When was Illmatic by Nas released?
Illmatic was released on the 19th of April 1994, through Columbia Records. The album debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200, selling 59,000 copies in its first week.
Questions about Illmatic
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who produced Illmatic by Nas?
Illmatic was produced by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and Nas himself. The album was recorded at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City in 1992 and 1993.
How did Nas get signed to Columbia Records for Illmatic?
MC Serch, whose group 3rd Bass had dissolved, discovered that Nas lacked a recording contract during a session for Serch's own solo album. Serch brought Nas' demo to Faith Newman, an A&R executive at Sony Music Entertainment, who signed him to Columbia Records on the spot. Serch then became the executive producer of Illmatic.
What rating did The Source give Illmatic?
The Source gave Illmatic a five mic rating, its highest honor. Co-founder Jon Shecter received the album eight months before its release and lobbied for the rating. At the time, it was essentially unheard of for a debuting artist to receive the coveted designation.
What is Illmatic's certification status with the RIAA?
Illmatic was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on the 17th of January 1996, and certified platinum on the 11th of December 2001, following shipments in excess of one million copies. As of the 6th of February 2019, the album had sold 2 million copies in the United States.
Why is Illmatic considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time?
Illmatic is credited with helping revive the East Coast hip-hop scene alongside the Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Wu-Tang and The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die, and with popularizing the practice of assembling multiple prominent producers on a single album. Rolling Stone ranked it number 44 on its 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and the Library of Congress selected it for the National Recording Registry in 2021 for being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.