That Illmatic magic: revisiting Nas's masterpiece

With a second tribute album on its way, Nas's Illmatic is becoming a totem for hip-hop purists. Richard Watson gets into the NY state of mindHip-hop fans know the drill by now. Every time Nas preps another project, rumours circle that this, finally, will be the album on which the self-crowned "King Poetic" abandons the R&B cameos, Toto samples and controversy-courting titles and recaptures the gritty authenticity of Illmatic, the New Yorker's timeless 1994 debut.But while Nas has never recapture...

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23:07 on April 29 2011

That Illmatic magic: revisiting Nas's masterpiece

Guardian Music — With a second tribute album on its way, Nas's Illmatic is becoming a totem for hip-hop purists. Richard Watson gets into the NY state of mindHip-hop fans know the drill b... more info