Review of Nas: Illmatic

On this episode of The Sonic Collective, Scott C brings us on a journey into rap history with Nas’s first studio album Illmatic (1994). Nas is frequently cited as an influence of other rappers, including his contemporaries, and contributed heavily to the 90s renaissance of east-coast rap. The west coast scene was dominating, and this album was on the vanguard of several releases that reset the balance and cemented the voice of a generation.

The guys had various levels of experience and interest with the material and it turned out to be a very good conversation about not only our experience with the album when it came out, but the lasting impact it and Nas have had on Rap and the music industry. As always, we analyze the album itself as a whole and put it in context of when it was released. We also have our own favourite tracks to shout out.

If you’re new to 90s rap or an old head looking to reminisce with, join us this month for a listen.