Illmatic XX

iTunes Review

Originally released in 1994, Illmatic is one of those once-in-a-lifetime touchstone albums that is beloved around the world. A young rapper from Queensbridge, Nas had made a name for himself thanks to show-stealing collabos with Main Source and 3rd Bass, as well as with his single "Halftime" from the Zebrahead soundtrack. Serious hip-hop heads everywhere were anxiously waiting for his debut album, and he absolutely knocked it out of the park, enlisting a unparalleled dream team of East Coast super-producers: DJ Premier, Large Professor, Q-Tip, Pete Rock, and L.E.S. An instant classic, Illmatic propelled Nas to global stardom, helped bring attention back to New York at the height of the Cali gangsta rap explosion, and introduced the world at large to one of hip-hop's greatest lyricists. This special 20-year reissue includes the original album plus 10 more tracks: mega-rare remixes, a 1993-era session on the legendary Stretch and Bobbito show, and the unreleased banger "I'm a Villain."