Not just Nas at his best, but arguably hip-hop music as a whole at its best. Illmatic was a great releif to many hiphop heads when it was released in 1994, because it looked like a light at the end of the bling-bling rap tunnel. He was hailed as the saviour for bringing rap back to the streets - "I drop the ancient manifested hip-hop, straight off the block" The album is a classic. No argument about that because it has everything in it. The lyrics are fantastic and his flow is like nothing I have heard before or since. Lines such as "Fuck 'rap is real', watch the herbs stand still // Never talkin to snakes cause the words of man kill // ...  Read the complete review

Some of y'all are thinking Nas'll never eclipse 'Illmatic'. That album was real raw and edgy, with Nas displaying his supreme lyrical skill on the likes of 'the world is yours' which could be the soundrtrack to anyone's urban adventures. Still, I reckon some critics are being too hard on him, saying he's lost it an' shit. The 1999 release 'nastradamus' is banging. The production compensates for any lyrical flaws, but there really aint many. He's still real audacious and street in his lyrics even if his lifestyle's not. Highlights include the childhood reminiscences of 'project windows' - reminds me ...  Read the complete review

"The smooth criminal on beat breaks Never put me in your box if your sh** eats tapes" This is Nas's debut album recorded in 1994 and it is an absolute corker! It's a relatively short album standing at under 45 minutes but literally every track is a winner. The album starts off with a track titled "The Genesis" giving you a little background into Nas's upbringing whilst the theme from "Wildstyle" plays in the background. Nas when this was recorded was a relatively young rappper "coming outta Queensbridge". Highlights of the album for me, include "N.Y. State of Mind", ...  Read the complete review