llmatic… We all have our favorite album, but this one is THE album, and everybody agrees with the fact that this album is probably the best Hip-Hop ever had, it is the proper reference of Hip-Hop. Everybody agrees, even the new school and Kendrick Larmar (whom the album has been compared to Illmatic).
Why this album is still making so much noise so many years later?
First of all, Nas’ flow was just perfect on the beats. Fluid, clear, and the ton of his voice could have been the one of your friend. That’s one of the reason actually, if Illmatic is such a classic, it’s because most of us could have identified themselves during the whole album.
Secondly, the lyricism of this album is just crazy, from « One love » to « It ain’t hard to tell » and « Memory lane », Nas raps as he was looking at the window, and the listener feels it… And can recognize his own life! Nas is intelligent rapper, and even when he talks about the streets, it’s not to glorify it or saying he is the roughest dude form the hood, he just describes it, as a journalist would do.
Third point, the beats. The beats man… How did he manage to get the top producers of the game on just one album, moreover, on his first album! Well, we now he already had a good CV at the time: rapping with Main Source and doing a track with MC Serch are good points. Especially when these tracks become classic ones and Nas is properly noticed… So actually, you should not think « Nas has been well good to get all those beatmakers » but, you should realize those beatmakers were well happy to make beat for the next genius of the rap game… And they did their best as we know… Even Primo recently admitted that working on this album has influenced him on his way to work, indeed, he had the chance to see how Large Professor was doing beats, and it has inspired him. In a very good way I have to say…
Nas’ father is a legend of Jazz, Olu Dara, Having him as father has probably developed a lot his musial ear, and I guess that’s the reason why every time I play this album, I can feel this chilled out sensation. This thing, for which I don’t have any word, but you know… You sit down, you play the record, and you don’t do nothing else than having a good drink, enjoying the time it’s getting played while you look at the sundown.
Illmatic is one of our favorite album, 20 years later, it is still as powerful as it was, and this will probably never change. Because a class is timeless, because he did it which his heart, because he wanted to make music over money. Not many rappers of our time will be remembered in the future, hopefully, this anniversary could be a wake up call for young generation wanting to do classic albums!
As a bonus I add the video of "The World is yours" Remix below and to get Nas "Illimatic" album , you can buy it HERE.
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- Becri
