Review Summary: An overrated classic.
Illmatic is the 1994 debut album from up-and-comer emcee Nas, produced by already-established hip hop greats such as DJ Premier (of Gang Starr) and Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest). It is considered by most to be an undeniable classic and is generally seen as one of hip hop's greatest albums ever. While this album is a classic, it is not one of the best hip hop albums of all time. A lot of flaws in the lyrics are hidden by Nas' revolutionary flow, and the mind-blowing production that still hits two decades later. The album’s short run time also helps make this album seem less repetitive than it truly is.
Illmatic is probably the best introductory hip hop album. It excels in every tenet of the genre. The beats are gritty and reminiscent of the tragedy filled inner-city New York streets. Nas’ flow is impeccable, on the opening track “NY State of Mind” he lays down his verse in one take without missing a single beat. His flow is on another level than anything seen hitherto.
Yet, Illmatic suffers from repetitive and sometimes shallow lyricism that keeps it from being one of hip hop’s all time greatest. The song with the most soul “Life’s a Bitch” is only held together by AZ’s contributions to the song. His complex rhyming, emotional lyricism and soulful singing makes Nas’ verse seem lackluster in comparison. Nas never compares to the skill shown on AZ’s verse on the entire album. Nas is fully capable of making songs that are inspiring and profound, but this style is only on display on the tracks “The World is Yours”, “Memory Lane” and “One Love”. These tracks are true classics, but if you take them away you aren’t left with anything but stereotypical raps with excellent flow and masterful beats.
Songs like “One Time 4 Your Mind”, “Halftime”, “Represent” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” are incredibly enjoyable, but they aren’t the type of songs that you would expect to hear on an album posturing as the best of all time in it’s genre. While these tracks show huge amounts of skill and craft, they aren’t extraordinary when matched up with other rap classics that fire on every cylinder: lyricism, flow and beats. To be the best hip hop album of all time, all tracks should be fresh and timeless, and tracks like this lack playback value and get stale with time.
Illmatic is a historic album that still has extraordinary playback value, even for non-hip hop fans, yet, it is primarily a historic album. The same reasons that the album is so accessible are also the same reasons that limit it from being the greatest hip hop album of all time. It is a somewhat similar phenomenon to Pink Floyd’s album
Dark Side of the Moon. It is the most popular album of all time and appeals to those who don't necessarily like the genre, yet perhaps most Pink Floyd fans actually prefer other Pink Floyd albums over
Dark Side of the Moon. The same things that make the album relate-able, and immensely enjoyable at first, also make it impersonal and less enjoyable over time. There are a number of albums before and after Illmatic was released that outdo it, especially in regards to lyricism and soul. It should be remembered as a monumental classic, but not as the magnus opus of hip hop.
