Illmatic is the debut album from New York rapper Nas, and while it received positive reviews when it was first released, over the years this record has become regarded as a landmark East Coast hip hop album. It is incredibly smooth and every track is a highlight. Illmatic is not overly bloated or boisterous and there are no skits to stretch out the length of the album. Instead, it is remarkably focused and cuts straight to the point.

This is an incredibly lean record. There are only ten tracks on the album and Nas uses them all to full effect. After a quick intro with "The Genesis," he goes straight into the deep grooves and smooth rhymes of "N.Y. State of Mind" and the album's quality never lets up from there. "Life's a Bitch" and "The World is Yours" keep the album flowing and the track "Halftime" pops up right at the half way point. While the first side is pretty smooth, the second half lightens the mood a bit and the tracks are a little more laid back. "Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)" and "One Love" are perfect examples of this. "Represent" is a late highlight deep on the second half worth mentioning. The final track, "It Ain't Hard to Tell," samples Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" to great effect.

I really enjoy this album and it grows on me a little more each time I listen to it. Illmatic is very easy to listen to, but it is never boring or lame. Nas has had a long-running feud with Jay-Z and, honestly, I don't know the reason for that feud or where it stands today, but on Jay-Z's song "The Takeover," where he sets his sights straight at Nas, he even had to admit that Illmatic is "one hot album."

9.3 out of 10

870 albums to go...