Nas - Illmatic Album Review
The review that everyone HAS to do. If you review albums then you can’t skip over this album. Back when The Source was credible this album received the first ever five mic rating. At the time, The Source had a strict “no 5’s” rule implemented, under the assumption that nothing could ever be perfect. Then this album dropped and got given five mics. That alone is enough to make it classic. Of course, I’m talking about Nas and his debut album, Illmatic.
The album starts out with an intro, showcasing Nas’s verse from “Live At The Barbeque”, his verse on that Main Source track created a huge amount of hype ‘n subsequent appearances on a couple of other records helped intensify that hype. After the intro, “NY State of Mind” hit.
Woah. If there was ever a rapper-producer combination perfectly fit for one another, it has to be Nas and DJ Premier. Premier just kills it on the production tip with the grimiest hardest drums you’re ever likely to hear. Add a pounding piano loop and you’ve got one of the dopest dirty beats ever dropped. Rappers can detract from the beat, as shown on the Group Home album Living Proof, yet Nas compliments the beat perfectly. He murders it lyrically and the flow is flawless as well. Add a sampled sound clip from Rakim and you’ve got a classic track to start the album out with.
Many albums wouldn’t have been able to follow that, “NY State of Mind” would have overshadowed many other albums. Yet nice track after nice track follows. “Life’s A Bitch” comes after “NY State of Mind” and it’s a totally different mood. Variety is another big plus on this album. AZ rips a Godly verse to start out the track and Nas matches it. The chorus is catchy and a interpolation of Nas’ father playing trumpet closes the track out.
“The World Is Yours” features a bouncy Pete Rock beat, which Nas murders. “Halftime” follows and it’s a track perfectly suited to showcasing Nas’ lyrical arsenal. He spits plenty of quotables until “Memory Lane” comes next, another DJ Premier beat. This is wholly different to “NY State of Mind” as it’s more laid back and chill, yet Nas still rides it perfectly and it’s another great track. “One Love” lets Nas show off his storytelling ability, in the form of a letter to his homie in prison. The attention to detail is lovely and the beat, this time by Q-Tip, again fits Nas perfectly. “One Time 4 Your Mind” produced by Large Professor is next up, which is nice again. “Represent” features DJ Premier again with another grimy type track before the album is closed out by “It Ain’t Hard To Tell”, which utilises a Michael Jackson sample to perfection.
Perfection? Probably the closest an album will get. Cop this, buy this, download this, just make sure you get it. If you haven’t then you’re either new to hip-hop or you’re SERIOUSLY flagging.
Album Reviews
This blog will be a place for album reviews.
Comments
Very true. Most definitely one of my all time favorites.
“first ever five mic rating”
Simply not true.
AmeriKKKas Most Wanted
One For All
Both of the first two Tribe albums
De La Soul is Dead
Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em
were all 5 mics in the source when they came out.
“The review that everyone HAS to do.”
Wrong again. If you don’t have anything original to add what’s the point of reviewing this album 13 years later. Why not focus on something less covered?
Very true Rafi,
But I believe that illmatic was considered one of the most important 5 mic albums because it was released at a time when eastcoast rap as on the skids because of the westcoast onslaught. Illmatic was the album that made Big and Jay get on their A game to produce their greatest works. Simply put illmatic set a lot of standards for album quality and lyricism.
PS-I believe Paid in Full was another five mic album if I am not mistaken.
Peep his other album reviews, linked off to the right.
Even though lots of people have heard album, there are those that are young and/or new to hip-hop and might sleep on the classics. So I think reviews like this are good as long as they’re not the only thing someone puts up.
They were given 5 Mic’s in a later issue, upon review. Illmatic was the first ever album to receive 5 mics.
that album was n is the shit n there aint no more to say about it. nas is the fuckin man.
the source came out in 88, paid in full came out 87, dat album wouldve been the 1st 5 mic but it wasnt cuz it came out a year earlier, and the ATCQ , ice cube, brand nubian, rakim albums they all got 5 mics after they already reviewed their LPs, illmatic was the 1st 5mic LP dat got it instantly, and wen illmatic came out, most of the cats in NY got dat shit, barely any headz in CA or da south coped it, and Nas didnt help BIG or Jay in any way, BIG got in cuz he had good singles like juicy and big poppa, illmatic became platinum in 2001, 7 years later after in came out in 94, anyways, illmatic is top 5 albums ever with PE, BIG , ICE CUBE , and JAY -Z debut…illmatic is a must have to whoever listens to muzik…nuff said…PEACE
add your comment