Illmatic

by Nas

Overview

Often cited as one of the best hip-hop albums of the '90s, Illmatic is the undisputed classic upon which Nas' reputation rests. It helped spearhead the artistic renaissance of New York hip-hop in the post-Chronic era, leading a return to street aesthetics. Yet even if Illmatic marks the beginning of a shift away from Native Tongues-inspired alternative rap, it's strongly rooted in that sensibility. For one, Nas employs some of the most sophisticated jazz-rap producers around: Q-Tip, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, and Large Professor, who underpin their intricate loops with appropriately tough beats. But more importantly, Nas takes his place as one of hip-hop's greatest street poets -- his rhymes are highly literate, his raps superbly fluid regardless of the size of his vocabulary. He's able to evoke the bleak reality of ghetto life without losing hope or forgetting the good times, which become all the more precious when any day could be your last. As a narrator, he doesn't get too caught up in the darker side of life -- he's simply describing what he sees in the world around him, and trying to live it up while he can. He's thoughtful but ambitious, announcing on "N.Y. State of Mind" that "I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death," and that he's "out for dead presidents to represent me" on "The World Is Yours." Elsewhere, he flexes his storytelling muscles on the classic cuts "Life's a Bitch" and "One Love," the latter a detailed report to a close friend in prison about how allegiances within their group have shifted. Hip-hop fans accustomed to 73-minute opuses sometimes complain about Illmatic's brevity, but even if it leaves you wanting more, it's also one of the few '90s rap albums with absolutely no wasted space. Illmatic reveals a great lyricist in top form meeting great production, and it remains a perennial favorite among serious hip-hop fans. ~ Steve Huey

Product Details

Release Date:	01/22/2013
Label:	Get On Down
UPC:	0664425129717

Tracks

1. The Genesis
2. N.Y. State of Mind
3. Life's a Bitch
4. The World is Yours
5. Halftime
6. Memory Lane (Sittin' In da Park)
7. One Love
8. One Time 4 Your Mind
9. Represent
10. It Ain't Hard to Tell

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nas   Primary Artist,Vocals,Co-Producer,Lead Vocals
AZ   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Olu Dara   Guest Artist,Trumpet,Featured Artist
Large Professor   Featured Artist
Sadat X   Vocals,Featured Artist
Pete Rock   Featured Artist
Jungle   Featured Artist
Q-Tip   Featured Artist
Darren Lighty   Keyboards
DJ Ron   Turntables
Grand Wizards   Featured Artist
6'9"   Featured Artist
Mike Tyler   Guitar
Ken Staton   Vocals
Kevin Bentz   Strings,Keyboards

Technical Credits

Stan Wallace   Engineer
Kevin Crouse   Mixing,Engineer
Biz Markie   Performer
J. Heath   Composer
L.E.S.   Producer
Jimmy Heath   Composer
Large Professor   Producer
Si Spex   Remixing
The Creators   Remixing
Fred Brathwaite   Composer
Eddie Sancho   Engineer
Def Jef   Remixing
W.P. Mitchell   Composer
Dino Zervos   Engineer
Pete Rock   Composer,Producer
Diego Garrido   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Nicholas "Fury" Loftin   Composer,Producer
Nas   Concept,Composer,Producer
Danny Clinch   Photography
Q-Tip   Producer,Remixing,Additional Production
R. Wilson   Composer
Oliver Scott   Composer
O. Scott   Composer
Reuben Wilson   Composer
B. Garcia   Composer
P. Mitchell   Composer
P. Phillips   Composer
T. Latham   Engineer
Godfather Don   Remixing
Tim Latham   Engineer
Anton "Sample This" Pushansky   Engineer,Tracking,Track Engineer
Jae Supreme   Producer
Dana Stinson   Composer
William Paul Mitchell   Composer
James Loving   Producer
T.D. Bell   Composer
Jason Vogel   Engineer
M. Williams   Composer
MC Serch   Executive Producer
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth   Producer
Ronnie Wilson   Composer
N. Wilson   Composer
Meech Wells   Remixing
Olu Dara   Composer
Peg Barsella   Composer
Stretch Armstrong   Producer
DJ Premier   Composer,Producer
LG Experience   Remixing
Fab 5 Freddy Braithwaite   Composer
Jonathan Davis   Composer
F. Wesley   Composer
Kevin Reynolds   Engineer
Gary Byrd   Composer
Jamey Staub   Engineer
DJ Ron   Assistant
Robert Wilson   Composer
Jack Hersca   Assistant Engineer
Aimee MacAuley   Design
Groove Merchants   Remixing
Jo Di Donato   Art Direction
The Arsenal   Remixing
Luis "Sabor" Tineo   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Anthony Cruz   Composer
6'9"   Composer
Tim "The Funky Red" Lathem   Engineer
Chris Martin   Composer
Nasir Jones   Composer
Vic Padilla   Remixing
Juliano   Remixing
Paul Mitchell   Composer
Faith N   Concept,Producer
Jack Herscha   Assistant Engineer
Joe "the Butcher" Nicolo   Producer
Dave Scratch   Remixing
Peter Phillips   Composer