In the vast world of hip-hop, few albums are as iconic and deep as Nas' debut, Illmatic. Released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records, this powerful album delivers ten songs that boldly tackle sociopolitical issues and moral dilemmas. The LP captures the struggles, triumphs, and the resolute spirit of African Americans in urban cities, particularly New York City. Through harrowing and sharp lyrics Nas merges a narrative that resonates with the historical and contemporary realities of his community.
After the New York legislature ended slavery in 1817, the city underwent significant transformations driven by the insistent pursuit of freedom, equality, and justice. The Great Migration, as described in Isabel Wilkerson's The Warmth of Other Suns, brought waves of African Americans from the South to the urban North. Many of them were seeking refuge from southern Jim Crow laws and economic deficiency. Harlem emerged as a cultural epicenter during the Harlem Renaissance, a period of prolific artistic expression and intellectual prowess. The mid-20th century witnessed the rise of the Black Power movement, with figures like Malcolm X advocating for Black nationalism and self-determination. His life and philosophy, immortalized in The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley, left a memorable tenacity on the African American consciousness. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, a landmark legislation, sought to dismantle institutionalized racism, yet the subsequent decades revealed the persistent undercurrents of systemic inequality. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 and social program cuts of the 1980s exacerbated the plight of urban communities, leading to increased incarceration rates and economic instability. Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness explains how these policies preserved a cycle of marginalization and disenfranchisement, impacting generations of African Americans in cities like Queens, Harlem, Bronx, and Brooklyn.
Hip-hop was born on August 11, 1973, when DJ Kool Herc introduced the breakbeat technique at a Bronx party, sparking a cultural uprising that would transform music and society. The revolutionary genre gave voice to the voiceless and provided a platform for artistic and political expression. Hip-hop quickly evolved into a global phenomenon. As Jeffrey Ogbar notes in Hip-Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap, hip-hop became an outlet for addressing sociopolitical issues and advocating for change.
By 1992, when a 19-year-old Nas began recording Illmatic, hip-hop had already cemented its place as a powerful cultural force. Influenced by pioneers like Rakim, whose perceptions are shared in Sweat the Technique, Nas harnessed the transformative power of hip-hop to craft an ageless masterpiece.
Nasir Jones was born on September 14, 1973, in the Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing project in North America. Growing up amidst the socioeconomic challenges of Queensbridge, Nas found reassurance and inspiration in music. His father, Olu Dara, a jazz musician, exposed him to a diverse range of musical genres. As a teenager, Nas began writing rhymes, honing his craft and developing a distinctive lyrical style. His exceptional talent soon caught the attention of the hip-hop community, and he signed with Columbia Records.
Creating Illmatic was noticeable by collaboration with some of the most revered producers in hip-hop, including “DJ Premier” Christopher Edward Martin, “Large Professor” William Paul Mitchell, “Pete Rock” Peter O. Phillips, and “Q-Tip” Kamaal Ibn John Fareed.
Illmatic is a product of its time, reflecting the realities of urban life and the potency of the human spirit.
The album's opening track, "N.Y. State of Mind," is an intense depiction of the gritty streets of New York, where survival is a daily struggle. Nas' distressing lyrics,
In the PJ's, my blend tape plays, bullets are strays
Young bitches is grazed, each block is like a maze
Full of black rats trapped, plus the Island is packed
From what I hear in all the stories when my peoples come back
Black, I'm livin' where the nights is jet-black
The fiends fight to get crack, I just max, I dream I can sit back
And lamp like Capone, with drug scripts sewn
Or the legal luxury life, rings flooded with stones, homes
I got so many rhymes, I don't think I'm too sane
Life is parallel to Hell, but I must maintain
capture the raw and unfiltered essence of his environment. In track three, "Life's a Bitch," featuring AZ, Nas surveys the fleeting nature of life, comparing the pursuit of material success with the inevitability of mortality. AZ famously sings the chorus, “Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we get high / 'Cause you never know when you're gonna go / Life's a bitch and then you die, that's why we puff lye / 'Cause you never know when you're gonna go!” “The World Is Yours,” track four, produced by Pete Rock, is an anthem of empowerment and self-actualization. Nas urges listeners to seize their destiny amidst adversity. He confidently raps, “Wipe the sweat off my dome, spit the phlegm on the streets / Suede Timbs on my feet makes my cipher complete / Whether cruisin' in a Sikh's cab or Montero Jeep / I can't call it, the beats make me fallin' asleep / I keep fallin', but never fallin' six feet deep / I'm out for presidents to represent me!”
Track seven, "One Love," with its introspective and heartfelt letter to incarcerated friends, addresses the impact of the criminal justice system on African American communities. The album's closing track, "It Ain't Hard to Tell," showcases Nas' lyrical dexterity and his ability to convey profound messages through intricate wordplay. He raps,
This rhythmatic explosion
Is what your frame of mind has chosen
I'll leave your brain stimulated, niggas is frozen
Speak with criminal slang, begin like a violin
End like Leviathan, it's deep? Well, let me try again
Wisdom be leakin' out my grapefruit, troop
I dominate break loops, givin' mics men-e-strual cycles
Illmatic is an audio treasure of sociopolitical commentary and ethical reflection. Nas addresses racial inequality, criminal justice, unemployment, and Black nationalism with unflinching honesty. The album's lyrics reflect a deep sense of extraversion, agreeableness, and openness, as Nas shares his personal experiences and observations with the world. In "N.Y. State of Mind," Nas bears down on the systemic racism and economic disenfranchisement that pervade urban communities. His lines, "I know this crackhead who said she gotta smoke nice rock / And if it's good, she'll bring you customers and measuring pots / But yo, you gotta slide on a vacation / Inside information keeps large niggas erasin' and their wives basin' / It drops deep as it does in my breath / I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death," speak to the caution required to navigate the dangers of the streets. "One Love" punctuates the importance of unity and support within the African American community, as Nas writes,
What up, kid? I know shit is rough doin' your bid
When the cops came you shoulda slid to my crib
Fuck it, black, no time for lookin' back, it's done
Plus, congratulations, you know you got a son
I heard he looks like ya, why don't your lady write ya?
Told her she should visit, that's when she got hyper
The ethical ideals of meticulousness and neuroticism are evident in tracks like "Life's a Bitch" and "The World Is Yours." Nas grapples with existential questions and the pursuit of purpose, embodying a painstaking approach to life despite the pervasive challenges. Nas raps,
I'm the young city bandit, hold myself down single-handed
For murder raps, I kick my thoughts alone, get remanded
Born alone, die alone, no crew to keep my crown or throne
I'm deep by sound alone, caved inside, 1,000 miles from home
I need a new nigga for this black cloud to follow
'Cause while it's over me it's too dark to see tomorrow
Tryin' to maintain, I flip, fill the clip to the tip
Picturin' my peeps not eatin' can make my heartbeat skip
The contributions of producers like DJ Premier, Large Professor, L.E.S., Pete Rock, and Q-Tip were instrumental in shaping the album's distinctive sound. Their innovative beats and samples provided the perfect canvas for Nas' lyrical brilliance.
Upon its release, Illmatic received critical acclaim for its lyrical prowess, production quality, and sociopolitical relevance. The Source and Pitchfork hailed it as a groundbreaking album that redefined the potentials of hip-hop. In 2020, the Library of Congress added Illmatic to the National Recording Registry, recognizing its cultural, historical, and artistic significance.
Since 1994, Nas has solidified his place as one of hip-hop's most revered artists. His 1996 album It Was Written debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and achieved double platinum status. Subsequent albums like I Am..., from 1999, and Stillmatic, from 2001, not only topped the charts but also reasserted his lyrical ability and cultural impact. Hip-Hop is Dead, released in 2006, sparked critical conversations about the state of the genre, while King's Disease, released in 2020, earned Nas his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. With numerous hit singles and over a dozen Grammy nominations, Nas's discography validates his lasting relevancy and innovation in contemporary music. His legacy continues to influence and inspire new generations of artists, cementing his place as a stalwart of hip-hop. His contributions extend beyond music. Nas has become a cultural icon, advocating for social justice and using his platform to address pressing issues.
Illmatic is a meditative sociopolitical and ethical edict that captures the African American experience in urban cities across the nation. Through Nas' incomparable storytelling and lyrical genius, the album provides a window into the struggles, hopes, and fortitude of a community. Its messages of racial equality, criminal justice reform, and self-empowerment remain as relevant today as they were in 1994.