Complex- Why Nas' "It Was Written" Is Better Than "Illmatic"

[OnlyInCalifornia]

Never said it was a fact, and I don't agree with it, but it's hardly trolling.

It can be. The best trolls are the ones that are not too far fetched but just enough to rile someone up.

Michael Jordan is the third best player to ever touch the court behind Bill Russell and Larry Bird. Is that legit to say? Sure. Is it me trolling? Definitely.

 

[SunZoo]

I don't really like Illmatic at all let alone more than IWW, I respect illmatic's rank and infleunce but it's probably the album of his that i've listened to the least, besides nastradamus.

Godson > illmatic

 

[SubLyminalz]

Illmatic is the most replayable album in hip hop history.

.

negative.

 

[-----]

Apples to oranges

Exactly!

 

[-----]

The premise of Complex's argument, that the fact that Illmatic is just straight boom bap NY hip hop makes it inherently inferior to the mainstream geared sound of IWW is extremely troubling. And its something I've noticed from them before. They stay low key shytting on boom bap. That's why I say fukk complex.
NY boom bap is as good as hip hop gets. Same with a few other regional sounds from that time. No one ever shyts on The Chronic because it's just a g funk album.

The thing is IWW is bascially Boom Bap too. It's just HD Boom Bap.

 

[NaijaProdigy Redux]

I prefer IWW

 

[infamousred]

for the millionth time...the only thing that is essentially different about the albums is the production. one has some of the greatest production ever and the other one has some half assed trying to follow a mafia theme sound gimmick. even the best producers on iww didn't give nas their a-1 shiit. it was doomed once the trackmasters took the reigns for the album. i still don't give a fukk about the whole fake drug lord thing. the production is what killed that album. during all those remix projects being done this is the very first one that should've been done. it was like sticking the president w/ 2 janitors.

 

[-----]

Hey why wasn't this on the US version of IWW any way?

 

[mobbinfms]

The thing is IWW is bascially Boom Bap too. It's just HD Boom Bap.

I don't fully understand what that means, yet I completely agree!

 

[Darts]

negative.

It is in my opinion. What is in yours?

 

[ThaRealness]

No fukking way. Whoever wrote this is just taking Illmatic for granted. They probably gave it a few spins when they were too young to really appreciate hip hop and never gave it a second thought

If you cant recognize greatness the fukk you doing with ya life?

 

[H.S.]

Hey why wasn't this on the US version of IWW any way?

It was on the cassette tape, but not the CD.

 

[prophecypro]

I dont necessairly agree but I dont exactly disagree either. His rhymes seemed more complex and I think the longer time has past from the backpackers dismay, the more people realize that was a good album. It could have passed for a classic debut for anyone.

And this argument is not the first time its been made online and amongst heads in person, I've heard it for 10 years

 

[prophecypro]

Edit: Double Post

 

[Ziggiy]

The thing is IWW is bascially Boom Bap too. It's just HD Boom Bap.

Lol I like that connotation