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.Yet even if Illmatic marks the beginning of a shift away from Native Tongues-inspired alternative rap, it's strongly rooted in that sensibility. Nas concludes his album still unapologetic about his unique voice, his lack of flashy choruses, and the fact that his lyrics require actual focus and thought to grasp. Also, the lines “begin like a violin/end like leviathan” are just plain cool. 20 years after Illmatic was released, Nas reflects on his own influence.
| From Illmatic to Stillmatic: The Remixes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP by | ||||
| Released | July 2, 2002 (US) | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 24:53 | |||
| Label | Ill Will, Columbia CK-86685 | |||
| Producer | Large Professor, Dave Atkinson, Poke, Ty Fyffe | |||
| Nas chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | link |
| HipHopDX | link |
| RapReviews | link |
From Illmatic to Stillmatic: The Remixes is an extended playalbum by Nas. It includes six remixed versions of songs from the earlier Nas LPs Illmatic, It Was Written, and Stillmatic. It was released by Columbia Records on July 2, 2002. It features AZ, R. Kelly and Foxy Brown.
Track listing[edit]
| # | Title | Songwriters | Producer(s) | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 'Life's A Bitch (Arsenal Mix)'1 | N. Jones, A. Cruz, O. Dara, O. Scott, R. Wilson | Def Jef, Meach Wells | AZ, Nas |
| 2 | 'One Love (LG Main Mix)'2 | N. Jones, J. Davis, J. Heath | The LG Experience | Nas |
| 3 | 'It Ain't Hard To Tell (Remix)'3 | N. Jones, W.P. Mitchell, L. Crizoe | Large Professor | Nas |
| 4 | 'Street Dreams (Remix)'4 | N. Jones, S. Barnes, J. Olivier, A. Lennox, D. Stewart | Poke and Tone | Nas, R. Kelly |
| 5 | 'Affirmative Action (Remix Edited Version)'5 | N. Jones, I. Marchand, A. Cruz, D. Atkinson, C. McKay, S. Barnes, J.C. Olivier, M. Williams, C. Curry, D. Clear, Wilson | Dave Atkinson | AZ, Foxy Brown, Nas |
| 6 | 'One Mic (Remix)'6 | N. Jones, T. Fyffe, J. Mtume | Ty Fyffe | Nas |
- Notes
- From Life's a Bitch b-side (1994)
- From One Love b-side (1994)
- From It Ain't Hard to Tell b-side (1994)
- From Street Dreams (Remix) single (1996)
- From Street Dreams b-side (1996)
- Original track
Chart positions[edit]
Nas Illmatic Youtube
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 123 |
| U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | 32 |
Nas Illmatic Lyrics