Nas’ sophomore album, It Was Written, was released in 1996, making Friday (July 2) its 25th anniversary.
To commemorate the milestone, the Queensbridge-bred Hip Hop legend and Sony Music’ Legacy Recordings division has unleashed an expanded version of the project featuring bonus tracks “Silent Murder” and “Street Dreams” (bonus verse). It also includes all original 14 tracks in their exact running order.
It Was Written followed Nas’ 1994 lllmatic debut, which quickly established the Columbia Records artist as an impenetrable rhyming force. But while that album hit the Billboard 200 at No. 12, It Was Written landed at No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, selling more than 250,000 copies its opening week.
Anchored by the singles “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)” featuring Lauryn Hill and “Street Dreams,” the album is a certified Hip Hop classic. It also marks the top-selling album of Nas’ career with its recent 3x-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Nas Celebrating 25 Years Of 'It Was Written' With Bonus Tracks + Limited Edition Vinyl
Executive produced by Nas, Steve Stoute and Trackmasters, It Was Written also introduced the Hip Hop supergroup The Firm featuring Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Cormega. Additional guest artists and producers include Dave Atkinson, Delight, DJ Kid Capri, DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Kirk Goddy, Mobb Deep’s Havoc, K-Ci & JoJo singer JoJo, L.E.S., Live Squad, J. Parker, Poke & Tone, Rashad Smith, Richard Travali Kurt Walker and others.
Both the “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)” and “Street Dreams” videos have been upgraded to high resolution HD video for the 25th anniversary.
Check out “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That) above and the full expanded version of It Was Written below.
i was hoping he’d put out a hq version of the Street Dreams Pete Rock remix. love that version
IWW is a classic to me, but this anniversary version is poorly done. Illmatic xx was the way, lots of remixes. There has to be more bonus content to this album… Examples of a great enhanced album editions: The Coming, Return to the 36 Chambers, Do You Want More ?!!!??!, Tical, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, etc etc.
Disappointed with this anniversary edition. Only two extra songs? No official instrumentals, rare remixes or unreleased tracks of any kind? There’s gotta be more.
this. Em’s SSLP’s 20th anniversary is another great example; shit only had 2 bonus cuts, [“get u mad” & “bad guys always die”], while his “special edition” [which released back either in 99, or 01; I can’t remember exactly rn], only [literally] had *ONE* bonus track…!!! *inserts mr krabs laugh* but if you *TRULY* a Stan, then I guess you spend your hard earned money to go & purchase [all 3 shits, including the vanille version SSLP]
The European release from 1996 already came with Silent Murder, it’s nothing new
2 Missing trx 4 this album 2 B Bonus Trx
Street Dreams (Remix) wit RKelly
And da remix wit NTM wit da Firm
It’s on YouTube tho.
“…Executive produced by Nas, Steve Stoute and Trackmasters, It Was Written also introduced the Hip Hop supergroup The Firm featuring Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Cormega. Additional guest artists and producers include ……Poke & Tone….”….uhh, maybe im reading this wrong but you know poke n tone ARE the trackmasters don’t ya?
It was Written….good album to take a nap too…BORING!
Lol, you don’t understand hip hop then.
Stfu. You got shit taste
Dope bars and dope music in general is NEVER boring. You OBVIOUSLY listen to music for the wrong reasons. Go watch a magician pull a rabbit from a hat instead.