Illmatic

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Illmatic is the debut album by Nas, released on April 19, 1994 by Columbia Records. Ten tracks, about 40 minutes and a lineup of legendary producers made it one of the most acclaimed rap albums ever released.

The story

Nas first appeared solo on “Halftime,” recorded for the Zebrahead soundtrack in 1992. Recorded at Battery Studios, Unique Recording, Chung King and D&D in New York, Illmatic delivered “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” “Life’s a Bitch,” “The World Is Yours” and “One Love.” On “Life’s a Bitch,” AZ trades verses with Nas and Nas’s father, Olu Dara, closes the song on trumpet.

Sound and production

DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip and L.E.S. each brought their best, building the album on 1970s and 80s funk, soul and jazz samples. The varied production is unified by Nas’s vivid, detailed portraits of life in the Queensbridge projects.

Charts and certifications

Illmatic debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart. It went Gold in 1996, Platinum in 2001, and is now certified 2× Platinum.

Legacy

The Source gave Illmatic its top five-mic rating, a rare honor for a debut. The Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry in 2021, and Rolling Stone ranked it No. 44 on its 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums.