Description:Illmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994 on Columbia Records. Following his signing to Columbia with the help of MC Serch, recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Its prodIllmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994 on Columbia Records. Following his signing to Columbia with the help of MC Serch, recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Its production was handled by Nas, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and DJ Premier. Stylistically a hardcore hip hop album, Illmatic features Nas's multi-syllabic internal rhyme patterns expressing inner city lyrical themes and narratives based on his native Queensbridge, New York.
Upon its release, the album debuted at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 59,000 copies in its first week. However, its initial sales fell below expectations and its five singles failed to achieve significant chart success. While it experienced initial low sales, Illmatic received generally positive reviews from most music critics upon its release and earned praise for its production and Nas's lyricism. On January 17, 1996, the album was certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America, and in 2001, it earned platinum certification after shipments of one million copies in the United States.
Since its initial reception, the album has been recognized by writers and music critics as a landmark album in East Coast hip hop. It contributed to the regional scene's artistic renaissance in New York, while marking an influential, stylistic change in hip hop at the time. Its influence on subsequent hip hop artists has been attributed to the album's production and Nas's rapping. Several writers have cited Illmatic as one of the quintessential hip hop recordings and one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. In 2003, the album was ranked number 400 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.... (more)(less)
Manufacturer : Columbia Release date : 19 April 1994 EAN: 0074645768427 UPC: 074645768427
"14. A song that nobody would expect you to love.
Nas - Represent
I generally have nothing but disdain for modern hip-hop, and don't hold much sympathy for old school stuff either, but this song gets me every time. "
m08221196 added this to a list 1 year, 7 months ago
"Week 29:11.07.11 - 17.07.11
Nas - Represent
Not really a huge hip-hop fan, but this tune had me hooked. The background sample Nas uses is mysterious, melancholic and haunting. I'm not going to pretend I can empathise with the hard life he's rapping about, but you still hear the emotion coming through in his words. "
Winters added this to a list 1 year, 10 months ago
""Other rappers were harder and better-armed, but nobody captured the creeping menace of life on the streets like this twenty-year-old from New York's Queens-bridge projects. With lines like "I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death," Nas showed more poetic style than any MC since Rakim.""
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