Born in Brooklyn, Nasir Jones grew up in Queens. He became interested in hip-hop at a young age, listening to records by his neighbor Willy "Ill Will" Graham, who later became his DJ. After starting out as Kid Wave, he changed his moniker to Nasty Nas. At the age of 15, he met producer Large Professor who introduced him to his group Main Source. Nas debuted with them and Akinyele, recording a verse on "Live at the Barbeque", included in the album "Breaking Atoms" (1991). The young rapper from Queens went looking for a contract, but received no record offers, being rejected by the major hip-hop labels of the time, Cold Chillin and Def Jam. Nas and Ill Will continued to work together until Ill Will's death, killed in a shootout in May 1992. Nas's brother Jungle was also involved in the shooting that night, but survived. A few months later, he was approached by MC Serch of the group 3rd Bass, who was working on a new solo project after his group disbanded and who brought the young man to a track on his album "Return of the Product" (1992), later chosen as a single, "Back to the Grill", which references the Main Source track.
Serch discovers that Nas is unsigned, so he becomes his manager and secures him a contract with Columbia Records. Shortly after, Nasty Nas records the solo track "Halftime", later included in the movie soundtrack of "Zebrahead" (1992). These tracks attract the attention of the hip-hop community and the young man is described as the new Rakim. MC Serch becomes the executive producer of Nasty Nas's debut studio album, starting to put him in touch with some producers. The name of the young emcee from Queens is already known to the producers, who record some tracks with him at Power House Studios: among others there is also DJ Premier, the producer of Gang Starr with whom a rare chemistry is immediately born with Nas. Large Professor contacts Pete Rock and later LES and Q-Tip also arrive to work on some tracks. AZ is the only guest on the album, which also features the musician Olu Dara, Nas' father.
Production is credited to Nas and Sony Music A&R Faith Newman, who signed the artist to Columbia at MC Serch's suggestion a few years earlier. Nas brings a cassette of the film "Wild Style" (1983) and asks for it to be looped in order to find a beat for what becomes the album's intro. It's composed of a complex sound montage, which is fundamental, because it immediately summarizes the entire album and explains to the listener what he'll face in the next forty minutes.
The elevated train is the first thing you hear, then comes a skit from the movie "Wild Style" and an almost imperceptible voice in the background that starts rapping: is an excerpt from Nas first song, Main Source's "Live at the Barbeque", which cleverly stops before the golden boy can complete the controversial line «When I was 12, I went to hell for snuffing Jesus», as the cover was originally a photo of Nas holding Jesus Christ in a headlock. Then, the dirty and dusty rhythm of "The Subway Theme" by Grand Wizard Theodore from "Wild Style" sets off, intended to celebrate the beginning of hip-hop, and his brother Jungle arrives, brilliantly, questioning the rhythm, but being reassured by Nas, with whom he begins a skit with the album's unique guest, AZ, whose career will remain forever linked to his glorious performance. In summary, Nasir Jones anticipates the themes and sounds of the record: the elevated train establishes it in New York, references to Wild Style indicate roots in the past and in hip-hop culture, and the long skit sums up the fact that Nas will represent his city, his neighborhood, his people, the hip-hop.
2. "NY State of Mind"
The track number two of this debut album is one of the greatest ever, along with those who will follow it. Boom bap invented by DJ Premier, lively uptempo drum, synth sound from Donald Byrd's "Flight Time". The intro of Nas is accompanied by a phat bass line, «I don't know how to start this shit», then the kid delivers what is considered one of the best tracks [and albums] in the history of music. Over a piano keys loop from Joe Chambers' "Mind Rain", inspired by Kool G Rap's "Streets of New York", Nas delivers lyrics about urban violence and crime in his neighborhood, using intricate rhyme schemes, multisyllabic rhymes, and a smoothness, slick, unstoppable, and astonishing flow.
The first verse on the CD is a miraculous extra verse and should be the only one that makes up the entire track. However, DJ Premier wisely chooses a short, simple, and fantastic hook to allow the listener to breathe and absorb Nasty Nas's complex and lengthy urban treatise: the chorus is composed of a sample from [Eric B. &] Rakim's "Mahogany", which facilitates comparisons between the two New York emcees. Jones rounds out the track with a second, fluid extra-verse in which he talks about being a gangster. Premier tops it all off by scratching the songwriter's name off a line from "Live at the Barbeque".
The track retains the New York mood of that period, becomes a manifesto of the hardcore hip-hop scene with heavy dark and noir veins, and is considered one of the greatest songs of Nas & Premier, five years later it sees a sequel on Nas' third album "I Am..." and in 2003 a third part is made by Alicia Keys with contributions from Nas and Rakim.
3. "Life's a Bitch" (ft. AZ)
For this historic track, Nas wanted to sample Mtume's "Juicy Fruit", which would later be used by Biggie Smalls that year. Producer L.E.S. didn't have the record, so he suggested Gap Band's "Yearning for Your Love". A classic was born. The sample was perfect. Dry, hard, dusty, perfect midtempo drums, soft bass, plucked acoustic guitar, electric guitar riff, elegant piano lurking in the background. AZ appears in the intro with Nas; you'd already heard him a few minutes earlier in the album's intro. The song theoretically only has one hook, but the hook is strong enough to make you wonder what a full verse of his would sound like. This is how the Brooklyn rapper delivers the first verse of the song, and also the only verse by a guest emcee on the entire album.
AZ delivers what may easily be the best flow of the era, with intricate metric patterns, internal rhymes, and multisyllabic lines. Reflecting on his life and the meaning of life in general, he delivers a verse often considered one of the best in hip-hop history. Chorus performed by AZ, then Nas delivers a more positive verse than his friend's, with a silky flow over some amazing production. Jones reflects on his twenties and gets The Source's "Quotable". Final hook from AZ, then the track closes with a concluding cornet solo performed by Olu Dara, Nas' father. The solo is superb and gives the track a smooth and melancholic finish, it's fantastic.
This is AZ's debut, and it puts him on the rap map. The verse, which he initially didn't like but quickly won the approval of friends and listeners, brought him immediate fame and sparked a war between labels to sign him, with EMI winning.
4. "The World is Yours"
The track is chosen as third single. The title is inspired by the famous scene in the movie "Scarface" (1983) in which protagonist Tony Montana sees the Goodyear blimp pass by in the sky with this writing. The soundscape is painted by the genius of Pete Rock, one of the best in history. Large Professor introduces Pete Rock to Nas, the Queens rapper hears this beat at Pete Rock's house and manages to get it for his album. Sample from Ahmad Jamal Trio's "I Love Music", elegant, clean, sublime piano, cathartic bass line, sharp, shrill trumpet from Jimmy Gordon's "Walter L", and a perfect, dusty, hard, dirty drum midtempo. For the chorus, a sample from the song "It's Yours" by T La Rock & Jazzy Jay is taken. Nas also asks Pete Rock to sing the chorus, and a classic in the history of hip-hop is born. On this timeless boom bap, the emcee delivers three braggadocio verses describing spending his days trying to obtain dead presidents. The scratchy bridge that precedes the third verse is one of the year's highlights. Q-Tip later created the remix that was used for the hook on Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" in 1996. "The World is Yours" offers a more optimistic narrative from Nas's perspective and gives us an immediate comparison with the previous track steeped in melancholy.
5. "Halftime"
This piece was released in 1992 as part of the "Zebrahead" movie soundtrack. Large Professor behind the keyboards samples Average White Band's "School Boy Crush", Japanese Hair Cast's "Dead End", and Gary Byrd's "Soul Travelin' Pt. I (The GBE)" to build the beat. The result is a powerful boom bap, heavy, deep, and gritty bassline, dry, hard, harsh, uptempo drum, Christmas bells that might lead you to conclude this is a DITC beat. Nas creates a braggadocio piece and adds a simple chorus; in fact, you're halfway through the album with this track.
6. "Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)"
Nas recounts his childhood worldview and his frenetic teenage life over iconic production by DJ Premier, which sounds different from the rest of the album. A slowed-down sample from Reuben Wilson's "We're in Love", light, midtempo dusty drums, a thumping bass, amazing organ, light guitar licks, melodic sounds, the soundscape is masterful. Nasir Jones makes a spectacular entrance and delivers a nostalgic anthem about his youth in Queens, smoothly flowing with some of his best flows ever. The hook, featuring samples from Biz Markie and Craig G and scratches from DJ Premier, is fantastic and significant, as Nas builds the chorus using the voices of Queens rappers in an effort to establish, reinforce, and solidify the artistic traditions of hip-hop in his neighborhood.
7. "One Love"
The album's latest single, the title means street loyalty in the track. Q-Tip samples the Heath Brothers' "Smilin' Billy Suite Part II" to create the beat: a tubular bell scale, dotted bass, a dry, midtempo drum, a robust bass line wrapped in a few elegant piano keys, curved, blunt riffs, and a hint of melancholy sax. A sad, dark, nostalgic, pensive, and somber rhythm emerges. Nas invents an epistolary song, reciting letters to his incarcerated friends about what's happening in the neighborhood and demonstrating a storytelling ability rarely seen in hip-hop, drawing influence from the genre's greats. The third verse of this song was the basis for a scene in the film "Belly" (1998), starring Nas and DMX.
8. "One Time 4 Your Mind"
Large Professor comes back behind the keys. Sample from "Walter L" by Jimmy Gordon & His Jazznpops Band, roaring bass line, light drums, good vibes, relaxing vibes, chillin track. Nasty Nas proposes battle rap stanzas with a relaxing and fantastic flow in this three minutes, the hook is recited with his friend Wiz aka Grand Wizard, uncredited. The track is the least favorite on the entire album by fans and even by myself, yet it's still a classic and would be the best track on practically any other rapper's album in 1994 alone.
9. "Represent"
The beat kicks in immediately, without asking for permission; from the first few seconds, you know you're in for an iconic, classic, masterpiece. Hard, kicking drums, fantastic, perfect, driving bassline, slow, deep piano keys sampled from "Thief of Bagdad" by organist Lee Erwin. DJ Premier is a genius magician and one of the best hip-hop producers in history. The soundscape is immaculate, flawless, and untouchable for Nas, who only needs a simple chorus (having his friends repeat the title over and over again, who came into the studio with him) to then unleash some of his best flows to describe his lifestyle in a criminal and twisted world. In the track, Nas alludes to the conflict between the Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions, which arose as a dispute over the supposed origins of hip-hop.
10. "It Ain't Hard to Tell"
The song had already been created by Large Professor and Nas, featuring the iconic sample of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature". After signing a deal with Columbia, Nas managed to re-record the song with Large Pro, but in the meantime, the group SWV released the single "Right Here", which contained the same MJ sample. Nas nevertheless decided to keep the sample and release his own song, after realizing that he and Michael Jackson were signed to the same label, Sony. Guitars and synths from "Human Nature" open the song, with an impressive iconic bassline and snappy, dusty, magnificent drums. The rhythm breathes and continues to breathe, wisely, for almost half a minute — a fantastic choice. Also because you're listening to the song's hook, Large Pro borrows the sax from "N.T." by Kool & the Gang. Nas comes in and delivers the final braggadocio track, three short verses that create what is considered one of the best songs ever in hip-hop history.
Final Thoughts
Nas's debut studio album, whose title takes on various meanings and is a reference to his prison-bound friend from Queensbridge, Illmatic Ince. On the vinyl and cassette versions, the A and B sides are replaced with "40th Side North" and "41st Side South", the main streets that delineate the boundaries of Queensbridge's public housing projects. This further underscores the project and seeks to represent the neighborhood, as the artist emerges from a lean period following the rise of Marley Marl and the Juice Crew in the previous decade, carrying on the legacy of the neighborhood's hip-hop pioneers. The cover art features a photo of the rapper as a child, replacing the original, an image of Nas holding Jesus' head in a wrestling hold, a reference to one of his bars on the debut track, "Live at the Barbeque". The final cover became iconic, often homaged and parodied in the decades that followed, and is often considered one of the greatest hip-hop covers of all time.
At the time of recording, which the author was in his early twenties, expectations for this album in the hip-hop scene were high. The project is high-quality art in every way. The emcee describes his experiences as a young man growing up in Queens, taking the listener on an in-depth journey through his neighborhood, creating detailed, compelling, and refreshing first-person narratives that analyze the lives of teenagers in inner cities, painting a spectacularly colorful and vivid urban canvas. Nas tackles themes such as juvenile delinquency, poverty, violence, crime, drugs, and gang rivalries with sensational talent, balancing good and bad moments, blending social-conscious content with bravado, depicting places, moments, streets, people, and friends, maintaining a New York slang, and delivering a document that captures New York in the early 1990s.
The weight and overwhelming power of his lyrics, his complex, varied, dynamic, intriguing, and elegant rhyme structures, and his vast, self-taught vocabulary, combined with a deeply flowing, crisp, clean, and wonderfully silky performance style, immediately earned Nas the title of one of the best lyricists on the scene. He reminds the entire scene and critics that, beyond the music, hip-hop's lyrics, poetry, and rapping matter. He also brings attention to lyricism and its delivery after years of obscurity on the East Coast and many years after the best works of New York's most acclaimed lyricists and emcees — Big Daddy Kane and Rakim, as well as Kool G Rap. With this galactic project, Nas forces everyone to raise the bar to their limits and beyond.
The production is the brainchild of a talented artist who studied hip-hop's past and pays homage to the genre, selecting samples from jazz, soul, blues, and funk, as well as from the film "Wild Style", a selection that was particularly praised by critics. The album's producers retained their own personal style and managed to create a cohesive, hard-hitting, fresh, melodic, and entrancing soundscape, so well crafted that it seems to have been crafted by a single individual. The music crafted by the boys is considered among the finest ever composed for an East Coast hip-hop album, and the collective effort of the individuals strengthened the careers of each of the featured producers. Furthermore, the critical success of this release changed the production method for rap albums: while previously the entire musical set was entrusted to one or two producers, after "Illmatic" the emcees began to rely on an increasing number of beatmakers, although few have received a critical acclaim comparable to that of Nas' debut.
Distributed by Columbia Records, the album sold 60,000 physical copies and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200, peaking at number two on the rap chart, and charting in several countries. However, estimated sales fell short of high expectations, and the five singles from it failed to chart well. The standout single, "Halftime", peaked at number ten on the hip-hop charts, while "It Ain't Hard to Tell" made a fleeting appearance on the Hot 100. Street favorite "Life's a Bitch" failed to chart at all. The album's disappointing commercial performance was largely due to the widespread bootleg sales it suffered prior to its release: nine out of ten tracks had already been bootlegged, meaning the entire album except for "Life's a Bitch". The RIAA certified it gold in 1996, platinum in 2001.
Upon its release, "Illmatic" was greeted with universal acclaim from music critics, who considered it one of the best hardcore albums of the era. The renowned magazine The Source awarded it a rare five mics rating, a score that Dr. Dre's equally laudable "The Chronic" and Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle" had not received, and more importantly, one that had never been awarded to a new artist. Crafted from ten tracks with perfect rhythms and stunning rhymes, it is retrospectively considered one of the albums that best represents New York City, one of the most influential hip-hop albums in history, one of the best hip-hop albums of all time, a milestone in the genre, and for many fans and critics, the best ever. 10/10.
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