Some people have discographies that 95% of people will agree that a particular album is their favorite. Most Nas fans will choose Illmatic.
I got alerts cause like 20 more people voted and while re-reading the thread I thought about something.
I think I like
Stillmatic a bit more than
Illmatic these days. Hear me out
Illmatic is obviously a classic for the ages. What else can I really say about it? But I think that
Stillmatic, listened to in its proper context (Dec 18th 2001) with Nas's mind-state taken into consideration,
Stillmatic might actually usurp it...
I've been fukked over, left for dead, dissed and forgotten
Luck ran out, they hoped that I'd be gone, stiff and rotten
Y'all just piss on me, shyt on me, spit on my grave
Talk about me, laugh behind my back, but in my face
Y'all some well-wishin', friendly-actin', envy-hidin' snakes
With your hands out for my money, man, how much can I take?
People thought Nas was washed. He was still capable of greatness (
Nas Is Like) but content to put out mediocre product (
You Owe Me). Camel had come for the crown and
taken it. The fact that Nasir could not only come back from that, but reclaim his throne, and put out a fukkin heater like
Stillmatic has me wondering what was so special about Camel in the first place. Tracks 6, 7, 8, and 9 might be one of the greatest stretches of rapping on an album, ever.
(
I take full responsibility for my Nasir stanning in this post. I feel the same about Rakim. I still fw Jay-Z tho.)