“With Illmatic, I didn’t think about it. I just did it. I believe everybody has good instincts. Now I’m a man from that past and I’m supremely grateful. There’s a Nigerian proverb ‘What is past is prologue’. I’m here today because of ‘Illmatic’.” – Nas
The importance of Nas’s debut album, Illmatic, to hip-hop is immeasurable. Not only did it single-handedly revive New York City’s rap scene, it debuted Nas as one of the greatest lyricists of all time. Now, 2014 marks TWENTY YEARS (!!!) since it landed and to honour this occasion Nas is re-releasing a special edition LP to commemorate two decades at the top.
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So to celebrate in Noisey style, we’ve got exclusive interview footage from Mr Escobar himself as he reminisces about his humble beginnings and the birth of Illmatic, alongside some fan art from a bunch of our favourite illustrators.
Happy Nas day, guys!
Illmatic XX 20th Anniversary Release CD / Download / LP is available on April 15. Grab it from iTunes or Amazon. Stream latest cut “I’m A Villain” below.
By James Lewis
By Dan Evans
By Jon Hill
By Eliot Wyatt
By Tom Hovey
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