Illmatic at 30: how Nas invented epistolary rap – and changed the hyper-masculine world of hip hop forever


by The Conversation

The Conversation— A reconsideration of Nas's literary clout, 30 years after the release of Illmatic.

The Source—Today in Hip Hop History: Nas’ Iconic ‘Illmatic’ Album Turns 30 Years Old!. 30 years ago today, Nas dropped his debut LP, ‘Illmatic.’ Released by Columbia Records in 94′ Nas recorded the album at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Produced by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and Nas himself, the bangers on the album will […] The post Today in Hip Hop History: Nas’ Iconic ‘Illmatic’ Album Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

The Guardian—‘Reagan gave us something to rap about’: how hip-hop has interacted with US politics. New documentary Hip-Hop and the White House looks back at how presidents have rejected or embraced those within the genre, from Reagan to TrumpAt the 1985 presidential inauguration ball, a made-for-TV black-tie affair that was something in between a concert and a roast, an expectant Ronald Reagan looked on from the dais for Jimmy Stewart to bring up the next act. “And now,” a grizzled George Bailey intoned, “to present the excitement of youth, the sights and the sounds of a big city, here are...

The Source—Today in Hip-Hop History: Outkast Dropped Their Debut Album ‘Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik’ 30 Years Ago. On this day in Hip-Hop history three decades ago, OutKast, the duo that helped pioneer the map-making of southern hip-hop, released their debut classic LP, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. This Dungeon Family masterpiece recorded by Andre 3000 and Big Boi paved the way for Atlanta and the rest of the Dirty South to have their unique voice in […] The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Outkast Dropped Their Debut Album ‘Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik’ 30 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.