

Hip-hop fans accustomed to 73-minute opuses sometimes complain about Illmatic's brevity, but even if it leaves you wanting more, it's also one of the few '90s rap albums with absolutely no wasted space. State of Mind' that 'I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death,' and that he's 'out for dead presidents to represent me' on 'The World Is Yours.' Elsewhere, he flexes his storytelling muscles on the classic cuts 'Life's a Bitch' and 'One Love,' the latter a detailed report to a close friend in prison about how allegiances within their group have shifted. He's thoughtful but ambitious, announcing on 'N.Y. As a narrator, he doesn't get too caught up in the darker side of life - he's simply describing what he sees in the world around him, and trying to live it up while he can. He's able to evoke the bleak reality of ghetto life without losing hope or forgetting the good times, which become all the more precious when any day could be your last. But more importantly, Nas takes his place as one of hip-hop's greatest street poets - his rhymes are highly literate, his raps superbly fluid regardless of the size of his vocabulary. For one, Nas employs some of the most sophisticated jazz-rap producers around: Q-Tip, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, and Large Professor, who underpin their intricate loops with appropriately tough beats. Yet even if Illmatic marks the beginning of a shift away from Native Tongues-inspired alternative rap, it's strongly rooted in that sensibility. It helped spearhead the artistic renaissance of New York hip-hop in the post-Chronic era, leading a return to street aesthetics. Often cited as one of the best hip-hop albums of the '90s, Illmatic is the undisputed classic upon which Nas' reputation rests.
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Nas Illmatic 1994 Zip Code blue highlight denotes track pick Nas, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Nasir Jones, Composer, Lyricist - The Large Professor for Paul Sea Productions, Inc., Producer - Kevin Reynolds, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer - Paul Mitchell, Composer, Lyricist - Gary Byrd, Composer, Lyricist (P) 1994 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. The rapper’s debut album Illmatic was released in 1994 and it is considered to be one of the best hip-hop albums ever. Nas Illmatic Zippyshare Nas Illmatic Zip Illmatic Zip A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. Following his show-stealing debut in 1991 on Main Source’s track “Live at the Barbeque,” Nas delivered his debut album Illmatic to high praise in 1994. The previously released remixes come from Illmatic (1994) - 'Life's a Bitch,' 'One Love,' 'It Ain't Hard to Tell' - and It Was Written (1996): 'Street Dreams' and 'Affirmative Action.' The three Illmatic remixes aren't huge departures from the original versions, featuring the same vocals but different productions.

Even so, From Illmatic to Stillmatic is a welcome addition to the Nas catalog, perfect for anyone looking to dig a little deeper without much effort or cost. For instance, a remix of Nas' other big hit from Stillmatic, 'Got Ur Self A.,' would have been timely. The subtle difference lies within the production, which interpolates Mtume's oft-sampled 'Juicy Fruit.' It would have been nice, overall, to see more new mixes rather than strictly previously released ones. It's not really much different from the original version, which was still getting substantial airplay at the time of this EP's release.

Kelly on the hook, most likely intended originally as a crossover single, and the 'Affirmative Action' remix has the original the Firm ensemble - Nas, Foxy Brown, and AZ (the Cormega verse is notably missing) - rapping over an interpolation of Marley Marl's 'The Symphony.' The 'One Mic' remix concluding this EP is the real gem, however. In fact, these could just as well be brand new songs: the 'Street Dreams' remix by the Trackmasters is quite mellow with R. Conversely, the two It Was Written remixes are huge departures, featuring both different vocal tracks and productions. Released in summer 2002, just in time to capitalize on Nas' Stillmatic resurgence, From Illmatic to Stillmatic compiles a few previously released remixes from the mid-'90s alongside a new remix of 'One Mic.' The previously released remixes come from Illmatic (1994) - 'Life's a Bitch,' 'One Love,' 'It Ain't Hard to Tell' - and It Was Written (1996): 'Street Dreams' and 'Affirmative Action.' The three Illmatic remixes aren't huge departures from the original versions, featuring the same vocals but different productions.
