On Oct. 9, director One9 released “Time is Illmatic,” a documentary journeying through the life of rapper Nasir “Nas” Jones and his quest to make the perfect album.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of “Illmatic,” one of the most iconic hip-hop albums ever to be recorded. “Illmatic” is not any old album about a rapper who made it from the streets, but an odyssey through the ghettos of Queensbridge, New York.
Nas’ poetry lets listeners to live vicariously through his experiences in the New York City slums, and One9’s visual portrayal makes the legend a little more real.
Nas was born and raised in New York City to Charles and Fannie Jones in 1973. His father was in the navy and made a living as a jazz musician playing multiple instruments. Nas and his brother Jabari had a unique upbringing compared to their friends in the neighborhood. The two grew up in a troubled area of NYC but had a decent home life. Nas was well read, which explains his poetic flow behind the mic. His father kept books on philosophy and ancient history around the house the Nas channeled as he grew up. But despite the living conditions, there was no escaping the streets.
Via: Eclectik Relaxation
As explained in more detail in the documentary, Nas dropped out of school in 8th grade and inherited the notorious reputation of the Queensbridge gangsters. Nas wasn’t turning into a bad person; he was just unhappy. He knew he had a gift and didn’t need school to follow his dreams. His intellectual capacity was gathered through experiences in life and in the books he read.
One of Nas’ teachers was interviewed in the film and told a story about a school project he had done in her class.
“The children had to make a face on a masked sized form. I saw Nasir’s face, and he wasn’t happy. He had captured himself perfectly, and I thought, ‘Wow, this kid can express his feelings.’”
The documentary highlights certain themes in his life that led to his official signing with Columbia Records. Some of the events were the abandonment of his father and the loss of his best friend, “Ill Will.” All of the big moments of his life built up a strong desire for expression within Nas. He knew he had the material to drop an album that perfectly depicted life in the hood. Once he was signed, he finally had the materials to pursue his dream.
Via: WordPress
What the filmmakers did so well was go into detail on each song. Every song on “Illmatic” tells a different story from Nas’ life. For example, the song “One Love,” is about guys doing time and losing all their relationships from home.
Plus congratulations, you know you got a son/
I heard he looks just like you, why don’t your lady write you?/
Told her she should visit, that’s when she got hyper.
One of Nas’ friends got locked up and missed the birth of his kid and was never visited from his girlfriend. There is a similar story for every rhyme in this album and that is why it’s so authentic and revered.
Personally, I can’t get enough of “Illmatic.” The music is so smooth, and the lyrics carry so much weight that even a Palm Beach kid like me can relate to it. The record is so classic that acclaimed artists like Alicia Keys, Q-Tip and Kendrick Lamar weighed in on its greatness on the documentary. The fact that it took the One9 and his team more than 15 years to conduct interview and collect material shows the extent to which they wanted to truly honor Nas and his work. This documentary pays homage to the legend.
“Illmatic” is more than an album. It is a revolutionary piece of art. It changed the hip-hop game forever, and its greatness can never be duplicated.
I rap for listeners, bluntheads, fly ladies and prisoners/
Henessey-holders and old-school niggas, then I be dissing.
No, Nas. You rap for much more than that.
Featured photo courtesy of: Keen Mag
