April 19 1994 is a special day in hip hop history as it notes when Classic Nas debut album ‘Illmatic’ was released. This album came at the time when Gangsta Rap had taken over the airwaves as well as the Underground and was highly anticipated as a response to this trend and a return to lyricism.
Nas’s lyrical wordplay and rhythmic flows had created a buzz with his opening verse on the Main Source track ‘Live at the Barbecue‘. This was our first introduction to the rapper known as ‘Nasty Nas’ at the time. He would have been around 17 when he recorded this track. Another feature on MC Serch’s ‘Back to the Grill had record companies scrambling for his signature. Eventually, the rapper signed a multi- album deal with Colombia records and started work on the Illmatic project.
Illmatic showcased Nas’s clever wordplay but also the themes and topic he covered revealed the street demographic of the projects of New York City and in particular Nas was influenced by his hood, the Queensbridge projects and the projects in the his New York borough Queens. Nas paints a picture of poverty, crime, and the struggles of young Black men in America as well as the dreams and aspirations to escape this environment with references to the philosophy of the Nation of Gods and Earths intertwined. The perspective that Nas showcased; his keen observations of his surroundings made the album both resonant and compelling to diverse audiences.
The album features production from some of the most talented producers of the era, including DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Q-Tip and L.E.S. The production is characterised by its jazzy samples, boom-bap beats, and gritty New York City soundscapes, providing the perfect backdrop for Nas’s vivid storytelling through intricate lyricism and introspective lyrics washed in complex rhyme schemes. Illmatic has a line up of producers on at the peak of their powers, which has never been replicated to the same effect on other recordings. Die-hard Illmatic fans yearn for another album from the 5 producers who are all still producing, but this is probably best left alone to avoid comparison.
Some of the standout tracks on “Illmatic” include “N.Y. State of Mind,” “Life’s a Bitch,” “The World Is Yours,” and “One Love,” among others. These tracks not only showcase Nas’s lyrical dexterity but also his ability to craft songs that are both introspective and socially conscious.
There’s no doubt this Illmatic really revitalised the East Coast rap movement. This new lyrical approach influenced so many rappers in New York. Whilst Nas has clear influences particularly from Slick Rick and Queens native Kool G Rap no one had really put together a fly on the wall view on the urban landscape of the hood.
Zooming in on particular details and broadcasting the experiences of the young Black men without compromise, Nas educated his audiences on the street hustle environment of the hood, Police surveillance, harassment and corruption, drug and alcohol use and gun culture in the projects.
This awareness and mastery of details can been heard in groups such as Mobb Deep, CNN, M.O.P and Wu-Tang Clan as well as artists such as the Notorious BIG, Jay-Z, Common, Jay Electronica, J-Cole, Bishop Nehru to name a few and countless of other rappers over the 3 decades since Illmatic’s release, cementing its legacy as a classic in the annals of hip-hop history.
Coinciding with the anniversary is some really nice streetwear pieces released celebrating the milestone, referencing the lyrics and imagery of the album and you can find out more if you visit the official Nas site.
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