Reviews (page 13 of 14)
I know this is one of those albums people treat like sacred text, but honestly, it just didn’t land for me. I get that the production is supposed to be classic, and sure, there’s some solid beat work going on here, but it all started to blur together for me pretty fast. It’s very of-its-time, and maybe if I’d heard it back in the 90s I’d feel differently, but as a first-time listener now, it just felt more like a historical document than something that actually moved me. The flow is technically strong, but I struggled to stay invested. Lyrically, I could see what he was going for — snapshots of street life, coming-of-age realism — but I found a lot of it hard to connect with. Some of the bars are clever, but there’s also a fair bit of posturing, and I didn’t really feel like I got to know the person behind the words. It was all scene-setting, no real heart. N.Y. State of Mind was probably the standout for me, and Life’s a Bitch had its moments too, but the rest just left me a bit cold. I didn’t hate it, I just didn’t care, and that’s maybe worse. I think the main thing is that I came into this expecting something mind-blowing and instead found something that felt like background music with an occasional pulse. I can respect its place in music history, but for me, Illmatic is more admired than enjoyed. It’s not bad, it’s just not one I’m ever going to reach for again.
Another boring ass hip hop album
Started off chill and like I was really going to love this album (this wasn't my jam when I was listening to music back when this actually came out in 1994). But then it just sort stayed chill and got repetitive for me. Not my favorite.
Not my thing and rather bland. Everything sounded basically the same.
Didn't want to like this album. It was a little bit of a surprise that had its moments. Not much light and shade and its a repetitive sound. Some good hooks and interesting lyrics throughout.
"life is a bitch and then we die, which is why we get high". This just writes itself!!
jo jo niga pul da čriga itd.
This album was fine. I'm not really a fan of like groove rap for an entire album. Slow and vibes. It wasn't bad, and I didn't HATE it, but this isn't a rap album I'd reach for regularly. "N.Y. State of Mind" was solid tho and "The World Is Yours" put me back in my childhood room playing NBA 2K13 (I thought it was on Madden too, but after a quick Google search I guess I was wrong lol). Maybe a 2.25 Liked Songs: "N.Y. State of Mind" , "The World Is Yours" , "Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)" , "Represent"
I liked some of the samples, good lyrics for at least some of the songs. Overall this wasn't bad, but I didn't love it. 2.5
Another album in the hip-hopathon that has been suddenly inflicted upon me. Unlike the other albums I've listened to, I've actually heard this one before. I don't remember why. I'm pretty sure I had a sudden impulse to give hip-hop a fair shake back in 2023, which wasn't a success as I did not like this album. My opinion of this album has improved now that I have more music-listening experience under my belt. Nas is a pretty good vocalist. His voice is attention-grabbing and lends itself nicely to this tempo and style of singing. I couldn't listen to the lyrics as closely as I would have liked to, but what I was able to pick up was pretty good. Some good rhymes and choices of words, particularly on "Life's a Bitch" and "One Love". Musically, the album is a bit of a mixed bag. The instrumental on "The World Is Yours" is a particular highlight, even if it errs on the side of being too long-winded. "One Love" does a good job of holding my attention despite having a very minimal instrumental. Other instrumentals leave a lot to be desired, like "Memory Lane" and "One Time 4 Your Mind", which are very dated and weak in the percussion department. The first half of this album was pretty competent and distinct, though the second half really falters with a blur of songs that sound similar to one another. This ultimately killed my enthusiasm for the album, even if I can admit that the music itself is competent. I know this album is massively popular and a classic, so I'm not gonna quibble over whether it deserves to be in the book. Regardless, I am curious. "Proof that hardcore hip hop can move minds as well as feet". About Nas' experience growing up in the New York projects. He was 20 years old when this album released. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a book comprised of 1001 entries, but the write-ups for these albums never explain the history or impact of these albums, which I think is the biggest decider in whether an album is worthy of pre-mortem listening. Regardless, it's very impressive that Nas was 20 when this album released.
Generic gangsta rap to my ears.
Pas mon genre mais ça s’écoute bien
Not offensive but not good
don't understand the huge hype & praise for this album. the beats get monotonous, & just don't understand the praise for his lyrics. yes, they tell a story, but his tone is so one-note.
Nas lyrics, which I’m reading for the first time, flow smoothly and are full of images. But still, my first feelings about Illmatic back in the 90s haven’t really changed. To me, it often feels like he’s just talking over beats that sound kind of flat and lifeless. His voice stays on the same tone, there’s no real anger here, no humor like in West Coast rap. It feels more like a well written documentary about his hood in NYC than a full, exciting piece of music.
Not for me
I wasn't really sure what to do with this. I'm willing to put this on me the listener rather than the album itself, but the whole album felt like one identical song, and I wasn't a huge fan of that song.
Not for me.
I can tell the guy can rap well but didn’t pay attention as I fast forwarded frequently. The tunes behind the rap were too repetitive for me. I prefer good music, then lyrics.
No a fan
All a bit serious. NYC and the east coast in general lacks any charm. I have no desire to buy into his world
Look, I can tell it's good.The lyrics are razor-sharp, the production is spot on, but it's deeply rooted in a very specific reality: That “gotta represent” ethos—where your identity is tied to your block, your crew, your hustle—it’s powerful, but I didn’t grow up in that mindset or world, and it feels more like watching a documentary than something I can feel on a gut level. Good but not for me.
point9.
Nao adianta nao gosto de rap
MF'ers (correctly?) forgot about Nas.
Nope
Not very interesting, bored me after a bit. It wasn't really terrible.
I am not going to run out and buy a Nas album, but this was not nearly as bad as I feared. Most songs had an actual tune, and I understood at least 20% of the lyrics if I tried real hard to listen.
I... cannot understand why this got as big as it did. It's just not really an enjoyable album. Nas's rap rhythm is a bit offputting, and the lyrics really don't capture a whole lot. Pretty mid.
No
Nas’ flow was not bad. He needed more variety with his subject matter. Hearing him rap about weed and about how his neighborhood is bad got old after a while.
Hip hop, acústicamente atractivo, bien sampleado, por lo demás no tengo mucho que opinar de este género que no me identifico en absoluto
Meins ist es nicht
"Life's a bitch and then you die" fand ich ganz cool als Zitat. All in all bin ich einfach kein großer Hip Hop Fan.
I'm sorry, but rap just isn't for me. Halftime was a bit above averge, but overall just not my thing
Every couple years I try to get into hip hop, and I always end up listening to this one. This is maybe my 4th time trying to get it, but I still don't.
Probably the best hip hop album I’ve heard so far. A minimum of the annoying sound effects, the rapping does impressive things with language and the beat is kind of addictive. Almost a 3 if I thought I’d ever choose to listen to it.
N F M. Love the tunes but not the world I live in or want to hear about. Sorry 🤦🏻♂️
Nice rhymes. Laid back. But. Sorry, I can't do the drugs and guns.
🤷♀️
This is pleasant enough but wasn't earth-shattering. Nice loops and the flow is good, but I didn't feel like this was doing or saying anything I haven't heard before.
I understand that this album is held in high regard, but I don't understand it myself. Sure, it isn't bad but I think it's a bit boring.
I liked the rhythms but I disliked all the derogatory language.
Its a rap album
💯реп
Just not my jam at all
Raps not really my genre. But this is melodic with compelling text.
People being "hard" into mics gets a little repetitive.
I don't like rap or hiphop so I'm not a fair critic here. There are a few rap artists or albums that with for me; this wasn't one of them.
Uff. Sehr roh.
Aaand it sucks from the beginning. But then some parts are not terrible. But then some parts are terrible again!
Monotone muziek
2 Stars (5/15)
Really not for me but I'm not it's audience obviously. I've never visited hip hop and rap as a genre. This had some good beats but not for me.
not for me sorry
Not my cup of tea, but can see why it's rated well
Again just a case of respecting the album rather than enjoying it.
Hip-Hip is not really my genre, although I like some here and there. Nas is an artist I have never heard of. Some of the samples are interesting and the vibe and delivery is a bit more chilled and laid back when compared to say N.W.A. or Public Enemy. However the lyrics could be considered \"angry\". This album contains all the elements that Hip-Hop fans seem to love. Those who aren't into Hip-Hop like myself may find this album drags a bit.
Nothing too memorable. Kinda bland. Two stars for some good sampling.
Just not In the mood
No entiendo por qué es icónico, no me gustó para nada.
pas ouf
I don't quite understand the culture inspiring the music. A few good tracks in the middle, without dropping any N words or mentioning selling cocane or using guns to solve problems.
I keep hoping I'll find a rap album that I enjoy out of this. The production was well done, Nas' voice was fine, just not my thing.
i understand how this is a classic of its genre but i don't like this kind of music
I really don't get what's great about this album. Not bad, but utterly forgettable. I've felt that way about east coast hip hop music before, so I guess I'm just not a fan.
I didn't really vibe with this.
Another album that I can sorta understand its importance, but this genre really isn’t my thing. The beats are a bit too repetitive. The lyrics are ok but nothing stood out to me. 2.5/5
Eh it was fine.
Ordinarily I wouldn't give something like this a chance but I read the Wiki article first and pulled it up. Thus far I'm at track 7 and haven't yet deleted it. I've heard much worse. UPDATE: Near the end my hand involuntarily reached for the delete button but I managed to fight off the compulsion and made it all the way through.
I’m not a rap kind of chap. Offensive at times, but not the worst.
boh noiosetto
Not a fan. Album was ok but I didn’t favorite any song.
I really like the music, much less keen on the lyrics. Not a big fan of rap in general.
Nice beats, didn’t understand a lot of the lyrics.
This album is from 1994 and this is when that music was popular, but nowadays this is very outdated. I have also moved away from rap music, as I have gotten older, and I don't think that it was very exciting to listen to. Quite meh but alright in the background, I guess. Nothing too exciting, just a bunch of yapping but I do understand that this was the rap music that was popular back then.
Meh ..
It wasn’t bad but not my thing
Sounds like typical rap from the early 90’s. Appreciate the message. Beats just seem to be typical and redundant.
appreciate but not my thing. explicit
Of any relation to Lil Nas X?
Clásica estética y sonido callejero neoyorquino con el jazz-rap en la base de todo. Letras literarias y rapeo fluido capaz de evocar la dura realidad del gueto pero, al mismo tiempo, lanzar señales de esperanza. Así en "N.Y. State of Mind" rima: "nunca duermo, porque el sueño es primo de la muerte". Sin ser muy aficionado al rap, destacaría "Life's a Bitch", en colaboración con AZ y Olu Dara.
RAP 2/5
This sounds really dated. The beats are original at times but the lyrics are the exact same shit as every other rap song from this time period. How do you have an entire of genre of music that just says the exact same thing over and over again? “I deal drugs and have lots of sex and am rich and commit frequent acts of violence” said in slightly different ways over ten million different albums. Pass.
3.5/10 - Better than most of the rap albums we have gotten so far in my opinion. But I feel like there is a good chance that the people actually in the rap community will have an opposing opinion. Life's a B kind of sounds like a Beastie Boys song if the voice was different. Also I see Lupe Fiasco took a hint from Nas and brought it to a whole new level. Instead of half a song being names of his boys Lupe made an entire 10 minute song about it.
Didn't hate it, just not into rap.
It´s just rap - but it´s ok.
Extremely violent and outdated. This is from the time when saying lyrics about killing people and gangster shit was cool. I don’t think it’s cool. Also, this was lame in comparison to albums like Snoop Dogg or Dr. Dre because the rhymes were basic and it didn’t have any humor or playfulness to it. Like I said just negative and violent. Some of the beats were OK. 2/5.
Life’s a bitch and then you die. Now I know where that line came from.
Funky tunes
2024-04-13...
Rap, nie mój gatunek
Not really my thing, but contentedly had it on in the background while I did other stuff.
Some good samples, though sometimes it doesn't really go anywhere. The rapping ranges from terrible to above average. Not enough on the higher end.
What can i say. Classic
repetitive
I have a really hard time catching the lyrics, which is what (apparently) makes this album great. Without that it all just kind of falls flat. There's some good production work, but otherwise I'm not into it. Good enough that it's not bad, though.
Boring, monotonous, sometimes annoying, yo man hip-hop music.
This album was definitely not for me
I feel like I’m missing something here but this album didn’t do much for me. Liked the song with Q Tip and the songs following it were alright but the album was mostly forgettable for me. Probably would benefit from a few more listens which may happen tbf
It was ok, didn't love it, didn't hate it - it didn't really capture me so probably not one I'll listen to again
Rap goes too fast for me most of the time, the only word I understood reliably while listening was cocaine
Listened twice, appreciated the rhymes, but didn’t find something special
Short listen only...not the best of the genre it seemed
Not my thing, though I like the beats and I get that it was revolutionary.
I feel really bad for this, but it's just boring.
Not my favorite.
Another rap album. It’s not as bad as some of the others.
Not my style. Could maybe listen to it in the background while getting stuff done but not an album I would solely sit an listen to.
Я никогда не был большим фаном рэпа. Да, оно чётко, чисто, хорошо зачитано. Но мне как бы так похер. Две звезды.
Not a fan of this genre
Not the best rap I’ve ever heard, but still markedly better than most modern rap.
I hated this album. The lyrics were good, sure. The instrumental was awful and felt like it was missing something. The flow was not there.
Solider Hip Hop aber für mich etwas zu jazzig.
Mundane gangsta rap with the usual drugs, violence and sexism, but without clever wordplay or rhythms.
Good listening for a particular type of mood. Rap but not too aggressive. Strong lyrically. No real stand out song that I could determine.
# Playlist track - The World is Yours # Notes - A bit repetitive. In some songs, like "NY State of Mind" you are already annoyed by the same 3 notes by the middle of the song.
I don‘t like hip-hop. I gave this album a try but I still don‘t like hip-hop.
this is just not my genre
An album of despair. Instructive but unpleasant listening
Nicht mein Ding...
I enjoyed a few songs but most of the songs sounded the same to me.
Really does nothing for me.
2-3. I like the musicality, the bass lines, backing singers and overall vibe. I just fundamentally don’t think I enjoy rap and man I really tried. I think it’s good rap I just don’t like it.
This is Nas' debut album.
Gangsta rap Gut zum nebenbei GTA zu spielen
This is probably the highest rating I'll ever give to this genre
It's saving grace is that it was short
Was an okay album, wasn’t amazing for me but appreciate this was out so long ago it would have been a massive debut album.
Meh. Not a huge fan
# 114 : RAP! Hip Hop rubbish is not my thing at all. Still, I can listen to it, pretty solid throughout. Favourite Track : Life's A Bitch Listened : 21/11/2023
I understand that it’s a significant piece in hip hop history but it just doesn’t resonate with me
Starts out a little messy and confused. Second track a little middle of the road, but not annoying. Easy listening hip hop.
Goes on a bit
Nice vibe, I enjoyed it enough, though not my favourite genre.
I don't really like rap.
I dig some of these tunes, but some don’t hold up for me. And I am sick of hearing about NYC neighborhoods getting name checked
Instantly forgettable rap for me. Nothing really caught my ear apart from the odd decent line and a few nice bass riffs. I actually forgot this was on, just blended into the background.
Kopfnickeralarm
Decent. Not a fan of rap so didn't care too much for it. (50%)
Nice to listen to to transport yourself to a different time and place, not doing much for me musically though
Fine, chill vibes, but not a hip-hop guy personally. Interesting start to this journey though 2/5
Good but very explicit
I really want to like rap but I think a lot of the subject matters in this album just don’t speak to me. Perhaps reading the lyrics ahead of time and musing over them will help…
lyrics were really impressive and I liked some of the beats. Hip-hop is just not my genre. Top Tracks: 1) Represent 2) Memory Lane
Eh.
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
Ik heb geen zin in rap
Pretty fine as far as rap music goes, I liked the instrumentals. Not my thing though
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.
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.
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.
Didn't click with me.
Not for me
I can appreciate it but it didn't do much for me
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.
Iconic
Interessante, ha un buon ritmo, ma non è esattamente nelle mie corde.
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.
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.
Hip hop. Coñazo.
Kinda boring
Not really for me BUT I can appreciate it
meh, it's Okay I guess, but it's still rap.
not an east coast rap guy as much
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.
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.
its ok (very biased ok)
Respect for the lyricism but unfortunately not a single song on this album is likely to stay with me after today.
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.
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
it falls in the "i can appreciate it but it's not for me" bracket
Yeah nah
Not gonna discredit it but it’s just not for me!
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.
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
It's just not the genre for me.
Know what I'm sayin'? No I don't, nas
I made it through the whole thing but I can't say I enjoyed it
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
Does nothing for me
Not my type of music none of the songs stood out to me and not an album I would listen to again soon
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...
Not my genre and nothing special here to enjoy
Not my cup of tea
Not bad as far as rap goes, but just not my thing. 2 stars.
not a genre I listen to to.
Not for me.
Perhaps one of the most overrated albums.. ever. I unironically think 2018's NASIR blows Illmatic out of the water in terms. Even if I compare this to a different record and artist entirely, such as Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys, that has more tight and snappy beats, sounds less repetitive, and takes more repetitive risks. I do not understand the hype here, at all.
Not my thing
no me copo mucho, pero es algo que el genero tampoco me copa.
Ouch! Too spikey for me.
2/5 Not my kinda music.
Not my favourite genre of music but for rap it’s more than listenable. While I did enjoy the pleasant flow it’s not an album I’ll actively seek to play again. If ‘90s rap is your style though, you’ll probs really dig it. 2 Stars!
The good news about Illmatic is it's sonically pleasant. The beats have flava (shoot me for using the slang) and the samples are tasteful, well-chosen and varied. There's some nice scratching on The World is Ours and Memory Lane. Olu Dara's sinuous trumpet lines are welcome on Life's a Bitch. Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. There are few new insights here, just the same old gangster rap tropes and DJ braggadocio you've heard a million times before. Okay, that might be a little harsh. Nas redeems himself slightly as a storyteller on Memory Lane and One Love, which have a palpable sense of place and an elegiac, melancholy tone, unusual in rap. Unfortunately, Nas' raps are rhythmically remedial. They're fluid enough, but lack creativity and variety. Frankly, Illmatic mostly bored the shit out of me. One small blessing: the usual misogyny and homophobia are kept to a minimum. 1 1/2 points for the musical backgrounds, 1/2 point for the raps. 2/5
2/5 it was somewhat tiring
Writes well, but not into the genre.
I can understand why people think this album is so great, but it's really not for me.
Vind rap best tof, maar dit kon me niet bekoren.
Hmja, wat kan ik hier nou nog over zeggen? Niet zo'n heel boeiend album.
Boring.
Hiphop dieser Ära: ikonisch und doch mono. Ich darf mich glücklich schätzen, erst etwas später eingeschaltet zu haben, als Message, Samples, Struktur als Ganzes ein neues Level erreichten. Nas ist schon okay, aber für meine Lesart ein stepping stone zum goldenen Ufer. Kendrick gibt mehr als 1.9
Hip hop clásico
Explicit at F*(^
Not my favorite of 90's rap but definitely not bad at all
Not for me, not my thing.
it was okay, I cant say any tracks got me excited
molto rap
Couple interesting songs outside of the unnecessary language
Some classic tunes on there but not for me.
Not my style
Hyvähkö kokonaisuus, muttei säväytellyt kertaakaan. Parempaakin Nasia kuultu.
not more fucking rap, over represented as a genre on here. Abomination of a drum machine is beyond annoying. I tried but had to hurry the tracks along. Again 4 tracks then off. Theres absolutely zero talent.
Cover design by Aimee Macauley. Photographers Danny Hastings and Danny Clinch are both credited with taking the often-cited, groundbreaking use of a child image in rap cover history, and awards have been won. Its not for me. Music is well liked too. It's not for me either.
I have to say I was disappointed by this album. It just didnt grab me. A couple tracks were more of what I expected but the lyrics that stood out to me are mostly drugs and fun related and thats not usually what I am looking for. I dont know. Didnt hit for me, but maybe I need to hear it again?
I’m not interested in rap
Hip Hop, 65eme album =>1/5
Hard rap. That's a hard 'Naw' from me, dawg.
My opinion on this album is really influenced by my personal music taste, which does not contain almost any rap music. I have to admit that the ideas for the lyrics are cool. Some melodies are catchy-> for example The World Is Yours. But it is simply not for me.
just don't care for this type of music
Als der zwanzigjährige Nas aus Queensbridge sein Debüt bei Columbia Records veröffentlichte, verteilte er die Aufnahmen bewusst auf mehrere New Yorker Studios – Chung King, D&D Recording, Battery Studios und Unique Recording Studios –, wodurch jeder der zehn Tracks seinen eigenen Produzenten und damit seine eigene klangliche Handschrift bekam. Genau diese Zersplitterung wird zur Stärke: DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip und L.E.S. liefern jazzgetränkte, staubige Beats, über die Nas mit einer für 1994 ungewöhnlich literarischen Präzision rappt. Sein Vater, der Jazzmusiker Olu Dara, steuert einen Kornett-Part bei und verankert das Album zusätzlich in einer musikalischen Tradition, die weit über Hip-Hop hinausreicht. Inhaltlich bleibt Illmatic radikal auf den eigenen Erfahrungshorizont fokussiert: die Queensbridge Houses, der Verlust von Freunden, das Aufwachsen zwischen Gewalt und Selbstreflexion. Nas erzählt das nicht anklagend, sondern beobachtend – fast dokumentarisch, mit Bildern, die sich einprägen, ohne auf Effekt zu zielen. „N.Y. State of Mind" und „The World Is Yours" zeigen diese Balance aus urbaner Härte und poetischer Leichtigkeit besonders deutlich, während „Life's a B*tch" mit AZ als Gast eine seltene Verletzlichkeit offenlegt. Dass ein Album mit gerade einmal zehn Songs und knapp vierzig Minuten Spielzeit bis heute als Referenzpunkt für lyrische Qualität im Hip-Hop gilt, sagt viel über seine Verdichtung aus. Illmatic verzichtet auf Füllmaterial und funktioniert bis zur letzten Sekunde als geschlossenes Werk. Ein Debüt, das den Anspruch an Hip-Hop als literarische Kunstform neu definierte.
I'd never heard of Nas before, and when I found out he was a rapper, I wasn't expecting to enjoy Illmatic. I was right, I didn't like it. The album felt boring and repetitive, and I couldn't help but think I'd just wasted 40 minutes of my life.
God awful shite
Straight and to the point. It was good.
Annoying, rude, bombastic...
0.00
Boring and repetitive, nothing to shock or catch attention. Not a fan of the lyrics, not my style of rapping
No no no. I will never be a hipp hopp fan.
Nope
gefällt nicht.
0.5/5 Ugh.
Na
No es mi tipo de música
Boring.
Not my thing. All the songs sound the same
not my type
Not my cup of tea 🫖
Didn't get me at all. Bit repetitive and flat
Repetitive; uninspiring.
4/6 Gangsta rap trash
Nope not for me
nein nein nein
nah man
1,5
No es de mi estilo :(
boring
Ya Di ya rap, can’t see how it progresses anything in any direction!
Nope, Rap is still boring.
Nope - you know what I'm sayin'? Enough of this cRAP!
Not my kind of music. Sorry.
As an old white dude in rural America, this just isn’t for me, and that’s ok.
NAHS
mierda.
I don’t like rap
Nope
Not for me
Not my kind of music.
Nope. Rated by some on this site as the best rap album of all time. So I guess that means Rap and me are not meant to be.
Rappist
Not my thing.
I am not a fan of rap, so this didn’t hit the spot for me. I heard of Nas tho!
Hip hop poco vario
Not my kind of music.
Nee sorry dees is gewoon echt niets voor mij. Ik kan wel erkennen dat Nas zijn vak kent tho.
Not really my vibe
I enjoyed a bit of it, maybe it's just not my usual thing to listen to but I am glad I listened to it. It has a strong feel to it and it reminded me of street fighter 3rd strike music. Life's a bitch and then you die!! 3.9/10
This is pretty much unlistenable for me. If I could give it a 0 I probably would. The only redeeming quality is that the guy has an unbelievable gift of rhyming. Very talented there.
it’s a no no for me
Didn't do anything for me.
🥱
Nah
There was a hint of nice music somewhere, but overall I found it disappointing.
As much as I try to relate, I just can't....know what I'm sayin?
Bjääääring
I can only say I did not enjoy this album. 2/10
Rap finally got me. OK the only thing I really know about Nas is 'If I Ruled The World' and that he is generally fairly critically acclaimed. Sorry, I may not exactly be the target demographic here but I found this pretty atrocious. I listened to it right through and nothing stood out. I assume it's supposed to be edgy, but just seemed a big whine to me. Avoid.
Sí, hombre... Gente que habla rápido a estas alturas de mi vida.
Appalling.
Very hard listen, maybe just not the style of music I like anymore. Gave very 90s rap though
This is some 90s OG gangsta rap. While I admire rap as a skill, I hate gang culture. So, nah.
When I saw the parental advisory label on the front I somehow knew what expect and it didn't fail to deliver. Lots of swearing and use of the dreaded 'n' word which only a certain demographic can use. Sounded exactly like every album of its genre. Would have given it a zero but will have to settle for a one.
Rap - Nope.
Can’t stand rap in general
Nop
Happened to be on my morning walk when I decided to give this a listen. Had no idea from title, artist name or album cover what I was letting myself in for. Thought it might be some traditional African folk music or rather hoping it was instead of this rap crap. What a disappointment. Stayed with it as long as I could but it was spoiling my walk in the Countryside. So eventually retuned Spotify to my weekly discovery (lossless now yay!) and calmed my self down with some beautiful neo-prog. 1/5 1/10/25
Not awful, but just not for me. 1/5
Hate
I wasn't feeling this album. I'm not really into this form of hip hop.
Nl
Nope
No.
Not my stuff.
You cannot deny that a lot of 90s rap is fantastic and that its rappers were extremely skilled. But equally you cannot deny that a lot of they lyrics did not age well.