LYRICAL GENIUS (Illmatic - Nas)

Member Name: habmaster

Product:	Illmatic - Nas
Date:	04/12/07 (153 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: amazingly intelligent for a 17 year old and all the best producers on one album

Disadvantages: none

Well well well, how the hell do you review the album that most true purest hip hop fans percieve to be the greatest album of all time lol, no review can do this album justice but ima just break down the songs of this short 10 song classic 5 mic album of perfection nevertheless.

1 - The Genesis

A classic intro track that any real hip hop head should instantly recognise as a sample from the critically acclaimed 5 star film 'wilstyle', a film that perfectly documents the growth and roots of hip hop culture, from its humble beginnings in the south Bronx New York city (including graffiti break dancing djing and rap). A short conversation from nas and one of his associates leads nicely into the opening track.

2 - N.Y State of Mind

A dark piano loop beat from the best hip hop producer of all time, DJ Premier, is the backdrop to this dark tale as Nas takes us on a trip through any random day in the dingy dark corners of New York projects (housing estates/ghettos). Displaying any random day in NY and the thoughts that travel through a young thugs head as he is perceiving all that is in front of his eyes. Though being a street poet himself Nas does this better than any emcee you've ever heard or experienced before, using razor sharp lyracism and vivid imagery with a flow as smooth as water, gained only by structuring the perfect rhyme schemes. One of the best hood story hip hop tracks ever made..
'Rappers I monkey flip em with the funky rhythm I be kickin
Musician, inflictin composition
of pain I'm like Scarface sniffin cocaine
Holdin a M-16, see with the pen I'm extreme, now
Bulletholes left in my peepholes
I'm suited up in street clothes
Hand me a nine and I'll defeat foes'
Perhaps my favourite line includes, ' Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined, i think of crime when i'm in a New York state of mind', simply for the fact that so many scientists and religious fanatics state that they know and understand the meaning of life, but really its not for us to understand, we're not suppose to, its 'BEYOND the walls of intelligence'.

3 - Life's a Bitch

L.E.S laces this song with a very 90's sounding beat which turns out to be the perfect rhythm for a verse from (unknown talented Brooklyn emcee) AZ, who explodes onto the rap scene with this opening verse. The only featured artists on this classic lp (AZ) exposes his unique very strong NY accent as the duo talk of their thoughts as young black men in the rough city and display a mind frame that has overcome all other thoughts, a mind frame that is needed to survive, 'i woke up early on my born day, i'm 20 its a blessing, the essence of adolensence leaves my body now i'm fresh n'...'

4 - The World is Yours

The now hugely famous producer Pete Rock provides the production side of things here, as Nas once again displays just how good a 17 year olds english skills can be, allowing us to delve deeply into his mind as he talks of the problems of 'the world today,' while expressing his street poet/inner city troubled thoughts to us, 'Born alone die alone, no crew to keep my crown or throne.'

5 - Halftime

The first time Large Professor features on this album, providing a funky trumpet filled beat. This joint is featured in the film 'Zebrahead' therefore making it Nas' first single. Nas takes us back to when he was too scared to rap in front of people, however he then proceeeds to tell us WITH EVIDENCE just how good he has become.

6 - Memory Lane (Sittin in Da Park)

Probably my favourite song of all time from any genre of music. The Dj Premier/Nas collabo can not be matched by any other duo, as premo (premier) provides another unique beat containing organ chords this time, 'I rap for listeners, blunt heads, fly ladies and prisoners
Henessey holders and old school ni**az, then I be dissin a...'
Nas' flow is so good and his multi syllabic worrds so profound and intelligent thats its hard for a hip hop head not to get excited listening to this song. Even the scratches in the track seem perfect, on beat, funky sounding as Nas tells us random events that take place on a daily basis in front of him, 'my window faces shootouts durg overdoses, live amongst no roses...'
whats more as the song would suggest we are taken on a trip down memory lane, being given all the details of things nas used to get up to, furthermore, what his neighbours, all 10,000 of them in Queensbridge projects, used to get into.
'Trifle on beats i decipher prophecies through a mic and say PEACE!!!'
This song exemplifies what it was to be 'comin outta Queensbridge' during the classic 90's hip hop scene.

7 - One Love

The concept to this song is very original as Nas rhymes through a letter he has written to his friend at Rikers Island (infamous NY prison). Though within this punchy song Nas makes reference to alot of slang and information that could only be understood from knowing the background knowledge, and if you do not know your NY emcee's (cormega) and Nas' situation, then you will struggle to understand the song and keep up with the story.
Nas is explaining to his friend how things have changed in Q.B (queensbridge), younger kids are holding guns, families messed up, and the mans girl has had his baby though is cheating on him while he is locked up. Although fictional this story perfecty displays the story of many young black living at the present time within NY, and what goes through their mind as they are living this like of peril and struggle.
'The streets have me stressed up and terrible'
'I be ghost (leave/disappear) form my projects, take my pen and pad for the weekend'.

8 - One Time For Your Mind

A laid back beat is the perfect setting for this funky song with a nice kick to go with Nas' lyracism stating things he, does, thinks, and see's on the reg, with the street fenesse and swagger every rapper has on their first album coming straight from the block.

9 - Represent

One of my favourite beats from the whole short album, presented to us by that man premo again.
This song is more up beat than most others on the album as Nas raises his street cred line by line, 'They call me Nas i'm not your legal type of fella, Moet drinkin marajuana smokin street dweller.'
As the song suggests, nas represents himself, friends and his deceased friend 'Ill Will' within this song.

10 - It Aint Hard To Tell

Large Professor surprised everyone here coming with the Michael Jackson sample, Nas rhymes how 'it aint hard to tell' he's born to be an emcee, 'my poerty's deep, i never thought nas' rap should be locked in a cell, it aint hard to tell'
'analyse me surprise me but can't magmatise me, scanning while your planning new ways to sabotage me.' 'grammatic explosion.'

What makes this album so special, is the fact that no, Nas is not as mature socially as he is today, he is a street kid (when this was written), but no one can deny, he is highly intelligent and few can match his english skills, being an A* student. So we gain the street stories through the mind of a thug though it is delivered in such as intelligent way that it is hard not to class this 10 track perfection as CLASSIC.

Summary: 5 mics