Illmatic

An absolute classic If hip-hop is supposed to be a window into the streets, ILLMATIC sounds, feels, and even fucking SMELLS like NYC in the '90s. When the war against the Disney-fication of NY was still being waged. By 1994 hip-hop was nationwide but Nas grabbed the mantle and brought it back home.

So, I never really listened to Nas much before today. And I'm decently versed with most hiphop. Nas just never really appealed to me, though. Luckily for me, this project is forcing me to listen to things that don't appeal to me because Nas really IS an extremely talented rapper. His rhyme game is on point. The constantly interweaving internal rhyme schemes are out of control and really unexpected for an east-coast act in '94. According to the wiki article, it kinda started with him. Well, thanks Nas. Docked a star because, while the lyricism is off the chain, the content is ... repetitive and shallow (though still better than 99% of the east-coast rap of the time).

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about music, and this includes Illmatic. But I hold strongly that Nas's debut album, Illmatic, is the greatest and most important hip-hop album of all time. I cannot and will not dispute this. It goes hard. The sampling and the beats, Nas's flow on each song, the lyrics, the whole product. It's the combination of Boom Bap production with hardcore lyrics and flow. But the lyrics aren't just braggadocious or tough, they're a reflection of reality. Nas was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Queens, later dropping out of school and fully immersing himself in music. Nas, of course, is a natural wordsmith and lyricist. His cadence along with the depth of the bars elevates the art of rap to a multi-dimensional instrument. Each song stands on their own, you can tell that love and care went into the album as a whole. It is not a product of commerce, but of passion. Incredibly impactful and insanely catchy, Illmatic is an all-timer.

I was really unaware of this album, or the history of it or Nas. Maybe he is too cerebral for mass consumption or radio play? His lyrics and rap rhythm are masterclass. But I found the album boring; it all ran together. No doubt he has different beats and samples but moving from song to song there wasn't one thing I could really point to in one that made it stand out from another one. The album works but once I walk away from it, there's nothing particularly memorable to bring me back.

A stark and brutal portrait of Queensbridge in the early 1990s. Nas absolutely raps his ass off like he knows this could be his ticket out. He tells stories at such a rapid clip that it was hard for me to keep up at times and that he wrote this at 20 years old is simply astounding. The eerie beats enhance the mood of this album and parallel the lyrics well (the sample of "human nature" at the end of this album was fun to hear so close to Thriller though the context was completely different). I'm fairly confident there is no Kendrick Lamar without this album, as I lots that likely influenced Kendrick here.

I was only marginally familiar with Nas and never had taken the time to listen to a full album before this was suggested. Really well done all around. Half way through, it hit me how much of A Tribe Called Quest vibe I was feeling, so I was not shocked but deeply satisfied to see Q-tip had a big hand with the album. This will definitely be on regular rotation for me. “Midnight Maurauders” by A Tribe Called Quest kept the groove flowing after listening to Nas.

It's Illmatic by Nas. The best rap album of all time. Nas's lyrics are so slick that they slide off his tongue and spread like an oil spill in your brain, and the beats from the best craftsmen in the game (QTip, Large Professor, Premier, Pete Rock, L.E.S.) back him up so perfectly that they feel like a part of him, a natural extension of his craft. The album might honestly have the best three song run in hip-hop history. It should be illegal to follow New York State of Mind with Life's a Bitch and The World Is Yours, and the album never stops from there. Poignant slice of life tales on Memory Lane and One Love give the album an emotional through line and enhance the heady blend of ambition and apathy, power and weakness, joy and tragedy that defines the life of Nasty Nas. Represent is similarly incredible, with a hungry and passionate Nas giving it his all. It Ain't Hard to Tell, One Time 4 Your Mind, and Halftime are the only "subpar" tracks, meaning that they're 8/10 instead of perfect 10s and above like the rest of the record, but they all deliver standout moments and are probably the favorites of many listeners. This album is a touchstone of hip-hop, as Nas's measured, neverending flow and poignant, deadly lyrical skills either directly or indirectly inspired B.I.G., a future rival in Jay-Z, and countless other rappers. His lines have been reused countless times, and every contemporary hoping to make his or her bones in the game pays homage at some point to the album. It isn't rap's most important album, but it's the best there ever was.

Album #1 Although I've rinsed this album from start to finish many times when it came up as the first one to listen to I was more than happy to dive in again. There is nothing I can say about how great this album is that hasn't already been said by droves of people far more qualified than me. If anyone who doesn't listen to much hip-hop asks me where they should start, this is the first album I point them to. Few albums receive the privilege of acting as a benchmark for their genre, and that is exactly what Illmatic does for hip-hop. This benchmark applied even more so in '94 when the genre was still young and proving itself. On Illmatic, everything comes together perfectly. From the soulful yet raw beats to the poignant yet infectiously addictive flows. They work in tandem to weave a story of a city frozen at a point in time and one young man's place within it. Favourite Track: Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park) Least Favourite Track: N/A

I ain't got time for this, know what I'm sayin'?

Nah...

Absolutely fantastic and an obvious classic. This album paints such vivid pictures of New York that it feels like a movie. Beats, rapping, flows, storytelling, everything is about as good as it can be. Insane record.

One of the best hip hop albums I've ever listened to, the beats are real crisp, the samples and scratches are mega cool, and the vocals are just amazing, this is a must for every hip hop fan out there

4 out of 5. While not being a genre I have an interest in this was a pretty good album and lyrically it has a good flow. I can see why people find this album influential. Favorite song: Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)

Listened to on 5/2/22 2.5/5 Favorite song: halftime, it ain’t too hard to tell Things I like about this album: the naming of songs (genesis, halftime) but it’s truly just not my vibe although I liked it better than most hip hop/rap albums

Too aggressive. I’m not a fan personally

Nas started writing on this album when he was only 16 years old but once it actually released he was 20. 4 years of writing, rapping and co-producing and one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time was finished which still to this day is regarded as one of the best written Hip Hop albums of all time. Even at his young age, Nas was able to right self conscious and introspective texts that he could perform like no one else. This album is a masterpiece and without a doubt one of the best Hip Hop albums ever made as well as one of the best of all genres. The album starts with the intro track 'The Genesis' which isn't really a finished Rap track. It's more a Spoken Word sound collage that sets a sonic tone for the album that Nas will extend on. There is still a beat and it's pretty great but it's the sounds around that that make this an incredible intro track even with how short and substence lacking it actually is. The first actual track is the legendary 'N.Y. State of Mind' which is just one of the craziest songs ever made. Nas starts off but stops his delivery to say "I don't know how to start this shit" before giving us 4 minutes of one of the greatest flows that I have ever heard. He did this track in only one take and this is what came out! That alone should tell you how crazy this guy and the album itself is but there's more. Because not only is the beat incredible, the chorus catchy and his flow impeccable but the lyrics itself are some of the best written Hip Hop lyrics ever. They do "only" tell about Brooklyn and New York and his state of mind but he does it with so much lyricism and attention to detail that even Leonard Cohen might be jealous of some aspects of his writing. He also drops one of the most legendary bars in the form "I don't sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death" which was used by so many other rappers as well. The song is simply perfect. The chorus of 'Life's a Bitch' might be one of the albums best but don't be fooled because the Jazz Rap verses on their own are again lyrical perfection. They are both philosophical but also extremely real while being performed with incredible flow. The production is also absolutely incredible. Pretty much everything from 'N.Y. State of Mind' that can be applied to this track, can be applied to this track. It's groovy and jazzy East Coast Hip Hop perfection. From one incredible chorus to the next. 'The World Is Yours' keeps the Jazz Rap production as well as (of course) absolutely amazing verses that don't really stop with the introspective and philosphical depth performed like he's been rapping for 30 years already. I don't even know what else I can say except that this is another perfect track. The track 'Halftime' already shows us that the first half of the album is nearly over. It turns the Jazz Rap a little bit down and lets more Boom Bap shine through together with the Conscious Hardcore Hip Hop we're already familiar with. His flow and his verses are stunning but I am not going to suprise anyone with these infos now. Yeah, perfect track again. (It's really difficult writing a review when every song is incredible in the same exact things and there isn't really a change of quality. It's all the same perfect...) On the second Side of the album, 'Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)' reintroduces a the Jazzy production with some nice Soul Jazz sample flips. No one will be surprised but he delivers perfectly some perfectly written bars. I think this might be one of the best songs on the album although they are all so incredibly close to another that that doesn't really mean much here because even the worst moments are some of the best in music history. 'One Love' not only adds some Political aspects into the rhymes but also Q-Tip who is one of my personal favourite rappers in terms of voice and overall ability. He performs the chorus perfectly and Nas verses are just majestic on this track. The production is simple but unbelievably effective. I think this might be my favourite song on the entire album just because of the lucky addition of Q-Tip. The "worst" actual song on the album is probably 'One Time 4 Your Mind' which in consideration what this album offers still means that it's incredible but just less perfect, if that makes sense. Even with most people agreeing on this take, I still love the track but I get where they come from. His flow at points feels much weaker and at parts actually off. But I think the problem is the beat which I feel like doesn't serve him too well but he did the best thing possible with it and still delivered some killer verses. The pure perfection picks right up again on 'Represent' which not only has some killer verses but also a lovely Boom Bap production that serves Nas much better. He's absolutely killing it on this track and delivers some of his most energetic and thought through bars of the entirety of the album. One of the best on the album. The album ends earlier than I want with 'It Ain't Hard to Tell' which is just a perfect finale to this perfect album. The beat and the production is Jazz Rap finesse, the verses and the delivery is absolutely amazing and Nas nails the albums ideas and concepts for a final time and closes the album in a way that the listener only wants one thing: another listen of the album! favourites: One Love, N.Y. State of Mind, It Ain't Hard to Tell, Represent, Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park), The World Is Yours, Life's a Bitch, Halftime least favourites: none Rating: decent 10 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Illmatic is a contender for the greatest rap album of all time, the greatest debut album of all time, and overall, just one of the greatest albums of all time. Nas has one of the greatest flows in the game and his complex structure featuring internal rhymes make this album a rhythmic treat for the ears. His lyrics are thoughtful and he is an absolute wordsmith, playing with language in a way that only the very best writers can. His beats are lush jazz based east coast beats that represent the very best of New York hip hop. I find myself favoring east coast rap from the '90s and this is certainly amongst the cream of that crop.

Best Song: N.Y. State of Mind. That low, droning melody that repeats throughout the song is so iconic, and Nas is on another level through the whole track. Worst Song: Life's a Bitch. It's not a terrible song, but maybe a bit overplayed in movies, and it has this spirit of nihilism that I feel very much is not fitting with the rest of the album. Overall: I mean, this is maybe as good as it gets in this genre of rap. Great flow, great features. There's a reason it's considered such a classic. Sure, there are a few slurs that haven't aged well, but I don't think that's enough to sink what is otherwise such a thoughtful and iconic album.

Straight out of the dungeons of rap. An exploration of rap poetry that defines a decade. Superb sampling. Lyrical mastery. Raw realism. One of the greatest albums ever made.

One of the best albums ever made and the album that got me into hip-hop. even the opener skit is one of the best skits ever made. razer sharp flows, inventive rhyme schemes, dusty beats and some of the best storytelling in music history. Nas basically became a GOAT contender right out of the gate. Of course the all star cast of boom bap producers played a huge part in the seamless, timeless quality of this record too

Greatest Hip/Hop album of all time, not much else to say about it.

1994. Key Songs: Life's a Bitch, N.Y State of Mind, Halftime, One Love

I’ve never been much of a rap fan and I am using this project as a way to expand my horizons. I remember this album coming out and not thinking much of it. I was in the military and the album was everywhere but I was on a college radio kick at the time. Listening to it now…omg. This album is incredible. To think I could have been listening for 30 years but I’m only understanding its genius in 2024. That’s on me, shame on me.

"I don't know how to start this shit" 💀

Nas' Illmatic caught me by surprise! It was full of very catchy hip hop music, and before I knew it, the album repeated and I didn't stop it. The lyrics were purposeful and smartly crafted--and I'm always a sucker for songs covering meaningful topics. The samples chosen and used were different. There's even a Kool & the Gang sample bookending the album!

Knowing it's high regard, I have listened to this album various times even prior to this 1001 albums prompting, trying to "get it". I read the entire Wikipedia article. I re-listened multiple times and even had the Genius lyrics up to explain. While I appreciate his lyricism, articulate delivery, "90s NY Hip Hop" vibes of the production, it would be disingenuous to act like I relate to any of his topics. If not for the accolades, feels indistinguishable from plenty of other stories in rap. The obvious one that comes to mind is Kendrick's Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. However, I find the latter to be easier to bop along to, wheras Illmatic feels more like cerebral slam poetry to me. I enjoyed it enough, but there isn't anything memorable to bring me back for the fun of it. As a fan of hip hop, I'm disappointed that I can't bring myself to love the album, even though I can respect it and understand why it is so highly regarded. But what it probably just means is that I prefer rap that is more catchy to rap that is more poetic.

Not entirely stimulating, but commendable nonetheless.

Why was this not considered gangster rap? I read it supposedly show the NYC rap scene as still relevant compared to the West Coast scene of "gangsta rap". But the lyrical content seems basically the same.

I don't like exactly this rap

Not my cup of tea

Meh, more rap

Rap... not my style.

If I never hear this again I will die happy.

tria una

Only thirty seconds. I don't like this style

Yo… yo… yo… yo… motherfunsters! Nah. Not for me.

Didn’t like it - too hardcore for me.

2

Absolutely no contest, this is the best hip hop album of the 90s. The rapping is absolutely top notch, and the beats and instrumentals are just as fantastic. The hip hop scene in New York was bursting in the 90s, and this album is the absolute best thing that era of music has to show for it.

Feel good music. Not usually my style but loved the lyrics and the music

I said a hip-hop, the hippie, the hippie To the hip, hip-hop and you don't stop the rockin' To the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat

10/10

GOAT DEMAIS esquece illmatic é arte

um absurdo. os beats, as letras, tudo cabulosíssimo. tem jeito não, é um dos melhores da época memo. life's a bitch and then you die.

might be my new favourite rap album?

жизнь - сука, и тут я согласен на все 100.....

This is a hip-hop "Mount Rushmore" album candidate for me. Not only is it one of the greatest debut albums of all time, but it's probably the most important East Coast hip hop album considering the landscape at the time. Nas, who was only 20 years old at the album's release mind you, assumes the "King of New York" mantle with a somehow unassuming bravado. He leans on an already lifetime's worth of experiences growing up in inner city Queens. A vivid picture of the NY streets is painted throughout these 10 tracks, helped even more so by Nas' fluid & poetic lyrical approach. There are just too many memorable verses to count that each track almost warrants its own in-depth dissection. Lest I forget to mention the production and sampling featured throughout. Snippets from Kool & the Gang, The Gap Band, Michael Jackson, etc. paired with DJ Premier & co.'s crisp beats make for a very clean and enhancing production. The only "negative" I can think of is that the album flies by while listening. It's so seamless and comfy for a hip-hop album that 40 minutes goes by just like *that*, then you're right back to "The Genesis". Not a single wasted second or bad track on hand, which is a testament to the talent of both the artist and production team involved. Easy 10/10 for me. "Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell"

The motherfucking greatest album of all time. The thing that started my whole music journey. Even bought it on CD. As I go through life, I find myself finding a new favourite song from this album. A top 3 is hard even on a 10 track album 1. New York State of mind 2. One love 3. World is yours All very interchangeable with top 3 bc I’m an indecisive duck

The best rap album all time

Someone could tell me that this is objectively the greatest rap album of all time and I truthfully would have a hard time trying to argue. I guess it ain’t hard to tell.

One of the best albums on the list One of the best albums ever The best hip hop album ever

The only thing better than this classic? Seeing Nasty Nas perform it live with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at Red Rocks.

Best debut Hip-Hop album ever released, if you disagree you know nothing about Hip-Hop.

Greatest rap album

Flow besser als der aus meiner Nas in Allergiesaison

All time great East Coast hip hop.

landmark

Illmatic is revered as the best, or one of the best, rap/hp-hop albums of all time, and for good reason. The sound, the flow, the lyrical dexterity, the very real way it brings you into where he's from and the life of his community, the storytelling, it's all outstanding and an obvious 5/5, even if it's not actually my favourite album (I thought The Blueprint was better, for example). A massive influence too, even to this day, that's some legacy and heritage.

This is great - have listened to this a few times over the last couple of days and it gets better with every listen. Flow on this is brilliant, lyrics and storytelling are great, and the production gives it enough music around it without distracting from the main event. Can't fault it, best rap album we've had. 5/5

STRAIGHT FUCKING CUTTER BANGER I COULD DIE TO THIS SHIT GOD THIS CUTTER, FUCKING CUTTER

"I never sleep 'cause sleep is the cousin of death." It's one of those albums that can (and should) make you fall in love with hip hop. When I was growing up in the 90s in post-communist Eastern Europe, New York for us was a symbol of capitalism, success, Western world, an El Dorado. This album takes me to the parts of New York that I could not even imagine existed at the time. It's gritty, dark, cold and cloudy, the streets are dangerous and living day to day is hard. And yet there's this magic in the air that shines through the album, especially when you're with your crew, sitting on a bench just outside your block reminiscing. The contrasts between the beautiful jazz loops and hard knocking beats set a perfect background for Nas' incredible almost liquid flow. It's just perfect.

Solid rap album from beginning to end. Literally flawless.

The greatest Hip Hop album of all time, they say. I'm not the greatest aficionado of Hip Hop, so who am I to agree or not, but I had a very good time with it and maybe it's the greatest I've had in here. Dope.

They call me nas, I’m not your legal typa fella Moët drinkin, marijuana smokin street dwella Always on the corner, rolling up blessed When I dress it’s never nuthin less than guess

Iconic. Best in class.

Goat

This is really great. It’s Been years since I listened to this. Now I haven’t gone deep Into the lyrics so that could change how I perceive this. However the beats and music is classic Hip-Hop. This flows extremely well and IS A CLASSIC ALBUM Stand out tracks N.Y State Of Mind The World Is Yours Life’s a Bitch Memory Lane 5/5

The granddaddy of hip-hop albums. Hugely influential for many modern rap artists. I can hear many of my favorite rappers in the cadence and flow of Nas on this album. I have listened to this album multiple times over the years and each time am floored by how incredible Nas sounds over his beat selection. Maybe not the most mind-blowing production but what the production of the 90s lacks Nas makes up for in spades. His effortlessly cool flow paired with insightful and at times funny lyrics makes this a must listen. Essential hip-hop. BEST TRACKS All of them WORST TRACKS None

One of the best of all time.

Love it. Raw and pristine and the production is iconic

Life’s a bitch and then you die. Probably have been underrating this one. Not at the very top of my personal rap list but still really good and understandably a classic.

First time listening to Nas. Good shit. 5

Hip Hop perfection!

Heard this a zillion times. Epitome of Nas. 100/10

GOD

solid, really new york

Klassikko. Viisi tähteä.

Straight fire the whole way through

it is really odd how a debut album by a 19 year old feels like the full summation of someone's entire "deal". in a lot of ways, that's gotta be both a blessing and a curse; people have both the highest regard for your short body of work and equally high expectations for whatever art you put out after it. in a way i wish i'd listened to a Nas album that wasn't Illmatic before hearing this so i wasn't just stacking the gems of his discography up against... well, Illmatic. overall, it's just a tight record that feels like a document of whatever situation Nas was in when he was writing and performing it, like the best art of young men. you can find little bits of lyricism that pioneer what you hear on hip-hop tracks both later in the decade and to this day. maybe that makes a lot of what it does "old hat", but there's value in studying the blueprint of what makes everything that came after tick. plus, if you don't care for Nas, there's always the all-star beats behind him that make the thing worthwhile. i hope Nas has a lifetime supply of Moet from how much he reps it on this record.

Love me some early 90s NYC hip hop. ATCQ. De La Soul. Native Tongues. How have I not heard this before, it’s a real treat. Slick production layering muted big band, double bass, lounge piano, jazzy organ, laid back beats & artful scratching. It’s all very lush, listenable and instantly set my head bopping. His voice is smooth & melodic and his narrative driven flows are neat. Wasn’t surprised to hear Q-Tip was involved and I anticipate this one is gonna enter regular rotation for me. Fkn loved it. My first five stars.

a quintessential rap album. one of the best debut albums ive ever heard, solid from front to back with no fluff

Regilizing the realism of life and actuality, fuck being the baddest a persons status depends on salary

Stone-cold classic.

Misschien wel mijn favoriete rapper aller tijden. Wat is deze man fantastisch, dan te bedenken hoe oud hij was toen hij Illmatic maakte, en te bedenken dat dit zn debut was? Bizar. Van de tram geluiden in opener The Genesis word je echt meteen New York van de jaren 90 in gegooid. Daarna neemt Nas je met zn rustige flow mee in zijn leven, schetst hij nummer na nummer waar hij mee dealt. De features die er op staan zijn fantastisch, de legendarische verse van AZ bijvoorbeeld. Productie door Q-tip en DJ Premier, ge-wel-dig. Soms heb je een perfect album, en dit is er zo een. FAVO: Alles. Luister dit album. Het is geweldig, 1 van de beste albums ooit gemaakt. I dont care of je van hiphop houdt of niet.

Illmatic is sacred in the annals of hip hop, having often been christened the best hip hop album of all time. When you listen to it, it becomes abundantly clear that rappers have tried to recapture the magic of this album for decades, and seem fated to always come up short. The internal rhyme schemes, fluidity, and searing insights into life in the Queensbridge projects are unparalleled, recalling the street prophet poetry of Rakim.

this album went under the radar for me until N.Y. State of Mind was featured in Ozark (shout out to Ruth Langmore and Killer Mike), since then I've listened to it countless times, an incredible album, easy 5 stars

10/10 album

I thoroughly enjoyed this whole album. I'm struggling to figure out why it isn't a 5... This album is a 5.

I didn't listen to this yesterday but I've heard it before. I will listen now.

Trying to find a reason this isnt a 5

There’s a reason why this album is a classic. To the point, doesn’t overstay its welcome. Production is fire and bars for days

Standouts: •lifes a bitch •Halftime •Represent • it aint hard to tell Skips: • one love ++Production Gesamt: 4,5/5+

Remains (arguably) the single greatest hip-hop album ever made. Pure poetry from start to finish.

Fabulous flow with no low spots

One of my favorite hip hop / rap artists through time. This album sets the scene and defines the genre up til today. Nas has a great voice, relevant lyrics and the music composition is fantastic. No favorits on this album - it is just one i can hear over and over again :)

Første album jeg hørte flere gange

Finally, a 90s hip-hop album that isn't an hour-plus. And it's great.

One of the greatest and most consequential hip-hop albums of all time. Full stop.

Amazing album, Nas has probably my favorite flow of the hip hop artists from the 90s/2000s. Some of the best hooks I've heard are here, with N.Y. State of Mind, Life's a Bitch, The World is Yours, and One Love standing out. There wasn't any duds on this album, I could easily revisit it. Even the backing music is interesting, with pianos and cellos appearing throughout. Easy 5.

Solid groovy album that deserves a relisten. But also worked in the background to wind down from a day in the dales and barbecuing. Perfect late-night vibes