Nas released “Illmatic” in 1994, and the album is widely regarded as an East Coast hip hop classic.
The album was Nas’s debut studio record and was released by Columbia Records. Its nine songs contain tightly written observations about Queensbridge, New York, including neighborhood life, ambition, violence, family, and the responsibilities attached to becoming a successful rapper. Nas recorded the project while still a teenager, which contributed to its lasting reputation for unusually mature writing.
The production credits include DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and DJ LES. That group of producers gave the album a cohesive but varied sound built from jazz, soul, and funk samples. “N.Y. State of Mind,” “The World Is Yours,” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” became especially identified with the record.
“Illmatic” is sometimes confused with Nas’s later album “It Was Written,” which reached a higher chart position. “Illmatic” is the debut, however, and its influence comes more from critical acclaim and lyrical precision than from its initial commercial scale.