Skip to main content

NAS - Illmatic Album Review

I took a Friday off of work finally. I figured I would stay up late (My bedtime is 10:30 PM) past my beauty sleep time. I'm cute enough, right? Last week spoiled me with Eminem's, Mac Miller and various singles from great artist. This week, I was ready. Guest what, Megan Thee Stallion was the only big project scheduled. C'Mon Son!

So, sense no prominent Hip-Hop albums were released, I'm going to review a classic album to fill those slots. (Insert Round of a Applause HERE!) Enjoy!

Image result for illmatic


1. The Genesis/Producer: N/A (Not Applicable) 
2. N.Y. State of Mind/Producer: DJ Premier
3. Life's A Bitch Ft. AZ/Producer: L.E.S.
4. The World Is Yours/Producer: Pete Rock
5. Halftime/Producer: The Large Professor
6. Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)/Producer: DJ Premier
7. One Love Ft. Q-Tip/Producer: Q-Tip
8. One Time 4 Your Mind/Producer: The Large Professor
9. Represent/Producer: DJ Premier
10. It Aint' Hard To Tell/Producer: The Large Professor

 Bold: Favorite Tracks
*Classic Track
My Grade For Album (Rate: 1 Lowest and 5 Highest)
Beats: 5
Lyrical Content: 5+
Song Structure: 5

Review: The classic albums like Nas will be automatically a 5 MIC ranked album. This is going off the 5 MIC system, "The Source" Magazine use to do. Speaking of the Source Magazine, they were the first magazine I believe to review it. You can learn much from those old articles youngsters. Go online and do you homework please and give homage to the rappers before you. Thanks in advance. One Love. 

This project is nothing less than perfect. And I know the word perfect should never be used, but there are certain albums that give you that vibe. Check for Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" album or Prince's "Purple Rain" just to name a few. 

The highlights are that the entire album is a highlight. We all have an album from one of our favorite artist that we listen to at least once a year or more. Even with Hip-Hop putting out so much content, I still revert back to classic albums as such. In the comments below, tell me your classic albums. I'm open to all music genres. 

Let's continue shall we? The four producers on here did their thing. They put their best foot forward on this one. Did you know, Eric Sermon submitted C Type beats to this project that were never used of course? Mr. Sermon was so busy with all his artist, he was like, I'm not giving this dude he barely knew grade A beats. He still kicks his self for not being on that album. Another gem is that MC Search executive produce the album. Look up the group 3rd Base children. 

The intro has a clip of NAS on his first introduction song to the world. It was a song called, "Live At The Barbecue" by The Large Professor. He was a huge producer back in the day. It was the perfect blend of where we first heard NAS and then introducing us to him and his crew on the sketch. I'm guessing it was a real session and they just recorded it. They sound drunk and high. 

Once the 2nd track drops with N.Y. State Of Mind with those piano riffs and drums, you already knew this album was going to be special. His lyrical content pierces your soul and you feel like you were when you first smoked marijuana. In the CLOUDS! The album puts you in that zone. I pretty sure you can teach your kids with this album. It's very educational.  

The 3rd track is the only actual feature with the rapper killing a verse. Other features on the album are either the chorus or people talking. MC named AZ blessed this track so insane, you would of thought it was his last verse before he got the death penalty. Even though I believe this is one of AZ's best verses ever, NAS still out shines AZ on this track. Sorry fans of AZ or AZ if your reading. He has a book out, support by clicking his name. I got love for you sir. 

I'm not going to review each track, but if I did, it would be the next sentence. Lyrically Inspirational and educational with Production with love, life and reality. Check out some quotable verses that make you want to Karaoke the entire album below. They should make a play or movie from this album. They do have a book out called, "Born to use Mics" by Michael Dyson and Sohail Daulatzai. Great read, I recommend. 

"Halftime" - "I rap in front of more niccas than in the slave ships"

 "It Ain't Hard to Tell" - "I drank Moet with Medusa, gave her shotguns in hell. From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell."

 "One Love" - "Sometimes I sit back with a Budda sack. Mind's in another world thinking how can we exist through the facts."

 "Represent" - Nas is a rebel of the street corner, pulling a Tec out the dresser. Police got me under pressure. 

 "Life's a Bitch" - "I switched my motto - instead of saying fuck tomorrow, that buck that bought a bottle could've struck the lotto"

Also, please check out my daughter's clothing line below. Also, my YouTube and other clothing ventures. Thanks in advance. 

Marquis J. Walker
Father/Blogger/Life Educator/Entrepreneur
Cevere's Creations












Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

G Fam Black VS Ceverely Yours

G Fam Black VS Ceverely Yours Dear G Fam Black, Thank you once again for participating in this interview. I know you don’t do many press features, and this is a wonderful chance for your fans to learn a bit about you while still keeping some of that mystery. I truly appreciate it. Peace, G. I’m grateful for this opportunity! - G Fam Black Questions & Answers: 1. Are you originally from Brockton Massachusetts? And where are the best places to eat? Absolutely, I was born and raised in Brockton. There are plenty of great food spots here. For the best chicken, I’d recommend “Yas Chicken” and “Birdies Hot Chicken”, which are both fantastic. For breakfast, I have to mention “Alexander's Family Restaurant”. They’ve been around since I was a kid, and their omelets are incredible. For pizza, “Cape Cod Cafe Pizza” is the way to go—it's the best bar pizza in the world, a true South Shore Massachusetts specialty. A lot of towns near Brockton brag about having the best bar pizza, but th...
Post a Comment
Read more

P-Ro is 12 FOR 12

Dear P-Ro, Thank you once again for participating in this interview. The year of 2025 was definitely a great year for you. 12 Albums in 12 months is something to be proud of. Your consistency, drive and performance shows, if you work hard, the world is yours. Questions & Answers: 01 Releasing one album per month for a year is a monumental, almost athletic creative feat. What was the core philosophy or personal need that drove this marathon? Was it to break a habit, prove something, or simply because the music was overflowing? -It was actually a little bit of all those, and wanting to challenge myself with a goal and try to get better at being organized. The list of projects I made in December looks different than what I ended up doing. If I wasn't dedicated to monthly drops, I probably wouldn't have made 4-5 of the ones I did. It's great to have a team that's like-minded and can dive in with me when I need them and make great, fun music together and share it with th...
1 comment
Read more

How To Support Your Local Rapper/Producer?

  The Core Problem: The Illusion of Support vs. Real Financial Impact Many fans believe that streaming a song, watching a music video, or following an artist on social media is "support." While this is valuable for visibility, it provides almost no direct income, especially for artists without major label backing. The Streaming Chasm:  It's well-known that streaming payouts are meager. An artist might need  hundreds of thousands of streams  just to earn a modest monthly rent. For underground rappers without playlist placements or algorithmic favor, this is an insurmountable hurdle. The "Exposure" Fallacy:  Many shows, especially for opening acts or in competitive markets, are "pay-to-play" or offer minimal guarantees. Playing for "exposure" doesn't pay bills. So, if streaming and low-tier shows don't cut it, how  can  fans genuinely support rappers, especially underground ones? Let's break it down by impact. Tier 1: The Lifeblood ...
Post a Comment
Read more