Nas is the rapper whose debut album “Illmatic” was released in 1994. Issued by Columbia Records on April 19, 1994, the album introduced Nasir Jones as one of hip-hop’s most technically accomplished and observant young voices. Its songs draw heavily on Nas’s experiences growing up in the Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York.
Recorded during 1992 and 1993, “Illmatic” features production from several influential figures, including DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and L.E.S. The album’s dense internal rhymes, vivid street narratives, and jazz-inflected boom-bap production made it a landmark of East Coast hip-hop. It was relatively concise, running for about 40 minutes, but packed considerable detail into that space.
Listeners sometimes confuse “Illmatic” with Nas’s second album, “It Was Written,” released in 1996. “Illmatic” is specifically his debut studio album, and its 1994 release date is central to the clue. The album is also frequently cited among the greatest rap albums ever made.