Nasir "Nas" Jones, the Queens representitive, got some news worth celebrating. Being a significant figure in the Hip Hop world, Nas is getting even more attention, thanks to his 1994 LP being called a cultural "treasure" by the United States Library of Congress.
Illmatic is one of the 25 recordings added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress for 2020. The album featured countless sample tracks serving as a homage to 70s RnB. Many talented producers like Q-Tip, Large Professor, and DJ Premier forged never-before-heard sounds in the album. Some having featured "gritty" drums, retro vinyl samples, and even snippets of jazz. Because of this, the LP has been described by the NOP as the "sound of a kid in Queensbridge ransacking his parents' record collection."
Sponsored
"Critics quickly extolled it for its rhythmic originality and its realistic yet fresh take on life in the Queensbridge projects," read a statement about Illmatic from the Library of Congress. The registry then continued to describe the sheer uniqueness Nasir had in his album. "Characterized by the masterful use of multi-syllabic and internal rhyme, surprising line breaks, and rhythmic complexity, the album's technique has been widely copied and proven broadly influential."
And it looks like this news couldn't come at a better time because Nas won his first Grammy at the 63rd annual award show. After being nominated 14 times, the rapper managed to land the career victory, winning the Best Rap Album for King's Disease. To check out his award-winning album, click here.
