Special pieces of media culture possess the unique ability to halt time and capture the imagination. Nas’ storied debut album Illmatic first impacted the world the year I was born (1994), but this failed to prevent within me a strange sense of time travel when I first heard the indisputably classic record many years later. Vivid vignettes fill any and all potential sonic voids, a remarkable feat in that Nas does so without sacrificing innovative and impressive rhyme schemes. Illmatic‘s staying power in the twenty years since its release is telling.
In honor of the album’s 20-year anniversary on Apr. 19, Time Is Illmatic – a long-awaited documentary about Illmatic‘s legacy – will make its screening debut during the opening night of the Tribeca Film Festival on Apr. 17. Suffice to say, I’m beyond ecstatic to watch the movie in its entirety as soon as possible.
Watch the trailer for Time Is Illmatic below. Illmatic XX hits stores Apr. 15.
The best there is, best there was, BEST there EVER will be