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Illmatic XX [20th Anniversary Edition]
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Illmatic XX [20th Anniversary Edition] Image
Metascore
89

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 293 Ratings

  • Summary: The remastered reissue of the rapper's debut 1994 release a disc of remixes, demos and unreleased versions of songs.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. The Line of Best Fit
    Apr 21, 2014
    100
    Like all great works of art, Illmatic isn’t just about the story it tells; it provides us with a fully-fledged character study of the genius behind it.
  2. Q Magazine
    Apr 28, 2014
    100
    The original beats are still as fresh and inviting as a newly changed bed. At 10 tracks, Illmatic is satisfying lean and cohesive--remarkably so for a hip-hop album with five producers. [May 2014, p.125]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. NOW Magazine
    May 22, 2014
    100
    Illmatic is timeless because of Nas’s introspective, hyper-detailed approach to his daily life--even to moments that don’t seem particularly notable.
  4. RapReviews.com
    Apr 21, 2014
    90
    Illmatic by Nas is a 10/10 classic hip hop album. It's essential, and that's undeniable. Illmatic XX when taken as a whole, isn't.
  5. Austin Chronicle
    Nov 6, 2014
    78
    The Demos, Remixes & Live Radio half of Illmatic XX, the 20th-anniversary celebration of the Queensbridge rapper's seminal debut, deviates the right direction from its 10-year predecessor.
  6. The Wire
    Jul 21, 2014
    70
    No album in hiphop history has been less in need of a padding. [Jun 2014, p.63]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. HipHopDX
    Apr 21, 2014
    60
    The trouble with Illmatic XX isn’t what you hear, but what you don’t hear. In a vacuum, it’s an unexpectedly well-preserved snapshot of Golden Era, New York Hip Hop. Sonically, it strikes the perfect balance between cleaning up the original recordings through the advent of digital remastering without eliminating subtleties such as the crackle of a needle over vinyl.

See all 8 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 39
  3. Negative: 0 out of 39
  1. harshsb
    Mar 2, 2019
    10
    It's not difficult to see why "Illmatic" by Nas is often quoted as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, a pure testimony to the wayIt's not difficult to see why "Illmatic" by Nas is often quoted as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, a pure testimony to the way hip-hop can be curated and used as a tool of wordcraft, to send a message over beautiful sounds and sharp detailing in every crevasse. Nas displays true lyrical genius, sending home every bar with perfect execution, whilst remaining fresh in every way. Illmatic is a work of art, which exceeds the expectations and sets the bar as a masterpiece; true, utter, poetry.… Expand
  2. henrikeferrero
    May 31, 2017
    10
    Illmatic is the the best hip hop album ever, the samples are awesome, the poetry and the way that Nas write make you feel the things that heIllmatic is the the best hip hop album ever, the samples are awesome, the poetry and the way that Nas write make you feel the things that he lived to write this masterpiece of human culture… Expand
  4. chr1so
    May 13, 2014
    10
    This originally came out before my time so have only really gotten into it now. Still sounds fresh, has mad beats, lyrics and flow. Can seeThis originally came out before my time so have only really gotten into it now. Still sounds fresh, has mad beats, lyrics and flow. Can see how this is a classic and rated as pretty much the best rap album of all time… Expand
  5. Gods
    Jan 22, 2020
    10
    I mean it's a rap staple arguably the second greatest rap album of all time, this deserves way higher
  6. ETF
    Sep 10, 2022
    10
    the best rap album ever created. the fact nas can be as technical as he was lyrically and still tell as story, is the stuff even the highestthe best rap album ever created. the fact nas can be as technical as he was lyrically and still tell as story, is the stuff even the highest of legends dream of.… Expand
  7. ihavevocaloid
    Jun 20, 2015
    10
    (review of Illmatic only)
    Illmatic is often hailed as the best hip hop album of all time, and deservedly so. The first thing that can be    (review of Illmatic only)
    Illmatic is often hailed as the best hip hop album of all time, and deservedly so. The first thing that can be noted when discussing Illmatic and its legacy is Nas' fantastic rapping. On this album, Nas vividly paints a picture of the New York gangsta life with a series of fantastic rhymes and flow. But the rapping is only one portion of Illmatic's legacy. Next we have the production. There are so many bangers and other fantastic instrumentals on Illmatic that go greatly with Nas' fantastic rapping. And if I'm not wrong, I believe this project reinvented sampling. Without this album, there would have been no The College Dropout, Madvillainy or even My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. And finally we have its originality. Whereas other albums pre-Illmatic sounded specifically from its era, I could have easily mistaken Illmatic for a 2015 album. Nas, with Illmatic, introduced modern sampling methods, storytelling, and bangers. All of these things make Illmatic the classic that it is. Now, if Nas were to make an album nearly as good as this... Grade: A+. Highlights: "N.Y. State of Mind", "Life's a B****", "The World Is Yours", "It Ain't Hard to Tell". Worst song: "Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)"    … Expand
  8. Hendo250
    Apr 6, 2021
    8
    this album is a 8 this album is a 8 this album is a 8 this album is a 8 this album is a 8

See all 39 User Reviews

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