Illmatic & It Was Written

By Brian Salkowski

It's no secret that I'm very biased when it comes to Nas and Hip Hop. I believe Nas is the best, emerging in the best era of Hip Hop in my opinion. Yea there were some solid and creative albums and artists that was released since his entrance, but generally the era of great wordplay has come and went. One thing that constantly gets brought back up is the debate of which album is better... Illmatic or It Was Written? My answer is equal. Nas' greatest accomplishment with 'It Was Written' was being able to deliver a tracklist which varies from an underground hip hop sound to a more mainstream sound by once again recruiting the hottest producers in the game: DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, and Trackmasters, Mobb Deep's Havoc among others. He did it with flawless delivery between the differing sounds. As far as the content being compared to It Was Written, they are both great in different ways.

On IWW, the rhymes, slicked back and refined, mirrored Nas' real-life ambitions. Jewels, money, riches, bitches, cars, and clothes became the accouterments of a don. No longer was he the tape-jacking boombox fiend on the block that he provoked on Illmatic. He aspired to step up in society, to reach a higher tier. If you don’t have something, act like you already do. That’s what Steve Stoute was all about. But it wasn’t only image; Nas' genius was in incorporating that mindset into his music. Trackmasters cleaned up the production with a velvet cloth (while making sure to get one DJ Premier track, avoiding the "sellout" label). It was a balancing act—one foot in the hood, one in the mainstream. Not a sellout, a progression.

Rather than chafing at the new sonic wardrobe Stoute and the Trackmasters had chosen for him, Nas embraced the change, using his new boundaries as a source of creativity instead of frustration. The search for that sweet-spot between street and radio began a career-long journey that's allowed him to remain as relevant as he does today. Otherwise, he might've really have become Kool G Rap, well-respected in small camps but not even close to a global icon. With 'It Was Written' Nas proved that he was not just aiming to be an underground sensation -rappers rapper, but also an artist who delivers mainstream hits with an authentic Hip-Hop feel. Nas was able to answer the hype surrounding him while evolving his style and keeping fans and critics interested in what he would do next.

Where Illmatic was pared down and straight to the point, It Was Written was cinematic, embellished with skits, hooks and concept songs. There are elements of singing, such as on “Black Girl Lost” and “Street Dreams” (which Nas sings himself!) and of course, Lauryn Hill on the smash single "If I Ruled the World." Nas freed up his flow on his second album, too, developing a new rhythmic cadence distinct from the patterns of rap forefathers he'd duct-taped together for Illmatic.

Nas' style was rawer on Illmatic. But by his second album, he’d become a more well-rounded MC.

In several interviews Nas himself said the focus on Illmatic overshadows his other (great) work. He's right. Illmatic set up a new era and style in hip hop. But that set up a new problem for Nas. Insanely high EXPECTATIONS.

Everything he put out post Illmatic seemed to go thru a very rehearsed check list if you may, by critics and reporters, on how his new work is like his old work (Illmatic). So I'll say it again. Illmatic is remarkable. It Was Written is remarkable. Again both in different ways. When a artist creates, they don't wanna repeat some winning formula. They wanna create what they feel is relevant in their life at the time of the release. And that is what It Was Written is all about. Nas was putting on a creative, cinematic, concept album. It worked. But the question is, how much of his work will still be compared to Illmatic? Hopefully none. But unfortunately in this day of age where everything "must" or "have" to be stemmed, influenced or originated from some great linear starting point....Nas will continue to have the gift of Illmatic followed by the curse of its expectation.