Hip hop head or not, chances are you've heard of Nas's Illmatic. It's the legendary debut by the then 20 year old Nasir Jones. The revered prodigy, the lyrical master, the silent yet deadly poet.
It's crazy to think that with each passing day this year it's becoming dangerously close to hitting the decade mark of Nas's career, and to celebrate little tidbits have been certainly brewing, like this little track titled "I'm a Villain." As someone that's only twenty years old herself, it's ridiculous to even begin thinking that I could explain the talent that shines in Nas's flow, lyrics, or rhymes, so I'm keeping this short and simple.
It's basic and old school in style and it carries the tough kid from the streets vibe to the fullest extent. It feels vibrant and youthful, with the tough exterior that shined bright in Illmatic shines equally bright here are well. While lyrically Nas has been much stronger, the energy in his voice is captivating. "I'm a Villain" doesn't try to make any friends, and it doesn't have to.
After ten years, it seems Nas is ready to regain old fans and bring new ones in. Illmatic is a legendary album, and April 15th, 2014 will see that it gets celebrated properly with a rerelease of the classic.
Comments
Ummm…decade?Illmatic released in 94.It's two decades old.Anyway some of the lyrics on the song made it onto illmatic.This song sounds like it was made around 91-92-ish.It feels like he's trying to imitate Kool G Rap.Maybe he didn't find his own voice yet.Nonetheless it's dope.