Yup. Originally I Am was supposed to be a double album. First disk would end with Undying Love (like the original), and the second would end with Rise And Fall. Basically it was going to be the "death" of Nas' Escobar phase. Nas gave various tracks to DJs who leaked them, and eventually weed carriers leaked the rest. So he went back in the studio with Timbaland and got a variety of weak tracks on that album and Nastradamus.
Nas should have just said fuck it and released the original, plus a few new songs. If he had it would have been a pretty dope album, based on the tracklists that have flouted around+the quality of the tracks on Lost Tapes. I really don't see how Hov could have effectively attacked Nas if the OG I Am came out, which would mean Nastradamus wouldn't exist.
Nice, I see. Man, leaks are bad.
Yeah, I think he should've still released it, too. But who knows what their line of thinking was back then. Must've had their reasons.