Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Life's a bitch and then you die. Yup. But. This album wasn't that bad.
peak rap
Instrumentals on life’s a bitch are dreamy and I like. I like the Micheal Jackson sample
yep, not for me.
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.
Not a RAP fan. But I imagine that this alblum would be considered a good one. It seems to have all the ingredients that I think of when I think of RAP.
If not the greatest rap lyric album, it's damned close. Nas has a lot to get out and these tracks are brimming with thoughts across ten tracks, introspectively ruminating on life in the Queensbridge projects. Nas may in fact have a little too much to get out, because the album is very lyrically dense and all that lyricism is so compacted in such a limited space that there's very little room for anything other than Nas to spit it without pause, and while his flow is fine, it sounds more like a recitation and not as much of his personality comes out the way it would in his later albums. But the album is still terrific. My favorite track is "One Love", a story told to someone in prisoner through visits from friends that weaves a compelling story of things changing beyond his control. There are quite a few producers on this album, but sonically, it holds together well, centering around jazz samples (Nas's father is jazz instrumentalist Olu Dara, who guests on "Life's A Bitch").
Yep, c’est du rap, et c’est un wrap pour moi
I watched Belly a couple weeks ago. Nas is a terrible actor. The album is ok
fenasal
I liked the jazziness but the lyrics left me cold.
Just not a good day for rap or hip-hop. 2.5
"i never sleep cause sleep is the cousin of death" - OKAYYYYYYYY "I can't call it, the beats make me fallin' asleep I keep fallin', but never fallin' six feet deep" - bars "Versatile, my style switches like a faggot But not bisexual, I'm an intellectual of rap" - AHAHAHHAHAHA "When I dress, it's never nothing less than Guess" - koja diva poslednja pesma sempluje human nature sa thriller koji sam juce slusala, coincidence? i think NOT! "givin' mics men-e-strual cycles" BRUHH HAHAHA ma super je ovaj album, moj prvi hip hop/rep album u ovom projektu. mozda i prvi rep album ikada, ne znam, ali ne slusam rep to je cinjenica. svakako, ovo je bilo toliko zabavno brate, a plus produkcija je super, the beats and the bars are fireeeeeeee!!! zanimljivo je malo promeniti zanr koji slusam jer onda i moram drugacije da pristupim slusanju, odnosno moram da pratim tekst pesama na ekranu ako zelim ista da razumem jer ne cujem ja to nista, pogotovo kad prvi put slusam pesmu. ima dosta semplovanja ali dobro to je taj hip hop nacin i guess, svakako je to dobro uradjeno, ima puno dzez pesama koje su semplovali, odatle uglavnom dolazi klavir u miks i to mi je super!
gooood ol'skewl hip hoooop – love it <333
Solid production and Nas has great flow. While it's not amazing, Illmatic still manages sets the bar for quality.
Pretty good, but not my preferred genre.
Flawless.
It has a nice vibe definitely more summer like but not my style and I found it pretty boring
Базированно качает
- so much flow - not a single skip - is there anything else to even say??? this is a perfect album
Not my style but top notch
#8/1001🇺🇸 In 1994 when this album came out i was concerned more with the American "alternative" music scene and drifting towards electro, house, drum & bass etc. I have to say that the hip-hop thing largely passed me by. Hearing it now now with a greater appreciation for the genre its easy to see why this wins its plaudits. The production is gritty and raw with some nice melodies and jazz breaks behind the vocals. Lyricaly this is really strong stuff and very much paints a picture of growing up in NY at the time. I loved it and will be back for another listen. Best tracks: Halftime, NY State of Mind, The World is Yours.
5 out of 5 One of the all-time classic hip-hop albums of the 90s. This wasn't just in my Library, it was in my Downloaded Albums. Every song is a banger.
vec rapa iz 90h morm poalusat pa to bo sigurn en od albumov k ga bom celo poletje poslusala
Fantastic album, strong lyrics and powerful performance
Good rhymes good beats.
One of the best of the golden era!
Fast eine 5. Einzig One Love fand ich bescheiden.
Kann man mal machen mit 19.
Mächtig. Habe das zu wenig gehört, um schon 5 Sterne zu geben, aber das ist auf gutem Weg dorthin.
I had never listened to Nas before. I will now be listening to more Nas. 8/10
Classic
tgis was a really solid album
When people say music doesn't sound like it used to it's usually a pretty cringe statement. But there's something to be said about 90s hip hop. The beats, samples, scratching, and flow all have a specific feel. Nas has very few peers on the mic. A quintessential NYC album.
Great
Correct pour du RAP... Sans plus !
I mean what am I gonna do, NOT give Illmatic 5 stars?
Fairly average lyrical content and flow, but good tunes behind it. But should Nas get the credit for this, or just his producers?
All-timer. Just a masterpiece. 9.5/10
If you are looking for the Holy Grail of hip hop, you have found it. Illmatic is widely regarded not just as a classic, but as the standard by which all other rap albums are measured. It captures the sound of 1990s New York City with a precision that has never been replicated. At the center of the album is Nas, then a 20 year old high school dropout from the Queensbridge projects. Despite his youth, he raps with the weary wisdom of a veteran observer and his rhyme schemes are dense, his flow is effortless, and his storytelling is cinematic. He doesn't just rhyme words; he paints pictures. The album is remarkably lean at 10 tracks, roughly 40 minutes, with absolutely no filler whatsoever and contains real hot shit in "N.Y. State Of Mind", "The World Is Yours", "Life's A Bitch", and "One Love". Illmatic is a perfect album. It is short enough to listen to in one sitting but dense enough to reward hundreds of rewinds. It single handedly revived the New York rap scene during the height of West Coast dominance and remains the blueprint for lyricism in hip hop.
Lähellä 4.5. Uskomaton tuotanto, biitit, riimit. One love paras.
it’s okay. i had higher expectations
The Genesis - 4/10 Sets the tone of the album. N.Y. State of Mind - 7/10 Life's a Bitch (feat. AZ & Olu Dara) - 6/10 The World Is Yours - 6/10 Didn't like the chorus but the rest of the song is good. Halftime - 6/10 Memory Lane (Sittin ' in da Park) - 6/10 One Love ( feat. Q-Tip) - 7/10 One Time 4 Your Mind - 6/10 Represent - 7/10 It Ain't Hard to Tell -6/10 Crazy rhymes and rhythm
Ok
I get why this is one of the most acclaimed rap albums ever. It is great but I still feel like I can’t fully appreciate it like others. There’s some rap that has clicked with me but it’s been rare, and this album almost got there. Maybe if I give it a relisten or two then I’ll fully get it
An alright album. Wouldn’t choose to listen to any of the songs but wouldn’t mind listening to them if they were playing.
I don't really listen to rap but this seemed ok. 45/100
I would say to others that I enjoy hip hop, but I admit that I hadn't really listened to alot of classic hip hop albums aside from the specific artists that I like to listen to. But listening to Illmatic was amazing. The smooth rapping perfectly complemented the great instrumentals that accompanied them. I understand that personal taste is a large part of these reviews, but even putting my own personal love for the sound of these tracks, I couldn't find a single flaw about this album that wasn't insanely nitpicky. Illmatic is an amazing piece of art, and I will probably listen to it again soon to get a handle of what Nas is saying in the lyrics. Standout track: The world is yours - I love the record scratching stuff!!!
Don't like rap, that's about it; the beat throughout the album was nice though. For that alone 2/5
One of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. The lyricism on this album is just incredible and the story Nas try’s to tell during the album is very very good. Also the music behind it is very good. However I understand that there will be many people who don’t like this album and I think that it will mostly come from either a lack of focus on vocals or just really liking hip-hop as a genre. However for me it’s a 5 stars A light 9 out of 10
Not it, not horrific just not it
A lot more enjoyable than I expected. Scrumptious instrumentation that complemented nas' voice in rap. 4/5, only loses a point because I don't actually enjoy the sound of rap when compared to other singing tech
This isn't really 'my genre' which makes it slightly more difficult to rate, I have the typical problem that, not being so well versed in this type of music, a lot of it sounds similar to me, and as such this album did come across slightly 'samey' and I had difficulty differentiating between songs. That being said there were some that I found marginally better or worse, the better ones being "N.Y. State of Mind" (which I have only just realised in writing down that it may be a pun on 'New York State') and "It Ain't hard to tell" which unsurprisingly do seem to be the more popular ones on the album, and the slightly worse one being "One Love" which I didn't vibe with as much. I think that hip hop and rap are genres where lyricism is really allowed to thrive and this album did have its fair share of well written songs, at least the parts I had focused on, which is made all the more impressive knowing that Nas was just 19 or 20 when creating this album. I could definitely see people rating this more highly and I can recognise a well crafted album, even with minor 'flaws' but this is held back for me by my own preferences and as such I can only rate it based on my own enjoyment which was more than middling, but nothing incredible. Side note: the more I rate things the less confident I am with my rating system. 69/100 Score edited 28/01/26
Hip-Hop isn't my kind of thing. I was pretty set on a 2 but as I worked my way through this I was quite impressed with just how tolerable it was. Don't think I'd consider putting it on again but it really is an incredible debut. I know I'd consider this a masterpiece if I was into the genre.
crack your whole cabbage
Rap, suck. Men intressanta samplingar ger den en tvåa.
it's an album i've heard before, i like most of the record but when i got on the seventh track i'm mildly overstimulated already. love nas' flow but i can only take so many words a day. beautiful record and storytelling.
7/10 очень вайбовый альбом, базовый хип-хоп 90х, инструментал крутой и в принципе слушать приятно, обложка довольно интересная есть вайб центрального округа, послушала бы этот альюом еще раз
Very very powerful album. They make it clear about the message they send. Beats are great, don't listen to this genre but this is a great introduction.
This album was an excellent showcase of rap and hip hop with elements of jazz. I can hear how Nas has influenced many artists.
With lyrics that read like street poetry layered over timeless ’90s hip-hop instrumentals, Illmatic was an album I surprisingly enjoyed more than I expected.
already knew a few songs, loved listening to this whole album! i truly enjoy the "old school" flow and the music with the beats
enjoyed it! although the style of the music itself was a bit repetitive in terms of souhnd but he is extremely talented
fine stuff
I am not a fan of rap at all however, this was really damn good and I would highly consider owning a physical copy
Haven’t listened to this before, I started this project to widen my taste in music and this is what I was looking for, because I wouldn’t have stumbled upon it otherwise.
I feel like I knew all these songs from listening to Nick dj over the years. The classic, go to 90s rap album. I’d listen to this one 99/100 over most that have come out recently
Already listened to and got record for, incredible start
sooo goooood this album made my drive home feel so short. i loved the instrumentation and his flow was dynamic and interesting while remaining steady. i need to relisten to focus more on the lyrics but i really loved the cast of voices coming in and out, it felt really genuine and helped break the album up nicely. my rap literacy is very low but it was nice to see a prime example of 90s rap outside of some others that felt corny to me. i saved a ton of songs!! can’t lib out to it tho lol faves: n.y. state of mind life’s a bitch one love it ain’t hard to tell
Surprised to not have had this in childhood circulation in my dad’s car! I really enjoyed it. I love scratching Favorite: The World Is Yours
hadn't listened to before, enjoyed! rap isn't really my thing but i did fuck with this. a good time
Classic hip hop album
Pretty good considering I don’t like rap, felt chill and helped me focus doing work
Just great
it’s a no no for me
Classic
One of the best to ever do it
Great beats, considered rhymes. Very good.
Mellow grooves, harsh lyrics, and only 40 minutes! One of the better hip hop albums I've had in awhile on here.
Listened Before? N Ah yes, the famous Illmatic. Seems like every list of top rap albums have this sitting up near the top. Seems that (like myself) many reviewers have not paid much attention to Nas overall, and this album is my first extened exposure as well. The beats and the flows are awesome, and you can feel the grime and desperation of poverty in NYC in the music. This is a good one. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: The World Is Yours
It’s a good start, really recommend to other musicians who are into more dark rap. 5/5
obviously an all timer. defining of its moment and virtuosic in its presentation. every bar, every beat, every track in its right place. i did a presentation on The World is Yours for a hip hop class i took. one of those albums where listing the highlights makes you say 70% of the track list deserves to be one of the 1001? of course!
fire rap album from early 90s
Favourite Songs: N.Y.State Of Mind The World Is Yours Represent
The genesis: intro ( simula uma conversa) - gostei N.Y State of mind: faz uma denuncia atraves de cenas cotidianas (usou a palavra dykes nao entendi a necessidade) 3/5 Life’s a bitch: gostei do ritmo e o rumo da msc, nao mto da letra 3/5 The world is yours: preferia que a musica fosse apenas a letra do rap em algum momento acabei nao gostando tanto da parte considerada refrao/ hook “Whos world is this Its yours Its mine whats mine is mine” 3/5 Halftime: ( acredito que propositalmente é justamente a musica que indica a metate do album 5 de 10) a musica é um ego boost + uso da palavra faggot e novamente não entendi a necessidade, overall tambem nao gostei mto do fluxo q a musica segue 1/5 Honestamente perdi a vontade de continuar
started- the world is yours enjoy the song and i recongize some songs
Oops all bops! 4/5
Nice👍
Eh, it was fine. It was mostly background music that I didn't particularly notice or listen to, TBH. But I think I might like it more if I actually paid attention to it, so it's getting three instead of two.
massa.
This may or may not be a great rap album. Unfortunately I'm supremely unqualified to make any kind of judgement about that. So my score is purely based on the strength of my urge to turn it off.
The emergence of this genre is undoubtedly as significant as punk. Have not been familiar with NAS. Seems good of its type and I would defer to music historians and lovers of this album and the work of other artists inspired by it to rate it. Seems quite melodic and nuanced with some good production sounds but the whole rap thing does nothing for me unfortunately.
I've always preferred East Coast rap over West Coast, and this is an absolute classic demonstrating why East Coast rap is often so good. With great rhymes carrying heavy themes, excellent production, and some outstanding backing beats, this is truly essential hip-hop listening.
Still very (very) early in my rap and hip hop journey, it's funny to start with Kendrick's albums and then work back. Enjoying this one after a couple listenings, yeah I was caught by the first person narrative but assumed that's always been part of the genre - good to know this album was the first to do it.
Insane how young he was when this was recorded.
This wasn’t really my jam but I think I could appreciate that it’s a good album
I was able to see Nas perform live in 2023 on the NY State of Mind Tour with The Wu-tang Clan and De La Soul as a special guest/opener. At the time, I wasn’t familiar with much of Nas’s music. I went mainly to see the Wu-tang Clan. I knew Nas was and still is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of this generation. The concert opened a bit slow to be honest. But Nas and Wu-tang were definitely worth the wait. The show centred around the history of hip hop since 2023 was the 50th anniversary of the genre. Which was wicked to see some OG big names on the stage giving their best performance co-headlining. Yet still wanting to wrap the show up for a respectable time to get home and to bed. They also paid respect to a large list of hip hop artists who have lost their lives over the years. Highlighting the systemic oppression that many hip hop artists were raised in. With some of the artists using music as an avenue to escape the struggle. Even if it was a temporary relief from everyday life. Of course many others not being as lucky as the few who have made it big and survived. Since Illmatic is one of the top 100 albums listed by Apple Music. I have played this album heavily in the past year or so and quite enjoy it. Being fairly new into the genre I’ve managed to grow a strong appreciation for the evolution of hip hop and the history as well. Also TIL this album is famous for being the first rap album using a first person narrative and breaking away from single producer albums. Was pleased to give this one a listen and a bit of a deeper dive into the history of its significance.
This is an absolute classic rap album. I've listened to illmatic before and back then I absolutely loved it. The relisten gave me a new appreciation for this album
This album is a straight classic, Ive heard these songs many times before but dont think I have listened front to back. Sick flow, catchy riffs, clever rhymes. The instrumentation has a certain twang to it that gives the whole album this gangsterish edge and attitude. 8.5/10
Flow is great, just didn't fully catch me
Ok
I feel like this is an album that I could eventually like. I probably would have liked it if I would have listened to it when I was younger, but it wasn't on my radar.
I'm sorry but rap all sounds the same to me
To zdecydowanie nie jest moja muzyka ale jest tak koherentny i tak cudownie widać po nim working class aaaa
I liked it a bit. It wasn’t really my cup of tea, but that’s why I’m here.
Not for me
7/10 Nas isn’t the most engaging rapper over the course of a whole album, but there’s so many all-timers on here it’s an undeniable great
Loved it. Definitely the best 90s hip hop I’ve heard yet.
Hardcore rap but make it fun and welcoming
Absolutely an essential album in hip-hop history. There are a lot of layers within the lyricism to explore, and deserves a revisit.
Niet mijn muziek. Rap en best explicit
Good beats, good lyrics, a little repetitive
Really enjoyed this!!
This really didn't do much for me. I like the vibes. I'm sure the lyrics are great, but nothing really jumped out to me the way some other rap/hip hop artists do.
When I was young I had an acquaintance that said he really liked Nas. Over the years I knew of Nas being a well-respected rap atist. But I found it odd that he never had the crossover appeal that his contemporaries had. (Snoop Dogg, Dre) And that just might be my alternative white kid bias speaking. This was good and Nas should have reached my ears sooner.
021121 13:38 4
i like his beats choices but i think the rap isn't for me
Classic. Quintessential 90s hip hop. I hadn't actually heard the album in full, but really enjoyed it.
Listens: Many Standout Tracks: NY State of Mind, Life's A Bitch, One Love WOW. I just came off listening Method Man's "Tical", and during an extended commute yesteday, I found myself in the mood for more hip-hop music, so after Tical finished, I put on Nas's "Illmatic", listened to that fully, and then put on Czarface's "Every Hero Needs A Villain". What a coincidence that it came up as the next album. I've only really started listening to this album on the regular in the past year, but in the past year I've probably put in 25 full listens. My coworker was giving me a lot of shit that I've never listened Nas, despite being such a fan of 90s rap (Biggie, Wu Tang, Mos Def, A Tribe Called Quest, Del The Funky Homosapien, Gangstarr, etc.) So, I gave this album a try, and man have I been hooked. So many bangers and good beats. Songs that have stood the test of time. The jazz beat and scratching on The World Is Yours is to die for. I gave Method Man's Tical a 4. That was probably generous. I like Method Man, but that album doesn't truly have staying power like Illmatic does. This album is easily a 5. It's on the same level as other East Coast Rap albums: 36 Chambers, and Biggie's Ready To Die (which I have to assume is also on the list).
Great listen, one of my favourite hip hop/rap albums
Didn't do anything for me.
Favorite Tracks: N. Y. State of Mind The World Is Yours One Love (feat. Q-tip) Represent It Ain't Hard To Tell
Great rap album. Hailed as one of the best of all time. It is great. Not quite up to a 5/5 for me. I feel some of the songs are a bit weak. Favourites: N.Y. State of mind Halftime One Love Represent
I get the hype. By far one of the best rap albums ever.
Strong 4
I loved the music, the backing tracks, and the samples. I didn't love the flow or the lyrics.
Pretty good but not amazed. I liked The World Is Yours, Represent, and It Ain't Hard to Tell most. Can't not love there being an Iron Sheik name drop
Intretsing listenign, to see what has to music be in those times, hearing an album that I have never heard before, with new set of ears, I want to listen to it again so I can pay attention to the lyrics more.
It's always funny reading the reviews before I listen to these highly rated hip hop albums. Every time I think, 'wow maybe this will be the one that changes my mind about hip hop'. And yeah never once has that ever even come close. Same with this one. It's more of the same: repetitive, needlessly violent, misogynistic (though not as bad as some), offensive, bad music. I always appreciate the social/racial commentary but the method of delivery is just so bad. 1.5/5
Not too shabby.
uh it's really vibey and it's good for listening in the background while doing sum else. the first half is way better than the second
🥱
Impresionante. Boombap del bueno. 8/10
Life’s a bitch and then you die
I don't feel cool enough to listen to this Album, but I really enjoyed it. Hip hop 90s nostalgia.
Rap ain't really my thing, but I gotta respect this one. Found myself grooving along to the boom bap beats far more than I expected.
One of the albums that never leave my rotation
Not what expected, even better! Never been a Hip-Hop person, but this album is amazing.
It's great
Hearing The World is Yours took me back to play whichever Tony Hawk game it was in
Nah
It’s very good. It’s always hard listening to these Greatest albums because you listen ready to either be changed as a man, or disappointed. I was neither here. But it was very good.
This is an outstanding rap album. The vibe is fantastic. However, the explicit nature of many of the songs exceed my ratings limit. Pitchfork: 10.0 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #44 (2023) Best Songs
Fantastic beats, samples, flow. Thematically and lyrically its so far from my experience it stops it from being a 5 for me, but only just. Call it 4.5. Fave tracks: It Ain't Hard To Tell, The World Is Yours, Memory Lane
3.5/5
yuh
One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.
Seemed fine, but nothing stood out for me.
Oh, well, what is there to say that hasn’t been said? Venerated high-water mark of the genre which has not oft been reached again.
great
Highly influential east coast rap album. Full of interesting jazz and funk samples. Not my area of comfort but it has clearly aged well.
Never got around to listening to this before now, this is a great album
Not really my thing overall, but I can appreciate why it’s so revered. The production is tight—those jazzy, boom-bap beats have a cool, laid-back vibe that stands out. Lyrically, it’s sharp and gritty, but the style didn’t fully click for me. Great backing tracks, though.
Nas has all rap album skills and none of the crutches.
2.0
This album has enjoyable grooves & beats throughout, with top notch production that really elevates the tracks and allows Nas’ rapping and storytelling to leave an impression. Whilst there are a lot of positives here, I still left it feeling like I was wanting one or two more standout moments from the album. I find rap albums sometimes quite repetitive by the latter half, and this one was no different despite it’s many qualities.
My exposure to Nas prior to this was very minimal and I’m so upset because this is exactly the type of rap that I enjoy listening to!! Immediately added to my library. Will def be listening again.
Top 5
6/10 songs added. Nothing mindblowing to me, just quality beats lyrics and flow. 6/10 feels apt.
Nas my thing.
unfortunately i am not a big fan of hip hop ✊😔
gggg
Cançó(ns) que més m’ha agradat - Life’s a Bitch - The world is yours - Halftime Cançó(ns) que menys m’han agradat) - cap Comentaris: moltes cançons i sons icònics que no sabia que coneixia ni de qui eren Nota: 8/10
An all time classic.
One of the all time great rap albums. Up there with ready to die for me. Life’s a bitch, and then you die.
3,0 - Kraftvolle Texte, tolle Beats. In dem Genre mit das Beste, was ich gehört habe, mir fehlt nur leider der Zugang zum Genre an sich. Highlights: The World is Yours, Halftime
Weil es rap war hat es mir nicht sooo gut gefallen, trotzdem war es ein guter rap. Für rap hat es mir gut gefallen. Habs aber auch nir so 1,5 mal gehört deswegen auch schwer zu sagen
Pretty solid
Nice vibe, rap, chill
I really liked reading along with this one. I’d definitely come back to this
I thought I would hate this, but I can understand the appeal.
Very good
repetitiv, nu mi place rap ul neaparat si mi se pare ca suna pretty much toate melodiile la fel ,dar a sunat bine overall 5/10
There was a hint of nice music somewhere, but overall I found it disappointing.
Please stop. I'll give this a 3 because it's unfair to hold the genre against the artist. I will say it's more listenable than a lot because of the quality of the backup music. But, rap it us.
I’m really bloody bored of rap and hip-hop now. It’s definitely not my thing and this is just dull. A very few of the beats are interesting, but I everything else is just boring. I can’t give it 2 because it isn’t bad, but I didn’t enjoy it either.
I can’t believe this came out in 1994, it sounds much newer than that. This is a really good album.
duuude so buttery smooth and nostalgic. don't dabble in much hip hop anymore but this was nice. love the production. saved: life's a bitch, the world is yours, represent, it ain't hard to tell.
good , 3.5
As much as I try to relate, I just can't....know what I'm sayin?
Gangsta. I liked it
Not my thing, but I like what's going on here musically and the rhymes are amazing.
I liked this a little more than expected.
Pretty good. Not my usual vibe but I liked it
Already knew I loved this one going in.
Enjoyed the beats and the lyrics. Think it’s better than The Chronic which came out 2 years before. Ranked 44 on Rolling Stones top 500 albums. 3.8 on my scale.
Legendary album. I like the jazz focus of DJ Premier, generally, though the jazz samples aren't the main focus of the production here. Lyrics are great. Nas' delivery is of course next level. Wasn't sure if I was going to give this a 4 or 5, but ended on 5 because I never really wanted to skip a track and I've listened to this album a lot in life.
Quite a pleasant listening experience from start to finish. I can see why it's a classic.
I've never listened to a full Nas album, but i really liked it, I'm starting to get why the recognition. It felt like a clear break and step forward from the 80s hip hop
I love this album from front to back. Its an album that invites you in to what NY was like around that time. It doesn't overdo it or over stay its welcome either. The lyrics are gritty without needing to be too hard or aggressive. Nas' flow is so fluid on this album and the word play is a thing of beauty. No one song is built to outshine the rest, which makes it feel more cohesive. Favorite - NY State of Mind Not-So-Favorite - (if I have to choose one) - One Time For Love Surprise - Memory Lane
Old school 90s hip hop. Not my cup of tea, but I have maximum respect. Good album, great rapping!
First time I've given this a listen. Tight as hell.
Håller med om allt cirkelus-musikus säger, med tillägget att det är en stark trea!
There is not a doubt in my mind, this is a 5/5 record. not a 5/5 rap record, not a 5/5 90s record, a 5/5 record point blank period. One of the best albums of all time, and a genuine argument for best rap album of all time. People will argue, Nas isn't the most entertaining. I will counter it by telling those people that they are absolutely braindead. Peak lyricism, production and MC ability. Can i rate 6 stars?
Debut album. Hip Hop. As debut albums go this is up there as a real good one. Hip Hop isn't a genre I am super knowledgeable on but this album has great flow and beats. The production is slick and the lyrics go hard.
life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high (och lyssnar på nas ibland). klassisk musik från en klassisk musikepok, några höga toppar men som helhet finns det många bättre i sin tid och genre.
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of DEATH! Ett fett album som nog alltid kommer hålla, minus homofobin menmen
Aldrig riktigt fastnat för Nas om jag ska vara ärlig. Med det sagt, jävla klassiker det här. Stark 3a, alternativt rak 4a.
Hip hop är inte min grej, men jag kan ändå digga lite
Bjääääring
Ooh, äntligen något för alla äkta skallar där ute. N.Y. State of Mind sätter ju tonen direkt. Det är SÅ JÄVLA MYCKET RAP. Och sen bara pågår det. Tycker alla låtar är bra och enhetligheten är väl den stora styrkan. …Och så bjuds man förstås på Represent och ett riktigt jädra Premier-beat för Nasty Näslund att digga diskbråcket till.
jag gillar det. äntligen någon som tar Texten på allvar mycket stark trea!
Det här kan man gött sitta och röka cali och digga till länge, länge. Enformigt så man inte märker hur bäng man är och hur länge man diggat
Ca s'écoute, pas de dinguerie
Je connaissais, j’ai l’album « it was written » qui est meilleur à mon sens, avec plein de bangers ! Cela dit il est bien et c’est un rappeur us emblématique
Encore une belle découverte moi qui pensais ne jamais aimer le rap! 4/5
An all-timer from an all-timer. I have no choice but to rate this five stars because: (1) it entirely deserves it; and (2) I'm pretty sure Ladyfriend would kill me in my sleep if I didn't.
An album I've heard people reference a thousand times but I have never listened to it. I might have built it up a little too much in my head prior to listening, but it still went down smooth.
cool 😎🖐️
Enjoyed the jazzier parts of the album. N.Y. State of Mind goes hard.
Quite good album. I liked the beats, the flow and the production. It got a little too samey for me after a while, and no tracks really stood out. Could change my mind after a few more listens, but right now it’s a 6/10
Classic album. Influenced a generation of rappers.
I dont like rap, however lyrically (slurs aside) and rhythmically its good
Well dang. I regret not listening to this earlier.
Chill old school hiphop. Great beats. I can see how it's very influential, but it's not that much my thing. Faves: N.Y. State of Mind, One Love, Represent
Iswa
This is a good 90s rap album. The beats are all on point, and the lyrics are excellent for the time period. They paint a portrait of New York street life without resorting to the sexist and overly gratuitous tropes many 90s rap albums fall into. The flows and rhyming are extremely strong and, combined with the excellent beats, make for an essential hip hop record.
Really good album, I had never heard of Nas before but I was very impressed with this one. In saying that the first track didn’t instantly grab me but from Life’s A Bitch onwards I can’t really fault it. Top Track - The World Is Yours
Hip-hop is not my favourite genre but when it is done well it is undeniable. This is one such instance. A classic.
#16 Thought it was all right, never have listened to Nas and I probably won't return.
Beats and samples are sick. Full on NYC attitude and some catchy chorus hooks but ultimately let down by Nas the man
Virtuosic brilliance. Wasn't he like 16 when he wrote these? And such good rhythm and flow. My kid constantly tells me about this record, so it was fun to give it a focused listen.
Illmatic has it all: Nas’s gritty, real lyrics and incredible flow; nonstop hooks; jazzy, cool arrangements. Still the rap album to beat.
Decent rap album. Wouldn’t make an effort to listen again.
yet another obv must hear
Strong album with some good jazz vibes along with the rap. Enjoyed.
Enjoyed the flow of this
Cook
not very unique or my taste of music
Benchmark rap album.
Looooove the beats engineered for this album. Definitely a top rap record. "Life's a bitch and then you die."
I can only say I did not enjoy this album. 2/10
Some real solid shit, but aside from the big songs, it didn't hit me as hard as I'd hoped it would.
I'm not into hip hop but this is most possibly the best rap album I ever listened to. The scratching, the beats, the textures, the lyrical rhythms 👌
A New York City classic from Nas that outlines wonderful flows and lyrical genius from the 90s flavor.
Better than most modern rap. I like the jazz elements and it’s cool Nas’ dad was the trumpet player on some songs. I just can’t relate to the music.
Quite good
2.5
I like it, but feel unqualified to critique it.
It wasn’t very memorable. Not my type of rap.
Dope
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.
i don't tend to pay much attention to lyrics but i bet if i did this would be great
В одно ухо влетело, в другое вылетело.
Absolutely classic
Favorite track(s): The World is Yours, Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park), One Love Heard before Previous rating: 8/10
Godson across the belly
Really cool album honestly.
4.8/5 This is a certified hood classic, regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums ever. I've never listened to it before, maybe I kept myself from it to not get disappointed. But man, was I wrong... To think that this was Nas' debut album is insane, hitting flows like this in '94 is beyond impressive. Songs like Halftime flow so well that you can't escape the headbanging. It's a good thing this album came to me on a Monday, it really increased my mood. Every single song is good. I literally can't say a single bad thing about this album. Even in comparison to contemporary stuff, Illmatic still hits that fine line of aggression, lyrical sophistication and really good beats. Probably one of the very few albums on this list that actually deserve to get full 5 stars. Well done, Nas! This album landed in my Best Of 1001 list.
Klassischer HipHop mit minimalen Stilelementen … nicht aufdringlich. Getragener und entspannter Grove
iconic
Third hip-hop album in a row! And it's this one. Hooooooly mother Mary. Just about the greatest hip-hop album I've ever listened to, save for maybe The Low End Theory. A dark, gritty, raw portrayal of NYC in the 90s. It's personal, it's depressing, and it's proud. What a masterpiece.
I don’t listen to hip hop generally and know very little about the 90s era. I enjoyed the production and feel on the mixes, and Memory Lane was one of my favorite tracks. I can see how in 1994 this album got a lot of praise for the writing and production at the time.
I didn't listen to rap before, some songs were actually nice.
Life's a Bitch and then you die.
Classic album.Easy 5 star rating
Really enjoyed this album, played it on a roll 3 times, hip hop, Jazz - right up my street, don’t know how I’ve missed it?
Just really good, have listened to this three times in one day. Lyrically amazing.
Enjoyed this, though not my usual style
"Could use a gun, son, but fuck being a wanted man But if I hit rock bottom then imma be the Son of Sam"
вайбово, претензий нет.
Jazzy, great rhythms, smart lyrics. This artist wasn’t on my radar at all!
mostly enjoyable!
Ill as hell.
Sí, hombre... Gente que habla rápido a estas alturas de mi vida.
The Genesis - 8/10, the sample flip of his first radio song is really cool. N.Y. State of Mind - 11/10, Nas starts his verse saying he doesn't know how to begin his verse, then proceeds to spit one of the best rap songs of all time Life's a Bitch - 10/10, nothing to say, it's a classic for a reason. The World is Yours - 11/10 Halftime - sure the lyrics are dated, but you have to put it in context of the time and also intention, either way the actual song is still 9/10 Memory Lane - 10/10: The church organs make the song seem angelic, even when the lyrics are reminiscing about the bad as much as the good. One Love - 10/10 Q-tip is amazing as per usual, and Nas sounds as hungry as ever. One Time 4 Love - my least favorite song on the album, but it was still great 8/10 Represent - 10/10 this song scratches something in my brain that i can't explain that i feel like the album needed. It Ain't hard to tell - 11/10 the song is just perfect Overall 9.8/10 so basically 10/10
Whose world is it? Nas' apparently
Incredible
Cool. Rough 90s NYC. A lot to vibe with here and a lot that I don't as well.
Not enough variation to get higher, and it just sort of... ended. Solid vibes.
Classic
Slick as city asphalt after dark. Ten tracks, no skips, no filler — just pure lyrical poetry gliding over the smoothest beats of the ’90s. It’s cinematic, intelligent, and effortlessly cool. “One Love” stands out like a late-night letter from the heart of Queensbridge. Makes you want to drop the top, cruise slow, and let the streetlights sync with the rhythm.
Never listened to Nas before, but I really enjoyed it.
Bem diferente do que estou acostumada. Gostei muito, foi melhorando ao longo das faixas.
Good actually.
I’m not a huge hip-hop guy but this seems pretty dang good
ny, world,represent
Good beats
Why is this crap on the list?
The Brutalizer
Yeah I enjoyed my time here with Illmatic! Nas' lyricism is very good stuff, all accompanied by groovin beats and just a generally good vibe.
One of the finest examples of East Coast boom bap that we've yet gotten, and quite possibly one of the finest of this challenge! Every beat and every lyric hits.
I know Nas is one of the greats but it didn’t completely click with me. Not bad though. Maybe didn’t age super well. Shoutout to The World Is Yours being on the NBA 2K13 soundtrack tho
I just wonder what it would feel like to hear this album for the first time as an NY native, with Nas' rhymes and references being so rooted in its street culture. I will say that you get a vivid picture of it from the lyrics and beats alone -- this album is grimy, bassy, hard as hell. Everything boombap should be. Classic record, though far from the greatest ever by today's standards. Standouts: N.Y. State of Mind • Life's a Bitch • The World Is Yours •
This is through album where I start liking east coast hip hop. His flow is amazing and the beats are so sharp. I just wish there was more variety between tracks. I start to zone out and lose my place.
One love has some kind of fusion marimba rhythm. Very cool samples all around, fire.
What to say . Hip hop classic!
Great week so far. As perfect a rap record as they come.
Quality
Great gritty 90’s hip hop straight out of NY, excellent sampling.
6 stars if possible. NYC State of Mind Life's a bitch The world is yours WHAT A RUN OF SONGS! An album that clocks under 39 minutes and that packs SUCH a punch. I discovered this criminally late in my life, but I'm glad it's in there nonetheless.
Another rap album, at least this one didn’t overstay its welcome. Some tracks were good but still musically repetitive. I don’t know if a version of rap exists out there for me but I’m hopeful
“Pac was like Jesus, Nas wrote the bible” 1 of 1.
3.5
Life’s a bitch and then you die
Nas is the greatest New York rapper ever, fight me.
not too moving
5 mics
Nas came, said what he needed to say, and split with little fuss. No joke songs, skits, or filler tracks, just 9 songs of straight-up spittin’ from the young, hungry Queens MC. I can’t say that I love it since I’m just not into this genre, but I certainly respect its hustle and flow.
Classic album, not really a hiphop fan but this album feels really solid & raw where it needs to be.