Illmatic

Product Information

Halftime" produced for Paul Sea Productions, Inc. Recorded and mixed at Chung King Studios, NYC. Contains samples from "Dead End", "Soul Travelin'" and "School Boy Crush". Large Professor Music Ltd./EMI April Music Inc./Ill Will Music, Inc./Skematics Music/Minder Music (USA) (ASCAP) The enduring vision of Nas: a baby-faced Buddha monk in public housing, scribbling lotto dreams and grim reaper nightmares in dollar notebooks, words enjambed in the margins. The only light is the orange glow of a blunt, bodega liquor, and the adolescent rush of first creation. Sometimes his pen taps the paper and his brain blanks. In the next sentence, he remembers dark streets and the noose. May as well have been recorded in a crappy sounding arena, because you would never believe it was done in an acoustically sound amphitheatre, as it was.

Side B label has, additionally: Zomba Enterprises Inc./ Jazz Merchant Music (admin. by Zomba Enterprises Inc.)

Contributors

Large Professor Music Ltd./EMI April Music, Inc./Ill Will Music, Inc./Skematics Music/Minder Music (USA) (ASCAP) This sounds insane in hindsight. When people start making greatest rapper lists you can't count to five before Nas' name is mentioned. The kid who went to hell for snuffing Jesus has become a sacred cow. Twenty years deep, he's nominated for a Grammy and is in Gap ads with his dad. There was the album with Damian Marley, the feud with Jay-Z, there was Belly. Nas is firmly entrenched in VH1 Special territory. He has crossed over enough without ever making radio hits, save for "Oochie Wally", in which he is out-rapped by his bodyguard-- all for oochie. One Time 4 Your Mind" produced for Paul Sea Productions, Inc. Recorded and mixed at Chung King Studios, NYC. Contains sample from "Walter L" as written by G. Burton.

Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)" produced for Works Of Mart Productions. Recorded and mixed at D&D Recording, NYC. Contains sample from "We're In Love" as performed by Reuben Wilson and written by R. Wilson and P. Barsella. EMI Unart Catalog Inc./Ill Will Music, Inc./Skematics Music/Gifted Pearl (ASCAP)

N.Y. State Of Mind" produced for Works Of Mart Productions. Recorded and mixed at D&D Recording, NYC. Contains sample from "Mind Rain" as performed and written by J. Chambers. Gifted Pearl/Ill Will Music, Inc./Skematics Music (ASCAP)

Have others noticed that the album cover picture is based on two negatives overlayed with the face picture being the top with the street and houses as the bottom. The recording of the concert itself sounds amateurish. Orchestra is way too quiet, has no presence, no depth, no imaging. The vocals are boomy, and twice as loud as the music. Defeats the purpose of the entire event if the instruments never shine through. One Love" produced for A Tribe Called Quest, Inc. Recorded and mixed at Battery Studios, NYC. Contains sample from "Smilin' Billy Suite Pt. II" as performed by The Heath Brothers and written by J. Heath. Ill Will Music, Inc./Skematics Music (ASCAP)/MJQ Music, Inc. (BMI). The World is Yours" produced for Mecca And The Soul Brother Productions, Inc. Recorded and mixed at Battery Studios, NYC. B1 - Produced by DJ Premier for Works Of Mart Productions. Recorded and mixed at D&D Recording, NYC. Contains sample from "We're In Love" as performed by Reuben Wilson and written by R. Wilson and P. Barsella.

Tracklist

Removed from context, they seem unremarkable. When spit with criminal smoothness over beat breaks, they became iconic. If Rakim was rap's Woody Guthrie, Nas was the Dylan figure expanding the possibilities and complexity of the form, twisting old fables to match contemporary failings, faithful to tradition but unwilling to submit to orthodoxy. A3 - Recorded and mixed at Unique Sound Studios and Chung King Studios, NYC. Contains sample from "Yearning For Your Love" as performed by The Gap Band and written by R. Wilson and O. Scott used courtesy of Polygram Special Products, Inc. B2 - Produced by Q-Tip for A Tribe Called Quest, Inc.. Recorded and mixed at Battery Studios, NYC. Contains sample from "Smilin Billy Suite Pt. II" as performed by The Heath Brothers and written by J. Heath. A5 - Large Professor Music Ltd. / EMI April Music Inc. / III Will Music, Inc. / Skematics Music / Minder Music (USA) (ASCAP)

One Time For Your Mind" produced for Paul Sea Productions, Inc. Recorded and mixed at Chung King Studios, NYC. Selected items are only available for delivery via the Royal Mail 48® service and other items are available for delivery using this service for a charge. A5 - Produced by The Large Professor for Paul Sea Productions, Inc.. Recorded and mixed at Chung King Studios, NYC. Contains samples from "Dead End,""Soul Travelin" and "School Boy Crush". Like many others, because this was a live hip hop album, I wasn't expecting much in terms of its sound quality. That prejudice was smashed 10 seconds in due to the fantastic audio engineering that went into this album. The quiet parts are dead quiet, the vocals are surprisingly well balanced, and the icing on the cake is the orchestra. NY State of Mind, One Love, and Life's a Bitch in particular sound brilliant with the addition of these live instruments. Even though it's Illmatic and Nas does a solid job MC'ing, the orchestra truly is the focal point here as it adds a refreshing and powerful new addition to the best hip hop album ever made. I got goosebumps several times during the performance (for real), as this is a rare occasion. Usually fusions such as these sound mashed and clumsy. Not here for it's evident that a ton of work and rehearsal went into this performance.

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Illmatic' is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas, originally released in April 1994. Often cited as one of the best hip-hop albums of the '90s, 'Illmatic' is the undisputed classic upon which Nas' reputation rests. It helped spearhead the artistic renaissance of New York hip-hop in the post-'Chronic' era, leading a return to street aesthetics. Hip-hop fans accustomed to 73-minute opuses sometimes complain about 'Illmatic''s brevity, but even if it leaves you wanting more, it's also one of the few '90s rap albums with absolutely no wasted space. 'Illmatic' reveals a great lyricist in top form meeting great production, and it remains a perennial favourite among serious hip-hop fans. A3 - III Will Music, Inc. / Skematics Music / Minder Music (USA) (ASCAP) / Taking Care Of Business Music / Total Experience Music Publishing Co. (BMI) Thanks for supporting my small business, all made in my workshop at Papamoa Beach in the beautiful Bay Of Plenty Our full range of studio equipment from all the leading equipment and software brands. Guaranteed fast delivery and low prices.