Let me take a trip down memory lane...

The other day I was writing my last paper before finals while listening to Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt and texting HungryforTacos. Admittedly, Reasonable Doubt is a new album for me. I've always liked Hov's flow but I never got around to collecting his tracks. But, as I listened early to Shaun Carter, I couldn't help but think of his lifetime rival's first album.

Nas' first album, Illmatic, is hands down my favorite album ever. The album came out two years before Jay-Z's debut and despite their regional similarity (Nas is from Queensbridge and Jay-Z is from Brooklyn) the two rappers have very distinct flows. It is almost disappointing how good the album was given Nas' career. The entire album was recorded when Nas was only 19 yet the content and lyrics are some of the smartest and, astoundingly, some of the most profound I've ever been witness too. Here's one example from "Memory Lane":

Rap divine Gods check the prognosis, is it real or showbiz?
My window faces shootouts, drug overdoses
Live amongst no roses, only the drama, for real
A nickel-plate is my fate, my medicine is the ganja

Or this example from "N.Y. State of Mind":

It drops deep as it does in my breath
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death
Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined
I think of crime when I'm in a New York state of mind

"Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined"? From a kid on the streets my age? Nas didn't even finish eighth grade. I'm continually impressed. Maybe that was the problem. This album was real, it was when he was still on the streets, still connected. Since then it just hasn't been the same. Besides the lyrics, though, the beats are unbelievable. Check the base lines in "N.Y. State of Mind." Correction, smoke, then check that base. Sick.

Nas - Illmatic (Full Album)

Highlight tracks for those without much time include "It Ain't Hard to Tell," "Represent," "Memory Lane," and "New York State of Mind," a song I believe may be my favorite song ever.

Now I'm sure the more esteemed rap collectors on this blog have had this album forever and this post may feel repetitive, but when was the last time you listened to an Illmatic track? Been a while I bet. (Watch me be wrong of course.)

I'd also be interested in reading some predictions about the upcoming Euro 2008 Cup from some of the more knowledgeable footy fans here.

Wisdom be leaking out my grapefruit