Illmatic:The Best Hip-Hop of All Time

When Illmatic was released in 1994, not many people thought that it would become quite possibly the best hip-hop album of all time. Nas surprised everyone with his debut and secured his place in hip-hop music history.

When I first started to get involved in rap music, I heard that I needed to take a listen to an album called Illmatic. I heard that it was made in 1994 so I automatically thought that it would just be too old for my liking. I borrowed a copy from a friend. Ten tracks later my whole view on music was changed. I had never heard such a cohesive, consistent, and deep album.

The greatest part about Illmatic is that Nas didn't try to do anything over the top, yet came out on top. The album is incredibly simple but complex at the same time. There is only one guest appearance when A.Z. joins Nas on "Life's A Bitch." This featured verse by A.Z. is well known as being the best guest verse of all time even to this day.

The 10 tracks on the album seem short, but there is no need for more. Even though this is viewed as a fairly brief album it leaves you needing no more. While anyone would want more of Illmatic, there is really no need for it. This album is perfect.

With production coming from a few of the best hip-hop producers of all time there is certainly no lack in outstanding beats. There are gems given by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip. The production on this album is considered by many to be the best of any hip-hop album to date.

Illmatic starts off with "The Genesis." An interesting intro with Nas and A.Z. talking over a complex beat that really sticks in your head. The beat sounds like it was produced on a very low bit sampler popular with producers of that time period.

Nine instant classics follow including the legendary "N.Y. State of Mind," "Life's a Bitch," "Memory Lane," and others.

"Memory Lane," produced by DJ Premier has one of the most addictive beats of all time matched with Nas' lyrical genius. Nas outlines memories from his upbringing in New York's Queensbridge Projects with vivid detail and an untouchable flow. I believe that this is possibly the best song on the album, if that is even right to say with all of the classics that are on Illmatic.

Listen through several more masterpieces and you find the last song on Illmatic, "It Ain't Hard To Tell." Produced by Large Professor with a sample from Michael Jackson's, "Human Nature," Nas navigated the top-notch beat with an addictive flow and unsurpassed lyricism. A sample line is "...Sparkle like a diamond, sneak an Uzi on the island in my Army jacket lining." Lines like these are what gave Nas the reputation of being ahead of his time. During the year when other legendary artists were coming out with debut albums, Nas rose to the top.

Any hip-hop fan has at least heard of Illmatic. If anyone has not taken a listen, you need to. To me, Illmatic is the undisputed best album of all time.