Nas’ debut album was released twenty years ago now, and to celebrate, a remastered version of it entitled Illmatic XX has recently been released. Despite the fact that Nas was just 20 at the time of release, this album is widely seen as his masterpiece and used as a benchmark to which other hip hop and rap album of the ‘90s and today are measured by.
Even if you were too young to get into Nas back when this came out or anytime early in his career, listening to this rerelease is likely to make you come out in a rash of nostalgia. There’s an innocence to the record despite the subject matter often being anything but. Given most rappers’ debut albums are recorded before they’ve really tasted fame, their first release is often the one that connects with their peers.
Twenty years on Nas still releases good tracks but he lives in a huge house, is divorced and writes songs about trying to be a good father to his young daughter. Not exactly likely to strike a chord with the kids in the projects.
Yes, there’s a bunch of remixes of songs from the album included, but they’re average at best. However this album in its pure form has aged incredibly well even if it most likely wouldn’t be successful if released today. It’s ‘90s in the best possible way, and while that made up none of the appeal when released, it’s just gravy now given the fondness that decade is now looked upon with.
BY ALEXANDER CROWDEN
Best Track: The World is Yours
If You Like These, You’ll Love This: AZ, THE NOTORIOUS BIG, JAY-Z (early catalogue)
In A Word: Nostalgic
