Since it’s recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, I thought I’d take a look at one of the pillars of modern hip-hop, and one of my favourites, Illmatic by Nas.
This was Nas’ debut album a fuck me, what a way to hit the scene. Heavily regarded as one of the best if not THE best hip-hop/rap album of all time, Illmatic is a foundational piece of what has blossomed into the most popular genre in the world.
The influence that this album has had on rappers that have followed cannot be overlooked, with it really being an archetypal album, particularly when looking at East Coast Hip-Hop. This is partly due to the production on the album which was led by the likes of legends such as DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor and Q-Tip. The overall production style that they brought to this project was pretty simplistic, consisting of mostly vintage soul/funk and jazz samples, with equally simple, yet effective drum patterns. This gave the album a reminiscent feel of 70’s music inspired by their parents’ music taste.
The other and perhaps more influential aspect of the album was Nas’ lyrical delivery, which has been referenced, repurposed and recreated by multiple rappers since.
The album features multi-syllabic internal rhymes, based on Nas’ experiences growing up and living in inner-city Queensbridge, New York. The lyrics are a great narrative on the experience of growing up in this area at that moment in time, making it a real timepiece statement. It’s mind-blowing that this was released when Nas was just 20, meaning that the majority of these deep lyrics, which deal with themes such as urban poverty, police brutality, gang violence and desolation, were written when he was just a teenager.
Something really cool that Nas did with this album was recreate it with a live orchestra back in 2014 to celebrate the album’s 20th anniversary. The fact that this translates so well to a live rendition with a full orchestral set-up really speaks to it’s quality, as well as Nas’s talent and reputation as a true legend of the rap scene.
30 years later, this album continues to thrill audiences, from the true hip-hop heads to those just dipping their feet in. It’s hard to pick a standout track, as every song holds so much value and it’s an album that I frequently listen to cover to cover. If I had to pick two, I’d go with ‘One Love’ or ‘Represent’, but I can’t say that I don’t love any of the songs on this album.
