I took it to Russell first, Russell said it sounded like G Raphe wasn't wit' it. So when he gave me his demo, I shopped it around. In mid, MC Serchwhose group 3rd Bass had dissolved, began working on a solo project and approached Nas. Nas and Ill Will continued to work together, but their partnership was cut short when Graham was murdered by a gunman in Queensbridge on May 23, Nas' brother was also shot that night, but survived. The single added to the buzz surrounding Nas, earning him comparisons to influential golden age rapper Rakim. Nas made his recorded debut with them, performing the opening verse on 'Live at the Barbeque' from their album Breaking Atoms. The album is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time, appearing on numerous best album lists by critics and publications.Īs a teenager, Nas wanted to pursue a career as a rapper and enlisted his best friend and neighbor, Willy ' Ill Will ' Graham, as his DJ. It also contributed to the revival of the New York City rap sceneintroducing a number of stylistic trends to the region. Its influence on subsequent hip hop artists has been attributed to the album's production and Nas' lyricism. The album has sold 2 million copies in the United States as of February 6, Since its initial reception, Illmatic has been recognized by writers and music critics as a landmark album in East Coast hip hop. On January 17,the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Americaand on December 11,it earned a platinum certification after shipping 1, copies in the United States. Despite the album's low initial sales, Illmatic received rave reviews from most music critics, who praised its production and Nas' lyricism. However, its initial sales fell below expectations and its five singles failed to achieve significant chart success. The album debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard chart, selling 59, copies in its first week. Styled as a hardcore hip hop album, Illmatic features multi-syllabic internal rhymes and inner-city narratives based on Nas' experiences in Queensbridge, New York. It was released on April 19,by Columbia Records. Illmatic is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas.

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