Reviews (page 13 of 14)
My favorite hip hop album from my favorite hip hop artist. auto 5
Het was oké. Normaal niet zo’n fan van hip hop maar dit was wel prima
Not really for me BUT I can appreciate it
1st album I hadn't heard of before except the track Life's a Bitch "Life's a Bitch and then you die, that's why we get high, 'cause you never know when you're gonna go" – apparently landmark album in East Coast hip hop, nicely produced, eingängige getaktete flows. Fave: the world is yours (lowkey self-esteem anthem). the rest: a blur tbh.
вообще не зашло. старый реп не мое
Not a rap fan
This was the first time I'd ever sat down and listened to Nas. I'd heard of him before, or seen him featured on other artist's songs, but never checked out his stuff. I had no idea how important his music was to the development of the East Coast rap scene. This record showcased his smooth flow, and tight beats, which seem to be bass heavy, which is nice. His lyrics are less in your face than other rap/hip hop acts that I've reviewed such as N.W.A. What I noticed is a more developed, thought out method. One other thing I appreciated is the fact that the record isn't super long like many of the other similar records I've reviewed have been. This one comes in at just shy of 40 minutes, so it keeps the music fresh, and you don't get sick of it. Although I did enjoy this record (I listened to it twice), it didn't captivate me like other rap/hip hop artists I've reviewed. I can't figure out why either... Maybe today I'm just not feeling a rap album? I don't know. Since rap isn't my normal listening genre, I probably won't listen again, but wouldn't object to hearing it again. Favourite songs: N.Y. State of Mind, Life's a Bitch (feat. AZ & Olu Dara), The World is Yours, Represent Least favourite song: The Genesis (I hate skits on rap albums) 3/5
N.Y. State of Mind est tellement excellente. Le beat de DJ Premier est monstrueux. Le flow est fantastique. The World Is Yours est probablement l’autre pièce plus connue de cet album(?). J'aime comment sur Life's A Bitch la ligne "Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high 'Cause you never know when you're gonna go" est répétée pour en faire un refrain. La production est superbe et le choix des différents producteurs est bien fait et permet probablement de faire en sorte de donner un peu plus de personnalité à chacune des pièces. Un incontournable du Hip-Hop new-yorkais.
A middling hip hop album that fails to impress or chart in a meaningful way is something I need to hear? I think not.
Classic
Needs another listen, excellent hip hop of the era
Pinnacle 90s rap album, extremely well NY State of mind top tier song.
Very solid rap performance.
Really good, as far as hip hop goes, which isn't say much I suppose It got better towards the end
Verdensklasse rap, old-school, new york, bare legendarisk
meh, it's Okay I guess, but it's still rap.
it is a fine album. i get why it gets all the accolades. bot my favorite style, not my favorite production, the sparseness of the sampling and backing music only works sometimes. you’ll probably like it, shill.
I liked it. Pretty chill. Old school
Iconic.
This is 100% the greatest rap album ever made. Nas has also solidified himself as the greatest of all time with KD3
More enjoyable than I thought it'd be.
Not really my jam but it’s great. Life’s a bitch and then you die.
второй раз за год слушаю альбом, всё ещё не прониклась
If there was a 6 i would give it.
This album let me be someone else for a while. I'm sure that wasn't the intent.
It does not annoy me, which is a lot to say about an hiphop album. Not my cup of tea but I can understand it's an important piece in the history of hip-hop.
I like his rapping. The music left a lot to be desired. I didn't hate it so I guess that says something?
I'm not well versed with hip hop but I enjoyed this album. Great vocals and great beats. I would give it a go even if you don't listen to hip hop. FAVORITE SONGS: - Life's a Bitch - The World is Yours - It Ain't Hard to Tell 3/5
Apparently this is rated by many as the greatest hip hop album of all time. I've not listened to them all, but from what I know, this does seem to be a good one. Quite listenable. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: N.Y. State of Mind Date listened: 06/11/22
Goated
Why aren't all rap albums like this? Tight beats, melodic hooks and samples, and every track a 4-minute unspooling of bars. Has to be five stars as it escapes the cardinal sins of rap albums: no skits, no 18 tracks, all killer no filler as they say. Also - like the best Public Enemy, Wu Tang (who do all of the above) and it shames me to say the first NWA album, bears repeated listening.
This is an odd one - I like it as an album but it's championed too much who call it the greatest hip-hop album ever (it isn't) or the boring Radiohead fan type who say they hate all Hip-hop except this. I guess that why I don't really get on with it, it's Radiohead levels of meandering on the tunes. Other acts e.g Dilated Peoples do that as well. But just find this album so overrated and over-championed when there are better records out there can't help but mark it down. 3.4
Clean
One of the best rap albums ever.
Not bad
Masterpiece
aight I’ll give credit where credit is due I’m not a huge fan of old school rap but this is a damn good album the only old school rap I really like is A Tribe Called Quest and Lauryn Hill but still, this was amazing too I guess it’s a 10/10, I don’t really know what to complain about, it was just good favorite song was probably Represent
I wish I had more to say about this album but for some reason I really just didn’t connect with it. I think it was probably really influential in shaping the post-2000 rap sound. The lyrics are good, a mix of vulnerability and wit. The production is okay, but I won’t hold that against Nas too much. Maybe on a different day this is rated higher, but it’s a 4 if I’m true to myself
there’s a reason this is commonly cited as the best rap album of all time. incredible lyricism, great production, all around just excellent. couldnt imagine rating it less
- классик блэк реп, нот бэд/нот со импрессив - просто симпатично - классная обложка - It was released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records.
Rating: 10/10
Such a different sound from other contemporary rap...but I loved it. Was a big G-Funk sound fan growing up and now feel I missed out on this. 4/5
not an east coast rap guy as much
Cult by one of the best lyricists of all time.
Good
I hate to do this but I’ve got 3 5/5’s in a row baby! Maybe that’s a bad thing though because I’ll get less 5/5’s later but it’s so good… The reason why I love this album is because it’s one of the only rap albums that are concise and lack a bad song. Nas is also quite possibly one of the best lyricist’s that I’ve ever herd I’ve always especially liked the line “sleep is the cousin of death” on New York state of mind. The beats are fairly samey but it doesn’t matter too much as that’s not really the focus of the album . There are some skits on the album but (other than the first track) they act more as introductions to the songs and don’t drag unlike they sometimes do on rap album. Maybe it’s slightly front loaded but it gets balanced out by the skit at the start. I guess it’s a 5.
In my memory, this album was a near-perfect representation of East Coast rap, a standard by which all others should be judged. On a fresh listen, it's still really, really good. It just doesn't hold up to the legend I built up in my head over the years. Smart, with incredible rhyme schemes and flow. Best track: Represent
A stone-cold classic. So many stellar hip hop tracks on this one, "N.Y. State Of Mind", " Life's A Bitch", "The World Is Yours", "One Love", "Represent", "It Ain't hard To Tell"... The stars just aligned for *Illmatic*, one of the strongest album debuts of all time. Yet chance was not the only factor that can explain such a hip hop miracle. What you have here is an incredible team of producers at the top of their game (DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Q-Tip and L.E.S.) providing the best cuts ever so that an incredibly talented lyricist and wordsmith can shine under the eyes of the world for the first time ever. Said world seemed to be his indeed. Nas was so young, and for someone his age to accomplish such a feat on his very first record is just the stuff of legend. Per Wikipedia, this is what Prefix Mag's Matthew Gasteier re-examining Illmatic and its musical significance stated in 2002: "*Illmatic* is the best hip-hop record ever made. Not because it has ten great tracks with perfect beats and flawless rhymes, but because it encompasses everything great about hip-hop that makes the genre worthy of its place in music history. Stylistically, if every other hip-hop record were destroyed, the entire genre could be reconstructed from this one album. But in spirit, *Illmatic* can just as easily be compared to *Ready to Die*, *It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back*, and *Enter the Wu-Tang* as it can to *Rites of Spring*, *A Hard Day's Night*, *Innervisions*, and *Never Mind the Bollocks*. In *Illmatic*, you find the meaning not just of hip-hop, but of music itself: the struggle of youth to retain its freedom, which is ultimately the struggle of man to retain his own essence." 5 stars, of course. The Source barely hesitated to break their "no-5-mics policy" back then. And you know what? History proved them right. Number of albums left to review: 762 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 119 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 57 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 62
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
El mejor disco de hiphop de todos los tiempos, dicen. One Time 4 Your Mind.
Strong start but quite underwhelming in my opinion constant repetition of sneakers and chains thought it was over used the beats are okay nothing special the flow is always good though Favourite song might be life's a bitxh
Love nas but don’t love Illmatic due to where my current music taste lyes. It’s deep New York, drum heavy rap in an era that lacked much other sound in hip hop.
5/5. A truly forward-thinking album that is important not only to the rap community but also to America and the world as a whole.
I just love this style I can't resist
A classic for me. "N.Y. State of Mind," "Halftime," "One Love," and "The World is Yours" bring back some fond memories of listening to this album as an adolescent.
Whenever someone's discussing the all-time greatest MCs, Nas is invariably in the mix, and it ain't hard to tell why. He's not my #1, but his wordplay is solid and his delivery is quick and nimble. There's some overlap here with West Coast gangsta rap, but much of it is superficial. It's not so much gang-related braggadocio as it is an honest representation of the stark realities of living in the rougher areas of NYC in the '90s—which happens to include drugs and violence. It's classic East Coast hip-hop, and as far as the West Coast is concerned, much closer in spirit to Tupac's more introspective work than, say, Snoop's "Doggystyle."
I enjoyed this album more than I expected
incredible, great beats, great lyracism and fantastic vocal style, as a debut album just fantastic. Fav song: NY state of mind least fav song: represent
90s Rap
Nice old school rap. I am happy that I listened to it, but I will probably not actively listen to it again.
Interesting. For the most part I appreciated it. I'm by no means a fan of rap. Most of it I find pedantic, repetitive and unimaginative. I can't usually relate to the lyrics having spent my life in rural PNW.
Touted as one of the greatest rap albums of all time. I can see why it's so popular, but not my style.
Absolutely here for it
This is my favorite era of rap, I think. Nothing about this album, however, really stood out to me. It's just solid as hell.
it's a solid early-90s, NY hiphop album. IDK if it deserves the classic of the genre status it holds but it's pretty great.
This is the epitome of 'on point' isn't it?
Niet mijn soort muziek, maar wel helemaal geluisterd….
Pretty good Once again rap
Un clásico, parece. Tiene buenas canciones, pero estoy seguro que se me escapan muchas cosas que para un gringo están más claras. En cualquier caso, los hits son hitazos que todavía escucho.
Nice beats, heavy lyrics he wa huge at the time was OK.
Didn't light up. Bit of a dud.
I want really listening. There was some good ones in there, but it's all a little gangster isn't it?
I liked the old school hip-hop basslines and beats. Overall the album didn't grab me.
Classic
Mnee, not a fan of hip hop
3.6/5 pretty good hiphop
Impresionante. De esta lista de 1001 discos los que más me están sorprendiendo son los de Hip hop/Rap que no conocía. Este de NAS me parece buenísimo suena todo bien pero me han gustado más temas como: "N.Y. State of Mind", "Life's a Bitch" (featuring AZ), "The World Is Yours", "Halftime", "One Time 4 Your Mind" o "Represent". Cinco estrellas *****.
Illmatic is Nas' masterpiece. It's one of those classic rap albums that everybody claims to love, but this one is actually still enjoyable to modern ears.
Decent hip-hop can actually understand the lyrics.
In just under 40 minutes, we have banger after banger with everything you could ask for in a hip hop album. Let's start with the incredible mindblowing production, by the world famous Q-Tip and DJ Permier (among others) who produced their own masterpieces with similar vibes. It's a chill album, with jazzy, soulful, and atmospheric samples, and hazy and static effects that evoke feelings of nostalgia and despair of the NY state of mind. The record scratches appropriately add on to these emotions, but sometimes contribute to feelings of fun and optimism as in "The World is Yours". There's a lot of diversity in the styles, which give each song its personality. Everyone has a different favorite song. Now for the lyricism. Nas is cool and slick, sometimes loud and in your face, but other times thoughtful and introspective. It's no wonder he's a GOAT. I'm impressed by his extensive metaphors and vocabulary, always smooth yet playing with literary devices as if each song has its own audience and storytelling style. His raps are imaginative; I can picture the scenes, the characters, and the troubles he describes. Sometimes he's self aware of his skills, and at other times he's sending letters to friends in jail. Many songs have catchy hooks that draw your attention, allowing you to participate even for just a one line (or word) chorus. It makes it engaging, but also its limited extent directs your focus to Nas's lyricism. No weak songs. I found something impressive and novel about each of the songs. It's short with no filler. No need for skits either, or at least they're integrated well with the songs that they don't disrupt the flow or mood. "NY State of Mind" starts the album strongly, and "It Ain't Hard to Tell" is an appropriate ending that's atmospheric with bright and dreamy samples: a satisfying way to close the album.
A classic in the rap genre
It took me way too long to finally listen to this full album
Not really my type of music I did save a few songs I will try to listen to this again
I’m not a rap guy
One of my favourite hip hop albums of all time. Lyrically and musically on point!
its ok (very biased ok)
Really good. Especially liked last song it aint hard to tell and lifes a bitch and also one time for your mind. NY state of mind also great Would recommend/re-listen.
Great hip hop record. Not the best one I've ever heard, I don't think anything quite lived up to "Ny State of Mind" but that's fine
Only did a light listen to this due to distractions. Picked up great rhyming ability and some unusually interesting backing tracks along with the usual mix of problematic language. This is prob better than I realise.
Respect for the lyricism but unfortunately not a single song on this album is likely to stay with me after today.
Pretty much as definitive as an album can be for it's era and genre. But it's not a totally perfect album the beats while good can get old with the repetitiveness on some of the tracks. And the storytelling on the album isn't always the most engrossing and can be kind of repetitive. Other than that the albums pretty much perfect, especially in regards to Nas' rhymes which are pretty unmatched.
Pretty enjoyable, I recognized a few of the songs but never knew where they were from. Sounds like the 90’s
Solid tracks individually, wish there was more of an ebb and flow throughout the album
A lot of the starting songs seem either very basic lyrically, or their instrumentation clash. Surprisingly, it does get better after that - I would generally find that songs get worse as you progress through an album, but I found the best songs around the middle of this one. I'm not the biggest fan of 90s Hip Hop, but this one did have my attention for some of these songs. For the others, not so much.
Jú, rennur vel, næs groove undir og svona. Gæti alveg hlustað aftur.
It's Illmatic. NY State of Mind. 'nuf said.
It drops deep as it does in my breath I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death. The album starts with a skit as is tradition in early 90's boom-bap, setting out the stall that these are sounds taken straight from the streets. Then facing into what is arguably THE iconic hip-hop track. NY State of Mind encapsulates everything people love about this era of rap; driving insistent rhythm, mind-blowing sampling work, lyrical excellence, and the anti-hero protagonist delivering with menace and attitude. Life's a Bitch continues in this strong vein of form with a mantra everyone can get behind. We have a nice contrast in the next song, although the world is shit at least it's your world to do with what you please, the guiding belief of gangsters justifying the hustle. First half of the album concludes with 2 very solid tracks, Halftime and Memory Lane. One-Love a bit of a low point with a disjointed beat which never really falls into a groove. One Time 4 Your Mind is back to form with a bass-line that's as smooth as butter, a slow burner that could go for days. For an album that is so lyrical I find it quite hard to focus on the lyrics as the instrumentals are so strong. Could take a few more listens with a lyric sheet to fully appreciate something this dense. Represent another high-point along with the closer to conclude an album that is right up there with 36 Chambers as arguably the best hip-hop album of the 90's Nothing's equivalent to the New York state of mind - 4.5/5
Pretty solid hip hop album, decent lyrics and cool beats
Fantastic
Big Willy Styles.. Just shy of A Tribe Called Quest level perfection
One of the best
This was just post my hip hop phase. I've never really liked the Nas era releases.
As with most of these 1990s hip-hop albums - I love the beats, the samples, the lyricism - not so hot on the subject matter or music overall. Still it was nice to hear this as I'd never heard of Nas - another of my musical blindspots.
It’s good. Cool to hear some of the origin material that inspired later stuff. (E.g. Watsky) Didn’t listen all the way through
Listened as background music, so I didn't fully absorb/appreciate the lyrics. The beats & production are good.
No entiendo está música
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.
Pretty good. Was a nice listen but no songs really stood out
Great album, been a while.
ok
Альбом понравился эффектом прокручивающейся назад плёнки (пластинки). Классно звучит в целом.
Enjoyed this. Hesitant to start it as it's not my type of music, but thought it was quite relaxing and easy to listen to
Classic album. A lot of kinds come from this album that I didn’t even realize
A lot of people would say this is the best rap album of all time. I wouldn’t go that far but it is very good. Nas’s greatest strength is his story telling ability which you hear on almost every song here, especially NY State of mind. I wish he switched his flow up a little more on this but they didn’t do that back then and he does now on his newer stuff. My favorite song on this is The World is Yours.
I had to go back and listen to this. 20 plus years on I am astonished by how assured it is for a debut and how impressive the lyrics are. More observational than first person it provides a overview of life in a manner that should really should be taught in school. The production is great as well. While not my favorite genre, this one is a keeper.
I understand he grew up in a bad situation but overall these lyrics are just too violent for me. I did like the beats that were used underneath the rapping though
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.
Some of it is pretty catchy, but I can’t tell if he's glorifying or criticizing the gangster lifestyle and honestly I don't care enough to find out.
Nas is a great rapper but this is dated and boring.
4.5/5. It's Illmatic.
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.
it falls in the "i can appreciate it but it's not for me" bracket
Good album, probably needs more listens for me to fully appreciate
Not a rap fan
New one for me. Best of hip hop that I’ve heard.
Yeah nah
Timeless east coast hip hop.
Absoluter Klassiker, immer wieder gut
Not gonna discredit it but it’s just not for me!
Understand why Nas is known as such a legend, life's a bitch and then you die.
pretty chill
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.
Rap classic
Real solid, great working music.
This was very 90s. I enjoyed it.
Så nära att vara en femma
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.
A classic but not my favorite type of hip hop
Slusljiv hip hop '90
I can see why this was important, and the lyrics are inventive. But it wasn't my thing.
Classic
Another classic. In my collection
Old school hip hop doesn't get any better than this.
Not a rap/hip-hop enthousiast, but this is top tier stuff. Very nice!
Wow, I love it so full of solid songs, but it's seem like it's mostly an album you would listen in the background in a trendy saketeshop or restaurant. Jazzy sample are really nice. Why is it the first time I listen to it from the begining to the end ???
I'm not a big connoisseur of hip-hop, I don't have many references to explain it, but... It's one of the best hip-hop albums of all time, isn't it? It seems to me that the flow of NAS is varied and perfect. The beats are very easy to listen to, not too flashy, but far from being empty and without interest. The man seems to have a lot of vocabulary and he knows how to use it.
Rightfully one of the most celebrated rap albums of all time. Top tier beats, flow and lyrics - and no weird, horny skits.
Arguably the best rap album of all time, Classic flows and classic beats love NY state of mind and around the park. Love how nas is still dropping classics as well with the kings diseases. :)
Un de mes album rap pref 5
so far its a pretty solid record all around, theres some forgettable verses/choruses although tracks like the world is yours is absolutely amazing but i guess we already know that. a lot of this record is just me thinking “yeah this sounds great” but just nothing stands out as just mindblowing like everyone hypes it up to be. a lot of other hip hop artists from ny in the 90’s give his messages with much better flow lyics and delivery but not to knock down this record, it does deserve the hype it gets and i can see why people say its amazing, it just doesnt stand out to me personally like something like enter the wu tang, the low end theory, or midnight marauders for example did. as i said early though solid record
p729. 1994. 2 stars. Hip-hop/rap. Not my thing at all, so 2 stars. Like the bass and production though, and there are a couple of OK tracks like Life's A Bitch. On the whole, 40 mins of my life I won't get back.
Best of the 90s rap so far
5.0
Not bad
Another absolute banger of an album. One of the greatest and most influential hip-hop records of all time, enough ssid
My standard rap disclaimer is that I'm not a rap person so I always listen with an ear from someone who doesn't listen to this genre regularly. I loved this. The beats felt fresh and the lyrics were great and Nas' flow was fantastic.
Fantastic. This is one I could listen to over and over. Great lyrics, fantastic beats
Why does every one have to be a "b***h a$$ mother-f***er?" on this record? Even with Nas' flow going, it still just seemed a LOT to call out everyone like that ALL the TIME. Still, he really had it going. I liked his word play and the groove was really nice. Short album, not skits. Pretty good.
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.
Lots of cool smooth grooves - generally one smooth groove per song repeated without much change - with Nas saying a LOT. His words are interesting but overwhelming. I know "historically" this is a key rap album, but it didn't click for me like a lot of the other seminal rap albums on the list. Not bad, but just didn't pull me in. Maybe I need more of an appreciation for how it changed rap or just need to listen more, but I'm moving on.
Het gepraat is eentonig, maar ook de beats zijn erg saai. Nee, dit is hem niet.
So this might be the greatest hip hop album of all time, but it's not my favourite. I was pretty ignorant of it though, wasn't into much besides the Beasties and old school 80s rap at this time. My tastes developed but I didn't go back to this. Hearing it now, I can see why it's loved and admired, and Nas has great delivery, but it's not really my thing. Definitely decent. ... That's what I was originally writing anyway, then, song by song, this just got it's hooks in me. What a great album. Are those sleigh-bells in Half-time? Is this Nas' Xmas song about smoking weed and staying alive on the streets? Anyway, I'm bumping up to 4 stars because of that incredibly strong run of tracks through the middle. Tracks - NY State of Mind, The World is Yours, Half-time, Memory Lane, Represent.
LP
Great!
Good hip-hop. Powerful lyrics. Maybe not my favourite type of music, but it's a good album nonetheless.
The Genesis: I suppose this is more of an intro to the album, as it's relatively short. I like the music in the background a lot and I would've preferred it had there been no talking over it but I can see the creative intention behind it. (⭐⭐) N.Y. State of Mind: Some of the lyrics really caught my attention. Clever commentary of the life the singer lived in New York. The chorus helps break up the song and make it more digestible, regardless of it just repeating, "New York state of mind." The lyricism is great and I believe that is the strong point of this song. The music is good but I wish it had more rather than just repeating the same melody. (⭐⭐⭐) Life's a Bitch (feat. AZ & Olu Dara): I like the music, it has more to it. The message is clear and the rhyming is great. Overall, not much to say but a good track nonetheless. Wish the chorus wasn't as repetitive, even though only sang twice, it was very jarring and borderline boring. (⭐⭐⭐) The World Is Yours: A lot of the music in this album sounds extremely similar which makes it boring. That could be argued as a choice made to create a cohesive album, but it can also be argued that the same can be done even with different music. Could be much better with different production. The chorus is an upgrade from the chorus in the previous song. Although still repetitive, it has a different melody, which contrasts it from the rest of the song, paired with the interruptions of record scratches and Nas speaking, it makes it a more enjoyable experience. (⭐⭐⭐) Halftime: Off the bat, the music in this one is much more different from the rest which helps make it a standout, even very early in the album. (⭐⭐⭐⭐) Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park): The rhyming in this one is great and the music is interesting, the background vocals helping add to the feeling. (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) One Love (feat. Q-Tip): Not much to say but the song was enjoyable. (⭐⭐⭐⭐) One Time 4 Your Mind: I like the break in the song for the short moment of talking. The music is great and, overall, this song is fantastic. (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) Represent: Super catchy and probably the best off this album. The music has a good amount of variation and the chorus is different enough from the rest of the song to offer a good change in pace. (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) It Ain't Hard to Tell: Off the bat, a good ending to the album. Has reative music and the lyrics are strong. My only complaint is that it feels a lot shorter than it actually is. (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This album is extremely backloaded, a majority of its most creative and lyrically sound songs are found at the end. The album is cohesive, keeping similar themes throughout the songs to help tie them together. A classic early 90s album for fans of hip hop. The album cover is creative and helps convey the mood of the album off the bat, the cityscape in the background shows New York City, a prominent theme in the album. 3.9/5
Nas’ general talents with the spoken word are definitely illmatic, featuring a solid and extensive command of vocabulary, layered rhythms and multisyllabic rhymes, illustrative scene setting, etc. The actual life those words are witnessing, though, is an illness. No fewer than half the songs celebrate the acquisition of money as a necessary component to happiness. More than half speak to a daily practice of self-medication. And practically all the songs feature some kind of gun violence, or the threat of, including murder. The ‘N.Y. State of Mind,’ for example, involves a watching of one’s ass at all times. ‘Life’s a Bitch,’ Nas claims, ‘and then you die, that’s why we get high. ‘Cause you never know when you’re gonna go.’ Nas’ letter to a prisoner on ‘One Love’? It sucks out here on the outside, too. 'Illmatic' is all about extoling the art of the street hustle, and there is a real possibility that had I grown up as a black kid in the late 20th century in the Queensbridge projects I’d be rapping these songs too. That is, if I weren’t incarcerated or shot dead in a drug deal. But my life has been significantly different from Nas’, with privileges and opportunities he could scarcely dream of. So, how do I review 'Illmatic'? I might as well be a vegan reviewing a steakhouse, or a blind person reviewing a movie. I understand and appreciate Nas’ talent as a rapper. But I do not understand (nor can I appreciate) the existence he raps about. Doesn’t mean that I’m not listening, though, and trying to learn.
Fantastic rap album by Nas. His first album at such a young age gives an insight to the New York street life. The lyrics are raw and visual. The beats are great and still entertaining today. This album is historical in Nas having it produced by various people. This album is one of the best. 8.9/10
Borderline perfect
Veit at detta albumet blir rekna som veldig bra, men eg berre forstår ikkje koffor Ikkje min sjanger Life's a bitch and then you die e ein bra quote då, så + for den
Får jo lyst til å spilla GTA San Andreas, men gir meg ikkje så masse meir
Amazing old school real hip hop 4/5
Great East Coast vibes, with Nas's flow and bars top notch. It isn't to my taste as much as some other hip hop may be, but the quality here is undeniable.
East Coast Hip Hop™️
I went into this having heard how amazing Nas is from people that listen to a lot of hip hop, and then seeing the reviews in here describing this as the absolute best rap album of all time. That was a mistake. If I went into this without all of the hype I might have enjoyed it more, instead I heard what sounded like so many other rap albums. The beats, the flow, and the content of the lyrics all just sounded the same as what I've heard elsewhere. I expected something incredible and I got normal. It was good, I liked it, but I don't see why this was mind-blowing for so many.
Not a big listener of Rap and I hated Yeezus which was an offering a week ago.. this however is better. Good grooves. The lyrics portray an experience of growing up in the 'hood and are not a procession of ego posturings. No skits too. Solid 3. (It would prob be a 4 if I liked the genre)
Not bad.
Hip hop is not my main music genre, but I respect and appreciate the good music, and this album is a true piece of art!
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
Pretty solid rap album but I just won’t go out of my way to listen to most of this
Beste wel prima hip hop album, maar niet zo lekker als die van Biggy
Pica
One of the greatest rap albums of all time. classic!
Lyrically cannot be beat. Still, I’ve had other Nas songs and lyrics stick with me more. It’s still iconic.
It's as good as everyone has said. This album is 27 years old!!! It blends "street" rap with the trip-hop/horns backing and beats and political rap. I'm only on my first listen and suspect it will take many more to fully ingest this. Easy five stars.
Some lovely production here. Not listened to this album through before beyond the singles so it was a good day.
legendary and foundational album
The best
One of the best ever
Slick rapping, smooth beats. Great BGM for me but nothing more.
I was only vaguely familiar with Nas before listening to this album. I enjoyed the stripped down sound and texture. I'd listen again
It's just not the genre for me.
Hotter than a Manilla tic’s bite, I liked this much more than expected. Uncomplicated and easy to listen to
I love this album. Hip hop / rap at its best. I will be honest and say this is not my type of music. This has really changed my mind on the whole genre. The laid grooves really set it off
Undisputed classic. No wasted space.
Unfuckwithable
Highlights: Halftime, One Time 4 your Mind. Just a great sounding album. Even if you think you don't like the genre, give it a shot.
“life’s a bitch and then you die” very wise words from Nas
Wasn’t too bad actually, pleasantly surprised
Liked this very much. Well done Mr Nas
Know what I'm sayin'? No I don't, nas
great flow, content is immature at times
One of the greatest and most influential rap albums of all time. The classic beats and smooth flow from Nas make it a classic.
The genre isn't one of my favorites, but this one - I do like. I can do without some of the language, but compared to other similar music, this one is pretty tame... I do like the song "Life's a Bitch" and then you die - that's why we get high... I think it might just be my new anthem. :) 3/5
The last hip-hop album I drew on the list was Kendrick Lamar's "good kid, m.A.A.d city", lauded as the "Illmatic" of its generation. It's been interesting comparing the two as coming-of-age records, two individuals dealing with the gangster lifestyle and their surroundings. Nas doesn't quite show the same nuance as Lamar did twenty years later, and the music isn't as ambitious in scope, but it wouldn't be fair to spend the whole review comparing "Illmatic" to another album. By all accounts it's still a landmark in hip-hop, a game-changing record rich and vivid in its autobiographical detail. Like a lot of the hip-hop I've encountered on the list, I'm going to need to put some more hours in listening before "Illmatic" reveals its treasures to me. On first listen, some of the music seemed a little thin on the ground ("N.Y State of Mind"'s stark bass-piano figure and drum beat, the mellow and downbeat "The World Is Yours", the repetitive "One Love"). That said, there are some notable features from artists I admire (Q-Tip, DJ Premier, and a particularly scene-stealing turn from AZ in my personal highlight "Life's a Bitch"). There's no denying that Nas's verses are very well written and performed, with lyrics just as suited to poring over on genius.com as they are marvelling at in real time as Nas effortlessly rolls them off the tongue. His lyrics revel in gritty detail, self-evaluation and a queasy mixture of pride and abandonment ("Represent" is a killer example, with its musical arrangement providing the urgency it deserves). It may not have held my attention throughout (by not conforming to my rockist, melody-over-lyrics sensibilities), but "Illmatic" is clearly an accomplished album and one I'm going to have to come back to in time to appreciate its full magnitude.
Just ok to me. Admittedly not the best judge on hip hop.
Toques de hip-hop y rap. Sin más. Ningún título destacable. Nada que le haga especial, aunque se deja escuchar, al no ser muy intenso
Great example of good beats and sampling mixed with solid vocals. Would revisit this one for some relaxing hip hop vibes.
I made it through the whole thing but I can't say I enjoyed it
the greatest debut album in hip hop
Boring raps, with dull backing samples that sound a bit like jazz-esque background music they'd play in a restaurant. Just a bit meh all the way through
Best hip-hop album of all time.
Probably on my list of 10 greatest hip hop albums ever. What can you say that hasn't been said. Classic, no skips.
A brilliant hip hop album, nearly 5/5. The beats a little repetitive though. 9/10
Intriguing.
My roommate played this (and the Siamese Dream-LOL) nonstop for a year straight. Lotta nostalgia tied up in this... that was a trying year.
I was surprised by a more alternative hip hop sound (though with a harder edge to the lyrics). In 1991 Nas really sounded like a bridge between 80s hip hop and 90s gangsta rap. You can hear a shift in his style by 1996's "It Was Written." I've always liked Nas, and this added exposure doesn't change that. However, nothing really stands out on "Illmatic" as a can't miss track. It's very even, without extreme highs or lows.
And a half. This was good
90s hip hop/ rap. I didn’t know this guy. Enjoyed listening to it on a long drive. There is lots of music like this and I’m not clear what puts this album into the 1001. It was descent but …
Hip hop sweet spot and you don't stop
Does nothing for me
One of the best hip hop records ever Fav tracks: - N.Y. State of Mind - Life's a Bitch - The World Is Yours - Memory Lane Least fav: - One Time 4 Your Mind
Not a rap aficionado, but I recognise the excellence of the lyrical content.
Great flow, massively influential
it has the definitive nas song interesting that it goes for quality over quantity
Surprisingly I somewhat enjoyed this, but still the majority of rap/hip-hop is not for me. "The World is Yours" and " Halftime" were my favourite tracks.
Yeah I’m gonna have to listen to this more
Not my type of music none of the songs stood out to me and not an album I would listen to again soon
The rap music
Is this why there is Little Nas? And did they coin the phrase “life’s a b and then you die?”
Boring
Meh
Yo, I can't pretend I understand or can relate to this music, but I don't hate it and I can listen to it. I probably won't again, it's just that it's not my kind of music. Ya know what I'm saying...
Life’s a bitch, and then you die.
Good one
I’m not surprised how much I still like this.
As somebody that is not a big fan of hip hop this was a very enjoyable album to listen to.
This is a lyrics-focused album. The beats and the samples are minimal, making the listeners focus on the lyrics, on what the album is narrating. Which is apparently his life in the rough areas of New York City. I love everything about this, the sampling, the vulnerable and not the usual machismo-driven lyrics, and the overall solid length of 30+ minutes. Definitely a classic.
Surprisingly awesome
В то время звучало интересно, сейчас - нет. 7/10
I enjoyed this much more than I anticipated. The lyrics are intelligent and on point. Overall a good listening experience.
3/5 Beats were really cool, and quite liked the rapping in places. But overall it just didn’t do it for me.
Rap. Got to admit that I was falling asleep while listening, and my semi-hazy recollection of the first few tracks was that the beats were pretty repetitive, but the rap flowed really well. I'll have to listen again, but I'm gonna go 3 on the basis of those repetitive beats.
Not bad; it surprised me because I thought hip-hop was always about getting girls and money. I think I'd have to listen again to focus more on the lyrics, though.
Was all round quite good nothing be to say about it really. 4.35/5
yees
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
Dope
Eu me surpreendi com o álbum, gostei mais do que imaginei, achei que era mais do mesmo da old school, mesmo sabendo que é um clássico, mas gostei muito, a vibe é bem gostosa. Músicas favoritas: N.Y. State of Mind; The World is Yours; Memory Lane; One Love
Don't feel too qualified to judge, but the tempo and overall feel seems a pivotal moment for hip-hop -- from showier and classic acts to grittier, more specifically urban (i.e., NYC-centric). Pretty ill, indeed. Beats seem very much of the moment. Clear, articulate flows in the rapping, too.
5.0 + Sleek and ferocious with smooth jazz samples and non-stop bars. Arguably the pinnacle of New York hip hop, and any hip hop ever.
Classic hip hop. I was surprised how few tracks I recognised by name, but knew more of the songs when they came on. NY state of mind and the world is yours were stand outs, but the whole album works well as a piece
Great grooves.
Dope
Buen hip hop, buenas mezclas. Un par de canciones pegajosas. 2.5 que debería quedarse ahí, pero subirá a 3 porque no se me hace un disco de 2. Songs: Life's a Bitch, NY State of Mind
Otro disco de Rap que se me pasa sin pena ni gloria. No me pareció odioso como el Hip Hop actual en el que cantan con voz de idiota, pero eso tampoco basta para ganarse más estrellas.
As far as debut albums go, there are few more iconic and impactful Rap albums. Nas' lyrics and flow are smooth, simple, and restrained in a way that you understand his journey and views that got him to this point. All while showcasing the potential that would make him a figure for the industry moving forward.
I was surprised how much I liked this, as I don't usually gravitate to this sort of music other than the well known bangers. I paid no attention to the lyrics but I'd defo listen to it again as a boppy backdrop for work.
Very, very talented. Simple, thoughtful music without being pretentious. His ego doesn't get in the way, here.
Nas is an insane lyricist. This album also serves as a who's who, featuring members of Gang Starr and Tribe all over the record. Still insane all these years later. Plus, front-loaded with some of the best rap tracks ever. Favorite tracks: "New York State of Mind", "The World is Yours", "Memory Lane"
I don't listen to as much hip hop as I used to, but this is pretty good.
IM OUT FOR DEAD PRESIDENTS TO REPRESENT ME
The best rap album ever. No skits, no filler tracks, only 1 excellent guest verse. Every best sounds classic, Nas is on fire beginning to end. NY state of mind and the 2nd verse on memory lane especially are my favourites
Not my genre and nothing special here to enjoy
Never listened to before. Certainly more enjoyable (to me) than much of the what makes up the rap genre today.
classic
A pretty good album,not up to the standard of the best from Eminem, A Trube Called Quest or Kanye but NY State of mind and Life's a Bitch, Halftime are great. 3.75 stars
Illmatic by Nas (1994) Here we have intensely local East Coast hip hop brought to the listener by a variety of producers supporting the considerable talents of 20-year old Nasir Jones, ‘Nas’. With relatively smooth beats, and softly pulsing R&B and jazz keyboards rocking in the background, these tracks are generally free of production gimmicks, tending to focus the lister’s ears on the poetry of the lyrics. And the lyrics are every bit poetic. With a consistent meter that isn’t evident on the printed page, we hear a mature mix of cadence, alliteration, creative visual figures, syncopation, and exquisite internal and external rhyme. Nas delivers his poetry with crisp diction and disciplined spoken tone. It helps to have an ear for urban slang and street life references, but there are resources available to the serious listener who wants to understand (I recommend a critical use of the Genius app). Several nice touches are heard here in the midst of the violence, drugs, and sex, like the outro to “Life’s a Bitch”, with a very nice low register jazz trumpet performance by Olu Dara Jones, Nas’ father. It’s a “keepin’ it real” declamation of the criminal, violent, and drug-saturated facts of life for the young men living in the low-cost high-density habitation of the Queensbridge Houses (‘projects’) on the eastern banks of New York’s East River. Who was the genius who decided to keep these people poor and far from Fifth Avenue but close enough to Manhattan to make a daily commute for doing the dirty work? The unified field theory of 20th century American urban planning is cheap labor. Nas draws vivid pictures of the results. “Life’s a bitch and then you die; that’s why we get high, ‘cause ya never know when you’re gonna go.” “Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined; I think of crime when I'm in a New York state of mind.” “My strength, my son, the star will be my resurrection; Born in correction, all the wrong shit I did, he'll lead in right direction.” One may recoil, or wish it away, but this is an integral element of the artistic trajectory of our day. And on this album, it is done well. 4/5
Not my cup of tea
Some of it is hit and miss for me, but it's undeniably a great hip hop album. Giving a 4 as it would probably grow on me over time. The last track is my favourite
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.
Liked this considerably less than the one 2 days ago
I can appreciate it, understand it, tip my hat to it, maybe even masterbate to it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I love it. Bumping it up a point for staying within a nice, tight run time.
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.
Was pretty good and can see why Nas was so influential to others in the future.
This album brought back memories of when I used to hustle on the streets of Brooklyn. 1. I have never been to New York. 2. I have never hustled on the streets.
First time listening to this. I kept having moments where I thought the music sounded familiar but then realized that it's because the rapper Logic seems to copy a ton of Nas's themes. Good album.
Abjectly East Coast. Didn't realize NAS came up around Tribe. Harder than Tribe, though.
Solid album. Fully appreciated the Michael Jackson sample on It Ain't Hard to Tell when listening through.
haven't listened to a lot of 90s rap, i enjoyed it
Dem New Yawrk beats are fya
Jam after jam on this album. I can see why people call it a classic.
This was fine
I don't like exactly this rap
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
Illmatic is a properly impressive piece of work honestly. He wrote this piece when he was 19 and at that time had more lyrical ability then most rappers would ever achieve honestly. It's a really solid piece of work, but I don't think I'm a huge huge fan of it. I've listened to it a quite a few times, and it's sort of the album that people respect you for listening to. But eh, I don't like it all that much. Could be my southern bias too a certain degree, but I don't think I love it as much as everyone else does.
Not bad as far as rap goes, but just not my thing. 2 stars.
Классика
Solid. Kinda tame beats but words and flow are great
Definitely caught and kept my attention. There's a darkness to many of the track's rhythm and harmony that I like. It's not so dark as to be overly dissonant or grating to my ear, and it's not a downer; it's really a texture or layering that I'm feeling. Melodically, it's a bit more interesting to my ear than other rap and hip-hop I've heard. I could almost see the notes climbing up and down the staff as a song progressed, and I don't normally get that kind of visual imagery. Very cool. I'll need to go back to listen again and read the lyrics, too. As someone who loves poetry, I'm hearing some intriguing uses of meter and lyricism. 'Memory Lane' and 'Represent,' among others...I need to dig in. Great album. (Follow-Up: I just scrolled the Wikipedia article; dang, that's a long one! I'll definitely have to read it.)
Reminds me of knuckles stages.
An instant classic, probably the greatest hip hop album of all time. Highlights for me are N.Y. State of Mind, Halftime, Represent, and It Ain't Hard to Tell
This album is a fine example of 90s East Coast hiphop.
Really good but I just wish there had been more variety in the beats 8/10
6/10. Alright
Classic for a reason. 9/10
A Hip-hop Classic
Not to my taste but appreciate the variety and style.
Really good.
not a genre I listen to to.