Sample Breakdown Illmatic 1994 , Nas

Illmatic is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas. It was released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records. After signing with the label with the help of MC Serch, Nas recorded the album in 1992 and 1993 at Chung King Studios, D D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. The album s production was handled by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, QTip, and Nas himself. Styled as a hardcore hip hop album, Illmatic features multisyllabic internal rhymes and innercity narratives based on Nas experiences in the Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York City. Background As a teenager, Nas wanted to pursue a career as a rapper and enlisted his best friend and neighbor, Willy Ill Will Graham, as his initially went by the nickname Kid Wave before adopting the alias Nasty the age of fifteen, he met producer Large Professor from Flushing, Queens, and was introduced to his group Main Source. Nas