Illmatic

Listened to this one a couple times as well. The beats and flow on this album are unmatched. Definitely had me head bopping all the way through. I didn't know "The World is Yours" was Nas, but that song rocks. Rap still isn't really my cup of tea, but I appreciate this one more than most other 90's rap.

I am not the biggest hip-hop fan and I am sure this is a great album for those who are, but it's not for me. I have trouble listening to songs where there is only one repeating beat going to whole song. The flow of the singing is what should be focused on which when I was listening is good, but I tend to zone out a lot with the repetition

Ahhh an East coast hip hop classic. Love me some Nas and this album is so smooth and poetic. The lyrics are just insane on this. "I never sleep...cuz sleep is the cousin of death" is one of my favorite lines ever. I honestly think I use it weekly. #teamnosleep "Life a Bitch and then you die...that why we get high" is another one I use on the reg. Listened to this song nonstop in high school thinking I was a baller ass bitch. Such a jazzy jam. The World is Yours is another classic and led to one of my favorite Nas tracks "Thief's Theme" based on some lyrics from this song. Love the beat on Halftime. The trumpets crush and obviously the lyrics. Another just classic bop of lyricism on Memory Lane. One Love is probably my favorite song on the album and it's probably because of Q-Tip bringing some more jazzy beats. Not sure if it's a xylophone but I love it with this song. It's very soothing. Would 1000% smoke a fat blunt to this song. Another jazzy bassline on One Time 4 Your Mind. Love the flow with his lyrics on this one. This album is weirdly dark and holds the fuck up! 5 stars for Nasty!

Não identifiquei nada de expressivo em mais um disco de rap.

Really good Nas!!

Perhaps the greatest hip hop album of all time.

Overrated in my opinion

Great hip hop album. One of the best from it's best days.

Ik heb geen zin in rap

nope

Every track was exactly the same, with so little variation that I had to concentrate to see even the slightest of variations. 10 tracks of (c)rap.

Бля пацаны это величайший хип-хоп альбом. Продакшн, флоу, а главное - лирика, все на высоте. Конечно же я говорю о God's Father, а Illmatic хорош 7/10

undeniable classic, every track pretty much hits in that formative gritty east-coast way. A bunch of tracks on this are referenced all over the place throughout hip hop, and there are lines from it that have made their way into general pop culture. Very good listen, and only slightly overrated when people call it the best hip-hop record of all times. I've listened to this many times before, of course.

I mean, ive got this on vinyl. What more is there to say. top 10 hip hop albums ever. 11/10

Pretty fine as far as rap music goes, I liked the instrumentals. Not my thing though

LFGGGGGGG, took a break but when I finally have a time to listen to every album, THIS ALBUM POPS UP LFFGGGGG

Mhm: never listened to this album in its full up until this point and oh boy how I wish I had. I have to completely agree with this album being up there with some of the greatest of all time as it was packed full of solid samples better than 99% of other rap as well as being able to flow perfectly in terms of lyrics and between songs. I felt enlighten after this album, amazing.

Classic album, the style of hip-hop I really like, mostly drum and bass and constant rhymes. Not my favorite style -- less jazzy than A Tribe Called Quest. The intro puts you right into a setting, then NY State of Mind - Life's A Bitch - The World Is Yours is a 3 track combo that is hard to top. Halftime not so memorable. Sittin' in da Park is smooth and fun. I wanted an actual Q-tip verse on One Love but he just did the hook. One Time 4 Your Mind, seemed like an interlude that was longer. Represent is one of those classic sounds I like. I like the keys and the bounce. Same good feel on the closer.

I listen to this top album of all time

Best classic hip-hop record of all time

Already one of my favourite rappers and albums 10/10

Not really my cup of tea

Yeah this was a good album

One of the best albums of all time

Mickey

Oh this is a debut? That’s impressive as fuck. I really enjoy the juxtaposition of a more laidback sound with very not laidback lyrics. The jazz-like instrumentals make it very timeless and historical. Like as soon as you hear the first note of the album you can tell you’re listening to something important and groundbreaking

“I never sleep, because sleep is the cousin of death” loved this album.

Got me grooving.

Jumallevy. Luultavasti paras hiphoplevy jonka tiedän. Tai en ainakaan tältä istumalta saa päähäni parempaa levyä. Hieno hieno paketti jossa kaikki kunnossa. Upee debyytti. Jazzahtavat beatit erityisen lähellä sydäntäni. 5/5

Ihan parhaita ysärin rap-levyjä. Kaikki osa-alueet mintissä ja lyriikatkin kiinnostavia verrattuna länsirannan gangstailun naisvihaan. Btw, eksyin viime kesänä keskellä yötä yksin Queensbridgen laidalle, kun hyppäsin kännykän simahdettua väärään metroon. En tajunnut, mistä alueesta on kyse, mutta jostain syystä silti vähän kuumotti. Eipä siellä tosin taida enää nykyään olla tän levyn mukainen meno.

Ikoninen rap-järkäle!

Representative of it's time.

10/10 no more

A notable hip hop album from my limited experience, not the top spot but a solid top ten for sure, I love how dense the lyrics are and the beats are quite good.

Totemic

Nope, not for me

Naa if only I could I'd give it 0. No redeeming features at all.

A dark, swirling world of crime reflected on over jazzy bassy boom-bap beats. Lyricism is crazy with the internal rhymes. The peak of gangster rap. Best song: Life’s a Bitch

100/100 best rap album ever made

Classic -Danny

Classic throughout

Sounds even better on record and one of my favourite hip hop albums of all time. Listened to multiple times before and surely will again.

Never knew nothing about this before listening. Not the era not any songs no nothing. I maybe knew that Nas was a rapper. That’s it. And I’m tripping. It had interesting jazzy samples. No doubt someone who knows more about rap could dig into this deeper, but upon first listen, I cannot.

Stand out tracks: - Halftime - It Ain't Hard to tell

If someone were to tell me that Nas is the greatest of all time I'd have a hard time proving otherwise. He's able to do it all and then some. I think I appreciate this album more knowing that it set the stage for the later albums that teenage me liked much more. All that being said I think Illmatic, despite being a classic in the world of hip hop really shows its age and doesn't really hold up for adult me. While being technically great with wordplay I feel like it has the issue all gangsta rap runs into and it's just lyrical content that I can't really listen to anymore. I get Nas grew up in a rough invironment and that kind of life influenced his writing but it still has the glorification of violence and bragging about how gangsta he is. Also it was made in a time when these guys were pretty limited on a production level and it shows. He's still got some songs that I can't help but love to this very day but none of them are on here.

One of the all-time great hip hop albums. Pulsing with energy and swagger.

Greatest rap album of all time

Too rapy

Complete drivel. Offensive, obscene, parhetic attempt of trying to make an excuse for music.

I regret every minute

I liked the beats and the flow. As usually with hip-hop I was not listening to lyrics very much.

Lyrically impressive and surprisingly real, I connected with this more than expected. However, my expectations were on the floor, so it wasn't hard to do. The beats were disappointingly repetitive and therefore made the album feel so much longer than 40 minutes. Overall, I'm glad I got the chance to experience this, even though rap is not my genre.

B- The Genesis 2 N.Y. State of Mind 3 Life's a Bitch 2 The World is Yours 4 Halftime 3 Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park) 3 One Love 3 One Time 4 Your Mind 3 Represent 4 It Ain't Hard to Tell 3 Good job Nas, you got a 3. Happy now, tough guy? Huh? HUH?! Yaaaaaa, that's what I thought. Put a sock in it, jerk!

Has every rapper complained about the "shit" music that's playing now a days? This truly plays like a conversation. One Love has a xylophone? Its not out of place but why is it there? Represent is the bests so far and was placed second to last.

Someone once said if this album was a Pokémon, it would be one of the starters. 100% agree.

I never really paid much attention to Nas when he came out, but this is a solid rap album. I like that the beats were relatively simple. His style is much more hip-hop than "gangsta" rap, but he blends the two nicely.

mejor album de hip hop de la historia

I liked this more than I expected. There were some nice beats. Still not really into hip hop, so it's only a three, but it was still good. My favourite song was Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park).

An absolute classic of hip hop music. Nas nails this one and continues to do so even to this day. Im getting older so it’s beginning to feel more and more like I shouldn’t be listening to this kind of stuff, but when it’s this good? Hell fuckin’ yeah boy!

Better than 6ix9ine, not quite as good as Kendrick Lamar. It’s very well made, but suffers from endemic issues in earlier rap, which might have to do with technology or just the state of development the genre was in at the time. The beats and samples are too monothematic, looping ad infinitum for most of the song. I feel like triumph of Kendrick was dependent on the variety of musical moments in his songs. Pretty good, but once you’ve listened to a song for 30 seconds you’ve gotten the point. At least the album is short: so many artists push for an hour of music when they’ve scarcely got 40 minutes of good material.

90s East-Side Hip-Hop, although I probably know these songs more as samples in new hip-hop. But there are classics like 'It Ain't Hard to Tell' and 'The World is Yours'. Such smooth tracks, exactly what I like best in the genre.

Probably the best hip-hop debut ever, definitely one of the best hip-hop albums ever.

It's nice to get two five-star albums in a row that couldn't be more different from one another. One is a very thoughtful and well-produced album about a specific coastal area of America at a specific time that became a landmark in its genre and the other is Illmatic. Lol jk but there's a reason that this album is widely regarded as one of the best albums of the 90s and one of the best rap albums of all time. It's a definitive East Coast rap album and you can see influences from it even today (TPAB comes to mind a bit). I wish Q-tip got used a bit more in his feature and it made the song a bit lame but the rest of the tracks, especially NY state of mind and the last two tracks, have proven to be timeless. I’m now on my second listen and I just wanted to note that he uses “nine” to make like 90% of his rhymes work yet it never gets annoying.

Very strong beats, combined with good flows and rhymes. Classic for a reason. Also, the Ahmad Jamal sample

Whose world is this? Decent album, though I wouldn’t listen to it on daily basis

The produciton was great, the flow was nice. The message did not strike awe.

The lyrics are impeccable… Everything else falls flat. Fav tracks: NY State of Mind, It Ain’t Hard to Tell Least fav: Life’s a bitch 3/5

The production. The jazzy beats. The rhyming scheme. The flow. This is perfection and the quintessential hip hop record. "I don't know how to start this shit" Nas confesses at the beginning of 'N.Y. State of Mind', and then delivers an absolute masterclass in rhythm and poetry. Ridiculous.

Nas delivers some of the illest and most contagious beats and lyrics ever put out on a hip hop record. Not a single moment could have been left out on this milestone album. Perfection from start to finish.

Loved it! Like music for The Wire.

Well as far as rap albums go this was one of the better ones in that there was at least some decent music in the background. Not amazing but listenable for the most part. I’m still going to give it a harsh 2*. It’s just not my genre.

Heard this album recommended a lot but was underwhelmed.

Highlights: "Life's a Bitch," "The World is Yours," "One Love," "It Ain't Hard to Tell" Carrying the torch of ATCQ's hypnotic jazz loops with one of the most influential flows ever before Biggie hit. You can absolutely hear the influence of this album after the fact; you can hear his rivals, you can hear the rhymes cribbed by Doom, the turns of phrase plucked by Kendrick, and it's kind of hard to tell who shaped whose narrative flow between him and Wu Tang -- more of a dialogue. And it makes the right choice for such a verbally dense album by keeping itself concise at a blistering 40 minutes. Not totally timeless, but holds up even after so much imitation. Hip-hop has never gone back to the stiff rhyme on the two and four after this.

GOAT hip hop album, everyone knows that.

Didn’t listen all the way through but some really great songs and a great sound throughout

Hard for me to rate a rap album. I thought it was pretty cool, but my ears are just not attuned to the subtleties of this genre.

Favorite track: N.Y. State of Mind

From Wikipedia: Chris Ryan, writing in The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (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". Works for me

I liked it more than I thought I would!

Nothing particularly stood out as really good or really bad.

Already heard this one, easily one of the most classic and transportive albums I have ever heard. There are very very very few albums I feel comfortable giving a 10/10 for (for whatever hypercritical reason), but this one is so incredibly immersive in sound, story, the ghettos in NY that Nas describes, that the experience is just unmatched in classicness.

Si bien no soy de escuchar rap, me parece una expresión interesante de puntos de vista de la sociedad que generalmente son reprimidos, además la variedad de sonidos lo hizo entretenido

Not my cup of tea

Didn't click with me.

One of the greatest rap albums of all time. The mood, the atmosphere, the storytelling, it's all top quality.

Not for me

Wonderful album with excellent lyrics and awesome beats to back them up!

I can appreciate it but it didn't do much for me

Ok for a genre I’m not really into. Will give 3/5 right now as it’s first album I’ve listened to. Got to end of album, enjoyed it could be 4/5

Alex thinks it’s good he said the f slur—so does Sam. Wow.

I heard The World Is Yours on the NBA 2K 13 soundtrack and had it stuck in my head for the next decade. Also the bars are fire Favorite Tracks: Life's A Bitch, NY State Of Mind, It Ain't Hard To Tell 5/5

Good beats, good energy, some good bars and overall an enjoyable listen. Not something I'd personally listen to often but definitely one of the best rap records I've heard so far

Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: Yeah it’s timeless and full of amazing tracks, it would be hard to find someone into hip-hop that would disagree Favourite song: Track 4 - The World Is Yours

"Illmatic" is the debut album by American rapper Nas (Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones). The album was recorded in multiple NYC studios with multiple producers including DJ Premier, Large Professir, Pete Rock. Q-Tip, L.E.S. and Nas himself. It is hard-core hip hop featuring multi-syllabic internal rhymes and inner-city narratives of Nas' experience growing up in the Queensbridge Houses in Queens, NYC. Yep. The album is considered a landmark album in East Coast hip hop with its production and lyricism contributing to the revival of the NYC rap scene. Initially, it had had low sales but has since sold over two million copies. The album had mostly rave reviews and in 2021 the Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry for its artistic significance. Subway sounds open "The Genesis." There's people talking about counting money, Hennessey and the lack of legimacy among the MC's in the projects. Samples from "Subway "Theme" which was in the first hip hop film. "Wild Style." DJ Premier produced "N.Y. State of Mind." Dark, jazzy piano samples. Just great sampling. Trap doors, rooftop snipers, drug dealers and "the dungeons of rap." The mind state from living in the ghetto. "Life's a Bitch" is lighter sounding...a more R&B beat, soul and jazzy. Guest rapper AZ. "Life's a bitch and then you die that why you get high." Pete Rock produced "The World Is Yours." More jazzy and optimistic. Scratching is added. The first single when Nas was Nasty Nas is "Halftime." Nas showcasing his rhyming skills. More great sampling with the Average White Band, Gary Byrd and a Hair musical. A fantastic sample from the Heath Brothers' "Smilin' Billy Suite Part II" highlights "One Love." A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip on production. Maybe Nas' best lyrics as he writes letters to his incarcerated friends talking about unfaithful girlfriends, tortured mothers and the underdog legacy. The album ends with "It Ain't Hard to Tell." Rap braggadocio and samples of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature." This album has just great rap rhyming, sampling and production. The music is dark, eerie and hypnotic when the tone is serious and more jazzy, souful and R&B when optimistic. Nas' rapping is authoritative and confident. He tells the story of the inner city in more of a observatory way neither glamorizing or condemning it. An album in many ways worthy of its high acclaim.

Not my genre, but was still a nice listen. Very classy if that can be said about gangsta rap lol. There were many familiar phrases and made me wonder whether they were Nas originals that others have quoted since. Definitely above average rap music.

I really liked this album! It took me a couple songs to get into it by I was really enjoying it by "The World Is Yours." He's got a really nice flow that compliments the instrumentals a lot so it's really easy to listen to.

It's reputation precedes it - one of the greatest albums ever made. The impact this album had on the Hip-Hop genre is so huge, it can't possibly be overstated. Every song was produced and rapped to damn near perfection, and was so insanely ahead of it's time. To the point where the lines and production are still incredibly impressive three decades later. The fact that this album *constantly* tops "Best Albums Ever" lists and is actually able to live up to that tells you something. A masterclass in every regard.

Decent flow, raw production sound and lyrics. No particular highlight, genre isn't my thing.

A solid hip hop record with zero filler, thank goodness. It has a steady sound that maybe could all sound the same, but to me it creates a signature style - and a really good one, at that. It's just pure 90s hip hop, no frills and no fuss. Standout tracks are N.Y. State of Mind and One Love.

8.5/10 solide album. nice samples. a retourner plus souvent

classic 90s gangsta rap, aged very well.Still loving it. 5 stars

Fun fact, Nas' father Olu Dara plays cornet on "Life's a Bitch", they would later go on to collaborate on another hit "Bridging the Gap". 🎺🎺🎺🎺🎺

Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.

Really good old school NY rap. Lacks variety, but a classic.

Influential hip hop album and one of the best known 90s rap albums. But the problem with 90s rap albums or later is that 80s rap is so much better (yet many of those albums are not in the list). I often like a 90s rap song only to discover that it is based around a sample of a much better Kurtis Blow or Whodini song (apart from all the usual soul / funk / synthpop samples). The same here, but it is all perfectly done so a high rating is definitely justified. 5 (9/10)

Solid hiphop album. Consistent quality throughout, with nice flows, beats, and samples.

I like the flow and rapping style.

Nope not my preference

A gritty look into the NYC of the nineties. It’s a consistently good album, the samples that adorn the songs are clever and compliment the smooth style of Nas’s rapping. The whole album flows and there aren’t any moments where you hear the ideas of run dry.

A personal favorite

Pretty classic. Not an album I love, but one I appreciate.

Decent 90's era hip hop. Nothing stuck out much in my mind, other than I could imagine most of these tracks playing in a 411 skate video.

Recently listened to this for a different list. I liked it, but nothing stood out too much for me. 3.5/5

Maybe the best rap album of all time for one particular reason- no skits. Even then, Nas is at peak form here and drops incredible bar after bar, with some slick production. This is definitely an album I’d recommend for people skeptical of rap, even if it’s marred by a touch of homophobia and ableism. Still, an A

I quote enjoy hip-hop but if I'm honest I don't really get it. I was hoping for something that would blow me away here, and maybe if I'd been listening to this when it first came out that would have happened. But it was all just a bit too repetitive to do that. Then right at the end Represent and, maybe, It ain't hard to tell got close. More of this and this would be a 4, but as it is - for me - it's a 3 - I'm not going to choose to listen to this again. Which is a shame, as it's obviously a classic and everything. But I just don't quite get it enough. Sorry.

Somewhat already heard pretty 👍

A glimpse into the streets of NY in the 90s and a portrait of a hardened rapper who has grown up in conditions that I cannot imagine. One of the primary reasons I enjoy rap is the storytelling aspect. No other genre is more-equipped to convey so much raw truth, so quickly, and so vividly as rap/hip-hop. The truly special rap can make you feel like you are a part of that life, if just for a moment, and Illmatic falls in that camp. Nas has a great flow, I can see the bridge from old school to new school, I can see the birth of a more intimate style which speaks to the struggles of life in the rougher areas, and I can see the passion flow through the words making up these stories. A genre defining album, a time capsule, a solid hip-hop album.

This was a nice revisit as I haven't listened to Illmatic in a long time. It really is a classic hip hop album that still doesn't disappoint.

Not for me. Next!

Enjoyed

I heard it before. I didn't remember a single track. Most of the beats are not very interesting to me. I wouldn't rate this as the top hip hop album of all time, as many reviewers say. But I don't hate it. Favorite song: the world is yours.

nah

I enjoyed listening to this more than I thought I would. The instrumentals especially were pretty catchy. However some of the content very much fell short of what is acceptable, even in rap music today!

Great flow throughout, can tell it was influential for its time. Song structure though gets very repetitive.

It’s rap did not make it through the first track

As far as rap goes, this is decent and I can see what people like about it. It's still not my thing and I did not enjoy it.

Good though seems a bit overhyped. Gets a bit repetitive by the end.

Funky, urgent, classic. One of the first hip hop albums that got me into the genre and it’s still fresh as hell.

Sometimes I see a rap/hip hop album pop up from the 90s and it can go both ways. Some are bouncy kind of hip hop albums which aren't really for me but then there's the kind with a heavy beat with banger after banger....this was the latter. I loved this album. There was a lad in my school who was really knowledgeable in this genre and always banged on about Nas....I see why

In a world of overly long and sometimes pointless rap albums, ‘Illmatic’s brevity and razor-sharp focus stands out like a beacon. No skits, no filler, and not a single note or beat wasted. There is not an ounce of fat here, just 10 tracks, killer lyricism, and all-star production. That’s it. No more, no less. And that’s why it’s brilliant.

While I’m not a huge fan of gangster rap this album has great beats and features Qtip who I’ve always liked. I’m not sure that other albums by Nas live up to this one.

I don’t think people give this album enough credit for how much it changed the rap scene, which, at the time, was in a sort of lull. Most artists started sounding the same and blending together. Nas cam on the scene with this album which was so innovative while also feeling incredibly familiar that his style took over the community so quickly in a way most people underestimate. This is such a thought provoking, beautiful, and very enjoyable album. 4/5

Ikonisk hiphop

Legitimately one of hip-hops greatest albums. Nas brings the vitriol in ways that at its time has only been done a few times. His messages are on point and clear in delivery.

Top 3 Hip Hop album OAT 10/10

10/10

Eh, not that great.

Not going to always be my thing but I'm glad I got to listen to it. A bit repetitive but not that long so it keeps moving well. I should probably listen to more Nas.

I really enjoyed this one! I had never heard anything by Nas, and this was probably a good introduction.

This might be the perfect rap album. I am glad to see it after some of the other hip hop records as of late. This record is strong throughout and one hell of a debut album. It’s 40 minutes long so it is over before you know it. The skits are minimal. The drums and samples are very rad and pretty much archetypical to NY hiphop. Good times

Nasty Nas! One of the greats.

He’s a poet and he DOES know it. Represent. This album is great for getting a sun tan as you try and forget that Life’s A Bitch. I actually haven’t listened to this one a ton, even though it is regarded as one of the best rap albums of all time. I listened to this one three times through, so that speaks to what I thought of it. I for One, Love this album. I’m a lyrics guy. Beautifully crafted lyrics can elevate a seemingly average song, and it doesn’t go the other way for me. Great musicianship with poor lyrics is just a waste. So even though I found the beats very average, Nas’ words is what makes this an elite album. Plus with his ability to rhyme in unique and complex ways, It Ain’t Hard to Tell he is one of the greatest.

I got into a couple of these tracks. Still not my thing but I could feel it bobbing my head sometimes.

Pretty good 👍

An absolute classic of an album, probably the greatest hip-hop album of all time. All Killer No Filler. 10/10

Not listened to it yet

Well crafted all in all, and there were some really great hooks in there, but overall the album didn't capture me as much as I was expecting (though I had expected exceptionally great things from it from ratings I've seen out there). Trying to discount my expectations for this album I think this is deserving of a 4, but it wasn't quite as transcendental as I was lead to believe it to be

heh, it's ok.

Prima album, maar niet geweldig.

Listened to this once on a long drive and again on a run and I definitely appreciated it more on the headphone listen. Nas is to hip hop what Rodney Mullen is to skateboarding, an innovator with buttery smooth delivery and creativity. 5 stars

BL: Nas is someone shrouded in the legends of east coast raps golden age. Despite this I’ve never actually listened to him. So I will see how I feel about it. AL: I loved this, an incredibly tight and concise listen, 10 tracks which keep their pace and never feel like they go on for too long or lose their point. The instrumentals are those classic groove cut early 90s rap instrumentals I absolutely love. “The world is yours” was a stand out for me. FT: “the world is yours”, “life’s a bitch”, Half-time” 5/5

bad message, problematic language, made by jerks and most importantly boring.

Nas is obviously a great rapper and lyricist but the beats are boring and every song sounds the same.

Say what you will about Nas's career after this album, this album is an absolute landmark in hip-hop history. The samples, the lyrics, the features, everything about this album works together beautifully. The album is introspective and runs very deep 5/5

Classic hip hop album

It smells like a NY cigar

Échantillons minimalistes, qui laissent place à la voix, mais quand même accrocheur. J’aime la groove, les textes sont bien travaillés

This is definitely not my cup of tea, but among all the hip hop albums I've heard this wasn't half as bad. I couldn't focus on the lyrics but I enjoyed the rhythms and the flow.

I'm gonna be real I have no idea what he's saying but solid rap record 👍

Brilliant

all killer no filler

The definitive 90s hip-hop album, and one of the greatest albums of all time. Nas combines incredible poetry and storytelling with hard-hitting beats from DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Large Professor, arguably 3 of New York's greatest producers, to provide an intimate look at life in Queensbridge.

Great debut. NY State of Mind is the top track. Great bass and plinky piano/keyboard.

Bruh, pretty boring, every song kinda sounded similar and not very interesting.

Pretty boring and forgettable songs. Acted well as bland background music while I did my homework.

YES ILLMATIC HOLY SHIT IM LISTENING RIGHT NOW IM ACTUALLY GIVING THIS 10 STARS IF I WANTED TO SUCH AN AMAZING ALBUM HOLY HELL

I am not a hip hop expert, but this feels like a classic hip hop masterpiece. Hardcore east coast at it's finest. Flawless combo of rhythm and lyrics. Nas is one of the best.

I enjoyed it. It definitely has that East Coast rap feel to it. I had not heard this album before and I was not overly familiar with the songs, but I knew a few. I did not find the beats that memorable but the rapping is good.

4.5/5

Iconic

Didnt expect to enjoy it this much

First Nas music I've listened to (to my knowledge). Quality music I thought! Not hitting the precise themes I like most, so it wasn't a standout album for me or anything.

I would definitely listen to this again. Short but full of great music.

I used to love rap, but really old school. Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC, LL Cool J. This rap is more mellow and more sing-song. Of course, a lot of rap is like that nowadays. It's not really my thing. (Maybe I should smoke more weed and mellow out?? :) Just because it doesn't click with me doesn't mean it's not good. Like red wine. I don't care for it. But it's subjective. (Yes, to some degree, all music is, but it's not 100% subjective.) I don't feel capable of really rating this since it's not my style. I also can't rate red wine. Since I have to give it some rating, I'll just give it a 3, middle of the road. I understand that it was influential, but that doesn't necessarily make it good or bad musically. To me, it's kind of boring. Like, the riff on "NY State of Mind": boring.

3.5

love the samples used and the vibe is great

Classic

My Instagram handle is phillmatic19. Enough said. Standouts: N.Y. State of Mind, Life's a Bitch, The World Is Yours, Halftime, Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park), Represent

Doesn't outstay its welcome.

Interessante, ha un buon ritmo, ma non è esattamente nelle mie corde.

One of the best hip hop albums.

Slaps tip to toe

Enjambments!

Between 3 and 4 I think. Just nice and chill beats. Wish I was smoking weed lol

Amaze. Astounding. Legendary. Jaw dropping. Love love love!

I can't believe I haven't heard this album before, it is amazing. Some of the beats get a little repetitive but it doesn't matter because the rapping is so good, and so are the grooves.

NYC rap from the 90s is pretty much my Platonic ideal of the form. Speaking of dead presidents, the producers on this are like the Mount Rushmore of NYC beatmakers from the era. And lyrically this thing straight up changed the game.

Expected to like it more, but it didn't grab me as much as I wanted lyrically. Instrumentation and beats were dope though. Sorry Nas fans.

I understand why this album is so beloved, but none of the songs clicked with me. It was really strange to listen to for that reason. I don’t have much else to say about it.

I forgot how hard Nas went, this is good

Great sounding record, brilliant sequencing and yet it still feels like a personal tour de force. An essential record.

Illmatic is like THE 90s hip hop record. I'm glad I listened to it, it's good. I mean, it's not the best rap record I've heard or anything, and I imagine it would have hit harder if I was like there at the time. But it is good.

I recognize this is a landmark album. But I did not really even register this album. Don’t know enough about Nas or rap at the time.

Still can't stand this music (sorry), but the lyrics aren't helping either.

Had actually never listened to this before (despite knowing OF it, of course), but yeah... Fairly obvious why it gets held up as being one of the best rap albums of all time. Really slick jazzy production, and Nas's flow fits into it perfectly. Listened to it twice in a row and I might go back for more later, it's definitely damn good. Hard to rate it anything else, so 🤷

All time classic

The clever rhymes come so thick and fast you have to rewind

Actually found myself grooving! Did I detect a sample from Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" in "It Ain't Hard to Tell"? Nice!

Godfather of rap, this is incredible lyrics that have transcended time

The debut album from one of the best to ever do it. Nas has to be top 3 lyricists on pretty much everyone’s list. Totally forgot about how awesome that Human Nature sample was on It Ain’t Hard to Tell. 4. TBz 1. It Ain’t Hard to Tell 2. N.Y. State of Mind 3. Represent 4. One Time 4 Your Mind

I can't really add anything that hasn't been written. Firmly grounded in East coast hip hop while also raising the bar. You can't really call yourself a hip-hop head and at least appreciate Illmatic. Unless of course you are just in to ring tone rap or mumble.

Old rap is too rough on the edge

When I saw the album was rap I was like “oh no” but it was actually decent to be fair. I liked the instrumentation and stuff and it wasn’t mumbly so Pog

Took a few listens to really get into it. While I understand the importance and the culture impact it had, it might just not be for me. Still good tho

The GOAT hip hop album, everybody knows that

definitely very old school rap. did not looove it

- Incredible production quality and beats - Great classic hip hop sound - Nas has great flow - Didn't realize how many of these songs I've heard before - Favorite songs: Memory Lane, Life's a Bitch

Classic rap album

Was actually OK, some good rap.

I've had some great rap albums so far, but I think this one takes the cake. The lyricism, the flow, the beats. All amazing. Feels way ahead of it's time.

Such a hard-hitting, gritty, tough album. Incredible songs throughout and powerful lyrics and one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. What also makes it great is that it was the perfect length at 40 minutes. 9/10.

I did not have the impact on me that I’m sure it would have had on other people. Can appreciate the talent and the production. Can also hear the influence it may have had on Lin Manuel Miranda for Hamilton.

NAS!!!!

Great debut album, solid rap classic.

Easy 5/5, one of the best albums of the 90s and one of the best rap albums ever. Took the East Coast to a whole new level.

really fucking good

Geil alda, das ist mal New York CIty

Yup - that’s that good stuff. 40 minutes, no skips just pure butter baby.

fine. nothing really clicked but nothing terrible. 3? But I'm sure it was a 5 in its day.

Absolutely incredible 90s rap

I like the beats and Nas has a great flow.

I felt myself vibing along to the songs of this album more than i thought i would. It wasn’t bad at all. It’s never really been my type of music but it was good.

Most of all, I really like the music. There's not a lot of hardcore rap I like and my instinct is always to feel distant from this record but... it's different. The album sounds great, it's not overly aggressive, has fantastic production and a clean mix, and Nas' rapping has a rhythm to it that even if I can't personally connect with a lot of the themes I tend to not really even hear it as I end up grooving with virtually every cut. Not always my favourite genre but this is a good one - jazzy chill sounding cuts countered with the edgy topics ends up working here. (plus it comes in at a smart length at just under 40 minutes.) 7/10 3 stars

Probably the most complete rap album ever made. Illmatic alone put Nas on hip hop's Mount Rushmore, there's a reason for that. The rhyme schemes are trend setting, backed up by fiersome lyrics and a production team that creates the perfect NY backdrop. It's a rich picture. Full of gritty scenes and big dreams from young men caught in a broken city. Illmatic sounds as good as it did the first time I heard it. Everytime I relisten there's plenty more to unpack. Simply put, it's compelling.

It was okay. I don't really understand why it's considered such a masterpiece. Maybe time and place make a difference. Thinking back to that time, I can see how it was somewhat unique.

This is the sacred cow of hip hop, but I think I need to be American to get the full experience. I get what the guy's saying, but the only thing I know about New York is that they speak with funny accents and there's a billion dead rats everywhere. But despite that, the beats go hard, the rhyming schemes make my amoeba brain hurt and the album length is perfect. 4/5, I'll definitely return to this one, and I'm sure it will grow on me a lot and then I'll regret not giving this a 5.

I'm not black, not American and not cranky. This album does zero for me. Kindergarten level music and a angry man shouting and swearing. Get off my lawn!

Very cool

Hip hop lektira

About as good as 90s NY hip hop gets. Savage and consistent.

I once heard it said that “there are two types of people: those who like hip-hop, and those who haven’t heard Illmatic.” I was 18 when I heard that, so I bought the CD from McKay’s. And nine years later, I think they were right

I'm not huge into rap, even then it's got a few good entries

Five percenter, clássico

Kyllähän tämä pelittää

Biisit erottuvat toisistaan jo yhdellä kuuntelulla. Moni saa myös kuulijan osallistumaan, vaikka kävelee kadulla kuulokkeet päässä.

pretty good

Great beats, strong lyrics. Seems like I have to explore 90s rap.

A classic and a personal favorite. The beats are fantastic -- the drumming is so tight and crisp. And the bits of piano melodies and sampling give each song a distinct emotional tone. Nas' rapping is phenomenal. He set a high-water mark with this album that only a few rappers have been able to match or top since. He sounds tough-as-nails but the lyrics are smart and uplifting (in addition to a healthy amount of tough guy braggadocio). His flow is impeccable -- not lightning fast but steady and relentless. A lot of complex rhyme schemes too. "N.Y. State of Mind" is an incredible first song (after the intro), especially considering that this is his first album. What an opening statement! The beat is just ridiculously cool. "Life's a Bitch" is a favorite and probably a top 50 song for me. Just gorgeous. AZ's opening verse is classic. The jazzy beat must have inspired him because his performance is very musical. And I just learned that that's Nas' father playing the cornet at the end. I love that. "Oo-oo-ooh!" Love that soulful vocal sample on "Memory Lane." The record scratching at the end is great too. Beautiful album cover. A lot of rappers have put their baby pictures on their album covers since but the sepia tone coloring here captures a nostalgic feeling. The blurry car in motion adds tension to the image too. Really great.

Nas is one of the most revered rappers of all time, and yet to me I think he is still somehow a little underrated. Production, and beats are of course incredible, but the star is Nas' flow and lyrics. How killer is that slow piano riff on "NY State of Mind" and how killer is it how he dances around it with his vocals? Don't even get me started on his annunciation; every word is audible and precise and yet his innate coolness still remains. I love this line in "NY State of Mind": "I know this crackhead who said she gotta smoke nice rock And if it's good, she'll bring you customers and measuring pots But yo, you gotta slide on a vacation Inside information keeps large niggas erasin' and their wives basin' It drops deep as it does in my breath I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined I think of crime when I'm in a New York State of Mind" There's so much to unpack there- touching on how to navigate interactions with crack dealers and narcs inside of gangs, and then this legendary rap phrase: "I never sleep cause sleep is the cousin of death". It also just does so much to make you feel like you are a New Yorker and you are there with him experiencing all of these thoughts. The intro track to this album gives you those car horns and NY soundscapes and then blasts you with all of these lyrics that really teleport you there- to a setting that is foreign to me but one that I've attempted to vicariously experience through film and TV. That line "sleep is the cousin of death" can be heard again in rap, like 11 years later on The Game's track "Dreams": "Daydreamin' yesterday, dozin' off backstage I thought I saw Eazy talking to Jam Master Jay So I walked over, heard Jam Master say "It's a hard knock life, then you pass away" They say sleep is the cousin of death, so my eyes wide open 'Cause a dream is kin to your last breath". In reading more about this one particular line, I came across an actual quote from Nas as he was talking about The Game being influenced by this line and he said: "Game also plays on the word “so” which also sounds like “sew”. If he were to sew his eyes wide open he would be able to avoid sleep, and not die." That's really cool. I appreciate this facet of rap so much. When i start to do dives into rap lyrics and these little interconnected ideas that are so easily skimmed over- I get jealous that other genres of popular music don't often have them or when they do it's not nearly as complex or interesting enough of a web to investigate! It truly blows me away. I think that's one of the best things that Nas has brought to rap and to music. Of course it's good songs, but it's also the influence and inspiration to other artists. This is a high 4/5 for me. I'm noticing my strict standards for a clean 5/5 and while I do love this album I think it's just a bit more 4.8 or 4.9 instead of the "perfect" 5. Still an amazing record. One of the best rap albums of all time.

decent but not spectacular.

This record feels like trying to get rid of stubborn anal warts. Painful, but in such a way that it sexually awakens you. There's no turning back now, Bobby.

Sort of thing Scott wets his pants about

Feels as if Nas could be bringing a whole other level of wordplay, but is taking it easy and only giving us a casual attempt at MCing. This is reflected in the beats, where every track seems to hone in on a 3-note sequence to repeat endlessly rather than opting for a longer, more interesting loop.

Apex of the genre

The greatest hip hop album of all time. Almost 30 years on and it still hits as hard today. A masterpiece.

While this doesn't scream 'best rap album ever' to me, I think I'm starting to understand the hype. It all just seems very accomplished; the production is catchy and the rhyming is impressively assured for someone who was so young. To real key to greatness is probably in the lyrics, and people who know better than me say the storytelling/social reporting is top notch. I'm not really hearing it yet, but to properly immerse myself in the words is gonna take a few more listens. Still, with its strong production (plus a relatively short running time), Illmatic has given itself a decent chance of getting those additional listens from me, at some point. 3.5

Pre-listen: considered one of the greatest rap records of all time. I listened to it many times around 10yrs ago but it’s never quite been GOAT material for me… let’s see if that’s changed. Post-listen: okay… there are more bangers on here than I remember. Nas’ flow is smooth, continuous and unpredictable, which overlays clever internal rhyme schemes that creates a collective delight to the eardrum. Insane that he was 19-20yo when recording this album. The instrumentals have that gritty East Coast sound, but they’re intertwined with soul and jazz samples throughout that make it more varied and palatable. I’m giving this a 4.49, as I want to savour the 5 rating for the God-tier albums. It just doesn’t quite reach the heady heights of my hippity hop favourites, but it’s almost there.

Beats rhymes attitude. Can’t be beaten. Too big to fail. Has a certain tone to it which I feel is pretty representative of the time and the place where it comes from. Do believe it’s a bit shallow in places but is that an unnecessary Michael Jackson sample to save the day? Sot NY State of Mind One Love Represent It Ain’t Hard to Tell 4/5

Repeat- 4

4.0

deserves five stars, solid all the way through

East Coast rap meets West Coast rap and ends up in field in Kansas.

not my state of mind

One of those albums that just feels foundational, a dense dark brick at the base of so much to come.

Good album but doesn’t sound as fresh as other old school hip hop albums. 8/10.

My favourite New York hip hop album from the 90s.

So weird how polarizing this record is. I get that people may not like rap but the whole point of this is to broaden your mind to new types of albums and sounds. This is one of those. It's really, really good. Like 5 star good. I wish it we're longer. I've heard it a few times over the years and am always surprised at how good it is. The flow, the lack of skits, the consistent lyrical drive. This is great.

bad

Tbc

He's got some good rhymes, but I'm not big into hip hop and it's very samey the whole way through. The score came down the more I listened. 2.5 rounded down to 2.

This album is amazing. I find myself naturally lost in the beats and lyrics.

classic

Can’t be beat, NY at its finest

Rapzao tri massa

Incredible album, I really enjoyed the iconic hip-hop album from Nas. Might be one of my favourite HH albums of all time. Nas has a great flow, rhymes and beats are on point, and the content - while a bit repetative and I didn't really care too much about it - the music part stands so much on its own, that it does not take away from the experience at all.

It sounds like a lot of the New York rap I wasn't allowed to listen to growing up. That made it seem briefly un-notable, until I realized that this is the album a lot of that pulled from. One of the first to produce and rap in this style. Shoutout NYC

required listening.

All time favourite - genera defining. Nas is the goat.

Þetta var bara svona bakgrunnshljóð sem runnu út í eitt. Núll spennandi.

Not too big a fan of rap music so there's not much to say. I enjoyed the simplicity of the beats however they sounded rather muddy compared to the vocals. 3/5. Favorite Track: Represent

Old school harde beats met een jonge nas die rappen makkelijk doet lijken. Op vele fronten een iconisch album en een gewoon 40 minuten genoten

3,5 eigenlijk, ik snap dat dit in 1994 echt heeel sick was maar voor mijzelf doet het niet zo mega veel, heb ‘m eerlijk gezegd een beetje uitgezeten pls haat me niet

Hip hop classic uit de jaren 90, east coast hiphop op z’n best. Album vol rauwe beats, verhalen en quotables die op elke willekeurige dag zomaar door je hoofd kunnen schieten. Heel leuk om weer eens te luisteren

Not too big a fan of rap music so there's not much to say. I enjoyed the simplicity of the beats however they sounded rather muddy compared to the vocals. 3/5. Favorite Track: Represent

It’s the greatest hip hop album of all time, probably.

This is my second time listening to this album, and it's incredibly good. I'm not very well versed with a lot of hip hop, but before I listened to this album, I knew it had a reputation as one of the best hip hop albums of all time. I absolutely love the beats, and Nas raps with an incredible amount of force. His rhymes are outstanding too, and this album really shows just how great Nas is at his craft.

Good Hip Hop album

Deze ken ik. Oud maar niet gedateerd, heerlijke relatief eenvoudige beats zonder dat het saai is, rijmschema's zoals je ze in die tijd nog niet heel vaak zag, goeie stem. Het draait om rap en in die tijd hoefde niet elke rapper er ook nog bij te zingen. Als jongetje van 6 opgroeiend in een dorp in Brabant is dit natuurlijk ook super herkenbaar allemaal. Topalbum.

Some monotonous mumbling over an uninspiring beat.

Pretty nice old school hiphop album but after a while felt like it's a tad bit too long

Good old school vibe. Nice flow and quite relaxing

Classic album. Captures that old school sound verry well. Nas has a great flow

First song samples Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five! +1 right there. Not a big rap fan, but I found myself grooving right along with many of the tracks. Lyrics were ok, but his voice and the beats were solid. Can't see myself downloading any specific song, but generally enjoyed overall. I'll give 2.5 but score a 3 due the Grand Master Flash sample

4 I don’t know if my tolerance for rap is improving or if I’m finding more rap that I enjoy. Nevertheless, I’m here for it. I really quite liked this album though I went in expecting to tbh. The beats are interesting and catchy but not too repetitive. The lyrics a poignant without becoming gratuitous. I wish I had more specific reasons but all I know is this is a recipe for an album that I would like. The back half is a little hit or miss where it becomes easy to ignore but I don’t think it’s a major detractor. Favorites: NY State of Mind, Life’s A Bitch, The World is Yours, Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park)

4 Great rhymes, great beats, great lyrics, great flow - I see why this is considered a crown jewel of the genre. Similar to NWA’s debut, Nas chooses to shine a light on his home city and way of life, not afraid of showcasing the ugliness for the sake of capturing the reality, but whereas NWA took a deliberately aggressive approach to reiterate the hardened Compton culture, Nas opts instead to chronicle Queens with poetically smooth delivery, making it easy to forgot how many themes of violence and crime there are underneath. Even as someone who had a pretty atypical upbringing in small town America, there’s still a lot of relatability on this record, especially on tracks like Life’s a Bitch. Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high? I’ll drink to that. The World is Yours is a song I’ve known for years thanks to Tony Hawk’s Underground, but I’ve never realized it was off this album. A little bit of a contrast to the previous track, but still a good tune nonetheless - makes me want to bust out my skateboard and cruise the streets of Hollywood. Every song here is good though and has a unique sound to it, likely due to the fact there were like 5 or so producers across the album, but I still find it impressive there’s a clear direction despite that. I see why everyone hypes this up. While not the most amazing thing I’ve heard, it’s very good. Favorite songs: The World is Yours, NY State of Mind, Life’s a Bitch, Represent, It Ain’t Hard to Tell

feliz año nuevo

Fora

Najjaci

Banger, absolute classic rap album

Hip hop. Coñazo.

This has been pretty good! The album has got a really good flow to it, and I can appreciate it.

6 stars. A true visionary.

Kinda boring

NY state of mind- well thats certainly a take on that👍 Lifes a bitch- think i’m gonna have that chorus stuck in my head👍 The world is yours- Chorus a bit overproduced for me, but otherwise v solid Halftime- this is a fun track with a lot of energy and great flow👍 Memory- again not sure i like the skipping vocals One Love- love chorus, story in verses👍 One time 4 your mind- this is fine, didn’t really stick out to me Represent- Another weaker chorus It ain’t hard to tell- I like this brag track, really flows well👍 Not really my type of music, but v accomplished for what it is 4/5

When Nas dropped Illmatic Hip Hop changed. The genre evolved from a fun, braggadocious B-Boy genre to a serious, poetic, flowing piece of art. 5/5.

Great album. Had a lot of friends that were into Nas in college and hip hop wasn't my thing then. I'm still by no means a hip hop connoisseur, but I've warmed to it a ton. That said, I love the beats and flow of this album. Not a song I want to skip when I listen through it. I'm not much of a lyrics guy for any kind of music, so I think in hip hop especially there is a lot I miss that I wish I didn't. The only thing I really want more of that's not here in this album are heavier hooks with more melody. I like this a lot overall and I'll be coming back.

As a hip hop head, I’ve a confession to make: Illmatic doesn’t really do it for me. I get that it appears regularly on best of lists and gets five mics in The Source. Nas’ flow is nice, The beats are smooth. NY State of Mind and Represent are absolute classics (those samples - nice). But there’s not much else I return to regularly. Why is this? I don’t vibe over the other tracks - Nas can’t quite decide on the mood he’s after- a little jazz sample like ATCQ here, a little MJ sample like something more mainstream there - leading to an unevenness overall. Also surprisingly short. A 3,5 respectfully rounded up to a 4.

10/10

Not my cup of tea. However I can appreciate they lyrical mastery here.

I've always tried to find a way in with this album, and never had before. Today it made a lot more sense. like a bridge between old and new hip hop, and with some of the tightest flow and rhythm. Still not without its problems, but very good.