Cormega - Mega Philosophy (July 22, 2014)

This is the last time I'm importing a review from my mentor Max's Hip Hop Isn't Dead blog. I promise only all-new content from now on.

Quick question: How many rappers have caused you to change your mind about their work? We're talking a shift from, "Oh, he's absolute cow dung!" to, "God DAMN, this dude can spit!"

Ever since 2009, I can confidently say that Cory McKay, who joined a lucha libre stable under the name Cormega, has changed mine.

For years, Cormy has struggled under the shadow of his former foe Nas: his then-disagreement with Escobar resulted in him getting mysteriously kicked the fuck out of the hip hop supergroup The Firm, whose remaining members (AZ, Foxy Brown, and Nas, obviously) then rushed to sign with Dr. Dre, Ph.D, who replaced him with a different Queensbridge rapper who called himself Nature for some reason I'd rather not research.

Everything kept going downhill from there, as Cormy went on to be kicked out of another faction, this time Def Jam Records, who shelved his first attempt at a debut solo album, The Testament. This forced him to escape to the underground, where he released project after project of varying degrees of quality. Not to say that Cormy is a shitty emcee, of course: far from it. Mega has slowly moulded himself into one of the sharpest writers: his lyricism and effort are undeniable. But the main problem I've had with him is his inconsistent beat selection, since I believe using too many no-names causes consistency to drop considerably. Each and every one of his previous albums contains a bunch of tracks that you really can't take seriously (e.g., “Montana Diary”, “Rap's A Hustle”, etc.).

During the recording sessions for his second album, The True Meaning, Cormy came face-to-face with the man who helped shaped Nas's career, because whether anybody likes it or not, producer/rapper Large Professor is equally responsible for the awesomeness that is Illmatic as Nas is himself, since he was the unofficial A&R/executive producer of the iconic album. I've long held an admiration for the man's work in this genre, which was renewed when I came across his shelved debut, The LP. Bottom line: William Paul Mitchell is the fucking man.

Their lone collaboration on that project, “The Come Up”, didn't necessarily set the hip hop world on fire, it paved the way for future link-ups such as “Sugar Ray and Hearns”, which, despite how much I hoped, LP did not produce, and “Journey”, off of Cormy's fifth album Born & Raised. Although he had collaborated with other high-caliber producers such as DJ Premier, Pete Rock & Buckwild on that album, Mega sensed that he was on to something with Extra P. “Journey” was a flawless track that ranks right up there with the other classic tracks in Large Professor's production championship belt. So, since being called a “professor” implies you possess certain degree of intelligence, LP contacted our host to propose a full album-length collaboration. What he didn't expect was that Cormy was just about to call him to propose that very same idea. And the hip hop multiverse storyline was officially underway.

Seriously though, after promising the fucking thing for years, Cormy finally dropped Mega Philosophy, with its wall-to-wall production from Large Professor, onto the unsuspecting masses in July 2014. With this album, he claims he will earn his rightful place among the hip hop elite. So, does he?

Mega Philosophy, boy/girl (pick one):

1. A NEW DAY BEGINS

We begin with some dude passionately shouting about something about outsiders claiming to be hip hop scholars while ignoring some of the key people who helped shape the art form. Whatever. After the speech, Cormy spits a single verse over a smooth musical backdrop with no drums to grab on to. Hey, at least it's not an intro or spoken word.

2. MARS (DREAM TEAM) (FEAT. AZ, REDMAN, & STYLES P)

Huh. The sequel to a similarly structured song on Extra P's 2012 opus (Professor @ Large's “M.A.R.S.”, which featured Mega Montana alongside diet Ghostface Killah Action Bronson, current underground darling Roc Marciano, and Saigon, whom I didn't like for the longest until I heard his work with Just Blaze) shows that our host isn't fucking around. He certainly knows that once people merely glance at that guest list that this track will become an instant priority. So, yeah, this song is the tits. Everybody on here comes correct, and I'm very happy with Redman's first outing over an XP production. His Bruh Man reference produced a chuckle out of me that I don't usually get from most hip hop records these days. Props to AZ's diss to George Zimmerman, too.

3. INDUSTRY

The lead single. This cut got a lot of love from the Interweb back then, and with good reason, as Cormy steps up his ever-present critique of the music industry. This is a big step forward from the guy who wrote “Testament”. Props for mentioning Lauryn Hill and Styles P's respective predicaments, though. I have to think Nas was inspired to let Lauryn remind us of her greatness on KD2's Nobody after he listened to this once him & Cormy mended fences. And points have to be awarded for the single's cover art, especially as he includes the late Guru and Pimp C in that group. Not that we don't miss everyone we've lost in hip hop, but those two don't get mentioned nearly as often as the rest for some reason. I wish LP would have spit some bars on this, as he's been fucked over by the industry even more than our host.

4. MORE (FEAT. CHANTELLE NANDI)

Cormy gets his preach on over a dope LP production that utilises his strong ear for bass along with some soft strings sprinkled here and there, along with our host's new vocalist, whose singing I couldn't really decide on. The end result does the job surprisingly well, because although Cormy's preaching comes off as a bit forceful, it weirdly suits him. This album is slowly becoming quite the force. This is also the second song in a row where LP would've fit in nicely.

5. REFLECTION

Another Cormy acapella, a continuation of his one-acapella-per-album trend. The lyrics are good, though. Next!

6. D.U. (DIVINE UNITY) (FEAT. NATURE)

The working relationship between Cormega and Nature is one of the absolute funniest things I've ever seen in hip hop. First, your friend kicks you out of a group you helped form, and replaces you with some other random dude. Then you dis the shit out of both of them. And finally, you make up with your replacement, but not your longtime friend. Glad both of them squashed that, seriously. Anyway, these two have hooked up in the past on a remix of an Alchemist cut called “Professional Style” that also featured common Firm relation AZ. That track was even remixed by Cormega and The Revelations for his compilation album, Raw Forever, complete with redone lyrics from all parties involved. As for this song? Well, the chemistry is surely there, but the star of the show is the instrumental, which elevates the street imagery and boasts to a truly respectable scale. This shit was stupid nice.

7. HONORABLE (FEAT. RAEKWON)

Cormy's pulling out all the stops on this, huh? The Chef comes correct on his second Extra P outing following his showout 14 years prior on Busta Rhymes's The Heist, alongside fellow Wu General GFK and aforementioned underground darling Roc Marciano, whom I preferred way better during his Flipmode/UN days. Rae and our host use the same formula as "C.R.E.A.M.", in that Rae is once again the party enamoured with the street life while Cormy plays the Inspectah Deck role of the cat who thanks his newfound spirituality for getting him the fuck out of that life. In no way am I saying this is as good as “C.R.E.A.M.”: I'm saying the formula is a tried and true one that works on this track.

8. RAP BASQUIAT

Aside from “MARS (Dream Team)”, this song has the beat that stuck with me the most so far on Mega Philosophy. LP's drum break samples are fucking awesome, and he even plays with the breaks during Cormy's performance to amplify the energy of the track. Accordingly, Mega steps his delivery up to a fever pitch, which gives his boasts a certain authority that improves the overall product. True shit: I haven't heard Cormy sound this aggressive since The Testament. The guy at the end, though? Annoyingly unnecessary to the proceedings.

9. RISE (FEAT. MAYA AZUCENA)

Maya Azucena reunites with Cormy after their stellar posse cut to benefit Haiti, “I Made A Difference”, from 2010, which also marked the first time I had ever heard Reggie Noble spit conscious rhymes. LP and Maya prep the track nicely enough for Cormy to go in full introspective mode, and seeing as I love me some introspection when done right, this shit is right up my alley. This is the second time in a row a track ends in a crappy way, though, as LP brings down the beat, leaving Maya sounding pretty paranoid as she hums on to the end of the track. Still, this was the third song on here where Extra P's bars could've fit like a glove.

10. HOME (FEAT. BLACK ROB)

Even when his Life Story album being an absolute gem that sold one million copies Stateside and his sophomore The Black Rob Report being satisfyingly consistent, I've always felt like the late Black Rob was quite underpromoted. That, and I’ve mistakenly dismissed his solo work for the longest because of his staunch loyalty to the human serpent that is Sean Comby Combs (A dismissal that thankfully didn’t last long). But ever since he left prison in 2010, he's been making moves with the right people: I enjoyed his showing on Smif-N-Wessun and Pete Rock's Monumental collaboration album. He's always had a talent for painting a picture you can believe. On “Home”, he gives what can be argued as his most memorable showing since he became a free man again, although I could probably credit that to XP moulding the beat to fit his heavy voice. Oh, and Cormy's his usual self here, as well. Ever since Rob passed, this has become the track I revisit the most from Mega Philosophy despite its brevity.

11. VALUABLE LESSONS

A quick sample from The True Meaning's “Take These Jewels” precedes a somber acoustic-sampling beat that provides the canvas for the final track on the album, where Cormy spits three verses, each one about a different type of relationship: friendship, family, and love, respectively. He ends his album on a very personal note, and LP's beat is a very fitting musical backdrop for the proceedings. And with that, we're done.

FINAL THOUGHTS: With Mega Philosophy, Cormega has finally delivered what has been missing from his catalogue: A damn fine album that is complete with excellent performances and quality beats from a bonafide legend. Large Professor has finally collaborated with an artist who has shown time and again to be worthy of his beats. (LP, I know Neek The Exotic is your man, but he hasn't delivered on his “Fakin' The Funk” potential for over twenty years now. Maybe he should quit rapping. And L.E.O.? Really, William? You fucked up on that one. Fucked up bad.) The only thing would have made Mega Philosophy perfect are some bars from Extra P himself, and trust me, many opportunities presented themselves. But make no mistake about it: this is a fucking awesome album. The guests, rapping and singing alike, were also equally stellar, lending the album an air of fine quality control and ensuring it as a body of work one will revisit for years to come.

WORTH IT? You bet your doughy and warty posterior, boy/girl (pick one). Cormega, you may now take your rightful place among the elite in hip hop. Very well done, sir.

 

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN

INDUSTRY (JUICE CREW REMIX) (FEATURING KOOL G RAP, MASTA ACE & CRAIG G)

Over the same beat as the regal original, Cormega returns and brings with him one hell of an all-star show as Craig G, music man Masta Ace and the Kool motherfucking Genius of Rap of hip hop royalty the Juice Crew catch wreck. And boy, do they ever! Each MC delivers a critique that will remain true until God takes this Earth over. This shit slaps!

INDUSTRY (DELUXE REMIX) (FEATURING INSPECTAH DECK, ROC MARCIANO, SADAT X & LORD JAMAR)

Over an entirely different instrumental from the Extra P, Cormega invites my favorite Wu General Excalibur aka Inspectah Deck, Roc Marciano (I'm really mentioning him a lot in this interview, aren't I? Speaks to his workrate) and members of hip hop royalty Brand Nubian Sadat X & Lord Jamar (DJ Vlad's former BFF) to showcase yet another critique of the business side of music. While everyone else, including our host, did their best to leave a lasting impression on the consumer, there’s a reason the other Wu Generals feared the Rebel. With my favorite outing on the song, Deck perfectly exhibits why he’s one of the most potent MCs to ever write lyrics with:

"I strive to be the type to fight to lead them right

From the brainwash, same songs daily that they playin'

And if you disagree with the mass, then you're hatin'"

Preach on, good brother.

And we’re done.

For more on the recently-reinstated Firm member, lookit. For other Queensbridge luminaries, check this out. And for extra Extra P, follow this.

Large Professor - The LP (shelved 1996, official release July 1, 2009)

EDITOR'S NOTE: I thought since my hiatus took so friggin long, I'd come back with something different. So here it is, boy/girl (pick one). The first review I ever wrote. Shoutouts once again to my friend Max over at Hip Hop Isn't Dead. You were right, Max. I couldn't continue with the runs long enough. From now on, I'm reviewing whatever comes to mind.

"Queens, represent. Buy the album when I drop it." - Large Professor, from A Tribe Called Quest's “Keep It Rollin'”

William Paul Mitchell, also known as Large Professor, Main Source mastermind & bass extraordinaire, hereinafter referred to as just "LP", has received much critical love for many things in the early 1990's, but most people seem to know him for throwing rappers like Nas and Akinyele some scraps of his spotlight. One of those two names didn't invest in that scrap properly, but I'm not here to point fingers (hint: it wasn't Nas).

Now, lame attempt at humor aside, I've been chomping through my jaw to hear more from this beatsmith who brought the world my favorite Illmatic songs, "It Ain't Hard to Tell" and "Halftime" (I did say my favorites, right?), so I sought him out. I checked the man's discography and something didn't look right. LP is a genius, so how come after producing Akinyele's debut Vagina Diner and his now-legendary plea above, he drops zilch for nearly a decade?

This caused me to ignore my love for the guy's music and immerse myself elsewhere in my hip hop journey, at least until I came across an interesting piece of info. LP was supposed to drop something in 1996, but the Geffen higher-ups deemed that his work sounded too "dated" and shelved his shit after "promoting" only two songs. That makes me want to strangle my dog, so imagine how LP must have felt. (I've actually never had and don't plan on getting a dog. I hate pets, you see.)

Fast forward six years, when LP released what ended up being his actual debut album, 1st Class. Queens didn't represent, and neither did I. Why should I? The man, while still fairly dope, sounded nothing like the Main Source powerhouse I heard before, which led me to believe he had fallen off. However, some of the copies of 1st Class came with an additional disc. Little did people know that this CD was actually Large Professor's lost first attempt at a debut, The LP. But I still didn't represent. I was one lazy bum at the time.

Then, one day I read on the Internet that The LP was produced in 1996. I looked further into it and it turns out LP finally did manage to release The LP...in 2009, a year after his second album, the aptly-titled Main Source. It didn't have the same tracklisting, and it included a few bonus goodies that weren't readily available in 1996, but still.

I deliberately wrote this long-ass intro to emphasize that "this man went through a lot of shit to release an album" is hip hop's understatement of the century. But is The LP a classic? You will find out. That's why you're still reading.

INTRO
Clearly recorded in a much earlier time, LP tells you in between scratches of “Yo, Professor what's up?” that this is, in fact, his solo debut, and "whoever disagree is taken out like trash". Not as weak as it seems.

THAT BULLSHIT
Now that's more like it! LP launches into an impressive tirade against violence in the ghetto. Is it me, or is the man obsessed with shouting out his song titles (among other useless crap) as a chorus? Also, did LP really throw a shot towards his former Main Source bandmates? Anyway, the second verse is the highlight. The sample kind of got on my nerves, though, since it distracted me from the actual music. All in all, pretty dope!

HUNGRY
Extra P provides himself with a straight-up mean instrumental and proceeds to rip it to shreds. Yes! No chorus! Until the last minute, anyway, where he just, for lack of a better word, stops, then rolls out a long-ass (and annoying) outro for the song. Almost ruined the track for me. Ah who am I kidding? This was another dope cut!

I JUSWANNA CHILL
My favorite song on the album (and the album's second of two singles). The hook's catchy, too: this will be the only time on this album that happens. I don't give a fuck about the title's spelling issues: if anyone's gonna making a song about success in the music industry, this is how to do it. The end of the track leads into...

FUNKY 2 LISTEN 2
Yet another unorthodox beat by Extra P, but this time he doesn't fuck it up. Lyrically, LP is kind of underrated in my opinion, “underrated” as in “this song, by itself, owns the entire ymcmb catalog" (I'm using small letters because it's my review and I'm kind of a prick). This really was enjoyable. Also, no chorus!

MAD SCIENTIST
Starts with a freestyle over Busta Rhymes' Woo Hah beat, where Extra P spits a few kinda meh bars and shouts "Mad Scientist!". Before anyone can bitch, the beat switches up and we're greeted with The LP's awesome lead single, preserved in all of its glory. I love that laugh during the chorus. Even when censored, this song is almost perfect...until LP repeats his first verse as the third verse. And yet I still enjoyed this immensely. Seriously, though, he needs to stop with this lame-ass hook routine. It's getting annoying.

HARD
The song starts with a smooth, classic LP beat, and switches to an energetic instrumental. The bass is the highlight of the beat as LP really turns his flow into high gear. Nice! Pity that he never could write dope hooks. His gem game is as sharp as always, though. Four for four, so far.

ONE PLUS ONE (FEAT. NAS)
Extra P brings to the booth his former weed carrier-turned-rap messiah, who was smack dab in that sweet two-year spot where he could do no wrong in the eyes of everyone, not just his Stans, as he spits an immortal verse. Then before LP starts, Nas tries his damnedest to ruin the mood by spinning off into one of his tangents. Is he fucking yodeling here?! Which just makes him seem desperate for attention: surely he must have laced his weed by following one of the RZA's weird “honey dip” rituals. LP snaps out of Diddy mode and switches the overall feel mid-verse, leaving us with an equally decent gem of a verse himself. An excellent song.

THE LP (FOR MY PEOPLE)
This song is exactly why I hereby declare Extra P used to be a seriously underrated emcee, as we all know he's a wizard at beats. No, really: wrap your head around this: "Lots of knowledge cause this world is my college / where I teach and preach your whole contract, jack". Nice! Even with the meh hook. (I'm saying this a lot, aren't I? There still more to come, too.)

DANCIN' GIRL (FEAT. LEN X'S TEN)
The obligatory song for the ladies. Even with the subject matter, Large Professor comes off as quite respectful. Not to mention he provides a very addictive beat. The only flaw on here is the eye-gougingly irritating chorus, crooner and all. Probably why we never hear from Len X's Ten again.

LARGE PRO: VERBS
The original album intro (on the first version of The LP), now thrown in at the halfway point as a "midtro". This beat fucking knocks. Why didn't you just stick with the original sequencing?

HAVIN' FUN
A track about, well, you can guess. I don't care if the hook is a Treacherous Three tribute, it still sucks much more than his usual shitty hook standards: LP's rhymes are still decent, but this song is ruined for me. To top it off, it even ends with a section of the earlier For My People. WTF?

SPACEY (FEAT. CEE LOWE & VANDEMATOR)
The only song on the project not produced by Large Professor, but by Toney Rome. Even with the old-school, almost-decent beat & a good verse from LP, the guests and the (gasp!) hook turn this song into a dud on arrival (See what I did there?).

AMAMAN
Weird title aside, this song is the first of four 2009 additions to The LP. He channels Pete Rock into his beatmaking and comes off bombastically good. Lyrically, you can hear Extra P trying to match his former self's ability to rhyme, with acceptable results. The end of the song provides us with an earlier take on the same track, and although brief, you'll notice the upsurge in lyrical quality.

QUEENS LOUNGE
LP seems to have rediscovered his ability to write shitty choruses. Otherwise, this party song is just sublime.

BOWNE
If anyone is a sucker for nostalgia, this beat would eat you alive. And yes, I'm one of those. LP reflects on younger times, and does pretty damn good.

BIG WILLIE
The best of the four new additions. LP uses his final song briefly transforming into a one-man Gang Starr during this street tale. I approve of this shit.

OUTRO
Similar to the intro, but to me, LP is a much better emcee when he's introspective and not talking shit, so I liked this a bit more.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Enough with the sweet talk. The LP is not perfect. Large Professor has an unsettling tendency to write abhorrent hooks, and he sometimes has delivery problems when he's spitting. Still, I would consider The LP a classic album, right up there with Main Source's Breaking Atoms (which, might I add, shared those same flaws). If bad hooks put you off, steer clear from LP's entire body of work. Otherwise, you'll enjoy this album for what it is, a genius LP by LP. Clearly, I was wrong in presuming he fell off. (In recognizing so, I also had room to appreciate 1st Class so there's that.) I suggest listening to the album using its original tracklisting, though: it'll make much more sense.

WORTH IT? If you don't mind hooks, you should acquire this shit. Invest in your love for hip hop, dammit. Everyone else should listen to it at least once, just so you can appreciate the man's musical genius. Minus "Spacey", of course: that shit should be banished to the netherworld of pretentious artistry.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:

RAP PROFESSIONAL

Produced by underground mixtape stalwart J-Love, apparently, as LP talks his shit over a beat that, while competent, sounds like it's trying too hard to be dramatic. Also, you see the title of the track. You already know LP's pulling the hook from It Ain't Hard To Tell. Oh well, I still liked the overall product.

COOL

The b-side to Rap Professional, once again produced by J-Love in a much better showing. LP lets loose over a smooth jazz loop primed and ready for introspection mixed with a little shittalking. And believe me, LP is much more adept at doing this than what's apparent from first glance.

THE RAP WORLD (FEATURING PETE ROCK)

Off the High School High OST, LP & PR concoct a rap duet that's absolutely timeless, while apparently producing it together utilizing another Nautilus loop. Pete does his best, but it's clear as crystal here that an in-the-zone LP is quite formidable, as he stakes his dominance over the track by batting cleanup. And we're done.

For more Extra P, come get some.

Nas - Illmatic (April 19, 1994)

I mean, come on. As soon as you saw the previous Mobb Deep review, you knew, right?

I first came across Nasir Bin Olu Jones (his real name, I swear.) when I heard NY State Of Mind on the radio of True Crime: New York City, but that didn't really count because I wasn't really paying attention to what I heard aside from Protect Ya Neck by the immortal Wu-Tang Clan. Like, at all.

Anyway, I first consciously came across Nasir reading about him on Wikipedia back when I just started taking hip hop seriously. I was mildly interested at first, but that didn't lead into any step regarding me following his career. As I progressed further into my respective video game, Wikipedia and YouTube voyages, I came across Mobb Deep. And since I knew by then that Nas and them shared stomping grounds, I figured I'd give his material a whirl. Think about it, Mobb Deep actually introduced me to Nas. How many hip hop fans took that musical route? And since I have ADHD with mild OCD, I researched Nas' beginnings on Wikipedia, so that I can have a proper perspective on his progression. Boy, was I in for a ride.

No Nas origin tale is complete without mentioning that one William Paul Mitchell, conducting lectures as the Large Professor at Harvard in The Precise Methods Of Not Selling Out, was instrumental in: 1. Bringing The Nasty One to the public eye on his brilliant posse cut Live At The Barbeque (a track that also unleashed Akinyele, an undisputed-yet-very-underrated punchline legend) off his still-too-underrated-after-24-goddamn-years classic Breaking Atoms in an appearance that, while obviously housing a style that descended from the Intelligent Hoodlum school of thuggery, nevertheless blew my mind, accomplishing its job as an effective punchline rap rather effectively. What do you mean, it's a Main Source album?!. 2. Introducing Nas to future manager Michael Berrin aka MC Serch aka White Bespectacled Dude With Flat Top, who took the management gig after William himself turned it down. Serch then put Nas on his brilliant posse cut, Back To The Grill, where he delivered another similar punchline offering that only served to increase the public's thirst for more Nas.

Important to note though, LP still stayed with his protégé, guiding his steps and, according to Nas himself, helped him hone his lyrical genius a great deal. Which really wasn't that far off, considering LP's own lyrical prowess at the time. More importantly, LP started campaigning heavy to issue a full Nas album. I even heard that him and MC Serch got into an argument about it once, which ended up with LP almost smacking Serch! I didn't know William was that tough! So, MC Serch succeeds in convincing Columbia to issue our hero a single on the Zebrahead OST to test the waters. William didn't need any more than that. Thus, Nas' debut single Halftime was born. Halftime was a roaring success in the midst of a fucking travesty of an OST about the most boring Romeo and Juliet reimagining you can think of. Seriously, what is it with good rap songs associated with horseshit movies? Oh well. Everyone (read: NY) now craved a full Nas album. An album which Nas chose to name after a gangster in his hood whose nickname was immortalized after Tragedy used it first in his 1988 smash The Rebel. I'm referring, of course, to one Illmatic Ice, whom I admittedly don't know anything about aside from this story.

And by the looks of it, the timing couldn't be more perfect, as the East Coast Renaissance was by now in full swing with its landmark releases in 1993. You know the albums I'm talking about. You don't? Really? Dead Serious? 19 Naughty III? Bacdafucup? Midnight Marauders? 36 Chambers? Ring a bell?! Of course there are more albums that are equally important, but I chose to mention those that most people bought back then in hopes that as much people flock into this blog of mine as possible. I digress, this is another opportunity to showcase Mr. Mitchell's crucial status to this album and, more importantly, this genre. For as soon as Columbia greenlit the album, William started rounding up the producers which he thought could vibe well with his boy. And herein lies the key difference between Illmatic's beats and most of Nas' remaining catalog. See, it took the ear of a credible producer like Large Professor to bring the right producers who can collaborate effectively to present a cohesive musical setting, perfect for son to spit his genius on, unlike most of Nas' other albums, because whether he admits it or not, Nas has a shit ear for beats. A problem that has not been fixed to this day. Anyway, William unleashed Nas' second single, It Ain't Hard To Tell, which was the lead single for the album, to the fiending hordes more than a year after Halftime, and that was the last straw. The people had to have Illmatic now.

There can't be anything more to say in introducing this album that better critics & writers haven't already said billions of times, so fuck it, I'm not going to drag this intro on anymore than I already have:

1. THE GENESIS
Despite many people loving this intro, featuring Nas' brother Jungle of Bravehearts infamy and the album's only guest MC, Anthony Cruz aka AZ, this shit remains a useless rap album intro. I don't care if Nas' verse off Live At The Barbeque is playing in the background, a skit is a skit.

2. N.Y. STATE OF MIND
First up, my technical introduction to Nas (which I don't remember really. I was too preoccupied with getting Marcus Reed through his perilous NY voyage alive.) and arguably his most popular song to date. With good fucking reason. DJ Premier, fucking beat wizard that he is, meshes samples from Kool & The Gang, Donald Byrd & that beautiful Joe Chambers piano loop into a masterpiece, one which Nasir reportedly bodies on the first take. His lyrics describing the street thug mentality shows he studied the Tragedy formula well, coming up with his very unique interpretation of said subject matter. It's extremely understated how much Nas was a student of the greats, and how much that approach made him one. A truly magnificent song.

3. LIFE'S A BITCH (FEATURING AZ & OLU DARA)
AZ's debut on wax remains one of the best debuts in hip hop history, no lie. Nas makes damn sure he's not eclipsed on his own shit, and the listener is left to suffer in picking his favorite verse. The two MC's expertly tackle the pursuit of riches from their point of view without waiting for other people's approval, which is essential in this composition's success. L.E.S. brilliantly samples Yearning For Your Love by The Gap Band with a winning cornet solo at the end by Nas' father Olu Dara. Another home run.

4. THE WORLD IS YOURS
Pete Rock is up next, and boy, does his beat take you for a doozy. The Ahmad Jamal piano loop coupled with the evident T La Rock audio sample he combined together is absolutely timeless, and Nas hits us with the metaphors of a kingpin's point of view on material life this time, in crucially vivid detail. One of the best hip hop songs ever made, no lie. Fuck the hook, though. What? I didn't say it was perfect. (Here's a jewel every art fan must digest: No piece of art is flawless.) Moving on.

5. HALFTIME
Nas' first single, and really the first complete taste the fans got from him as to what he can do. So, allow me to state that this is my 2nd most preferred cut on the album. Large Pro lays the blueprint to the other producers on this album for how the beats are to be constructed by ingeniously laying a bass loop from Japanese Hair Cast with splashes of Average White Band throughout and the horns from Gary Byrd's Soul Travellin' Pt. I as the hook. Nas' mission statement is clear: Punchlines that'll knock you out on your backside. He damn well succeeds, injecting some social commentary and self-empowerment in said punchlines. Awesome!

6. MEMORY LANE (SITTIN' IN DA PARK)
DJ Premier exhibits one of many examples of just what makes him highly regarded in this thing of ours by picking a loop that you originally would never think can be flipped into an even decent instrumental. Not only does he do that, the loop is somehow transformed into a time capsule that will transport you to an Autumn afternoon in early 1990s Queensbridge. Nas relishes in such backdrops as he blacks out with a masterclass in MCing: Punchlines, history lessons and introspection all rolled into one beautiful package. These might be the most impressive display of lyricism I've ever come across from Nas. Definitely a highlight.

7. ONE LOVE
Ah yes, the one song off the album that launched a legion of imitations, with some morphing into classics in their own right. Q-Tip, maestro of the first three Tribe albums, (you know, the favorites) samples the Smilin' Billy Suite Pt. II xylophone number by the Heath Brothers. I'm not that crazy over the beat, but I'll admit it's a fitting backdrop for Nas to flesh out the concept of speaking to the incarcerated folk. This is some of the most relevant social commentary ever committed to lyrics.

8. ONE TIME 4 YOUR MIND
William provides his weakest beat on the album, which is still awesome. Hell, by its very lonesome, it still dominates the entire Cash Money catalog. The Walter L sample succeeds as the backdrop to Nas delivering some of the best braggadocio rhymes ever committed to wax.

9. REPRESENT
The final DJ Premier instrumental of the album finds him brilliantly freaking Lee Erwin's Thief Of Baghdad into yet another NY anthem. I'm noticing that this particular 'NY anthem' attribute is prevalent throughout all the songs so far, as each one is a representative of a side of the Rotten Apple. Again, kudos to Large Professor for this album's cohesive sound. Nas ends his lyrical voyage into hood life with the ignorance that always precedes one's downfall, injecting just enough despair to root for our hero but not enough to count him out. Truly a musical triumph.

10. IT AIN'T HARD TO TELL
The album waited until the last track to give you its lead single, which just so happens to be my most preferred Nas cut. Matter of fact, anybody looking for a song most suited to give you the short Nasir Jones tour, look no further than this track. For It Ain't Hard To Tell has the whole package: sick punchlines, intelligent references & a poetic knack that is very rare in any lyrical songwriter. All to the most fitting of LP beats, where son samples Michael Jackson's Human Nature, Kool & The Gang's N.T. and an audio sample from Mountain's Long Red to breathtaking effect. Although, I have to mention that the beat for a previous version, Nas Will Prevail, which uses most of the same sample material, sounds a lot better. All in all, the prime definition of ending the album on a high note.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
To any music fan who's reading this review, I've been waiting to address the following matter for a long time: Debates like what's the best album ever made or who's the best rapper of all time can only be detrimental to the art form even if said art form is built on competition. People keep forgetting that more importantly, hip hop was created as a means to unite. By no means am I saying that there's no dedication, care nor respect required, of course. And that's what hip hop music should be judged by. Fuck it, that's the criteria any musical offering should be judged upon. From founders like Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five, The Cold Crush Brothers and the Treacherous Three to pioneers like Public Enemy, The Juice Crew, Ultramagnetic MCs, EPMD, Gang Starr and NWA, not to mention figures like KRS-One & Rakim: All of these acts respected their craft's history and thereby contributed in one way or another to the growth of hip hop music. So how does one do so in my humble opinion? There, at the very least, needs to be an acceptable combination of lyrical ability, musicianship and relevant subject matter. And when all three are available in spades? You have a musical piece suited for the Hip Hop Music Hall Of Fame, and trust me, there is a fucking legion of fully fleshed out albums that fit the bill. Ilmatic just so happens to be one of them. Simply put: Illmatic definitely descends from the aforementioned lineage. The crystallized chemistry between beat and rhyme is undeniably evident and in droves. Large Professor captained the All-Star team into providing the most fitting musical canvases possible for a rapper of Nas' talent to shine on and Nas took that offering as seriously as he possibly could, resulting in a humanly flawed but damn fine work of art that helped hip hop music grow. So is this the greatest hip hop album of all time? Is Nas the greatest MC of all time? No on both accounts. But most importantly, they don't need to be. Because there is NO place in art for such positions, anyway.

WORTH IT?
Everyone who's ever had even a passing interest in hip hop has heard or owned this. Be part of the latter and own yourself a piece of musical history.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
DEJA VU
This is probably the most famous unreleased song by Nas. And rightfully so. An unknown producer by the name of Chris Winston provides a haunting beat for Nas to paint the flipside of what he offered on The World Is Yours. And, as every Nas fan already knows, yes: That first verse is his immortal verse on Raekwon's Verbal Intercourse. The other two verses are equally amazing, though. Even his delivery sounds miserably and desperately calm. This was awesome.

UNDERSTANDING
I'm sure Nas fans know this one too. A simple minimalistic beat and Nas is off with another dazzling display of braggadocio. This seems to be released on certain cassette versions of the Bad Boys OST, yet was omitted from later versions and CD pressings. Why U do dat, Columbia?

ONE ON ONE
This is a personal favorite of mine because it's inspired by Street Fighter, and Nas still chose to flip it his own unique way. Even though this was on the horrid 1994 Street Fighter film's OST, a surprisingly varied hip hop offering by Priority. The beat was produce by Chris Large and, hey, it's Mr Freaknasti, whom you might remember as the mysterious producer of Tragedy's The Posse (Shoot 'Em Up). (I still think it's K-Def using a pseudonym, but I may never know for sure) Side note: Whoever thought that adding the noname crooner on here should be piledriven to the concrete floor. And we're done.

More Nas here. And more LP here.