Nas "It Was Written" 2xLP

• 30th anniversary vinyl edition of Nas’s 1996 second album, spread across two 140g LPs.
• Includes “The Message” and “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That).”
• A landmark East Coast hip-hop record with production from Trackmasters, DJ Premier and Havoc.
• For fans of: Mobb Deep, AZ, Jay-Z, Gang Starr.

Illmatic, the 1994 studio debut of Nasir "Nas" Jones, was more than just a critical success for the Queensbridge-based rapper. At a time when East Coast hip-hop was increasingly being taken less seriously than their West Coast counterparts, Illmatic's raw jazz and soul-based production, dire atmosphere and lyrics, coupled with Nas' uncompromising flow was integral in restoring interest in the East Coast as a hotbed of hip-hop artistry. Along with key releases from Wu-Tang Clan and Notorious B.I.G.,it shifted attention away from the funky, dayglo synth-based G-funk coming out of California and back to the grimy streets of New York. After such an unprecedented debut record, expectations were understandably high for Nas' follow-up. What came next threw critics and fans for a loop, but was no less influential than Illmatic, and would become the most commercially successful album in the entirety of Nas' discography.