It’s been a quarter century since Nas birthed the genesis of his New York state of mind. That’s right; Illmatic dropped 25 years ago on April 19, 1994. Since then, the top-five-dead-or-alive MC survived a beef with JAY-Z and created multiple great albums before declaring life is good on the strength of his reputation. And yet, nothing he has done professionally since Illmatic, and nothing he will do, can match the flawless masterpiece of the best rap album of all time.
Photo: Danny Clinch
To commemorate the classic, we’ve ranked the nine songs on the album from great to most mind-blowing. (“Genesis,” one of the best album intros of any genre ever, was not included as it’s not actually a song).
The list is yours. Enjoy.
9. “One Time 4 Your Mind”
Even when he’s rapping at half-speed, Nasir still spits circles around his peers. He kicks it deliberately, trying to stay mellow over Large Professor’s hypnotic beat as he roots for the villain while illin’. Usually when rappers beast lyrically, they spin around like the Tazmanian Devil. Yet, Nasty Nas packs a wallop without ever raising his voice or speeding up his flow, a feat impressive in itself.
8. “It Ain’t Hard To Tell”
That this absolute classic is No. 8 on this list is undeniable proof of Illmatic’s greatness. Large Professor lifts from Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” and Nas so nimbly dances around the beat you’d have thought he went to Julliard. It was the perfect lyrical cap to a breathlessly astonishing 39 minutes.
7. “Represent”
Nas’ steel-toed raps about grilling out-of-towners paints a vivid portrait of his hood on this underrated gem. Just as important as the MC who raps with a razor under his tongue is the cut’s producer, DJ Premier. Premo’s darkly ominous piano keys are relentless and stick in the listener’s head like gum under your shoe long after the track has ended.
6. “Halftime”
Esco performed lyrical gymnastics all over this album, but perhaps his most impressive was the centerpiece of Illmatic. “You couldn’t catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer/That’s like Malcolm X catching the jungle fever,” he quips. He goes on to wear chains that excite the feds and equally excite lyrical heads over Large Professor’s persistently punishing beat. Grungy never sounded so good.
5. “One Love” f. Q-Tip
Q-Tip provides the perfect beat for storytelling as Nas writes to one of his incarcerated friends. In lieu of a care package, he offers updates about the outside world. Nas would go on to become a global icon by crafting cuts with the likes of Puffy, but it was realistic storytelling raps like that of Jerome’s ill-fated niece that made him a fan favorite.
4. “Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)”
Such a boom-bap heavy album needed a dose of soul to balance out the grime. Listeners, blunt heads, fly ladies and prisoners could relate to Nas’ laments over his fallen friend who died over a sheep coat. As vicious as his pen game could be, “Memory Lane” remains proof that even the most dangerous MC coming out of Queensbridge has a soft spot.
3. “Life’s a Bitch” f. AZ
Call this one a meeting of the minds. Nas spit quotables for days, AZ rapped a verse he’s been eating off for 25 years, L.E.S. (and Nas) created a wistful beat, and Nasir’s pops, Olu Dara, lent his cornet to the cut for good measure. Even though Nas eventually found out that life is good, it’s this lament over the hardships of daily existence that remains in the hearts and minds of Hip Hop heads.
2. “NY State Of Mind”
He may not have known how to start this shit, but best believe once he got going, all jaws hit the floor. He paints a Scorsese-worthy picture of life on the streets over DJ Premier’s menacing production. His detailed imagery of a jammed gun induced fear over whether Nas would survive the cut, proving the impact of his lyrical wizardry. The game was never the same.
1. “The World Is Yours”
There was never going to be another No. 1. Pete Rock flipped a sample of Ahmad Jamal’s “I Love Music” into inspiring piano keys over which Nasir Jones declared his mission statement for not only himself, but for his entire ‘hood. And yet, the impact is greater than Queensbridge. Whether you’re a college student from New Hampshire or a trapper from Atlanta, it’s impossible to listen to this joint without feeling like the world isn’t for the taking. Nas certainly felt that way, and took his slice of life with not only this dose of optimism, but also the entire craft of brilliance that is Illmatic.
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This album is the gift and the curse for Nas. He will never beat this album because it is the greatest rap album of all time. Period!
Nas is definitely the greatest rapper of all time! The GOAT
IT WAS WRITTEN is a better album. Other reasons make up for why illmatic is a great album. Me against the world is a better album too
Are you high?
This list was written by someone who clearly isn’t familiar with the album. Halftime was the worsr song on the album by a large margin. Ain’t Hard to Tell was ranked too low. The production was great for the era and his flow was on point. No offense but this list sounds like it was written by someone who researched the topic and not someone who was actually a part of the hip-hop culture.
This comment was written by someone who clearly isn’t familiar with the writer. Been bumping this album hard since my junior year in high school and I’m 28 now.
How was he supposed to know that about you? Also, 28? Sit down child. Grown ups are talking
Then he shouldn’t make assumptions. His point was I knew nothing about the album and researched it. I’ve been bumping it for almost 12 years. He was wrong, flat out.
You kinda proves my point homie. If you’re 28 and been bumping it since junior year that means you got on it around 2008 but the album came out in 1994. Nothing personal but it’s hard to get the full impact of how something was ahead of it’s time when you get on it almost 15 years later. To each is own though.
Bingo my dude said it perfectly I was going to say the same exact thing. Anybody who gets on classic 90s hip hop in 2008 is automatically disqualified from any 90s debate or argument. That’s like saying I been bumping Midnight Mauraders, Enter the 36 chambers and Doggystyle since 2005. Albums came out in 1993 the golden era of real hip hop of the 90s. Aaron sorry buddy UWASNTTHERE in the 90s when it was really doing down so it’s impossible to take you serious at all. There’s no way Halftime is harder than Represent or Ain’t hard to tell and definitely no way Memory Lane is harder than 1 love, Represent or Ain’t hard to tell sorry.
First of all yall replies about ‘this song is harder than that one’ and ‘that one is harder than this one’ are neither wrong or right….because it is an OPINION. To me its NYSOM but you its something different.
Second saying millenials don’t get the same feel for the album as older heads do… that I can agree to an extent. But we AIN’T debating that here. What we’re debating are the best tracks in order which is impossible to list because we all have different opinions.
On point bro
Nas is the best!
Nope The G.O.A.T
No such thing as a perfect, but this body of work is that. Large Professor, Premier, Pete Rock, and Q Tip laid the foundation and Nas painted the masterpiece. Album is to Rap what “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye is to Soul, what Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of The Moon” is to Rock. It’s really that good. And I went to the 20th anniversary concert for this album. Phenomenal!
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Impossible list……all i know is that it’s New York State of Mind first, and the rest can switch on any given day.
One time 4 your mind was definitely the worst of the 9 tracks. But the other 8 are totally incorrect. Memory Lane ain’t better than Ain’t hard to tell, 1 love, or Represent you’re on drugs with that Aaron and being that the writer is a 28 year old millennial he basically has no credibility when it comes to classic 90’s hip hop sorry
Memory Lane is arguably #3. Best intro lines, and an unforgettable second verse.
It hard to tell at number 8?
Y’all smoking d### again
And lazy journalism
This site used to be alright
WTH happened
If anyone engages in an argument about who is the best rapper of all time and you do not say Nas, they smoked too many blunts. Nas set the bar on this album. To this day, I still listen to illmatic man! Pure perfection… This album alone qualify Nas as the GOAT because no other album rhyme for rhyme, lyric by lyric and story by story and thought process cannnot even come close! It is that damn good!!!! If they did, they were influenced or copied Nas illmatic. Ask Jay Z and Biggie… two of my top 5 Dead or Alive!!!
I stopped reading after It Ain’t Hard To Tell was at #8…you’ve got to be kidding me.
It’s such a dope album that’s pretty much on point. I got it above Represent and One Time for Your Mind. But that’s it.
It Ain’t Hard to Tell lyrically was among the best on the album but I didn’t care for the listening to the Human Nature sample over and over. The Extra P remix version is waaaaaaaay better.
As good as they were, “Memory Lane” and “One Love” dragged on for me.. I play through Halftime then skip to Represent..
Memory lane is #2 for me, but halftime is the reason I think IWW is better. IWW has more songs but I can play it straight through with no problem, even if you want to say Nas is coming is weak, I think it’s better than halftime. I’m skipping that shit…everytime
9. One Time for Your Mind
8. Represent
7. It Ain’t Hard to Tell
6. Halftime
5. One Love
4. Memory Lane
3. Life’s A Bitch
2. The World is Yours
1. New York State of Mind
Best rap album of all time.
The millenial’s review:
He’s trying waaaaay to hard. Too many lyrics to keep up with, much prefer something that I don’t have to think about when listening to it. Thought provoking is sooo over rated. There was no chirpping or ringing through any of the lyrics making it way too difficult to pay attention to. The beats didn’t sound the same and had different drum patterns.
Agreed. Millenial era doesnt want to use their brain and rather be on autopilot getting dumber and dumber. Though I dont direct it to everyone cause every generation has good and bad.
No.1 Represent.
What rap album can go toe to toe with illmatic lyric by lyric? I am waiting… There you have it folks…None! Zero! Thanks people! Nas GOAT!
None it’s the best hiphop album ever made. In class of its own straight fire front to back
Reasonable Doubt.
Very difficult to place the tracks according to dopeness. The only one that is 100% right is one time for your mind. The others can switch places and it will be cool. For me, it aint hard to tell, represent, life is a bitch all occupy the number one spot. Its all down to opinion still
1) Half time
2) it ain’t hard to tell
3) One time 4 your mind
4) Memory lane
5) New York State of Mind
6) The world is yours
7) Life’s a bitch
8) Represent
9) One Love
They’re all pretty good, though