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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Stillmatic
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 12 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 41 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Sony / Ill Will
Release Date: 18 December 2001
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rap
Summary
The New York rapper's fifth album attempts to return to the sound of his similar-titled 1994 hit debut, 'Illmatic.' Here, DJ Premier, Large Professor, and Swizz Beatz provide the beats.
Also By This Artist: God's Son Hip Hop Is Dead Street's Disciple The Lost Tapes Untitled
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Stylus Magazine
Stillmatic features the best rhymes from Nas since his debut, Illmatic, and possibly the best rhymes of the year, rivaled maybe only by Ghostface Killah’s Bulletproof Wallets. Nas rhymes wonderfully on every song, dropping knowledge like.
Read Full Review >RapReviews.com
While no album may ever top his debut's brilliance, this one comes close enough to make even his most passionate haters happy to hear the raw essence of hip-hop revealed in all it's true glory.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
'Stillmatic', as ever, is far from flawless but, at its best, it addresses the hip-hop landscape of 2002 as lucidly as 'Illmatic' did that of '94.
Read Full Review >Billboard
Without question, Stillmatic is the artist's most complete album since he debuted eight years ago with Illmatic.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Stillmatic wouldn't be a proper Nas record if it didn't contain at least a few regrettable detours into bad taste, and the album boasts its share.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
The good news is that lyrically, Nas is pretty much back on form.
Read Full Review >CDNow
There are moments on Stillmatic where the old fire is rekindled, the power of his emceeing reborn.
Read Full Review >Vibe
It's infuriatingly inconsistent.... But this album's bittersweet beauty lies in the fact that Nas cares. [Feb 2002, p.120]
All Music Guide
Stillmatic is all the proof anyone needs that Nas isn't as special as he was five years before the album's release.
Read Full Review >Blender
A surprising return to form. [Feb/Mar 2002, p.114]
Rolling Stone
Sadly, the cuts that reveal Nas' depth and drive get lost in a jumble of sloppy filler.
Read Full Review >Uncut
His music often lags behind in inspiration. [Mar 2002, p.106]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 41 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Mahmoud R gave it a10:
This album is a classic PERIOD. The so called "experts" who rated this album were paid big bucks by def jam to do so
Alex H gave it a10:
Nas wins, Jigga loses PERIOD
Leon T gave it a10:
This album is a TRUE CLASSIC!The critics reviewed it as bad because they like Jiggas "Girls,girls,girls",soft rap shit while Nas is too REAL 4 them!My favourite songs R Ether,My country & You`re da man...
R gave it a9:
I am pretty sure that a lot of these critics here are really more suited to reviewing Coldplay's albums rather than anything from the hip-hop genre. This album is widely regarded as Nas's 2nd classic album by 2006 critics as well as fans, and perhaps another historic contribution to hip-hop. There are various reviews of God's Son where they refer back to this as a great album. Maybe its the title (relates to Illmatic) which immediately gives the thankful reviewers something to talk about, thankful because they don't know how to deal with it. Anyway, about the content. After three woeful albums since Illmatic where Nas tried and failed to go commercial, he tried to earn his fans' repect back and did a non-pop album again. He owes Jay-Z a favour though. If it wasn't for his dissing he may not have had the inspiration to make such a powerful record. Most of the songs are excellent, though not radio material (that's a good thing here). The only thing that lets Stillmatic down is one or two (and only one or two) filler tracks, the most notable being Rule which is just dreadful - like the stuff on his last album. One of the unique things about Illmatic is that it is under forty minutes long but despite being so relatively short, it is excellent; every track on that album is a gem. If he cut ten minutes in Stillmatic, it would be about as good I reckon. Sadly, the Coldplay-fan critics took these duff tracks way to far. The vast majority of this album is great - I am just completely confused as to why this album was slagged off so much when it was first released and hailed now. This is a rare example of where a Metacritic score is misleading.
Alisha M gave it a10:
Practically every song on this album is perfect and unskippable. I can't say that for most albums. Classic.
Jack K gave it a10:
What is it with these so called critics, they are quick to rate somthing high if its supposedly 'en vogue' or 'different and fresh' which usually means a zany album cover with weird and 'abstract' video, but they cant see a classic rap album staring them in the face - just dope lyrics and dope rhymes with a strong attitude and message. People who reviewed are just wallowing in thier own importance and rate music highly when it seems cool to rate that album highly(see 'Arular' - a good album but rated ridiculously highly just because its a bit different.)
Big D gave it a10:
Fuck Asia Z, he don't know what he's talking about. Stillmatic is da bomb, and you know it.
