• ' Released: October 13, 1992 • ' Released: January 18, 1994 • ' Released: April 19, 1994 • ' Released: May 31, 1994 • ' Released: October 25, 1994 Illmatic is the debut by American rapper. It was released on April 19, 1994,. After signing with the label with the help of, Nas recorded the album in 1992 and 1993 at,, Battery Studios, and in New York City. Its production was handled by,,,, and Nas himself. Styled as a album, Illmatic features multi-syllabic and inner-city narratives based on Nas's experiences in. The album debuted at number 12 on the US chart, selling 60,000 copies in its first week.

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However, its initial sales fell below expectations and its five singles failed to achieve significant chart success. Despite the album's low initial sales, Illmatic received rave reviews from most music critics, who praised its production and Nas' lyricism. On January 17, 1996, the album was certified by the, and on December 11, 2001 it earned a platinum certification after shipping 1,000,000 copies in the United States. Since its initial reception, Illmatic has been recognized by writers and music critics as a landmark album in. Its influence on subsequent hip hop artists has been attributed to the album's production and Nas' lyricism. It also contributed to the, introducing a number of stylistic trends to the region.

The album is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, appearing on numerous best album lists by critics and publications. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Background [ ] As a teenager, Nas wanted to pursue a career as a and enlisted his best friend and neighbor, -native Willy ' Graham, as his. He initially went by the nickname 'Kid Wave' before adopting the alias 'Nasty Nas'.

At the age of fifteen, he met producer from, and was introduced to his group. Nas made his recorded debut with them, performing the opening verse on 'Live at the Barbeque' from their 1991 album. Nas subsequently made his solo debut on his 1992 single ' for the soundtrack to the film. The single added to the buzz surrounding Nas, earning him comparisons to influential rapper. Despite his buzz in the underground scene, Nas did not receive an offer for a recording contract, being rejected by major rap labels such as and. Nas and Ill Will continued to work together, but their partnership was cut short when Graham was murdered by a gunman in Queensbridge on May 23, 1992; Nas' brother was also shot that night, but survived.

Nas has cited that moment as a 'wake-up call' for him. In mid-1992,, whose group had dissolved, began working on a solo project and approached Nas. At the suggestion of producer T-Ray, Serch collaborated with Nas for 'Back to the Grill', the lead single for Serch's 1992 solo debut album. At the recording session for the song, Serch discovered that Nas did not have a recording contract and subsequently contacted Faith Newman, an executive. As Serch recounted, 'Nas was in a position where his demo had been sittin' around, 'Live at the Barbeque' was already a classic, and he was just tryin' to find a decent deal. So when he gave me his demo, I shopped it around.

I took it to first, Russell said it sounded like, he wasn't wit' it. So I took it to Faith. Faith loved it, she said she'd been looking for Nas for a year and a half. They wouldn't let me leave the office without a deal on the table.' Once MC Serch assumed the role of executive producer for Nas' debut project, he attempted to connect Nas with various producers. Based on his buzz at the time, numerous New York-based producers were eager to work with him and went to Power House Studios with Nas. Among those producers was, recognized at the time for his raw, aggressive with jazz-based samples and heavy, and for his work with rapper as a part of hip-hop duo.

After his production on & DJ Mike Smooth's (1990) and 's (1994), Premier began recording exclusively at in New York City, before working with Nas on Illmatic. Recording [ ] Prior to recording, DJ Premier had listened to Nas's debut single, later stating 'When I heard 'Halftime', that was some next shit to me. That's just as classic to me as ' and '. It just had that type of effect.

As simple as it is, all of the elements are there. So from that point, after Serch approached me about doing some cuts, it was automatic. You'd be stupid to pass that up even if it wasn't payin' no money.' Serch later noted the chemistry between Nas and DJ Premier, recounting that 'Primo and Nas, they could have been separated at birth. It wasn't a situation where his beats fit their rhymes, they fit each other.'

While Serch reached out to DJ Premier, Large Professor contacted to collaborate with Nas on what became 'The World Is Yours'. Shortly afterwards, producers and chose to work on the album. Nas's father,, also contributed with a cornet solo on 'Life's a Bitch', which features rapper. In an early promotional interview, Nas claimed that the name 'Illmatic' (meaning 'beyond ill' or 'the ultimate') was a reference to his incarcerated Queensbridge friend, Illmatic Ice. Nas later described the title name as 'supreme ill. It's as ill as ill gets. That shit is a science of everything ill.'

At the time of its recording, expectations in the hip hop scene were high for Illmatic. In a 1994 interview for, which dubbed him 'the second coming', Nas spoke highly of the album, saying that 'this feels like a big project that's gonna affect the world [.] We in here on the down low [.] doing something for the world.

That's how it feels, that's what it is. For all the ones that think it's all about some ruff shit, talkin' about guns all the time, but no science behind it, we gonna bring it to them like this.' AZ recounted recording on the album, 'I got on Nas' album and did the 'Life's a Bitch' song, but even then I thought I was terrible on it, to be honest. But once people started hearing that and liking it, that's what built my confidence. I thought, 'OK, I can probably do this.' That record was everything.

To be the only person featured on Illmatic when Nas is considered one of the top men in New York at that time, one of the freshest new artists, that was big.' During the sessions, Nas composed the song ', which he later recorded as a single for his 1999 album. Concerning the recording of the album's opening song 'N.Y. State of Mind', producer DJ Premier later stated 'Nas — he's one of our saviors now.

When we did ‘N.Y. State of Mind,’ at the beginning when he says, ‘Straight out the dungeons of rap / Where fake niggas don’t make it back,’ then you hear him say, ‘I don’t know how to start this shit,’ ’cause he had just written it. He's got the beat running in the studio, but he doesn’t know how he's going to format how he's going to convey it.

So he's going, ‘I don’t know how to start this shit,’ and I’m counting him in [to begin his verse]. One, two, three.

And then you can hear him go, ‘Yo,’ and then he goes right into it.' DJ Premier later discussed the unexpectedness of Nas's delivery during the recording, stating 'He didn’t know how he was gonna come in, but he just started going because we were recording. I’m actually yelling, ‘We’re recording!’ and banging on the [vocal booth] window. ‘Come on, get ready!’ You hear him start the shit: Rappers. And then everyone in the studio was like, ‘Oh, my God’, ’cause it was so unexpected. He was not ready. So we used that first verse.

And that was when he was up and coming, his first album. So we was like, 'Yo, this guy is gonna be big.'

' Themes [ ]. — Nas, 'It Ain't Hard to Tell' Focusing on poetic forms found in his lyrics, professor Imani Perry describes Nas's performance as that of a 'poet-musician' indebted to the conventions of. She suggests that Nas's lyricism might have been shaped by the 'black art poetry album genre,' pioneered by,, and. -based poet and music critic Kevin Coval attributes Nas's lyricism to his unique approach to rapping, which he describes as a 'fresh-out-the-rhyme-book presentation': 'It's as if Nas, the poet, reporter, brings his notebook into the studio, hears the beat, and weaves his portraits on top with ill precision.' Coval also comments on the rapper's of inner-city life, which are depicted using elaborate rhyme structures: 'All the words, faces and bodies of an abandoned post-industrial, urban are framed in Nas's tightly packed. These portraits of his brain and community in handcuffs are beautiful, brutal and extremely complex, and they lend themselves to the complex and brillantly compounded rhyme schemes he employs.'

Production [ ] Illmatic also garnered praise for its production. According to critics, the album's five major producers (Large Professor, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip and L.E.S) extensively contributed to the cohesive atmospheric aesthetic that permeated the album, while still retaining each's individual, trademark sound. ' For instance, DJ Premier's production on the album is noted by critics for his minimalist style, which featured simple loops over heavy beats. Charles Aaron of wrote of the producers' contributions, 'nudging him toward Rakim-like-rumination, they offer subdued, slightly downcast beats, which in hip hop today means jazz, primarily of the '70s keyboard-vibe variety'. Magazine noted that 'the musical backdrops are razor sharp; hard beats but with melodic hooks and loops, atmospheric background piano, strings or muted trumpet, and samples. A potent treat.'

One music critic wrote that ' Illmatic is laced with some of the finest beats this side of '. The majority of the album consists of vintage funk, soul, and jazz samples. Commenting on the album and its use of samples, 's Jeff Weiss claims that both Nas and his producers found inspiration for the album's production through the music of their childhood: 'The loops rummage through their parent's collection:,,,,. Nas invites his rolling stone father, to blow the on 'Life's a Bitch'.

Fusion had been done well prior, but rarely with such subtlety. Nas didn't need to make the connection explicit—he allowed you to understand what jazz was like the first time your parents and grandparents heard it.' Similarly, journalist Ben Yew comments on the album's nostalgic sounds, 'The production, accentuated by infectious organ loop[s], vocal sample[s], and -like pads in the background, places your mind in a cheerful, reminiscent, mood.' Content [ ] Tracks 1–5 [ ]. The album's opening song has a dark, jazzy sound and recounts Nas's participation in gang violence and his philosophy on his dangerous environment and lifestyle.

Problems playing these files? The intro, 'The Genesis', is composed as an aural montage that begins with the sound of an and an almost-inaudible voice rhyming beneath it. Over these sounds, a snatch of dialogue, two men arguing. It 's 'Subway Theme' from the 1983 film, the first major hip hop. Nas made another ode to Wild Style, while shooting the music video for his single, ', on the same stage as the finale scene for the film.

His verse on 'Live at the Barbeque' is played in the background of 'The Genesis'. According to music writer Mickey Hess, in the intro, 'Nas tells us everything he wants us to know about him. The train is shorthand for New York; the barely discernible rap is, in fact, his 'Live at the Barbeque' verse; and the dialogue comes from Wild Style, one of the earliest movies to focus on hip hop culture. Each of these is a point of genesis. New York for Nas as a person, 'Live at the Barbeque' for Nas the rapper, and Wild Style, symbolically at least, for hip hop itself.

These are my roots, Nas was saying, and he proceeded to demonstrate exactly what those roots had yielded.' Setting the general grimy, yet melodic, tone of the album, 'N.Y.

State of Mind' features a dark, jazzy piano sample by DJ Premier. It opens with high-pitched guitar notes looped from jazz and funk musician 's 'Flight Time' (1972), while the prominent groove of piano notes was sampled from the Joe Chambers composition 'Mind Rain' (1978). The lyrics of 'N.Y. State of Mind' have Nas recounting his participation in gang violence and philosophizing that 'Life is parallel to Hell, but I must maintain', while his rapping spans over forty. State of Mind' focuses on a mind state that a person obtains from living in Nas's impoverished environment in New York City. Critic Marc Hill of wrote that the song 'provides as clear a depiction of ghetto life as a photograph or a poem.'

In other songs on Illmatic, Nas celebrates life's pleasures and achievements, acknowledging violence as a feature of his socio-economic conditions rather than the focus of his life. 'Life's a Bitch' contains a sample of 's hit ' (1980), and has guest vocals from -based rapper.

It also features Nas's father, legendary jazz player, playing trumpet as the music fades out. A columnist for OhWord.com wrote that Dara's contribution to the song provides a 'beautifully wistful end to a track that feels drenched in the dying rays of a crimson sunset over the city.' ' provides a more optimistic narrative from Nas's viewpoint, as he cites political and spiritual leader as an influence in its verse, in contrast to the previous references of 'N.Y. State of Mind'. While citing 'Life's a Bitch' as 'possibly the saddest hip-hop song ever recorded', 's Sam Chennault wrote that 'The World Is Yours' 'finds optimism in the darkest urban crevices'. 'The World Is Yours' was named the seventh greatest rap song.

Tracks 6–10 [ ]. The track contains braggadocio rhymes by Nas and samples Michael Jackson's 1983 song 'Human Nature', producing a mix of horns and tweaked-out voices. Problems playing these files? The nostalgic 'Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)' contains a sample, which comprises the sound of a, guitar, vocals and percussion, and adds to the track's ghostly harmonies. Of wrote that the lyrics evoke 'the crossroads of and.'

' is composed of a series of letters to friends, recounting mutual acquaintances and events that have occurred since the receiver's imprisonment, and address unfaithful girlfriends, emotionally tortured mothers, and underdog loyalty. The phrase 'one love' signifies street loyalty in the song. After delivering 'shout-outs to locked down comrades', Nas chastises a youth who seems destined for prison in the final verse, 'Shorty's laugh was cold blooded as he spoke so foul/Only twelve tryin to tell me that he liked my style [.] Words of wisdom from Nas, try to rise up above/Keep a eye out for, shorty-wop, one love'. Produced by, 'One Love' samples the double bass and piano from the ' 'Smilin' Billy Suite Part II' (1975) and the from 's 'Come In Out the Rain' (1970), complementing the track's mystical and hypnotic soundscape. ' features by Nas. With a similar vibe as 'N.Y.

State of Mind', the rhythmic 'Represent' has a serious tone, exemplified by Nas' opening lines, 'Straight up shit is real and any day could be your last in the jungle/get murdered on the humble, guns will blast and niggaz tumble' While the majority of the album consists of funk, soul and jazz samples, 'Represent' contains a sample of 'Thief of Bagdad' by organist Lee Erwin from the 1924. Nas discusses his lifestyle in an environment where he 'loves committin' sins' and 'life ain't shit, but stress, fake niggas and crab stunts', while describing himself as 'The brutalizer, crew de-sizer, accelerator/The type of nigga who be pissin' in your elevator'. ' is a braggadocio rap: 'Vocals'll squeeze, 's eavesdrop/Though they need not to sneak/My poetry's deep, I never fail/Nas's raps should be locked in a cell' It opens with guitars and synths of 's ' (1983); the song's vocals are sampled for the intro and chorus sections, creating a swirling mix of horns and tweaked-out voices. Large Professor in drum samples from 's 'Slow Dance' (1978) and saxophone from 's 'N.T.' Artwork [ ] On the and pressings of Illmatic, Nas replaces the traditional Side A and Side B division with '40th Side North' and “41st Side South,” respectively – the main streets that form the geographic boundaries that divide the Queensbridge housing projects. Professor Sohail Daulatzai views this labeling as significant, since it transforms Illmatic into 'a sonic map.' The album serves as the for Nas’s ghetto, as he narrates his experiences and those who live in the Queensbridge” In a 2009 interview with XXL, Nas discussed the purpose behind the album artwork among other promotional efforts, stating 'Really the record had to represent everything Nasir Jones is about from beginning to end, from my album cover to my videos.

My record company had to beg me to stop filmin' music videos in the projects. No matter what the song was about I had 'em out there. That's what it was all about for me, being that kid from the projects, being a poster child for that, that didn’t exist back then.'

Album cover [ ] The album cover of Illmatic features a picture of Nas as a child, which was taken after his father, musician, returned home from an overseas tour. The original cover was intended to have a picture of Nas holding in a headlock, reflecting the religious imagery of Nas's rap on 'Live at the Barbeque'; 'When I was 12, I went to hell for snuffing Jesus'. The cover of the 1974 jazz album, A Child Is Born (seen left) has been cited as a possible influence on Illmatic's artwork. The accepted cover, designed by Aimee Macauley, features a photo of Nas as a child over a backdrop of a New York city block, taken.

In a 1994 interview, Nas discussed the concept behind the photo of him at age 7, stating 'That was the year I started to acknowledge everything [around me]. That's the year everything set off. That's the year I started seeing the future for myself and doing what was right. The ghetto makes you think. The world is ours.

I used to think I couldn't leave my projects. I used to think if I left, if anything happened to me, I thought it would be no justice or I would be just a dead slave or something.

The projects used to be my world until I educated myself to see there's more out there.' As yet, Nas has not pointed to any outside influence for the artwork of his album cover. Yet according to, the cover of Illmatic is 'reputedly' believed to have been inspired by a jazz album, Howard Hanger Trio's A Child Is Born (1974) — whose cover also features a photograph of a child, superimposed on an urban landscape. Since its release, the cover art of Illmatic has also gained an iconic reputation — having been subject to numerous parodies and tributes. Music columnist Byron Crawford later called the cover for Illmatic 'one of the dopest album covers ever in hip-hop.' Commenting on the cover's artistic value, Rob Marriott of writes, 'Illmatic's poignant cover matched the mood, tone, and qualities of this introspective album to such a high degree that it became an instant classic, hailed as a visual full of meaning and nuance.' Magazine called the album cover a 'high art photo concept for a rap album' and described the artwork as a 'noisy, confusing streetscape looking through the housing projects and a young boy superimposed in the center of it all.'

The XXL columnist also compared the cover to that of rapper 's sixth studio album (2008), stating that it also 'reflects the reality of disenfranchised youth today.' On the song 'Shark Niggas (Biters)' from his debut album (1995), rapper with criticized the cover of 's (1994), which was released a few months after Illmatic, for featuring a picture of a baby with an, implying that his cover had copied the idea from Nas. This generated longstanding controversy between the rappers, resulting in an unpublicized feud which Nas later references in his 2002 album, on the song 'Last Real Nigga Alive.' Commercial performance [ ] Illmatic was released on April 19, 1994 through in the United States.

The album also featured international distribution that same year in countries including France, the Netherlands, Canada and the United Kingdom. In its first week of release, Illmatic made its debut on the albums chart at number 12, while selling 60,000 copies. In spite of this, initial record sales fell below expectations.

The album's five radio singles failed to obtain considerable Billboard success, as each single did not gain significant charting on the. The lead single 'Halftime' only charted on the chart at number 8, while 'Life's a Bitch' did not chart at all. The album also suffered from extensive bootlegging prior to its release. 'Regional demand was so high,' writes music critic Jeff Weiss, 'that claimed he discovered a garage with 60,000 bootlegged copies.' While initial sales were low, the album was eventually certified in sales by the (RIAA) on January 17, 1996 after shipping 500,000 copies; the RIAA later certified Illmatic Platinum on December 11, 2001, following shipments in excess of a million copies. Charting together with the original Illmatic (according to the rules by Billboard), Illmatic XX sold 15,000 copies in first-week returning to Billboard 200 at number 18, with a 844% sales gain. As of April 20, 2014, the album sold 1,686,000 copies in the US.

In April 2002, the album was also certified gold by the for shipments in excess of 50,000 copies in Canada. Critical reception [ ] Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating A− A− 9/10 10/10 Illmatic received universal acclaim from contemporary critics, who hailed it as a hip hop masterpiece.

Called its music 'rhythmic perfection', and of the cited it as the best album 'out of the East Coast in years'. Dimitri Ehrlich of credited Nas for giving his neighborhood 'proper respect' while establishing himself and said that the clever lyrics and harsh beats 'draw listeners into the borough's lifestyle with poetic efficiency.' , writing for, hailed Nas as an elite rapper because of his articulation, detailed lyrics, and -like tone, all of which he said 'pair [ Illmatic 's] every beautiful moment with its harsh antithesis.'

Of praised the album as a 'wake-up call to [Nas'] listeners' and commended him for rendering rather than glorifying 'the rough world he comes from'. Jones IV cited his lyrics as 'the most urgent poetry since ' and also commended Nas for honestly depicting dismal ghetto life without resorting to the and of contemporary. Richard Harrington of praised Nas for 'balancing limitations and possibilities, distinguishing hurdles and springboards, and acknowledging his own growth from roughneck adolescent to a maturing adult who can respect and criticize the culture of violence that surrounds him'. In a mixed review, Heidi Siegmund of the found most of Illmatic hampered by 'tired attitudes and posturing', and interpreted its acclaim from East Coast critics as 'an obvious attempt to wrestle hip-hop away from the West'.

Charles Aaron of felt that the comparisons to Rakim 'will be more deserved' if Nas can expand on his ruminative lyrics with 'something more personally revealing'. In his review for, called it 'New York's typically spare and loquacious entry in the post-gangsta sweepstakes' and recommended it to listeners who 'crave full-bore authenticity without brutal posturing'. The Source [ ] Upon its release, gave Illmatic a rating, their highest rating and a prestigious achievement at the time, given the magazine's influence in the hip hop community., co-founder of The Source, had received a copy of the album eight months before its scheduled release, after which he raved about it, and soon lobbied for it to receive a five mic rating. In his, Schecter recounts hearing Illmatic in a meeting with editors on the staff: It's about 9pm I get to the office and I gather all the heads in the conference room. I remember who was there: @MatteoGlen [the twitter account of Matty C, then The Source's 'Unsigned Hype' editor] @CeeWild [twitter account of Chris Wilder, another editor], @FrozenFiles [twitter account of Schott 'Free' Jacobs, another contemporary editor]. Everyone is nodding their heads, eyes wide, mouths open, it's hip-hop paradise. We had a pretty shitty system in there but it didn’t matter, I pop in the tape and the powerful musical magic emits from the speakers.

When those funky/eerie/powerful xylophone notes from 'One Love' come on, I remember @FrozenFiles is literally lying on the floor He can’t comprehend how good it is. None of us can. It's the best shit we’ve heard in our lives Internally, we start debating how we’re gonna handle this.

I say right away that it's gotta get a '5' Eventually, the review for Illmatic was handled by the magazine's columnist (real name, then writing under the 'shortie'), who shared Schecter's enthusiasm for Nas' album. In her review of Illmatic, Oh wrote, 'I must maintain this is one of the best hip-hop albums I have ever heard' and wrote of its content, 'Lyrically, the whole shit is on point. No cliched metaphors, no gimmicks. Never too abstract, never superficial.' She also commented on the impact of Nas's 'poetic realism' writing: “Nas’ images remind me of the personal memories and people, both passed and present All this may sound like melodrama but it not just me.

I've been hearing similar responses all over. While 'Memory Lane' is my shit, my homies claim 'The World Is Yours,' and if you've got peoples, then 'One Love' may hit you the hardest.' With the backing of Schecter and the other editors on the staff, Minya awarded Illmatic with the magazine's highest rating. Controversy [ ] At the time, it was unheard of for a debuting artist to receive the coveted rating. Author Matthew Gasteier writes, “It's difficult to overestimate the impact of receiving the five out of five mics, the first such rating given to any new release by the magazine since its then-editor Reginald Dennis put a on them.'

Reginald Dennis, former music editor of the magazine and co-founder, later recounted, 'Awarding records 5 mics – classic status – has always been, on some levels, troubling to me. I mean, we are not only saying that a particular piece of music is superior to everything that is out now, but it will be better than most things released in the future as well [.] I only gave one 5 under my watch and it went to Nas's Illmatic.' Dennis cited it as 'the only time I ever broke the 'no 5' rule' and added, 'I told Jon that we'd work all of that stuff out when it was time to review the album. But everyday, Jon was like, 'yo, this album is 5 mics — seriously, Reg, 5 mics!' The rating did not come without its share of controversy.

Reginald Dennis described to the reaction that followed Minya Oh's review: 'I was happy, Jon was happy, Nas was happy, everybody was happy — except for all of the people who felt that The Chronic should have also gotten a 5.' Only two years prior, 's groundbreaking failed to earn the coveted rating, despite redefining the musical landscape of hip hop. It was later revealed that while everybody at the magazine knew it was an instant classic, they decided to comply with the strict policy of staying away from a perfect rating. Subsequently, when Nas's album was exempted from this moratorium, many fans pointed to this decision as a confirmation of towards.

Despite receiving criticism over his staff's earlier review of The Chronic, Reginald Dennis continues to defend the decision to award Illmatic with the magazine's highest rating: 'I’m just happy that Illmatic is universally acclaimed as a classic, so no one can accuse me of dropping the ball. And if I hadn’t gone through what I did with The Chronic, I wouldn’t have had the flexibility to allow for the bending of my policy.

So I think it all worked out well.” Retrospect [ ] Since its initial reception, Illmatic has been viewed by music writers as one of the quintessential hip hop recordings of the 1990s, while its rankings near the top of many publications' 'best album' lists in disparate genres have given it a reputation as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Jon Pareles of The New York Times cited Illmatic as a 'milestone in trying to capture the 'street ghetto essence'. The album has been described by a number of writers and critics as 'classic'. Chris Ryan, writing in (2004), called Illmatic 'a portrait of an artist as a hood, loner, tortured soul, juvenile delinquent, and fledgling social critic,' and wrote that it 'still stands as one of rap's crowning achievements'. Similar to The Source 's initial sentiment, XXL later gave the album a classic 'XXL' rating in a retrospective review.

In a retrospective review for, Christgau said the record was 'better than I thought at the time for sure—as happens with aesthetes sometimes, the purists heard subtleties principled vulgarians like me were disinclined to enjoy', although he still found it inferior to 's debut album (1994). In 2002, Prefix Mag 's Matthew Gasteier re-examined Illmatic and its musical significance, stating: Illmatic is the best hip-hop record ever made. Not because it has ten great tracks with perfect beats and flawless rhymes, but because it encompasses everything great about hip-hop that makes the genre worthy of its place in music history. Stylistically, if every other hip-hop record were destroyed, the entire genre could be reconstructed from this one album. But in spirit, Illmatic can just as easily be compared to Ready to Die,, and as it can to,,, and. In Illmatic, you find the meaning not just of hip-hop, but of music itself: the struggle of youth to retain its freedom, which is ultimately the struggle of man to retain his own essence.

Illmatic has been included in numerous publications' 'best album' lists in disparate genres. Listed the album at number 33 on its list of the Top 100 Albums of the 1990s, and the publication's columnist Hartley Goldstein called the album 'the meticulously crafted essence of everything that makes hip-hop music great; it's practically a sonic strand of the genre's DNA.' It was listed as one of 33 hip hop/ albums in Rolling Stone 's 'Essential Recordings of the 90s'. It was ranked number five in 'The Critics Top 100 Black Music Albums of All Time' and number three in 's 'Top 100 Readers Poll'.

The album was also ranked number four in 's list of the Top 10 Rap Albums and number two on 's list of The Greatest Hip Hop Albums of All Time. In 1998, it was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums.

In 2003, ranked the album number 400 on its list of; it was ranked number 314 in a revised list in 2012. On March 30, 2004, Illmatic was remastered and re-released with a bonus disc of remixes and new material produced by Marley Marl and Large Professor, in commemoration of its tenth anniversary. Upon its 2004 re-release, Marc Hill of dubbed it 'the greatest album of all time' and stated, 'Ten years after its release, Illmatic stands not only as the best hip-hop album ever made, but also one of the greatest artistic productions of the twentieth century.' The album was also included in the book. A February 19, 2014 cover story ranked Illmatic as the Most New York City album ever.

Legacy and influence [ ] East Coast Hip-Hop [ ]. Illmatic was critical in 'restoring interest' in East Coast hip hop, particularly New York's hip hop scene. Illmatic has been noted as one of the most influential hip hop albums of all time, with pundits describing it as an East Coast hip hop album. Jeff Weiss of Pitchfork writes: 'No album better reflected the sound and style of New York, 94.

The alembic of soul jazz samples,, broken nose breaks, and raw rap distilled the, no chaser ideal of.' Citing Illmatic as part of a string of notable albums released in 1994, David Drake of writes 'This was the critical point for the East Coast, a time when rappers from the New York area were releasing bucketloads of thrilling work'. John Bush of Allmusic compares Illmatic to another DJ Premier production, (1994), as 'one of the quintessential East Coast records'. Along with the critical acclaim of the 's debut album (1993) and the success of 's debut (1994), Illmatic was also instrumental in restoring interest in the East Coast hip hop scene. 'Rarely has the birthplace of hip-hop,' wrote Rob Marriott of, 'been so unanimous in praise of a rap record and the MC who made it.' As Nas later recounted: 'It felt amazing to be accepted by New York City in that way.at the time a lot of was selling; East Coast wasn't selling as much, especially for a new artist.

So back then you couldn't tell in the sales, but you could tell in the streets'. Production [ ] Illmatic has been noted as a creative high point for East Coast hip hop, since it featured production from renowned New York-based producers, and. The album solidified the reputation of these producers, whose contributions to Illmatic became influential in shaping the soundscape of New York's regional scene. According to music writer Rob Marriott, Illmatic helped to establish DJ Premier as 'the go-to producer for the jazz-and-blues-inflected knock that became so central to East Coast sound.' Following the album's release, hip hop artists increasingly began to draw upon a broad stable of producers for their projects. At the time, the assembly of big-name producers was unprecedented, since most hip hop albums had primarily been the work of one dedicated producer and sometimes an embedded production team.

Yet author Adam Mansbach reflects on the impact of Illmatic 's noteworthy producers, writing: 'The psychological impact on the listener of having all these elite producers – some of whom, like Q-Tip, really weren’t known yet for doing outside production work at all – coming together to lace the debut of this kid from Queensbridge was tremendous.' This same would also be used by other successful East Coast rappers. In an article on New York hip hop, Mosi Reeves of wrote that 'Nas' Illmatic... Is the first to draw together top hip hop producers in the recording industry. That formula, most successfully mined by the late Notorious B.I.G.

(1997's ), Puff Daddy (1997's ) and Jay-Z (1998's ), is what most N.Y. Prospects still use today.'

Jon Caramanica of The New York Times writes that after Illmatic's release, “[I]t became commonplace for rappers to search around for different producers who could enhance their sound.' Yet while hip-hop artists continue to draw upon this template for album production, the practice has earned some criticism.

In an article titled, 'How Nas' 'Illmatic' Ruined Hip-Hop,' Insanul Ahmed of argues that one 'unintended consequence' of Illmatic was the overall decline in the cohesion and quality of rap albums: 'Next thing you knew, rap albums started having a different producer for every song. And like a film that has a different director for every scene, albums became unfocused affairs.

This also meant that producers weren’t tied to artists anymore.' Queensbridge [ ].

” — Hip hop artist and childhood friend,, reflecting on the local impact of Illmatic in a 2004 interview Illmatic is also credited with reviving the Queensbridge rap scene. Once home to prestigious pioneers such as,,, Queensbridge had been one of the most productive hip hop scenes in the country during the 1980s.

In an April 2006 article, an columnist wrote of the history and impact of the Queensbridge hip hop scene, stating 'Since the 1980s, New York City's Queensbridge Housing Projects has been documented perhaps better than any other geographic location. Starting with super producer Marley Marl's dominant Juice Crew in the ’80s all the way through ’90s mainstays like Nas, and, the Bridge has produced the highest per-capita talent of any ’hood. Encore Tv Tuner Drivers Download. ' Yet during the early 1990s, the Queensbridge rap scene was otherwise stagnant. According to Nas: 'I was coming from the legacy of Marley Marl, MC Shan, kind of vibe. Knowing these guys out in the neighborhood.

At that time, the Queensbridge scene was dead. Dropping that album right there said a lot for me to carry on the legacy of the Queensbridge pioneers.' Following Illmatic's release, Queensbridge returned to prominence after years of obscurity, with the ascendancy of the influential group, (who gained credibility due to their affiliation with Nas) and later with the emergence of the trend-setting duo,.

Nas appeared on Mobb Deep's critically acclaimed studio album (1995). Furthermore, the album is credited with launching the career of the -based rapper,. AZ, who gained instant exposure and underground credibility due to his appearance on 'Life's a Bitch', became a frequent collaborator of Nas, who appeared on his debut album (1995). Decline of Alternative Hip-Hop [ ] Illmatic was one of the first major recordings to emerge from New York's burgeoning scene, at a time when much of East Coast hip hop was still dominated by acts such as and (groups often known for their -inspired production and playful sensibilities). Adam Heimlich of The comments on the appeal of alternative hip-hop in, and points out that, 'In 1994, there appeared likely to be more money (and definitely more cultural rewards) in working with or.'

Yet according to Heimlich, Illmatic provided an 'explosive, explicit rejection of the of most previous hip-hop,' due to its rugged use of language and its uncompromising portrayal of crime. Heimlich cites Nas' role in the resurgent movement, writing: '[Nas] came on the scene as hardcore's golden child. Along with Wu-Tang Clan, Nas and... All but invented 90s New York rap, back when the notion of an 'East Coast ' still meant. Designed the manner and style in which New York artists would address what and had made rap's hottest topics: drugs and violence.'

Similarly, Professor, Mark Anthony Neal, writes, “Nas was at the forefront of a ” in which “. a distinct East Coast style of so-called appeared,” as heard in similarly styled recordings such as Wu-Tang Clan's “” and 's 'Everyday Struggle'. According to Steve Huey of, while Illmatic contains strong elements of, it nonetheless signaled a major regional shift towards hardcore aesthetics, marking 'the beginning of a shift away from -inspired alternative rap.' Professor Sohail Dalautzai of the comments on Illmatic 's indebtedness to hardcore hip hop: “[B]ecause in bridging the gap and embodying the street swagger of Kool G Rap, the metaphysics of, and the revolutionary philosophies of, Nas. Unified the disparate threads of that were conflagrating from hip-hop's street corner.” West Coast Hip-Hop [ ] The critical acclaim surrounding the album also helped to shift attention away from the melodious, -driven, and -induced subgenre, which dominated the charts for some time after 's (1992). Citing the example of 's wildly popular (released six months prior to Nas' debut) author Matthew Gasteier writes, 'The first thing immediately noticeable about the [Source magazine] review, is that, like essentially every other review about Illmatic in publications like Vibe, Spin, Rolling Stones, and The New York Times, it mentions Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle in the first paragraph.' That nearly every reviewer felt the need to contextualize their response to Illmatic within the frame of West Coast G-Funk 'is a reminder of just how pervasive the style was within the hip hop world and the music community as a whole.'

Yet according to writer Mickey Hess, Illmatic was among those East Coast records that helped 'create sparse, rough and rugged soundscapes that clearly differed from Dre's multi-layered melodies.' As 's Steve Huey writes, 'It helped spearhead the in the post- Chronic era, leading a return to street aesthetics.' Contrasting these aesthetics with the themes found in G-Funk, writer and filmmaker writes, ' Illmatic was a dirty bomb thrown at the orchestral sonic soundtrack that was The Chronic. This wasn’t a backyard bikini barbeque where the and were mashed up; this was a three-month bid on, a dirty dice game, blunts of brown Brooklyn sparked in the park after dark.' Despite these regional differences, Hampton credits Illmatic with providing a common artistic ground for rappers on the West Coast and East Coast rap scenes.

In the 2009 essay 'Born Alone, Die Alone,' she recounts the album's impact on West Coast artist,. While working as a journalist for The Source in 1994, Hampton covered three court cases involving Tupac. Around this time, she received an advance-copy of Illmatic and immediately dubbed a cassette version for Tupac, who became 'an instant convert' of the album. The next day, she writes, Tupac 'arrived in his assigned courtroom blasting Illmatic so loudly that the yelled at him to turn it off before the judge took his seat on the bench.' In her essay, Hampton implies that Nas' lyricism might have influenced Tupac's acclaimed album,, which was recorded that same year. West Coast artist also recounts the impact of Illmatic for fans like himself outside of New York. Nas at in 2012, where he performed the album in its entirety.

While its success helped Nas' career immeasurably, hip hop aficionados have cited the album as his inextricable 'gift and curse'. Due to its critical fame, Nas' subsequent studio albums have been Illmatic, despite all of them outselling his debut. Against this standard, they are often critically deemed as mediocre follow-ups. After manager convinced Nas to aim his efforts in a more commercial direction for his follow-up album (1996), he enlisted the production team, who were known for their mainstream work at the time. It was criticized for its embrace of themes and materialistic subject matter, but proved to be a commercial success, selling over three million copies. Critics gave it mixed reviews, and general consensus was that it failed to live up to the classic status of Illmatic.

Many fans of Illmatic labeled his subsequent efforts as ', due to his crossover sensibilities (e.g. His participation with the hip hop group ) and radio-friendly hits aimed at the pop charts, such as ' (1996) and ' (1999). When he released his third and fourth studio albums, and (1999), which underwent editing due to bootlegging of the recording sessions, many fans and critics feared that his career was deteriorating, as both albums received further criticism for their commercially oriented sound. Reflecting this widespread perception in the hip hop community and adding to his ongoing feud with Nas at the time, Jay-Z mocked him in the song ' (2001) for having a 'one hot album [ Illmatic] every ten year average'. A journalist writing for The Source commented on the demanding legacy of Nas' debut: 'Blame excellence, blame perfection and aggression. Blame one of hip-hop's most beautiful moments for the prison that traps Nasir Jones today – blame Illmatic.' Nas, however, made something of a comeback with his fifth album (2001) and the acclaimed follow-up (2002), as well as (2002), a compilation of previously unreleased tracks from the I Am and Nastradamus sessions.

Afterwards, his subsequent albums have all been well received by critics. Nevertheless, most fans have regarded Illmatic as his definitive album. In 2011, Nas performed the album in its entirety at music festival. The show featured the album's personnel, including Pete Rock, DJ Premier, and AZ, and a stage design depicting the urban landscape of Queensbridge, with graffiti-lined streets, a subway entrance, and models of Queensbridge's housing project. In 2012, he also performed the album in its entirety at music festival, with the same personnel and stage design. Illmatic will be reissued as a deluxe CD bundled with a 48-page hardcover book featuring photos, reproduced artwork, lyrics, and liner notes courtesy of The Source founder Jon Schecter. In 2014 Nas announced Illmatic XX, the 20th Anniversary Edition of the original album Illmatic, released April 15, 4 days prior to the 20th Anniversary of the original's release date (April 19).

Illmatic XX includes a remastered version of Illmatic, an extra disc of demos, remixes, and unreleased records from that era of Nas' career. He also announced his plans for a tour where he will perform the whole album front to back on each stop. 20th Anniversary [ ] In 2014 'Illmatic' turned 20. Myspace commissioned authors and musicians alike to create 10 fictional short stories inspired by the album.

Musician is the first perspective by creating his take on 'The Genesis'. Then writers like, Rob Marriot, Justin Charity and others finished the table of contents. The book opens hailing 'Illmatic' for its contributions in the Hip-Hop genre and having the staying power to last twenty years.

'Illmatic' is known as one of the most refined rap albums, these stories just add to the narrative. Track listing [ ] No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length 1. 'The Genesis'. • Jones • Mitchell Large Professor 4:08 Illmatic XX No.

Title Producer(s) Length 1. 'I'm a Villain' Jae Supreme 4:30 2. 'The Stretch Armstrong And Bobbito Show On Wkcr October 28, 1993' (featuring 6'9', Jungle and Grand Wizard) Stretch Armstrong 7:46 3. 'Halftime' (Butcher Remix) Joe 'The Butcher' Nicolo 4:36 4.

'It Ain't Hard to Tell (Remix)' Large Professor 2:49 5. 'One Love' (LG Main Mix) The LG Experience 5:32 6. 'Life's a Bitch' (Arsenal Mix) (featuring AZ) & 3:30 7. 'One Love' (One L Main Mix) (featuring ), The Groove Merchantz & Victor Padilla 5:43 8. 'The World Is Yours' (Tip Mix) Q-Tip 4:28 9. 'It Ain't Hard to Tell' (The Stink Mix) Dave Scratch 3:20 10. 'It Ain't Hard to Tell' (The Laidback Remix) The Creators 3:36 Sample credits [ ].

The Genesis • 'Live at the Barbeque' by • 'Introduction' from N.Y. State of Mind • 'N.T.'

By • 'Flight Time' by • 'Mind Rain' by • 'Mahogany' by Life's a Bitch • 'Yearning for Your Love' by The World Is Yours • 'I Love Music' by • 'It's Yours' by Halftime • 'Dead End' by Japanese Hair Cast • 'School Boy Crush' by • 'Soul Travelin' Pt. 1' by Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park) • 'We're in Love' by • 'Get Out of My Life, Woman' by • 'Pickin' Boogers' by • 'Droppin' Science' by and One Love' • 'Come in Out of the Rain' by • 'Smilin' Billy Suite Pt. II' by One Time 4 Your Mind • 'Walter L' by Jimmy Gordon & His Jazznpops Band Represent • 'The Thief of Bagdad' by • 'I Didn't Come Rhythm' by It Ain't Hard to Tell • 'Human Nature' by • 'Slow Dance' by • 'Long Red' by • 'N.T.' By Personnel [ ]. • –, • – vocals • – • – vocals, producer • – vocals, producer • – producer • Diego Garrido –, • Jack Hersca – assistant engineer • – producer • Tim 'The Funky Red' Lathem – engineer • – producer • Faith N.

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