316/nas-life-is-good-track-by-track-review|title=Nas, 'Life is Good': Track-By-Track Review|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=September 9, 2012}}

Nas made reference to finding his daughter's letter to a man in jail and the controversy that ensued when she posted a photo of a box of condoms on Instagram.{{cite journal|last=Chery|first=Carl|date=May 8, 2012|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2012/05/common-defends-nass-daughters/|title=Common Defends Nas's "Daughters" Record|journal=XXL|publisher=Harris Publications|location=New York|access-date=September 9, 2012}} According to Kyle Ellison from Drowned in Sound, Nas also commented on gender expectations in his rap, citing the line "when he date, he straight, chip off his old papa / when she date, we wait behind the door with a sawed off / 'cause we think no one is good enough for our daughters."{{cite web|last=Ellison|first=Kyle|date=July 24, 2012|url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/17125/reviews/4145276|title=Nas - Life is Good|publisher=Drowned in Sound|access-date=September 9, 2012|archive-date=August 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827064134/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/17125/reviews/4145276|url-status=dead}}

Release and reception

"Daughters" was premiered on DJ Prostyle's radio show on Power 105.1 on April 26, 2012.{{cite web|date=April 26, 2012|url=http://rapradar.com/2012/04/26/new-music-nas-daughters/|title=New Music: Nas "Daughters"|publisher=Rap Radar|access-date=September 9, 2012}} Chris Robinson directed a music video for the song, which premiered on May 27 and was "visualized through the eyes of [Destiny Jones]—from her third birthday party to her high school years to getting into trouble with boys", Rap-Up reported.{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2012/05/27/video-nas-daughters/|title=Video: Nas - 'Daughters'|work=Rap-Up|access-date=June 5, 2016|date=May 27, 2012}} On July 17, Def Jam Recordings released "Daughters" as a single,{{cite web|url=http://www.islanddefjam.com/artist/discography.aspx?artistID=7312 |title=Nas |publisher=Island Def Jam |access-date=July 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123234148/http://www.islanddefjam.com/artist/discography.aspx?artistID=7312 |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=dead }} the third from Life Is Good. It was performed by Nas on the Late Show with David Letterman that same day.{{cite web|last=Bain|first=Becky|date=July 17, 2012|url=http://idolator.com/6732662/nas-daughters-letterman|title=Nas Performs "Daughters" On 'Letterman'|publisher=Idolator. Buzz Media|access-date=September 9, 2012}} Nas also wanted to record a remix of the song with Eminem, who turned the offer down, explaining that he had spoken enough on the subject of fatherhood in his own music. He also reached out to Jay-Z, but their busy schedules did not permit them to record together.

"Daughters" peaked at number 78 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, on which it charted for nine weeks.{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=nas|chart=all}}|title=Daughters - Nas|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=September 9, 2012}} It was received positively by critics,{{cite web|url=http://www.eurweb.com/2012/04/nas-daughters-song-audio/|title=Nas' New Song "Daughters" Heats up the Web|date=April 26, 2012|publisher=EURweb|access-date=September 9, 2012|archive-date=June 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614232950/http://www.eurweb.com/2012/04/nas-daughters-song-audio/|url-status=dead}} including AllMusic editor David Jeffries, who found it "well written",{{cite web|last=Jeffries|first=David|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/life-is-good-mw0002382213|title=Life Is Good - Nas|publisher=Allmusic. Rovi Corporation|access-date=July 22, 2012}} and Robert Christgau, who named it a highlight on Life Is Good.{{cite web|last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=August 31, 2012 |url=http://social.entertainment.msn.com/music/blogs/expert-witness-blogpost.aspx?post=5bf93921-f2c6-44d1-a13c-58ac7b03f266 |title=Odds and Ends 015 |publisher=MSN Music. Microsoft |access-date=September 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912062414/http://social.entertainment.msn.com/music/blogs/expert-witness-blogpost.aspx?post=5bf93921-f2c6-44d1-a13c-58ac7b03f266 |archive-date=September 12, 2012 }} Greene deemed it a "sweetly reflective response" by Nas to his daughter's behavior,{{cite web|last=Greene|first=Jayson|title=Nas: Life Is Good|url=http://www.pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16832-life-is-good/|publisher=Pitchfork Media|access-date=July 24, 2012}} while Amidon found his level of honesty on the song "intense" and "probably the most honest we're ever going to hear Nas".{{cite web|last=Amidon|first=David|date=July 17, 2012|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/160990-nas-life-is-good/|title=Nas: Life Is Good (take two)|publisher=PopMatters|access-date=August 23, 2012}} Alex Macpherson of Fact called it "a song that's as likely to make fathers everywhere misty-eyed as it is to make teenage girls cringe in horror".{{cite journal|last=Macpherson|first=Alex|date=July 23, 2012|url=http://www.factmag.com/2012/07/23/nas-life-is-good/|title=Nas: Life Is Good|journal=Fact|publisher=The Vinyl Factory|location=London|access-date=September 9, 2012}} Respect. magazine deemed it a worthy example of when hip hop transcends its entertainment value in "an effort to celebrate and share the complexities of raising a daughter in the hip-hop community".{{cite web|date=May 8, 2012|url=http://respect-mag.com/2012/05/opinion-nas-daughters-is-honest-portrayal-of-hip-hop-fatherhood/|title=Opinion: Nas' "Daughters" Is Honest Portrayal of Hip-Hop Fatherhood|work=Respect|access-date=June 5, 2016}} "Daughters" was nominated for two Grammy Awards, one in the category of Best Rap Performance and another for Best Rap Song.{{cite news | title = Grammys 2013: Complete list of nominees - latimes.com | url = http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/grammys/la-en-grammys-2013-nominees-complete-list,0,7075586.htmlstory | date = December 5, 2012| access-date=December 6, 2012 | work=Los Angeles Times}} Complex ranked it number 39 on its list of 2012's 50 best songs.{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2012/12/2012-year-in-review-the-50-best-songs-of-2012/nas-daughters |title=39. Nas "Daughters" — The 50 Best Songs of 2012 |publisher=Complex |date=December 11, 2012 |access-date=January 12, 2014}}

Carmen Bryan, Nas' ex-wife, was critical of the song, calling it a "disappointment" while claiming via Twitter, "He had nothing positive to say about our daughter and his depiction of her is false!"{{cite journal|last=Concepcion|first=Mariel|date=April 27, 2012|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2012/04/nas-baby-moms-blasts-him-on-twitter-for-daughters-track/|title=Nas' Baby Moms Blasts Him on Twitter for "Daughters" Track|journal=XXL|publisher=Harris Publications|location=New York|access-date=September 9, 2012}} In response, American rapper Common defended Nas for his personal songwriting and likened "Daughters" to his own 1997 song "Retrospect for Life", which he wrote about his girlfriend's abortion. "I've had people come to me because of those type of songs and say it changed their life", Common told XXL. "Or somebody be like, 'Man, that song made me decide to have my child instead of having an abortion.' Something that Nas said in that song may inspire somebody to be a better father so I think it's worth it." In an interview for Vibe, Nas said of his daughter's reaction to the song:

{{blockquote|"I think she understands where I was coming from. She can hear me saying that I wasn't always around and I wasn't always the best dad, but I care. And there are a lot of fathers like me. To me, 'Daughters' lets all those fathers out there know, 'Hey, don't end up like me in terms of not being there all the time.' You should really pay attention to the most precious thing in the world. Destiny and I hang out all the time. She never beefs with me about it."}}