With 'Illmatic' Nas doesn't just tell you poetry, he brings you in for a vividly detailed tour of the matrices of his own mind. Every line here is so crisply articulated and well said it makes others look like they're not even trying. Illmatic, an Album by Nas. Released in 1994 on Columbia (catalog no. CT 57684; Cassette). Genres: East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Hardcore Hip Hop. Rated #1 in the best albums of 1994, and #35 in the greatest all-time album chart (according to RYM users).
EDITORS’ NOTES Nas maintains an unparalleled level of intensity from the bracing opener 'N.Y. State of Mind' right to the final bars of 'It Ain't Hard To Tell.” Nas' flow is equal parts Rakim-style virtuosity and gritty Kool G Rap-derived storytelling prowess. From the ruthless philosophizing of 'Life's a Bitch' to the nostalgic sorrow of 'Memory Lane' Nas paints a stirringly vivid portrait of life in the Queensbridge projects that other MCs would be imitating for years to come. An indisputable triumph, Illmatic is a must-hear for anyone with even a passing interest in contemporary music. EDITORS’ NOTES Nas maintains an unparalleled level of intensity from the bracing opener 'N.Y. State of Mind' right to the final bars of 'It Ain't Hard To Tell.” Nas' flow is equal parts Rakim-style virtuosity and gritty Kool G Rap-derived storytelling prowess. From the ruthless philosophizing of 'Life's a Bitch' to the nostalgic sorrow of 'Memory Lane' Nas paints a stirringly vivid portrait of life in the Queensbridge projects that other MCs would be imitating for years to come.
An indisputable triumph, Illmatic is a must-hear for anyone with even a passing interest in contemporary music.