Name: Illmatic CD
Brand: Nas

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

4759592

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Discs

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2014-02-13

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Sony

Tax rate GB

UPC / Barcode

5099747595929

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1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Genre GB

Hip Hop

Label GB

Columbia

Essential

<i>"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death."</i>

No album better reflected the sound and style of New York, 94. Raw rap, soul samples and beat breaks. A gifted writer whose wordplay knows no bounds, Nas tells his own story, the archetypal anti-hero with ambitions of ruling the world, escaping the conflict, violence and brutality of New York's underbelly.

The son of Jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas draws on Jazz influences, with producer Pete Rock utilising Jazz piano chords and even having his own father play the trumpet solo at the end of "Life’s a Bitch". Jazz also permeates the albums most essential cuts, with The Ahmad Jamal-sampling, boom-bap classic "The World Is Yours" remaining a stand out track. 

The lyrics remind us that New York is the beating heart of <i>Illmatic, "To everybody in Queens, the foundation (it's yours) / The world is yours." </i>Nas represents the East Coast through and through and deserves to be ranked one of the best East Coast rappers of all time.

Illmatic CD

Music GB