Often cited as one of the best
hip-hop
albums of the '90s,
Illmatic
is the undisputed classic upon which
Nas
' reputation rests. It helped spearhead the artistic renaissance of New York
in the post-
Chronic
era, leading a return to street aesthetics. Yet even if
marks the beginning of a shift away from
Native Tongues
-inspired
alternative rap
, it's strongly rooted in that sensibility. For one,
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. But more importantly,
takes his place as one of
's greatest street poets -- his rhymes are highly literate, his raps superbly fluid regardless of the size of his vocabulary. 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. 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 thoughtful but ambitious, announcing on
"N.Y. 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.
Hip-hop
fans accustomed to 73-minute opuses sometimes complain about
'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.
reveals a great lyricist in top form meeting great production, and it remains a perennial favorite among serious
fans. ~ Steve Huey