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Illmatic
''Illmatic'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas. It was released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records. After signing with the label with the help of MC Serch, Nas recorded the album in 1992 and 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. The album's production was handled by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and Nas himself. Styled as a hardcore hip hop album, ''Illmatic'' features multi-syllabic internal rhymes and inner-city narratives based on Nas' experiences growing up in the Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York City. The album debuted at number 12 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 63,000 copies in its first week. However, its initial sales fell below expectations and its five singles failed to achieve significant chart success. Despite the album's low initial sales, ''Illmatic'' received rave reviews from most music critics, who praised its produ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
It Was Written
''It Was Written'' is the second studio album by American rapper Nas, released on July 2, 1996, by Columbia Records. After the modest commercial success of his debut album ''Illmatic'' (1994), Nas pursued a more polished, mainstream sound for ''It Was Written''. Produced largely by Trackmasters, it departed from the debut's raw, underground aesthetic and embraced mafioso and gangsta themes. The recording also marked the first appearance of Nas's short-lived supergroup The Firm, featuring the rappers Foxy Brown, AZ, and Cormega. The album was a commercial success, selling 270,000 copies in its first week and debuting at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, while receiving mostly positive reviews. It also heralded Nas's mainstream popularity as well as that of mafioso rap, joining similarly successful albums like Raekwon's ''Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…'' (1995) and Jay-Z's ''Reasonable Doubt'' (1996). However, Nas's more commercial sound fostered accusations of sellin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
One Love (Nas Song)
"One Love" is a song by American rapper Nas, released October 25, 1994 on Columbia Records. It was issued as the fifth and final radio single in promotion of his debut studio album ''Illmatic'' (1994). The song was produced by Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, who also contributed vocals for the chorus line. According to Nas, the title of the song originates from Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician Bob Marley's song of the same name. "One Love" is composed as a series of letters written by Nas to his incarcerated friends, describing events that have occurred prior to and after the receivers' imprisonment. "One Love" contains samples of the Heath Brothers' "Smilin' Billy Suite Part II" (1975) and Parliament's "Come in out the Rain" (1970). In the song's first verse, Nas references fellow Queensbridge emcee Cormega, whose rapping career had been put on hold due to his incarceration during the early 1990s. In 2008, VH1 named "One Love" the forty-eighth greatest hip hop song. Ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Halftime (song)
"Halftime" is the 1992 debut single by American rapper Nas, released under his original moniker of Nasty Nas. It was originally recorded for the '' Zebrahead'' soundtrack album, released October 13, 1992, on Ruffhouse Records. "Halftime" was produced by Large Professor and features samples of drums and vocals from "Schoolboy Crush" by Average White Band, horns from "Soul Traveling" by Gary Byrd, and the bassline from "Dead End" from the Japanese cast recording of the musical '' Hair''. The song was later included on Nas' 1994 debut album, ''Illmatic''. Content "Halftime" features an up-tempo beat led by percussion and trumpets over which Nas rhymes. Memorable lines include "You couldn't catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer/That's like Malcolm X, catchin' the Jungle Fever" and "I'm as ill as a convict who kills for phone time." Nas also uses this song to give a "shout-outs" to Willie "Ill Will" Graham, Nas' childhood neighbor and best friend, who was shot dead in 199 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The World Is Yours (Nas Song)
"The World Is Yours" is a 1994 song by American rapper Nas. It was the fourth single from his debut album ''Illmatic'', released a month after the album. It is considered by music critics as one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever recorded; About.com ranked it seventh greatest rap song of all time. It reached number 13 on the chart in 1994. It contains a sample of 's 1970 song, "I Love Music". The song (including the title) and its accompanying video pay homage to the film '' [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
East Coast Hip Hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the Bronx, New York City. In contrast to other styles, East Coast hip hop music has prioritized complex lyrics for attentive listening rather than beats for dancing. The term "East Coast hip hop" more specifically denotes hip hop originating from the East Coast of the Northeastern United States; Southeastern states such as Georgia instead fall under the umbrella of Southern hip hop rather than "East Coast hip hop". A notable exception is the Hampton Roads music scene, centered on Virginia Beach, which produced artists as diverse as Missy Elliott, Pharrell and the Neptunes, Timbaland and the Clipse, all of whom are closely associated with the New York music scene and the evolution of East Coast hip hop, particularly from the late 1990s to present. Musical style In contrast to the more simplistic rhyme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
It Ain't Hard To Tell
"It Ain't Hard to Tell" is the second single and last track from American rapper Nas' debut album, ''Illmatic''. Although the track was technically the second single on the album, it was the first single to be released after the album was pressed in 1994. The first single, "Halftime," was released two years prior to ''Illmatic''s debut. "It Ain't Hard to Tell" was produced by Large Professor, and samples Michael Jackson's 1983 hit single "Human Nature", "N.T." by Kool & the Gang, "Long Red" by Mountain and "Slow Dance" by Stanley Clarke. The single reached number 91 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. In 1991, Nas recorded a demo tape for Columbia Records, featuring the original version of "It Ain't Hard to Tell" named "Nas Will Prevail". This version is roughly 90 seconds longer, includes longer different verses, and has a more subdued, jazzier beat close to the album version. Pitchfork Media's included the song at number 28 on their ''Top 200 Tracks of the 90s''. Music vide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
East Coast Renaissance
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the Bronx, New York City. In contrast to other styles, East Coast hip hop music has prioritized complex lyrics for attentive listening rather than beats for dancing. The term "East Coast hip hop" more specifically denotes hip hop originating from the East Coast of the Northeastern United States; Southeastern states such as Georgia instead fall under the umbrella of Southern hip hop rather than "East Coast hip hop". A notable exception is the Hampton Roads music scene, centered on Virginia Beach, which produced artists as diverse as Missy Elliott, Pharrell and the Neptunes, Timbaland and the Clipse, all of whom are closely associated with the New York music scene and the evolution of East Coast hip hop, particularly from the late 1990s to present. Musical style In contrast to the more simplistic rhym ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Large Professor
William Paul Mitchell (born March 21, 1972), better known by the stage name of Large Professor (also Extra P. and Large Pro), is an American rapper and record producer. Based in New York City, he is known as a founding member of the underground hip hop group Main Source and as mentor and frequent collaborator of Nas. About.com ranked Large Professor at No. 13 on its Top 25 Hip-Hop Producers list. Early life and education William Paul Mitchell was born in Harlem, New York City, and raised in Flushing, Queens, New York City, where he attended John Bowne High School. Large Professor Biographyat Allmusic.com Career Large Professor started making his earliest beats with two turntables, a Casio SK-1 sampler, and pause-tape cassettes before his mentor Paul C taught him how to use an E-mu SP-1200. During his pause tape phase he noted that some of his techniques were different than those of other producers. "I was trying to catch it from a different part of the record. I would catc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Life's A Bitch (song)
"Life's a Bitch" is the third single from Nas' debut album ''Illmatic'' (1994). It was released as a 12" single on April 19, 1994 by Columbia Records. It features rapping from AZ and cornet playing by Nas' father Olu Dara. The beat is produced by L.E.S., who samples "Yearning for Your Love" by The Gap Band and "Black Frost" by Grover Washington, Jr. for the songs down-tempo jazzy beat. AZ's verse was the first recorded verse of his rap career. The song was sampled numerous times in modern times, examples include " Keep It Real" by Miilkbone (1995), "Carry On" by Statik Selektah featuring Joey Bada$$. Music Olu Dara's cornet work was the first on-wax collaboration with his son. "Jungle Jay" and "Dance" eventually followed, as did the 2004 single " Bridging the Gap". According to Nas: Lyricism Nas's verse discusses how he is happy to be alive at 20 years old, his rough childhood, consisting of "robbing foreigners" of their green cards, and selling crack. However, the to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Q-Tip (rapper)
Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis, April 10, 1970), better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. Nicknamed The Abstract, he is noted for his innovative jazz-influenced style of hip hop production and his philosophical, esoteric and introspective lyrical themes. He embarked on his music career in the late 1980s, as an MC and main producer of the influential alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. In the mid-1990s, he co-founded the production team The Ummah, followed by the release of his gold-certified solo debut '' Amplified'' in 1999. In the following decade, he released the Grammy Award-nominated album ''The Renaissance'' (2008) and the experimental album ''Kamaal the Abstract'' (2009). As an actor, Q-Tip has appeared in various films such as ''Poetic Justice'', ''She Hate Me'' and ''Prison Song'', the latter of which he co-wrote and played the lead role. As a DJ, he has hosted the Apple Music 1 radi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Queensbridge Houses
Queensbridge Houses, also known simply as Queensbridge, is a public housing development in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, New York City. Owned by the New York City Housing Authority, the development contains 29 buildings and 3,142 units accommodating approximately 7,000 people in two separate complexes (North and South). The complex opened in 1939 and is the largest housing project in North America. Queensbridge is located in Queens Community District 1, and its ZIP Code is 11101. Structures Queensbridge, the largest of 26 public housing developments in Queens, is located between Vernon Boulevard, which runs along the East River, and 21st Street. It is immediately south of the Ravenswood power plant and just north of the Queensboro Bridge, after which the complex is named. The complex is the largest housing project in North America. The development is separated into two complexes, the North Houses on 40th Avenue and the South Houses on 41st Avenue. The namesak ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Unique Recording Studios
Unique Recording Studios was a five-room recording studio operating near Times Square in New York City from 1978 until 2004. Founders and co-owners Bobby Nathan and Joanne Georgio-Nathan installed the first Otari 24-track tape deck in New York. The studio was known for its extensive collection of synthesizers, which attracted Steve Winwood, who jammed for many hours in the process of creating his multi-Grammy winning album ''Back in the High Life'' (1986) at Unique. Founders Bobby Nathan was born in New York, and learned to play guitar at age 11. In 1965 in his late teens, he played clubs on the Jersey Shore with his band the Pipers. In September 1973, Bobby met Joanne Georgio and they formed a band called Uptown, playing the Tri-State area, shifting to steady gigs in New York City. Georgio and Nathan married. In 1976 Uptown broke up and the Nathans formed another band called Strawberry, playing disco clubs, and backing disco singers such as Gloria Gaynor. In 1977 Strawberry beca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
